Tiruvanaikaval Raja rajeshwarar temple in the Kanchi mutt Vedapatasala

There is an ancient Shiva temple in the vedapatasalai at Thiruvanaikaval with three sets of Shiva and parvathy. I was able to visit this temple recently

How to Reach:

In Tiruvanaikaval next to the Jumbukeshwarar   Akhilandeshwari koil in the Mada street is the Kanchi mutt run Vedapatashala. There is a very ancient Shiva temple here with many  features. The original Lord is Raja Rajeshwarar with consort RajaRajeshwari in the main sannidhi. There are Separate sannidhis for a rare huge  Panchamukheshwarar which was discovered by Mahaperiyava and installed here with his consort Tripurasundari. The Sivalingam has faces carved on all sides

There is also a rare Chaturshashti kaleshwarar with Chaturshashtikaleshwari . I could not take many photos . The Sivalingam here has 64 facets on it and is mounted on a square avudayar

The ambience and experience were excellent!!   Maha vilvam tree in the temple

 

Murugan sannithi

 

Back side of main temple 

 

Ambal Rajarajeshwari sannidhi from outside

Visit to Eechangudi the maternal house of Maha Periyava

Early may I was travelling near tiruvaiyaru when I was given the chance to visit the maternal house of MahaPeriyava. This has been acquired by the Kanchi mutt and a Veda patashala is running here. It was also the time when preparations were being made for the Athi rudram to be held there .
How to reach:
Eechangudi is a sleepy hamlet just out side Thiruvaiyaru on the Kumbakonam road. We will cross Thirupazhanam and Eecchangudi is the next  big village.There is a kalyana mandapam on the road and the road to the agraharam is very narrow and likely to be missed opposite tis mandapam. Ask for the agraharam and you can go in the narrow lane. You will reach the lakshmi narayana temple and take a right there to see the new building of the Vedapatashala
Inside there is a large hall with modern amneties  and many statues and pics of Mahaperiyava and his parents.
The lakshminarayana temple seen below   
preparations were on for the athi rudhram and here are a FEW snaps of the same
 

for more details on the athi rudram please click on the link below

video link to athi rudram

Uyyakondan Thirumalai Trichy- Padal petra sthalam

Earlier this month I visited this temple. This is a padal petra sthalam being sung by Thirunavukkarasar, Sundarar, Manickavasagar and Thirugnanasambandar. It was built by Kulathunga Chola and during the british tmes served as a fortess for the British and Mysore army.
How to Reach:
The temple is on Vayalur road. Take the road next to the Medical college and Chintamani supermarket in Woriyur and in 3 kms once you cross the Uyyakondan river you can see the temple on the right.. The temple is situated on a hillock and is actually a fortress.  
Legends of the temple:
The temple is connected to the legend of Markandeya who was blessed with 16 years of life only. On Narada’s advice He prayed to Shiva and the ambal recommended the case to the lord to give him long life and hence Shiva showed his padam and re assured markandeya that Yama will return  . This is one of the three places connected with the legend, Thirukadayur,is where yama was killed and thirupaingili is the place yama was  resurrected.(click here for my blog on the thirupaingili temple)
As you enter the rajagopuram you see a murugan temple below and a goshala. On the right are the steps to be climbed

There are two flights of stairs to climb    

You arrive at the top of the hill where the dwajasthambam is with Siva’s Padukas in front
There is a Vinayagar sannidhi with a statue with a human face outside like in the nandrudayan temple ? Ganesha with a human face?(Click to visit the blog on this temple)
The final flight leads to the Main complex
The temple is built on multiple levels. As you enter to the right you find the flight of stairs leading to the main sanctum which houses a shivalingam Shri Ujjeevana nadhar . There are usual Kosta vigrahas around this sanctum. This praharam also has a balatripurasundari amman. The next level of stairs leads us to the Amman sannidhi Anjanakshi ambal. In between there is a passage to the outside that leads to the sannidhi of Shiva Shri. Idarkathan who is supposed to clear all the doubts in our mind and offer clarity in our thought process. 
A superb temple fortress on a hillock right in the limits of Trichy.

Ootathur Sri Sudharathnishawar temple a Vaipu sthalam near trichy

One of the ancient Shiva temples near Trichy this  is a    fairly large temple. It is a vaipu stalam. The saint appar came to nearby  padalur and saw only Sivalingams in this place hence did not step into the temple but sung about this temple from Padalur.The temple was built by RAja Raja Chola .
How to reach:
On the trichy chennai highway after Perambalu rabout 35 kms before trichy we reach Padalur. Enter the service road and take the left turn and folow the road for 5 kms  you will see the temple on the right.
Legends of the temple:
This is the place where the rivers were fighting who is more powerful. Shiva asked nandi to swallow all of them . Only Ganga came out of his mouth. The river Nandiaar is close by and is a tributary of the kolladam river . Hence there are many nandhi s and in the Sanctum we find a Nandi turning away from siva facing the east like the Sivalingam and the teertham here is supposed to be of medicinal value.
There is a seperate Sannidhi with Natarajar and Sivagami ambal carved out of a single stone called pancha nadanam and when tapped gives off a rich note of Om.  The light emitted from this stone is equal to that from the navarathnas. Sivagamis face is tilted to Natarajas side.
As you enter the Rajagopuram we see the main sanctum with multiple pillars and carvings. The Bhairavar is very famous here.

  The Next Praharam has a majestic nandi facving the sanctum sanctorum as seen below. In front of the nandi is a well and there is a tunnel to the Perumal temple from here
 
The main Sanctum has a Shivalingam .When deeparadhana is performed the light is reflected from the sivalingam and it appears as though the light is coming as a jyothi from the lord himself.
There is the usual kosta devathas and sanctums for ganesha and Murugan behind the sanctum. There is also aseperate sannidhi for Lakshmi and saraswathy, The temple has Vishnu durga and a durga with fangs puja here to these dieties gives benefit of marriage.                
The outer praharam has sannidhis for Ganapathy, Murugan and ambal Akhilandeshwari. There is also a dilapidated Kalyanamandapam.
    
Ambal sannidhi
  
A statue of Appar on the wall of the temple to show hw saw the temple but did not visit it.

While coming back i saw lots of wild peacocks in the farm lands