| Description This Divya
Desam is located in the outskirts of Chennai, near Pallavaram. It is a complex of two
temples, one on top of a small hill reached through a flight of stairs, with three
shrines, and one at the bottom of a hill, with one shrine. The Divya Desam in the city of
Chennai is Tiruvallikkeni. Located near
Meenambakkam nearby is Tirisoolam, with an ancient temple (from the Chola period)
dedicated to Shiva. The name Neer malai arises from the legend that when Tirumangaialwar
visited this shrine, a moat of water surrounded the hill, and that he had to wait in the
village down below for a six month period until the water receded.
Legend has it that Valmiki worshipped the three forms of Vishnu on the
hill, and upon meditating upon Rama after climbing down the hill, Ranganathar manifested
himself as Rama, Lakshmi as Janaki, Adiseshan as Lakshmanan, the conch and the discus as
Shatrugna and Bhararata, Viswaksena as Sugreeva, Garuda as Hanuman, and appeared before
him.
Deities: The temple at the bottom of the hill enshrines Neervannan or
Neelamukilvannan in a standing posture facing south, while Taayaar who is in her own
sanctum, is Animaamalar Mangai. There is also a sanctum for Chakravarti Tirumagan in this
temple. This temple has a single prakaram and a three tiered rajagopuram.
The hill temple accessed via a flight of 200 steps has three sancta. The first of the
Moolavar images is that of Shanta Narasimhan, in a seated posture facing east. The second
is that of Ranganathar, in a reclining position, facing south. Taayaar here is Ranganayaki
facing east, in her own sanctum. The third sanctum is that of Trivikraman (Nadandan) in a
standing posture facing east. (Thus in terms of iconography all three positions described
by 'irundaan', 'ninraan', 'kidandaan' are seen here in the hill temple).The Divya
Desams enshrining Trivikrama are Tiru Oorakam
(Kanchipuram) , Tirukkovilur, Kaazhicheeraamavinnagaram and Tiruneermalai.
Festivals: Two worship services are carried out each day here. Annual
festivals are held in Panguni and in Chittirai with emphasis on Panguni Utthiram and the
tamil new year. |
