[suresh_gs]

Folks

I drove to Chennai from Bangalore on 25th May 2018. Enroute I decided to visit 2 temples that are pretty close to Bangalore Chennai highway: Thirupaarkadal and Thiruppukuzhi. The later is part of the famed 108 Divya Desams.

On 26th May, I drove from Chennai to visit 2 temples, one in Uthiramerur and the other at Thennangur.

THIRUPAARKADAL

The above temple is not a divya desam even though we have a divya desam by the same name. Of the 108 divya desams, only 106 can be visited in our life time while the remaining 2 are outside the material world. These 2 are Thirupaarkadal and Parampadam.

Now coming to Thirupaarkadal on the Bangalore Chennai highway. There are 2 temples very close to each other: Prasanna Venkatesa Perumal and Ranganatha temple. The unique feature of the Prasanna Venkatesa Perumal temple is that we have Lord Vishnu standing on Shiva Lingam something we have not seen so far. Visiting these 2 temples is considered equivalent to visiting Thirupaarkadal (107th divya desam)








THIRUPPUKUZHI

This divya desam is about 20 kms from Thirupaarkadal on the Bangalore Chennai highway. Infact we have a board clearly mentioning the name and direction.
The significance of the temple is that it is related to Jatayu Moksham in Ramayana. However we have another divya desam in Kumbakonam also related to the same Jatayu Moksham (Thiru Pulla Bhoothangkudi). This is bit confusing as to how come 2 divya desams are related to the same aspect.

[suresh_gs]

SUNDARA VARADARAJA PERUMAL, UTHIRAMERUR

This is a must visit temple in Uthiramerur. The specialty of the temple is that we have one sannidhi in ground floor, second sannidhi in 1st floor and the third sannidhi in 2nd floor.
In the ground floor, the presiding deity (Sri Sundara Varadaraja Perumal) is seen in a standing posture. To go to the next floor we have staircases made of stone on either side of the sannidhi. Here Sri Vaikunda Varadhar is seen in the sitting posture.
In the 2nd floor, the Lord is in reclining posture on Aadhiseshan as Sri Ranganathar.

Thus in a single temple, one is fortunate enough to have darshan of all 3 forms of the lord. Other than these three, there are other deities called Achudha Varadhar, Aniruddha Varadhar and Kalyana Varadhar in the 3 sides of the prakaaram.

Due to lack of time, I was not able to take snaps or spend more time here. But this temple is on my To Do list as far as coming back again is concerned.

Guess what, the temple architecture of Sundara Varadaraja Perumal at Uthiramerur has been copied by the Ashtalakshmi temple at Besantnagar Chennai.

[tstlnt]

Originally Posted by suresh_gs

THIRUPPUKUZHI

the temple is that it is related to Jatayu Moksham in Ramayana. However we have another divya desam in Kumbakonam also related to the same Jatayu Moksham (Thiru Pulla Bhoothangkudi). This is bit confusing as to how come 2 divya desams are related to the same aspect.

Yes. Normally Sthala puranam is specific to one temple only. Interestingly, here, two divya desams are related to the same event, Jatayu moksham.

Below link may help to have some insight on this. Hope, it helps

http://prtraveller.blogspot.com/2007...-thiru_06.html

[suresh_gs]

THENNANGUR PANDURANGA TEMPLE

This temple is located close to Vandavasi. The exterior of the temple is very similar to that of the Puri Jagannath temple. I visited Thennangur on a saturday and the lord was decorated very similar to that of Tirupati Balaji. What a sight to behold.
I was told by the locals that lot of foreigners visit the temple during December. This was established by Gnanananda Giri Peetham

[ampere]

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line. Thanks for sharing!


Short and a nice one. This region gives one the best of temples and countryside two lanes.

And of course the list of temples is endless!