Kamakshiamman Temple - Mangadu

Mangadu (pronounced Maangaadu) is a village situated about 20 km away from Chennai. It is 3 km away from Kunrathur where Sekkizhar was born. The Kamakshiamman temple that attracts hundreds of devotees everyday. Especially on a sunday, the crowd outnumbers the shopkeepers.

Hindu mythology has it that once Goddess Uma in a playful mood closed Lord Shiva's eyes. The Lord who at that time was in Nishtai(meditation) got furious (angry is a mild word) and cursed her to leave Him and go to Earth. The Goddess came to earth as Shri Kamakshi to perform penance towards Shri Velliswarar of Mangadu. Shri Kamakshi is said to have performed severe penance in the midst of Panchaagni(Fire). Lord Shiva married her at Kanchi as Shri Ekambareswarar. As a result of her Thapas in the midst of Panchaagni, the whole Mangadu became so hot that no vegetation could thrive in the surroundings. So Shri Adhi Sankara Bhagavat Pathal came here and installed Artha Meru Shri Chakra which is rare of its kind in the world to subside heat. The offerings and archanas in this temple are performed only to the Shri Chakra.

People pray here to get married and to be blessed with children. An interesting Prarthana that people offer lasts for 6 weeks. On their first visit, devotees are required to bring two fresh lemons for Pooja one of which will ge given back to them. They are to take it home and perform Pooja treating it as Shri Kamakshi. The next week, they are to bring the old lemon along with two fresh lemons to the temple. One of the fresh lemons will be given back. This is repeated for another 5 weeks totalling the number of visits to 7. On the last week, the devotee should bring boiled milk added with sugar which is presented as Naivedyam and distributed to other devotees. This mega ritual is believed to reap results. People present Sarees to the Goddess which are auctioned later.

We worshipped the Varasidhi Vinayagar, the Urchavamoorthy and the Nava Kannigaikal before joining the queue to see the chief deity. People performing Adiprathakshanam, Angaprathakshanam and Madippichai are common sight in this temple. Ages before, it seems, the entrance was in the east. It is now to the right of the Goddess. There is a bill advising devotees not to scribble on the temple walls. Right below the bill, school students have written their exam numbers believing the Goddess would help them in passing their exams.

The darshan was pretty much simple and majestic. The idol of Shri Thapas Kamakshi is in Vama Pathang Sthal in the midst of Panchaagni resting the left leg on Agni and holding the right leg. Her left hand points to the Hridhayasanam and her right hand raised above holding a Rudraksha.

Velliswarar Temple

The temple of Lord Vellishwarar is situated to the west of Kamakshi temple. The bill says a lot about this temple. It says, this temple was raised during the Pallava reign using bricks. During the Chola reign, in 10/11 AD it was renovated. The information posted here denotes: this temple dates back to 8th century. Legend also has it that, it was built in 9th century during the 3rd Nandhivarmar's rule.

When Lord Shiva took mercy towards Goddess Uma, He came to this village to marry Her. At the same time, Asura Kula Guru Sukrachariar (partially blinded) was performing worship towards Shiva. Once Mahabali Chakravarthy, Pragalathan's grandson was performing Asuvamedha Yagna. If he finished the Yagna, according to mythology, no one could beat him. To save Devas, Mahavishnu took Vamana Avatar and went to Mahabali and asked for 3 feet of land. Sukrachariar knew who had come and advised the king against giving the land. Mahabali ignored the advice and proceeded the formality of pouring water from the kettle. Sukrachariar took the form of a bug and stopped the flow of water from the kettle. Thirumal knew this and inserted a stick into the kettle's opening. Sukrachariar lost one eye. To get his eye back, Sukrachariar worshipped Lord Velliswarar at Maangaadu.

Lord Shiva gave preference to Sukrachariar and told Goddess Uma to wait for him in Kanchipuram. He promised Her that He would marry Her there. The pond which Sukrachariar created is called Sukkiratha Kulam. That's the reason for the name velliswarar. Velliswarar is also called Parkaveshwarar since Sukkiravan has a name Parkavan in Sanskrit.

Infront of Nandhikeswarar, there is a stone that has the Kamakshi Paatham carved in. It is believed that Kamakshi stood here and prayed the Lord.

Vivasaya Vinayagar

Vinayagar here holds a mango fruit in His hand. Usually, He holds a Bothagam(Kolukkattai). Only here you can see Him holding a mango. He holds a paddy crop on His left hand since the village is rich in agriculture. Farmers offer the first crop harvested and thank Him for a rich crop.

Excerpts from Sundarar's Devaram tell that defects in the left eye and the right eye get cured if the below songs are recited 16 times respectively.

திருவேகம்பம் பண் - தக்கேசி
உற்ற வர்க்குத வும்பெரு மானை
ஊர்வ தொன்றுடை யான்உம்பர் கோனைப்
பற்றி னார்க்கென்றும் பற்றவன் றன்னைப்
பாவிப் பார்மனம் பரவிக்கொண் டானை
அற்ற மில்புக ழாள்உமை நங்கை
ஆத ரித்து வழிபடப் பெற்ற
கற்றை வார்சடைக் கம்பனெம் மானைக்
காணக் கண்அடி யேன்பெற்ற வாறே.

திருச்சிற்றம்பலம்.

திருவாரூர் பண் - செந்துருத்தி

விற்றுக் கொள்வீர் ஒற்றி யல்லேன்
விரும்பி ஆட்பட்டேன்
குற்ற மொன்றுஞ் செய்த தில்லை
கொத்தை* ஆக்கினீர்
எற்றுக் கடிகேள் என்கண் கொண்டீர்
நீரே பழிப்பட்டீர்
மற்றைக் கண்தான் தாரா தொழிந்தால்
வாழ்ந்து போதீரே.

திருச்சிற்றம்பலம்.

*விச்சை - வித்தையென்பதுபோல் கொச்சை - கொத்தை என நின்றது.
- சுந்தரமூர்த்தி சுவாமிகள் அருளிச்செய்த தேவாரப் பதிகங்கள் ஏழாம் திருமுறை இரண்டாம் பகுதி பாடல்கள் (518 - 1026)

Another bill posted here gives an alternative to visiting the Navagraha Temples in Tanjore district. People in and around Chennai can visit the following Navagraha temples.

Suriyan - Agatheeswarar - Kolappakkam
Chandran - Somanadheeswarar - Chozhamangalam
Angarakan - Vaithiswarar - Poonamalli
Bhuthan - Sundareswarar - Kovur
Vyazhan - Ramanadheeswarar - Porur
Velli - Velliswarar - Mangadu
Sani - Agatheeswarar - Pozhichalur
Raaghu - Thiru Nageswarar - Kundrathur
Kethu - Neelakandeswarar - Gerugambakkam

Vaikunda Perumal Temple
This temple is situated north of Kamakshiamman temple. Lord Vaikunda Perumal came here to attend His sister's wedding which did not happen at the expected place. He holds a ring which He brought to present to His sister Kamakshi. He also holds a Prayoga Chakra meant to remove Obstacles. He is accompanied by Shri Devi and Shri Bhoodevi.

Most of the devotees people visiting Kamakshiamman temple are not aware of the other two temples.

Buses plying from CMBT: 53E, 17B, 154. From Tambaram, Poonamalli: 66, 266