Five Faces  of  Shiva 
1) Ramagiri alias Thiru Arikarai - Ishana face
2) Pallikondeswaram alias Suruttapalli - Tatpurusha face
3) Vamadhevapuram alias Arani near Periyapalayam (not North Arcot) - Vamadheva face.
4) Varamoorthy Kshethram alias Ariyathurai - Sadhyojatha face
South Gokaranam alias
5) Chinthamaneeswaram - Kattur near Minjur, the place where Brahma Aranya river merges with sea represents Aghora face of Lord Shiva.    (thanks to CTR  Rajesh)

பரமேஸ்வர மங்கலம் கல்பாக்கம் அருகில் உள்ள மிகவும் அழகான ,  தூய்மையான கிராமம் .

இங்கு பாலாற்றில் அமைந்துள்ள கனகாம்பிகை உடனுறை கைலாசநாதர் ஆலயம் மிகவும் 

பழமையான சிறப்புடைய ஆலயம்  

 

இங்கு ஆன்மாக்களின் நலன் கருதி செய்யும் வழிபாடு மிகவும் பலன் தரும்  

வரமூர்த்தீஸ்வரர்  ஆலயம்    (அரிய   துறை )

இறைவன்   :  வரமூர்த்தீஸ்வரர்   (கிழக்கு  நோக்கி )

தாயார்          :  மரகத வள்ளி            (தெற்கு நோக்கி )

காலபைரவர்  மற்றும் ஒரு முக்கிய சன்னதி

தலவிருட்சம் :  அரசமரம்

இடம்             :  கவரபேட்டை    பொன்னேரிக்கு அருகில்


சிறப்புகள்  :

                         சற்றேறக்குறைய   ஆறாயிரம்  ஆண்டுகள்  பழமையான  ஆலயம்

                         காசிக்கு  நிகரான  மேன்மையான  ஆலயம்

                         கிருஷ்ணர்  ஆயிரம்  ஆண்டுகள்  மரமாக நின்று பிறகு அரசமரமாகியஇடம்

                        பிரம்மனால்  உருவாக்கிய  சிறப்பான  ஆற்றங்கரையில்  அமைந்த ஆலயம்

                        ஆற்றங்கரையில் அருகமைந்த  சுனையில்   கங்கை சுரப்பதாக வரலாறு

                        இத்தகைய  சிறப்பினால்  அரியதுறை  என்றழைக்கப்படுகிறது

                         சிறப்பான பிரதோஷ  ஆலயம்

                        நாகதோஷம்  மற்றும்  பித்ரு   தோஷம்   போக்கும்  ஆலயம்  ...

                        ரோமசர்  , முகுந்தன்  ரிஷிகள்   தவம் செய்த  ஆலயம் 

                        தற்காலத்தில்   மிகவும்  எளிமையான , அமைதியான  , இயற்கை  எழில்
                     
                        சூழ  அமைந்த  ஆலயம் .. அதற்காகவே   சென்று வரலாம்

Varamoorthy Kshethram alias Ariyathurai - Sadhyojatha face 

Visit to Sri Maragathavalli Sametha Sri Varamoortheeswarar Temple at Ariyathurai  ( sincere thanks to shanthiraju.wordpress.com  all info taken from here)

Quick facts:
Location: Kavarapettai near Ponneri, Chennai
Main deity: Varamoortheeswarar facing east
Goddess: Maragathavalli facing south
Other main shrines: Kala Bairavar
Sthala vruksham: Arasa tree
Contact: Shanmuga Kurukkal/ Saravana Kurukkal (House next to the temple itself)
Sri Varamoortheeswarar temple,
Ariyathurai,
Keezh Muthalamped (post),
Kavarapettai (via),
Thiruvallur (dist).
PIN: 601206
Ph: 9894821712
Location:
This temple is situated near Kavarapettai in the Kolkatta Highways enroute to Gummidipoondi at exactly 36 kms from the Padi junction. In the Kolkatta Highways, after Thachur cross road (to Ponneri), before the RMK Engineering College, opposite a Petrol Bunk and exactly opposite Durga Devi Polytechnic you have to take a turn to the left (towards west). You go straight for 2.6 Kms and then take a left turn again just after a brick kiln on the right side. Go further for another 500 meters you will reach the temple.

This is where exactly you have to take the left turn at the Kolkatta Highways

Exactly opposite to this you have to take the left turn

There are many brick kilns on the way and this one is just opposite the temple.
The Temple:
This temple is one of the Pancha Brahma Sthalams and represents the Sadhyojatha (firing, bright, lightning) face of Lord Shiva. It is believed that the main deity was installed by Sage Romar (or Romasar) and later Sage Mukunthar worshipped here for 100 years. The temple is considered to be of Ramayana period, about 6000 years ago, considering the legend connection to Sages Romar and Mukunthan. The main deity is called Varamoortheeswarar since He blesses the devotees with boons.


The south facing temple has been renovated beautifully and the Kumbabhisheham took place very recently. A clean and beautiful temple tank in front adds beauty to the temple.

The temple has a significance of having 32 koshtams (shrines on the outer praharam of the sanctum sanctorum) though deities are present only in some of them. This is called Uthama Patcha Prathishtai and only around 15 temples in Tamilnadu are in this manner. In other temples, one can see only Pancha (five) Koshtams for Vinayahar, Dakshinamoorthy, Lingothbavar, Brahma or Vishnu and Durgai.

The temple has been located in a beautiful atmosphere. Just outside the temple, by the side of it, two huge Peepul trees (arasa maram) are present at the banks of River Brahma Aranya with pleasing greenery all around. Here, it is believed that Lord Krishna had stood as an Ashwatha Vriksham (Peepul tree) for 1000 years.



At the bank of the river is present a pit from where water, believed to be from River Ganges, is flowing out perennially all though the year, though in small quantity. Due to this, the place is considered more sacred than Kasi and there is a proverbial saying “Kasiya vida veesai athigam”, meaning that the quantity ‘Veesai’ here is more than that of Kasi. There is also a folk song ‘Ariyathurai gangai moozhga palan kanden’, meaning ‘I got benefited by taking a dip at the Ariyathurai Gangai’. Kanchi Maha Periyavar had come here in 1965 and bathed in this. However such a sacred place has not yet been protected properly and unfortunately local people have made the way to it, a shamble.

Since Lord Shiva appeared here as a Kala Bairavar to Sage Mukunthan, there is a separate shrine for Kala Bairavar along with the front ardha mandapam. The original Swayambu Bairavar and the later installed Bairavar idol are present side by side. The artha mandapam is a very tiny one and only about 5 feet high but it is worth taking the pain to go inside and have a very close dharshan of the Swayambu Bairavar. Also, you can request the Gurukkal for a Deepa aradhanai so that you can have a clear dharshan.

There is no navagraham shrine since the temple is about 6000 years old. The Navagraha worship came into practice only in the last 1000 years. Snakes, Lizards, frogs and fishes have been inscribed in the ceiling top of the sanctum sanctorum representing that this is a Parihara kshetram for Sarpa dhosham and Naga dhosham







Legend:

• The river Brahma Aranya was believed to have been created by Lord Brahma. Once when he churned the arani wood (arani means fire) to create fire to start the Yagna for Sage Romasar, fire came out initially but on churning further, water came out of it and fllown as a river. Since this was created by Lord Brahma from the arani wood, this is called Brahma Aranya river.

• Once Lord Krishna brought a Parijatha flower tree from devaloham to give flowers to his consorts Sathyabama and Rukmani. Before plugging out the tree, He got permission from Indhrani but forgot to ask permission from the tree itself. So the tree gave a curse to Lord Krishna to stand as a tree on earth and Krishna stood as a tree here for 1000 years. After the curse period the tree became a Ashwatha Vriksham (Arasa Maram).
• At the behest of Lord Brahma, Sage Romasar penanced under this tree for 100 years and finally when Lord Shiva appeared before him, the Sage requested him to be present in this place for ever and bless everyone. So did Lord Shiva.
• Later, Sage Mukunthan also penanced under the same tree for some years and then set off to go to Kasi. At that time, a holy voice was heard saying that Ganga water will flow here itself for him. When Ganga water came out from a pit here, Sage Mukunthan took bath in it and Lord Shiva appeared before him as a Kala Bairavar and asked for his wish. Sage Mukunthan requested Him that the Ganga water which had started flowing for the sake of him should flow perenially and He should protect from the fear of death all those who worship Him here. So did Lord shiva.
• The beautiful temple tank in front of the temple has a legend of an intense devotion of a devadasi as follows:
  Once a landlord approached the devadasi for pleasure and she, an ardent devotee of Ariyathurai Lord Shiva, asked him to construct a temple tank and conduct theppotsavam (festival of floating temple car) in return. Due to her beauty and attraction, the land lord agreed immediately, created the tank and arranged for the theppotsavam. On the concluding day of the theppotsavam, the landlord entered the house of the devadasi happily to enjoy her but only to find her dead having dvoted her life to Lord Shiva already. Such was the intense devotion of her.
• Once on a Pradhosham day, a monkey was chased by a hunter and it came here, came around the Ashwatha Vruksham, took a dip in the water and witnessed the Pradhosham along with the people. Due to this, it got salvation and took birth as King Raja Kunjara Cholan at Kancheepuram. Then he got the memories of his past life, realised the importance of the temple and renovated it. So Pradhosham is considered very sacred here.
• Indhran fought with demon Vridrasuran and when he threw the demon’s body pieces, some fell on Agasthiar and so he cursed Indhran to be a Brahmaharthi. Then Indhran stayed here, worshipped Lord Shiva to get his curse cleared off. It is believed that Indhran continues to come here on a specific day every year.
• Once King Chithrasenan was without child and Goddess Maragatha valli was born to him as a child. When the King arranged swayam varam for her, Lord Shiva brought Her in horse here. The King’s army chased them but Nandhi stopped the army. Then Lord Shiva appeared with his consort in marriage pose to the King and informed him that the Goddess hereself was born to him since he was childless.
• Goddess shrine came up only in the middle period and the legend being as follows: Pazhaverkadu nearby was a harbour in the past and a diamond merchant chettiar’s ships sank in the sea. When he was sleeping in a nearby village in a sad mood, God came up in his dream and informed him that the ships have been pushed ashore safely. He also told that an Ambal idol is lying in a nearby pond called Poothakulam between Peruvayal and Eliyampedu. The Chettiar then constructed the Ambal shrine.

Note: The Legend descroptions are based on the works of Sri Poovai Kalyana Sundara Mudhaliyar from the hereditary of Vayalar Nayanar one of the 63 Nayanmaras and as decribed by the Temple priest.
Worship Benefits:

• By worshipping the Kaala Bairavar here, one can live without the fear of death and also with extended life since Lord Shiva appeared as Kaala Bairavar. Also, the Kaala Bairavar protects people from the evil effects of others
• Marriage prayers are answered since Lord Shiva appeared with his consort in marriage pose to King Chithrasenan.
• Pradhosham is considered very sacred sine a monkey got salvation after witnessing Pradhosham here.
• Since Indhran’s Brahmaharthi dhosham got cleared off, this is considered a Dhosha Parihara sthalam to clear off dhoshams like Pithru dhosham, Naga dhosham and Past birth dhoshams
• Due to the flow of Ganga water, the place is considered more sacred than Kasi
• Goddess is present with her left leg in front meaning that she is going out to fight enemies. So by worshipping her, she will make our obstacles vanish.

Highlights:

• The temple is considered about 6000 years old and belonged to Ramayana period due to the legendary connection to Sage Romasar and Lord Krishna.
• The name of the place Ariya thurai (ariya meaning rare and thurai meaning river bank) comes from the fact that this river bank has many special significances like
  • Lord Krishna had stood here as a tree for thousand years
  • Sage Romasar penanced here for many years
  • The place is considered more sacred than Kasi since water, believed to be from River Ganges, is flowing out from a pit perennially all through the year, though in small quantity.
  • Lord Shiva appeared as a Kaala Bairavar to Sage Mukunthan
  • River Brahma Aranya, created by churning the Arani wood by Lord Brahma flows by the side of the temple
• Both the Varamoortheeswarar and Goddess Maragathavalli idols are made of Green granite stone.
• A swayambu bairavar made of sand and a later installed Bairavar idol are present side by side in a separate shrine
• The temple has been constructed with 32 Koshtams on the outer wall of the sanctum sanctorum as per Uthama Patcha Prathishtai

Sculptures connected with the Legend:



Date of Visit: 8^th Dec 2007   BY  shanthiraju.wordpress.com

Homage to Souls

தர்ப்பணம் நம் முன்னோர்களின் ஆன்மாக்களுக்கு  நன்றி கூறியும் , அமைதி வேண்டியும் செய்யும் நிகழ்வு

தர்ப்பை எனும் புல்லினால் செய்யும் அர்ப்பணம்

இங்கு முன்னோர்கள் என்பவர்கள் நமக்கு முன் சென்றவர்கள் இவர்களில் நம் பெற்றோர் , உற்றோர் ,உறவினர் , நண்பர்,வீட்டு மற்றும் வளர்ப்பு பிராணிகளையும் குறிக்கும்

நம்மிடையே மற்றும் நமக்காக வாழ்ந்தவர்களுக்கு நன்றி கூறும் மற்றும் அவர்களின் ஆன்மா அமைதி பெறவும் வணங்கும் உன்னதமான நிகழ்வே தர்ப்பணம்

அம்மாவாசை மற்றும் சில முக்கியமான நாட்களில் தர்ப்பணம் செய்வதன்  காரணம்
அந்நாட்களில் நமது எண்ண அலைகள் ஒருங்கிணைந்து மேல் நோக்கி எழும்

அத்தகைய எண்ணங்கள் வலிமையானவை அவற்றின் பிரார்த்தனை பலன் மிகுந்தது

அதுபோன்று சில சூட்சும மற்றும் அதிர்வுள்ள இடங்களில் நமது எண்ண அலைகள் எப்பொழுதும் ஒருங்கிணைந்து மேல்நோக்கி எழும் அத்தகைய சிறப்பான இடங்களில் நாம்  தர்ப்பணம் என்றும் செய்யலாம் .

நம்முடன் வாழ்தவர்களுக்கும் , நமக்காக வாழவர்களுக்கும் நன்றி கூறுதலும் , அவர்தம் ஆன்மா சாந்தி அடைய பிரார்த்தனை செய்வதும் நமது கடமையாகும்

இதனை முழு மனுதுடன் செய்யும்பொழுது ஆன்மாக்களின் ஆசியும் , அருளும்  கிடைப்பது உறுதி

மேலும் தற்பொழுது நம்மிடையே வாழ்பவர்களுக்கு நன்றிகூறவும்   , மதிக்கவும் கற்றுக்கொள்வோம் அன்பும் , மகிழ்வும் நம்மை சூழும்
வாழ்க்கையும் அமைதியுடனும் அர்த்தத்துடனும் விளங்கும்








தென்புலத்தார் தெய்வம் விருந்தொக்கல் தானென்றாங்கு
ஐம்புலத்தாறு ஓம்பல் தலை.
                        
                   அய்யன் வள்ளுவப்பெருந்தகை

வாழ்ந்து மறைந்தோரை நினைவு கூறல் , வாழ்வாங்கு வாழ்வோரைப் போற்றுதல் ,விருந்தோம்பல் , சுற்றம் பேணல் இக்கடமைகளை நிறைவேற்றத்  தன்னை  நிலைப்படுத்திக் கொள்ளல் எனப்படும் ஐவகை நெறிகளும் இல்வாழ்வுக்குரியனவாம்

The manes, God, guests kindred, self,  in due degree ,
These five to cherish well is the chiefest charity

  The chief (duty of the house holder)  is to preserve five-fold rule (of conduct) towards
 the manes, the Gods, his guests, his relations and himself
                            
                                    Rev.Dr. G. U.Pope