Kachikonda Pandeeswarar Kulasekharapatnam

Kachikonda Pandeeswarar, Kulasekharapatnam

Saivite Temples - Thoothukudi

God

Kachikonda Pandeeswarar, facing east

Goddess

Aramvalartha Nayaki, facing east

Other Deities

Outer Prakaram – Sidhdhi Vinayaka, Adhikara Nandi, Suryan, Kalayana Vinayakar, Navagraha, Chandran. Inner Prakaram – 63 Nayanmar, Kanni Vinayaka, Kasi Viswanathar, Nagaraja, Vedapureeswarar, Annamalaiyar, Unnamalai Amman, Muruga with consorts, Navaneeta Krishna, Maavadi Amman, Saneeswara, Bhairava. Sanctum Niches – Dakshinamurthy, Durga, Chandikeswara. Ardha Mandapam of Sanctum Sanctorum – Vittala Ganapathi, Anungnai Vinayaka, Senthil Andavar, Nataraja.

Kachikonda Pandeeswarar Kulasekharapatnam is an east-facing temple close to the seashore. There are 2 beautiful temple tanks in front one each for the main deity and goddess. There is a mandapam in front of the wall on the east side. The temple is entered from the south through a long mandapam. There are 4 stone pillars before entering which are called Ambari’s. This is followed by the Vahana Mandapam. There are 3 Prakarams here including the one outside the wall which is called Giri Prakaram. As you enter the inner Prakaram you can see the goddess in her south-facing shrine. This prakaram has a 52 pillared Thirumana Mandapam on the south side with a small elevated platform with 4 pillars. This is followed by the shrine of Kalyana Vinayakar. on the west side of the Prakaram is an open space of about 18 feet for the Nandavanam (flower garden) where Panneer trees are kept. We were informed that from these trees leaves to pack the Ash (Viboothi) Prasadam of Tiruchendur Murugan temple is sent each day. On the north side also there are trees. On this side is the idol of Maavadi Amman under the bole of a Mango Tree which is the Sthala Vriksham here that withered away some decades back. We were told the mango tree used to yield excellent Maavadu (tender baby raw mangoes) which used to be sold to people around for making pickles. There is a small well near the tree with a traditional system to draw water. In front of the main deity are the Balipeedam, Flagstaff, and Nandi. In the pillars on the eastern side of the Prakaram are the carvings of 4 Odhuvars (Saivite reciters and singers) who served the temple in the olden days – Kumaraswamy, Pandara Siva, Saravana, and Siva Chidambaram. They were the 9th generation of the reciters and the present ones belong to the 11th generation. The Navagrahas are with 11 idols instead of the usual 9. The additional idols are that of the consorts of Surya – Chaya Devi and Samnjana Devi. Before the next entrance to the next Prakaram is a small platform with steps from where you can see both the main deity and Goddess. A Maha Mandapam comes before the Sanctum Sanctorum of the main deity. The Ardha mandapam is entered with Anunjnai Vinayaka and Senthil Kumaran on either side of the doorway. The main deity is a tall Lingam. Padukkai Veedu, the house of a saint who lived here is present near the temple. A shrine for Karaikkal Ammaiyar who came to see her husband Paramadattan who had relocated here is present at the spot where their meeting happened. There is also a well at the spot which is called Chettikinar. This is on the northern side of the village on the road to Tiruchendur.

Holy Water (Theertham) – Temple Tanks

Sacred Tree (Sthala Vriksham) – Mango (Mangifera sps)

History

Kachikonda Pandeeswarar Kulasekharapatnam is an ancient temple having many inscriptions around the outer walls of the Sanctum Sanctorum. The exact details of these are not available as of now. The town had been in existence as a major port town around 1st Century CE as is evident from historical references. The temple has been served by Maravarman Kulasekharapandyan I (1268-1301) and the town was renamed after him. Marco Polo (1254 – 1324 CE) describes the Pandyan port city of Kulasekharapatnam as a city that all the ships that come from the west, as from Hormos, Kis, Aden, and all Arabia, touch, laden with horses and other things for sale bringing a great concourse of people and a great business is done in this city. A literary work by Deiva Sigamani Kavirayar of Kulasekharapatnam sings the praise of the goddesses Aramvalartha Nayaki here and Sivakami of the nearby Chidambareswarar temple.

Legend

The original temple is believed to have been built by a trader who used to visit the Ekambareswarar Temple in Kancheepuram regularly. In his old age, he prayed to the goddess to give him Darshan as he was unable to go to Kancheepuram. In his vision, she appeared below a Mango tree and blessed him. He then created the temple for her. From this, it is thought that the first idol here at Kachikonda Pandeeswarar Kulasekharapatnam was the goddess. The name of the temple came about thus. Among his various conquests – Kachi (means Kancheepuram) was said to have been won over by Kulasekhara Pandyan and hence the name of the Lord here was kept as Kachi Konda Pandeeswarar, ‘the lord who won over Kancheepuram’.

Directions

Kachikonda Pandeeswarar Kulasekharapatnam is in the northern part of Kulasekharapatnam. Kulasekharapatnam is about 13 kilometers south of Tiruchendur on the East Coast Road.

Stay and Food

None locally, The closest is Tiruchendur where there are many hotels, lodges, and restaurants for a comfortable stay and good food. Tiruchendur is about 40 kilometers south of Thoothukudi and 55 kilometers southeast of Tirunelveli. It is a well-connected coastal town.

error: Content is protected !!