Shri Ramaswamy temple Kumbakonam

The temple is a marvel in sculpture with the entire Ramayana in stone.
How to Reach:
The temple is right in the centre of Kumbakonam next to the Chakrapani temple

History:
The temple was built by the Nayak minister Sri Govinda dikshita who built it and connected it to the Chakrapani temple by a commercial corridor.
The outer Prahara has multiple pillars which are all carved from a single stone and depicts the various incidents in Ramayana. The inner prahara has the paintings of the story of Ramayana in three panels. If you follow the panels in sequence you would have made 3 pradakshinams!!
The inner Sanctum has Rama and Seetha seated on the pedestal, with Lakshmana, Bharatha standing on the right and Shatrugna waving the chamara with Vibheeshanan standing with folded arms.Hanuman is found kneeling in from with folded hands and a book in his hand. This is the only temple where the four brothers are together  

Brihadeeshwara temple at Gangaikonda Cholapuram

A similar huge temple like the tanjavur big temple is seen in Gangaikondacholapuram. This temple was built by Rajendra Chola I the son of Rajaraja Chola who built the Tanjore temple. The mammoth temple is often called the female counterpart of the tanjore temple as it is slightly shorter but more wide.
How to Reach:
The temple is very close to Kumbakonam about 15 kms on the route to Sethiathope / Jayamkondan
History:
Rajendra Chola was the monarch who conquered the other kings and extended the Chola kingdom from the ganges in the north to Srilanka in the south and to the far east Indonesia Kedaram . The City was the capital for almost 250 years and was ruled by the Cholas. There was a great lake Cholaganga or Ponneri where the vassal kings brought water in golden pots to fill after his victorious tour of the north.
In 1780 the Britishers demolished the outer wall of the temple and used the stones to build the Lower anaicut

The temple is a huge replica of the tanjore temple with 15 feet wide ardha mandapam 15 feet long garba gruha . The pillars and the outer walls are covered with exquisite carvings one of them is Shiva and parvathi anointing king Rajendra as emperor. There is a separate sanidhi for Brahadambikai , murugan. there is also a huge well with a lion mouth.            
The inner sanctum is lined with a special stone called  Chandrahasa which keeps the place cool in summer and warm in winter!!
The Nandi is huge and made of mortar and lime. The reflection of the sun on the nandi illuminates the lord by evening.

The temple is maintained by the ASI.

Shri Saraswathy temple Koothanur

It is very rare to find a separate temple for Saraswathy the goddess of learning and Brahma’s consort. Koothanur is one such place where a temple is found
How to reach:
The temple is situated between Mayavaram and Tiruvarur at about 25 kms before Tiruvarur . It is also close to the Thirumeeyichur temple of lalitha sahasranamam fame
Legends:
Saraswathy was cursed to be born on earth for ego clashes with Brahma she came here and prayed for atonement of her sins and rejoined Brahma as a river arasalar here.
This village was gifted to the poet Otta Koothan ( hence koothanur) by the king Raja raja Chola in the beginning of the second century and he built the temple here.

The temple has many shops selling stationery and white sarees  as you can see from the snap above, which can be placed for success before the goddess as offering and be blessed for use. It is hence very popular among students. I saw a white board inside where people write their register number for success in exams.
The goddess is found sitting with a benign smile blessing the devotees.
Vijayadasami is celebrated with great fervour here.
Contact no:
91-04366-239909. or  4366 - 2239909

Some new snaps during Jan 2016 visit

Kanchi Mutt Veda patashla at Tiruvidaimarudhur-Advaitham sathyam

Adi Sankara visited the Tiruvidaimarudur temple and is supposed to have established the supremacy of Advaitha where in the Lord of the temple sprouted a right arm and forcefully uttered Advaitham sathyam. This bit of history has been enshrined in this kanchi mutt branch where a vedapatashala now functions. The idol was consecrated by his holiness Shri Chandrashekarendra saraswathy swamigal of the Kamakoti peetam.
Tiruvidaimarudhur is associated with the Kanchi mutt where the previous periyavas of the mutt from shri Mahadevendra Saraswathy to Maha periyava.
How to reach
The Kanchi mutt is situated right on the road leading to the main Mahalingeshwara temple in Tiruvidaimarudhur.
As you enter you are greeted by a hall which has the images of Anjaneya, Adi Shankara and the Advaitham sathyam Lingam
Inside is the Paduka mandapam constructed as per Maha periyava wishes  by Dentist Dr.V.Subramanian of trichy (Father of Dr.S.Kalyanaraman Neurosurgeon)
 
On the first floor there is a Gopuram which houses the Shiva lingam sprouting a right arm and confirming Advaitham sathyam as well as an image of Adi Shankara
 

Kanchi Srimadh Mahaswamigal Thapovanam at Govindapuram

I recently visited this place on 25/12/13 . Both the periyavas have recently built a loving thapovanam where in all the previous acharyas of the peetam are enshrined with their images and legends and a banalngam representing them.
(This was supervised and built lovingly by shri Mettur swamigal who recently  attained mukthi and his adhishtanam is also being built here.)
How to Reach:
On the Kumbakonam Mayavaram highway we all know that the famous Vittala temple and the Adhishtanam of Shri Bodhendra swamigal  (for details click to see my blog http://drlsravi.blogspot.in/2010/06/thiruvenkadu-and-govindapuram.html) are the jewels. A third jewel has recently been added. This temple is across the road from the Vittala temple and is a very serene place to visit. It also houses a Shrine for Kamakshi . Since I visited the place by 6 PM it was already dark hence my pics are probably not showing the full splendor so please visit it yourselves to experience the blessings of the parama pujya acharyas
( The vittala temple is seen  illuminated in  the back)


   

The kanchi mutt Kumbakonam

http://maps.google.co.in/maps/place?cid=2977063581023820665&q=Kumbakonam+kanchi+mutt&gl=in
(Though I had blogged about this institution where Mahaperiyava lived for many years, I had an opportunity to visit the place on 27/12/13 and obtain photos which I have inserted now)
How to reach: The mutt is situated on the Matam street near the old bridge on the Cauvery and is very well known in Kumbakonam
The Kanchi mutt is also referred to as Kumbakonam madam by old timers as it had shifted here from Kanchi during the Karnatic wars
Due to the repeated invasions of Kanchi , at the time when war was raging, it was feared that this Swarna Kamakshi of Kanchipuram would be taken or destroyed. An ancestor of the Musical Trinity, Syama Sastri took the idol to Tanjore through Chenji, Udayarpalayam and Tiruvarur for safe custody. The then Nayak King of Tanjore sheltered it in a special temple and Swarna Kamakshi became Bangaru Kamakshi and now remains in that shrine. The kanchi mutt also subsequently shifted first to Tanjore and later to Kumbakonam. This was where the 68 th acharya spent a considerable amount of time learning the Vedas and was from here that he started his first digvijayam.
The Kumbakonam mutt now houses a Veda patashalai and also the adhishtanams of three acharyas of the kanchi mutt namely the 62,63 and 64 th acharyas
62
Sri ChandrasekharendraSaraswati V: Kanchi was involved in the Karnatic wars and peaceful existence there had become impossible. Hence the Acharya of Kamakoti peeta decided on migrating south..Though Kanchi still figured as the nominal headquarters. The golden image of Kamakshi (Bangaru Kamakshi) had already been carried away by the sthanikas of the temple first to Udayarpalayam, and later to Tanjore where it has been permanently installed. The Acharya Chandrasekhara himself acceded to the request of Pratapa Simha, Rajah of Tanjore (1740-63) and took up his permanent headquarters at Tanjore. But Kumbakonam, on the banks of the sacred river Cauvery, was found more suitable and shortly thereafter the Acharya shifted to Kumbakonam. Chandrasekhara attained mukti at Kumbakonam on shukla Prathama in the month of Pushya of the cyclic year Subhakrt (1783 AD)
63
Sri Mahadevendra Saraswati V: He was a great yogi. His former name was Anna Srauti. He was a native of Kumbakonam. He attained mukti at Kumbakoriam on Sukla Dwadasi in the month of Ashada of the cyclic year Srimukha {1813 AD).

64
Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswati VI: He was known as Venkatasubramanya Dikshita prior to his sanyasa and belonged to the talented family of the great Govinda Dikshita, the Brahmana minister of Tanjore, who is still lovingly remembered as "Ayyan". He was a great adept in Mantra Sastra. The Acharya caused repairs to the temple of Sri Kamakshi at Kanchi and performed kumbhabhishekham on 22nd January 1840 AD. He got the tatankas (ear-oranaments) of Devi Akilandesvari in the Tiruvanaikoil and re-consecrated them on the ear of the goddess in 1848 AD. He attained mukti at Kumbakonam on Sukla Prathama in the month of Karthika of the cyclic year Sadarana (1851 AD).

from the Kanchi mutt calender 2018

Nandivaram Shri.Nandikeshwarar temple near Guduvancherry in Chennai- A padal petra sthalam

This is an ancient Shiva temple in the suburbs of Chennai in Guduvancherry. It was supposedly built by the early Cholas as per the gurukkal  who was busy and could not give us more info. Today 30/6/13 I travelled to this temple enroute to a medical camp at Villupuram.
How to each:
The temple is very easily reached from NH 45. After Kattankulathur as you enter Guduvancherry the area is called Nandivaram . There is a road to the left before the bus stand  the road leads to the temple in a furlong. There is also a road adjoining the bus stand leading to thiruporur . The road to the temple is the first left not the Thiruporur road.
Legends and stories :
The temple was built by the early Cholas as there is no rajagopuram. The legend is that shiva did the thandavam here after recovering from the poison .He danced on Nandideva's head.
It is a padal petra sthalam being sung about by  Shri .Appar, the shaivaite nayanmar.
As you enter the main entrance, you see  a big outer praharam with trees and  sthala vruksham the cannon ball tree (Nagalinga maram) and Nandi on the right. There is a stand alone Vishnu also probably displaced from the Koshta during an earlier renovation.

As you enter the  inner praharam you see the main Shivalingam on the left facing east.
The Main sanidhi has a vinayaka on the right and murugan on the left..We see a south facing shrine for   Soundarya nayaki ambal with a simham and balipeedam. The ambal is about 4 feet high and standing 

Dakshinamurthy

Maha Vishnu at the back

The koshta vigrahas are as in any Shiva temple with Narthana ganapathy, Dakshinamurthy, Mahavishnu and Brahma ,Durga with chandikeshwarar. Chandikeshwarar Sthuthi and Bhairavar Stuthi are engraved  here  
The outer praharam
A serene temple ancient padal petra sthalam and so close to Chennai a wonderful peaceful temple.