Uthiramerur

This place is on my list for quite sometime. Though it is quite close to Tambaram , I have not been able to visit this place. Finally , I pulled myself up to get to this place last Saturday - 13 Nov 2010.

Sundaravaradar temple is very famous here. A very beautiful temple and more beautiful idols of Lord Vishnu can be seen here. This temple is believed to have been built in 8th Century AD by Pallava King Nandhi Varman.
A very special information about this temple is that there are two more stories right on top of the main shrine Sundara Varadhar where Lord Vishnu is in Kidandha Kolam (Lying down posture as Ranganathar) and Irundha Kolam (Sitting Posture). Both these idols are exquisite..!There is a stair in the main shrine of Sundara Varadhar.

There are also a few more Varadhars that you can see when you go round the main shrine..!

• Vaikunta Varadar provided darshan to DharmaRaja
• Sundara Varadar - to Bheema
• Achuta Varadar - to Arjuna
• Aniruddha Varadar provided darshan to Nakula
• Kalyana Varadar provided darshan to Sahadeva

PHOTOS Of Sundaravaradhar (Click here)

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A nice Subramanyaswamy temple is situated quite near  Sundaravaradhar temple. I understand from the locals that it is quite an old temple..

Click here for the PHOTOS of Sri Subramanya Swamy temple 

Vaikuntanatha Perumal temple is situated just adjascent to the bus stand. A small temple that is visible from the road..This temple is maintained by ASI. There are inscriptions on the wall of the temple about the election process that was followed in Chola Days.. !

PHOTOS - Click here

A few other temples around Uthiramerur is due for a visit... Hope to visit them soon and post a few Pics..!

Iravadheeswarar Temple

Date of visit: 13-Nov-2010

Where (Location):

This temple is located in Big Kanchipuram near bus stand. Opposite to Kachabeswarar Temple.

Very small temple and hardly noticeable...It is bang opp to Kachabeswarar temple...There is a grill gate... if not locked, open it and get inside...Doesn't look to be visited by any one..!

What is special about this place :

• Dilapidated..Needs restoration..!
• Beautiful sculptures on the wall...getting mutilated..will get destroyed soon completely, if nothing is done soon.
• Ancient and finds mention in Puranas
• Not maintained...! The God is all alone here...with only a few bats to his company..!

Camera : Allowed ...! Who cares... no body is there to object...! 

What did I like of this place : 

• The sculpting

Rating : Very Good..!

Note on the Rating :

The rating is in my opinion and may vary from person to person. The factors that I consider for my rating includes being ancient, architecture/Sculpture, Serenity of the place, Spiritual significance (reference in scriptures…etc), Enormity /Size/Magnitude.

Other related resources that I came across and liked

None

Kanchipuram Temples

Click here for PHOTOS

Muktheeswarar

Date of visit: 13-Nov-2010

Where (Location):

This temple is located in Big Kanchipuram near market. Autos are aplenty to reach this place from the bus stand..

What is special about this place :

• Ancient and finds mention in Puranas
• Thirukkurippu thondar attained Mukthi in this place. He has a vow of cleaning the clothes of Sivanadiar (Devotee of Lord Siva) each day. One day, owing to rain, the clothes did not dry and he could not accomplish his vow. He tried to bang his head on the Sivalingam to kill himself. The hand of Lord Siva appeared from the Lingam and stopped him. This scene is sculpted on the wall and I have snapped in on my camera..This story is well covered in the Tamil Movie "Thiruvarutselvar".

Camera : Allowed outside the main Sanndadhi.

What did I like of this place : 

• The story attached to this temple
• Rating : Very Good..!

Note on the Rating :

The rating is in my opinion and may vary from person to person. The factors that I consider for my rating includes being ancient, architecture/Sculpture, Serenity of the place, Spiritual significance (reference in scriptures…etc), Enormity /Size/Magnitude.

Other related resources that I came across and liked

None

Kanchipuram Temples

Click here for PHOTOS

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Ulagalandha Perumal

Date of visit: 13-Nov-2010

Where (Location):

This temple is located quite close to the bus stand in Big Kanchipuram

What is special about this place :

• Ancient and finds mention in Puranas
• Contains shrines that account for three of the 108 Divya Desams
• Huge Ulagalandhan statue of Vishnu - Really gigantic-Looks like having been embedded into a huge rock

Camera : Allowed outside the main Sanndadhi.

What did I like of this place : 

• The huge statue in the main shrine
• Fantastic Vimanam. Quite artistic..(See the photos)

Rating : Very Good..!

Note on the Rating :

The rating is in my opinion and may vary from person to person. The factors that I consider for my rating includes being ancient, architecture/Sculpture, Serenity of the place, Spiritual significance (reference in scriptures…etc), Enormity /Size/Magnitude.

Other related resources that I came across and liked

None

Click here for PHOTOS

Kanchipuram Temples

Thooppul Deepa Prakasar and Vedantha Desikar Temple

Date of visit: 6-Nov-2010

Where (Location):

This temple is located at Chinna Kanchipuram or Vishnu Kanchi. 

What is special about this place :

• Ancient and finds mention in Puranas
• One of the 108 Divya Desam
• Vedantha Desikar-Vaishnavait Guru- Sannidhi
• This is where Vedantha Desikar's mother conceived Desikar (an amsam of the bell..!) and the bell at Thiru malai - Thirupathi is said to have vanished from then. Even today, Thirumala temple does not have a bell (hand bell..) to connote this incidence.

Camera : Allowed outside the main Sanndadhi.

What did I like of this place : 

• The spiritual significance of this place
• Beautiful Deikar Sannadhi. The Mandapam very good.. The Unique and elegant looking stone grill at the roof of the mandapam..

Rating : Very Good..!

Note on the Rating :

The rating is in my opinion and may vary from person to person. The factors that I consider for my rating includes being ancient, architecture/Sculpture, Serenity of the place, Spiritual significance (reference in scriptures…etc), Enormity /Size/Magnitude.

Other related resources that I came across and liked

None

Click Here for PHOTOS

Kanchipuram Temples

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Yadhotkari Temple

Date of visit: 6-Nov-2010

Where (Location):

This temple is located at Chinna Kanchipuram or Vishnu Kanchi. This is near Varadharajar temple. (Take an auto and get down at Kanaka Vilas).

Ashtabhuja Perumal temple is quite near to this temple

What is special about this place :

• This Perumal is also known as Sonna Vannam Seidha Perumal..the one who did as told. When Poigai Azhwar asked him to Vacate this temple and accompany him after asked to leave Kanchi by the King, the lord also accompanied Poigai Azhvar. He again returned on request by poigai Azhvar..!
• Noted down the names of all devotees who visited the temple and gifted one male with a dhothi and a female with a saree based on a lucky dip in the moolavar Sannidhi..(I dont know if it happens daily..! and I didn't get the gift..!)

Camera : Allowed outside the main Sanndadhi.

What did I like of this place : 

• The spiritual significance of this place and the story of Poigai Azhvar related to this temple

Rating : Very Good..!

Note on the Rating :

The rating is in my opinion and may vary from person to person. The factors that I consider for my rating includes being ancient, architecture/Sculpture, Serenity of the place, Spiritual significance (reference in scriptures…etc), Enormity /Size/Magnitude.

Other related resources that I came across and liked

None

Kanchipuram Temples

PHOTOS

Video

Ashtabhuja Perumal

Date of visit: 6-Nov-2010

Where (Location):

This temple is located at Chinna Kanchipuram or Vishnu Kanchi. This is near Varadharajar temple. (Take an auto).

Yadhotkari temple is quite near to this temple

What is special about this place :

• One of the 108 Divya Desams
• Gajendra Moksham is said to have happened in Gajendra Pushkarini, the temple tank (no water!)
• The lord Vishnu here is with 8 hands..!

Camera : Allowed outside the main Sanndadhi.

What did I like of this place : 

• Beauty of the Moola vigraham
• Small but cute temple

Rating : Very Good..!

Note on the Rating :

The rating is in my opinion and may vary from person to person. The factors that I consider for my rating includes being ancient, architecture/Sculpture, Serenity of the place, Spiritual significance (reference in scriptures…etc), Enormity /Size/Magnitude.

Other related resources that I came across and liked

None

Kanchipuram Temples

PHOTOS

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Sanjeevirayar Temple

Date of visit: 6-Nov-2010

Where (Location):

This temple is located at Iyengal Kulam that is on the road to Kalavai from Kanchipuram, roughly about 7-8 Kms. (There is also a Chinna Iyankulam... be care ful..the one I am talking about is called Iyengar Kulam). This temple can be reached thru town bus.

What is special about this place :

• Vijayanagara period temple; Vijayanagara architecture carries its own beauty and elegance..!
• Sri Hanuman is said to have alighted here for sometime when he was carrying the Sanjeevi Parvadham and hence the temple and the tank are believed to cure disease 
• 
  

Camera : The priest was curious to know why I am taking the photos.. He thought I am from press..!

What did I like of this place : 

• The beautiful mandapams and steps at the back of the temple.
• The tank at the back of the temple near a huge tree (Don't miss this)
• Though some portion of the walls of the temple are kind of dilapidated, the temple is maintained clean.

Rating : Very Good..!

Note on the Rating :

The rating is in my opinion and may vary from person to person. The factors that I consider for my rating includes being ancient, architecture/Sculpture, Serenity of the place, Spiritual significance (reference in scriptures…etc), Enormity /Size/Magnitude.

Other related resources that I came across and liked

None

CLICK HERE FOR PHOTOS

Kanchipuram Temples

VIDEO

PHOTOS