Tiruneer Malai Perumal

Location

Tiruneer Malai is about 25 kms from Chennai and can be accessed by GST Road. The temple is at the hilltop and offers scenic views of the burgeoning Chennai suburbs.

Temple

Lord Vishnu appears in Kidandha (lying), Nindra (standing), Irundha (seated) and Nadandha (walking) positions in various temples. In Tiruneer Malai temple, Sriranganatha Perumal appears in the Kidandha position.

The main deity of Tiruneer Malai temple is Sriranganatha Perumal - lying on Adisesha with Chaturbhuja Bramha appearing from the navel of the deity. Sridevi and Bhoodevi are seated at the feet of the lord. This temple is one of the 108 Divyadesam. It is claimed that offering prayers at this temple is equivalent to offering prayers at the famous Srirangam, Trichy.

This temple celebrated Samprokshanam in December 2010.

Entrance for steps leading to the Temple

Mangadu Vaikunta Perumal

Location:

This temple is located in Mangadu - on the way to Poonamallee, 2-3 kms from the highway. 

Temple:

The temple’s main deities are Vaikunta Perumal and his consort Kanakavalli Thayar. The Perumal has a green emerald (maragatham) ring in His palm for the marriage of His sister - Mangadu Kamakshi. Sreedevi and Bhoodevi are beside the Vaikunta Perumal.

People light oil lamps in this temple to safeguard their families. Prayers for removal of obstacles in marriage are offered to this Perumal. Other deities in the temple include Garuda, Anjaneyar and Andal.

Mangadu Velleeswarar

Location

This temple is located in Mangadu - behind the famous Mangadu Amman temple.

Temple

The main deity of this temple is that of Velleeswara who has Bilva Leaf, Chandra prabhai and Surya  This temple’s pond is called Sukratheertham.

The other deities include Sidhi Vinayakar, Veerabhadrar, Valli Deivanai sametha Subrahmanyar, Kaalasamharamurthi Balambika, Durga, Chandigeswara and Navagriha.

Board in this temple showing Navagriha temples around Chennai

Kunnakudi Shanmuganathar

This town is famous for its Shanmuganathar temple and is about 6 kms from the old bus stand in Karaikudi. The Shanmuganathar temple itself is at the top of a small hill and the only way up is to walk up the steps carved out of the hill. There is also a Sannidhi for Pazhani Andavar at the base of the hill.

According to legend, Lord Muruga changed Surapadman, whom he had vanquished in Tiruchendur, into the form of a peacock for use as a Vahanam in Kunnakudi. Valli and Deivanai are on the wall in the Moolavar Sannidhi. Devotees can see Valli and Deivanai only in the Utsavar murthi. One can also see the Sannidhis of Swarna Ganapathy and Kuzhandai Vadivelar in this temple.

The temple is open from 4 am - 12.30 pm and from  4 pm - 8 pm.

Ariyakudi Perumal

Ariyakudi is a town about 4 kms from Karaikudi. There is a Perumal temple in this town which is about 400 years old and this temple is called Then Thirupathi (Tirupathi of the South). The Perumal is called Thiruvenkatavudayan and Thayar is Alarmelmangai.

The temple is open from 7.30 am to 12 pm and from 4.30 pm to 8 pm.

Pillayarpatti Karpaga Pillayar

Pillayarpatti is about 17 kms from Tirukoshtiyur. This temple is famous for the Pillayar koil. The Pillayar here is called Karpaga Pillayar and has the powers to grant wishes to His devotees like a Karpagavriksham.

The Siva Lingam in this temple is called Marudeeswarar Arjuna Vaneswararand the Ambal is called Vaadamalar Ashoka Kusumambal. In this temple's Murugar Sannidhi, Valli and Deivaanai are both seated on the peacock. Navagrihas are peculiarly in the seated position. There is also a Sannidhi for Sivagami.

The temple is open from 6 am - 12.30 pm and from 4pm to 8.30 pm. The contact number(s) for the temple office are 04577 264240/264241/264797/264182.

Tirukoshtiyur Sowmya Narayana Perumal

Location:

The town of Tirukoshtiyur is about 33 kms from Thirumayam near Pudokottai. The Soumya Narayana Perumal temple of Tirukoshtiyur is the first Divya Desam.

Temple:

In this temple, Perumal appears as Koothadiyan (as Nardhana Krishna in Bhooloka), Kidandhan ( as Pallikonda Bhoomi Neela Sametha Soumya Narayana in Devaloka), Nindran ( as Upendra Narayana in Indraloka) and Amarndhan ( as Paramapadanathan in Vaikunta). The last two Perumal Sannidhis can be accessed through the stairs leading all the way up to the Gopuram. The name of the Thayar in this Sthalam is Thiru Ma Magal Thayar.

There are also three forms of Narasimhar in this temple. He appears as Ugra Narasimha in the outer Praharam of the temple. The Ugra Narasimhar appears in the Yuddha pose (fighting with Hiranyakashipu) and Vadham (killing Hiranyakashipu) pose protecting Prahlada. Near the Dwajasthambam one can find Yoga Narasimhar. Lakshmi Narasimhar is at the base of the flight of stairs leading upto the Gopuram. Thus one can find Narasimhar with increasing levels of composure as one proceeds from the temple exterior to the Gopuram.

There are only three places where the Temple Gopura Vimanam is constructed as Ashtanga Vimana to match the Ashtakshara Mantra  - Uthiramerur, Koodalazhagar temple and Thirukoshtiyur. Among the three, Thirukoshtiyur temple's Vimanam has the special "Divya" taga and its Vimanam is Ashtanga Divya Vimanam. A statue of seated Saint Ramanujar can be found today near the Astanga Vimana from where He preached the Ashtakshara Mantra.

Sthala Puranam:

According to Sthala Purana, Brahma, Vishnu and Sivan met as a "Koshti" (group) in this place to discuss how Narasimha Avatar should take place. That is how the place got its name.

Saint Ramanuja learnt the Ashtakshara mantra for reaching Vaikunta - "Om Namo Narayanaya" from His Guru. The Guru had instructed Saint Ramanuja to keep the mantra a secret failing which, Saint Ramanuja would be severely punished. However, Saint Ramanuja immediately went to the Thirukoshtiyur temple gopuram and preached the mantra to everybody. His reasoning was that even if He - Saint Ramanuja,was punished, others who heard the mantra would reach Vaikunta.

The temple is open from 7.30 am - 12.30 pm and from 4.30 pm to 8 pm.

Tirukoshtiyur Temple Entrance