சிவானந்தீசுவரர் திருக்கோயில், திருக்கண்டலம்
Nestled in a small village, surrounded by beautiful and verdant green fields, this ancient Sivan temple is located close to Chennai. It lies in a quiet and serene village. It used to be in the midst of a Kalli (கள்ளி) forest. Kalli is a cactus like tree that is the Sthala Virutcham here. Thus the Lord here is also known as the Kalleeswarar. In ancient times this village was called Thirukkallil (திருக்கள்ளில்).
It is a relatively small temple and was in a very dilapidated condition until recently. Over the last 50 years or so, many of the ancient structures have been renovated. The main sanctum is made of granite and is intact although encased in a recent layer of stucco and painted over giving it a modern look. The small vimanam is of Gajaprishta or Thoonganai Maadam type which was frequently built in the later Chola era and is common in Thondai Mandala temples of that period. It has been rebuilt in modern times. The other structures appear to be constructed of a softer stone and are crumbling. The stucco coat appears to be holding them up and giving them a new look. The priest told me that the authorities have told the local people that no further structural changes should be made without the input of archeologists. Another kumbabishekam is imminent.
It is a beautiful temple, venerated in the Thevaram by Thirugnasampanthar and is thus a Paadal Petra Sthalam. As such it must have existed in some form in the early seventh century. The construction of the earliest existing structures are credited to the Cholas with an inscription attributed to Vikrama Cholan present on the base of the Sivan sanctum. Later contributions were from Vijayanagar and Nayakkan kings, Much of the structures that are prominent today are of modern construction with plenty of concrete and stucco.
The temple has some very unique features. The main shrine to Lord Siva and the shrine to the Amman are both facing east with the Amman shrine to the left of the sanctum sanctorum. Between these two shrines is located the smaller shrine to Lord Skanda giving the temple a Somaskanda configuration. There is a separate shrine for Sivan as Lord Dakshinamurthy the teacher, which has a very unique idol of Dakshinamurthy with the Goddess by his side and with his arm around her. Legend says that the Lord taught the great sage Brihu an important lesson here that the Lord and Shakthi are equal and the same. There is a beautiful tank with clean water adjacent to the temple which is the theertham.
There is a legend that when Sampanthar and his group were passing by this village he decided to take a dip in the nearby Kosasthalayar river. When he came out of the water, he could not find his spare clothes. At someone's advice he visited this small temple where he found his bundle of clothes. It was as if the Lord stole his clothes to force him to visit here. He sang thus:
முள்ளின்மேல் முதுகூகை முரலுஞ் சோலை
வெள்ளின்மேல் விடுகூறைக் கொடி விளைந்த
கள்ளில்மேய அண்ணல் கழல்கள் நாளும்
உள்ளுமேல் உயர்வெய்தல் ஒரு தலையே.
The temple is located about 36 km or an hour northwest of Chennai. We visited in August 2024.
Credits: Google Maps
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