Sri Parashurameshwara temple at Gudimallam–The most ancient Shiva temple documented in AP near Tirupati

Gudimallam  is a nondescript village off the beaten track near Renigunta near Tirupati. It is the site of a very ancient Shiva temple thought to be built in 1 BC as per archeological evidence of the potsherds and the huge bricks un earthed here. It has been later rebuilt as a granite temple with the Gaja prushti type vimana by successive dynasties like the shatavahanas, Banas, Cholas and Hoysalas.

How to reach:

While proceeding from Tirupati to Sri Kalahasti, in less than a furlong  take a turn on the right ,the road on the right to papa Naidu Peta and Gudimallam It is about 22 kms from Tirupati.

The trip by itself became an adventure thanks to Google maps and overnight rain. I trusted the maps implicitly and proceeded on the Kalahasthi road behind the Renigunta airport.After crossing an under-construction  college the adventure became interesting. The road disappeared and a dirt track emerged with slushy quick sand made worse by rain and deep tracks formed by giant tyres of tractors which use the road. There were two areas of concrete only where we waded through the now dry Swarnamukhi river. There were no people to ask directions due to rain and my new jazz bravely trudged through the sludge. My heart was in my mouth many times. I was going around in Papa Naidu Peta village and ultimately came to the temple after doing a pradakshina all in one piece God's will I accepted. My octogenarian father in law, a seasoned veteran of many a gory neurosurgical battle who came with me developed a tension headache and I am sure was in direct prayer link with his Guru Sri Mahaperiyava who safely saw us to the temple. The return journey was on tar roads thankfully as I could ask few people

The temple is under the administration of the ASI and hence neatly maintained an oasis in the middle of the sleepy village

legends and facts:

A local chieftain called Parashurama was blessed by the lord and he had a garden which was used to do Pooja to the lord. Chitrasena a yaksha stole a few flowers and a fight ensured between the two and the yaksha was cursed to be an Asura. Some say Chitrasena was actually Brahma, sent by Shiva to help Parashurama absolve himself of his dosha of beheading his own mother.

The Shivalinga is unique and remarkably like a phallus. The front portion has a dwarf Chitrasena over whom Parashurama is standing in full warrior mode. This they say is amalgamation of Shiva , Vishnu as Parashurama and Brahma as the dwarf below

The whole sanctum is at a lower level and once in 40 years the swarnamukhi flows enough to cause a fountain effect inside and submerges the lord. The last time was in 2005, a remarkable feat of engineering. The sun’s rays fall on the lord directly on Uttarayana and Dakshinayana solstice days.

View of the outer prahara with Anandavalli Ammavaru in the distance

The legend of the temple as put up by the ASI

The outer prahara has east facing sannidhi for Murugan with Valli and Devasena,

There is a separate sannidhi for Surya in the east

and the Ammavaru Anandavalli has an enclosure facing east

Inside the prahara the Kostas vigrahas are Dakshinamurthy, abhayahastha Perumal ,Chaturmukha brahma and ,vaishnavi. In deference to the notice I did not photograph the deities inside

The majestic Shiva as seen from Pics on the internet

web link to the site of the picture

A truly adventurous trip I had with family that journey really re enforced my strong belief in the positivity of sincere prayers!!!

I saw recent reports of multiple tunnels and chambers discovered in the temple precinicts which are being studied. One theory as per the book Chariot of the gods says these temples are the documentation of aliens, their attire with soace suits, helmets , their vehicles and their technology left behind which was documented by our  early ancestors . Who knows?

Shri Agastheeswarar sametha Anandavalli temple at Panjetty near Ponneri

I have wanted to visit this temple for a long time having heard of the wonderful sculptures. Today morning on “Aadi masa pooram” the  birthday of ambal, I was able to visit it. The temple is associated with Agasthiyar and his disciple pulasthiyar who have both spent a long time here. The history of the temple says it was last built by the Hoysalas and rashtrakutas.
How to reach:
On the Chennai Kolkatta highway at about 30 kms from Chennai after crossing the Karanodai bridge and toll booth you will come to the Thatchur four roads. Take a U turn here and backtrack for a kilometer towards Chennai. You will see the temple board on the left and take the left cutting. In 500 metres you will see a cement road on the left with neat directions turn into it and  the 5 tiered Rajagopuram will beckon you!! This rajagopuram has such minute exquisite sculptures of both Vaishnavism and Shaivism puranas. There are so many special sculptures so I shall describe it later .

Legends and stories:
The temple has both Vaishnava and Shaiva legends hence a symbol of oneness of God.
Brahma was asked by the rishis like Vashishta. Gauthama and Kanva where to do yagas and he rolled a darba  grass ring which came to rest here where the yagas could be done so five yagas (Pancha Ishti ) we conducted here
The Rajagopuram displays penances in Kretha yuga by Parvathi among the panchagni, Brahma in threata yuga, Arjuna in the Dwaparayuga and Agastya in the Kali yuga.
 
The Rajagopuram entrance is in the south and you will see the temple with the Ambal sannidhi in front. The Rajagiopuram is facing the ambal sannidhi and thus the main importance of the temple is Anandavalli amman
The inner praharam is situated in such a way that from the centre we can see both The Sivan and amman at one time.
The Shivan sannidhi is on the left with a Swayumbhu Sivalingam facing east.There is also a small manonmani ambal inside consecrated by Agasthyar and the concept of Shiva sakthi is very evident here.
The Ambal sannidhi houses the amman who is about 3 feet tall on a pedestal. There are significant features here. She has her left foot forward with her eyes open and her third eye visible in anger against the asuras who were disrupting the pancha ishiti (Five Yagas) of Agasthya and the devas . Her anger was pacified by Agasthyar installing a Durga Yanthram in a platform in front of her, containing the ‘Sapthasree manthram of Devi Mahathmeeyam that includes 700 mantras representing Durga, Lakshmi, Saraswathi and Kaliyanthra in front of her which is replicated in the Rajagopuram roof
The Koshta vigrahas are Ganesha, Dakshina murthy , Brahma and Durgai.
The outer praharam has separate sannidhi for Siddhi Vinayaka Ganapathy,  Murugan in the prayoga posture with kamandala and rudraksha in his hand after he disposed brahma of this function (Click here to see my blog on near by Andar kuppam Murugan temple for the story)
The Sthala vruksham is the Vilvam and there is a huge Banyan tree also inside.
in the Eastern side on the North There is a separate sannidhi for the ishta lingam who was worshipped by Pulasthiyar . Devotees believe that prayers to this lingam will help overcome legal problems and regain lost official position.Next to this is the bhairavar sannidhi
The Ishta lingam

The maha kala bhairavar sannidhi

Next to this is the Dwjasthambam and Nandi
the huge pond agasthya theertham which sadly now id dry and in need of rejuvenation. The priest Shri. Babu Gurukkal requested me to ask for help in reconstructing the pond. This pond is supposedly created by Agasthya .
Next to the  kolam gate is the Suryan sannidhi, the Agasthiyar sannidhi. Followed by the Navagraha sannidhi on a lotus.

The Raja gopuram merits a long time. I shall try to show a few pictures but it is only a fraction of what is seen there. The Wall facing ambal has ashta Dikhbalakas on one side and Navagrahas on the other side . There are many small frescoes of dasavatharam, the various occasions like mohini feeding the devas and rahu ketu being created, marriage of Shiva, Yaga by Brahma and Vishnu , Kannappa nayanar Samudhra manthan, krishna and poothana, Krishna and Govardhana giri, Krishna and gopikas, the list is endless. Please visit once to see for yourself
Hanuman and seetha in ashoka vanam
      Krishna and putana see how shrivelled she is after krishna sucked her life force away!!  

Gajasura vadham by Shiva
Contact :Babu Gurukkal:9841317500. You can see him helpfully explaining all the salient sculptures to us. He is very keen to start cleaning and re building the Agasthya theertham. Readers please do contact him and contribute your mite

Temple open between 5 AM to 1PM and 4-8 PM on festival days it is open whole day


I was contacted by mailby one Shri Anandkumar who wanted me to include the names of the other kurukkals , here are the details he kindly suplied
Mohan Gurukkal    9444146752
Ganesh Gurukkal    9841344867
Kandan Gurukkal    9962570445
Anand Gurukkal      9789892925

Sri Agastheeswarar temple- Ponneri

This is also an ancient temple built in the Gajaprushti type .There is a golden plough carved inside which shows the name of the place  as Pon eri  (Golden plough)How to reach:On the Kolkatta highway from Chennai after 35 kms you will come to the karanpdai bridge and toll .proceed straight after crossing road to peripalayam at  Thacchur koot road There is an overbridge here so take the service road and take the under pass to the right to enter ponneri  after the karanodai bridge.  Proceed into the harihara bazaar street and before you come to the railway underpass you will see the road to the temple on the right. proceed for a few metres and you will see the temple.
Legend of the temple:
The temple was the place where Agasthya did penance and was relieved of his stomach ache here..The ancient name of this place is Kumbamuni Mangalam. Sage Agasthiar is also known as Kumbamuni, as he once collected the whole of river Cauvery into his holy pot (Kamandalam)
The mandapam in front of the temple and the agasthiyar theertham


View of the temple
There is a pilliar shrine seen on the left in the snap above we prayed there and entered the rajagopuram. The main shrine beckoned us in front with the nandi and the Kodimaram seen on the right. All the gods here face the east and are prayed to by the sun who graces them in the month of chithirai ( April-May)

 
The pillars of the front hall having anjeneya and ganesha
The main sanctum has a huge sivalingam facing the east. The Vimanam is of the gajaprushti type with a carving of a golden plough as seen here

The koshta vigrahas are all enshrined in their niches, Ganesha, Guru,Lingothbhavar,Durgai, Brahmaetc., thereis also a bhairavar and a suryan inside the praharam

Shiva suryan

Murugan on the left of the main praharam


Ambal sannidhi to the left of the main sannidhi facing east is found inside themain praharam itself
The outer walls of the temples are painted over with thevarams and other hymns
The sarakondrai plant in full bloom was a nice sight next to the navagraha sannidhi