Murugan Thiruporur

Other Temples, Chengalpet Taluk

God

Kandaswamy with Valli and Deivanai, facing east

Goddess

Deivanai, facing south

Other Deities

Sanctum niches of main deity – Sevar Kodiyon, Baladhandayudhapani, Brahma, Chandikeswara, Durga. Sanctum niches of Deivanai – Brahmi, Maheswari, Vaishnavi, Koumari, Varahi. Prakaram – Nagarajar, Nagalingam, Vinayaka, Veerabadhra, Saneeswara, Idampuri Vinayaka, Vinayaka, Naagar, Naaga Kanni, Nava Veeras, Vaanmeeganadar, Pranavambigai, Kasi Viswanathar, Visalakshi, Bhairava, Nataraja, Sivakama Sundari, Mahavishnu with Sreedevi and Bhoodevi, Agastya, Veeravaghu

Murugan Thiruporur is a large east facing temple with a magnificient 7 tiered Rajagopuram with 7 Kalasams on top. After this is the 24 pillared Maha Mantapa. The carved pillars and carvings in the inner Mantapas are beautiful and intricate. There are separate shrines for Vanmeeganadar (Lord Shiva) facing west, Kasiviswanathar facing east and Visalakshi facing south. The entire temple is situated inside a single spacious Prakaram. The main deity is about 6 feet tall. A number of excellent Panchaloha Idols are found here. An important and unique idol here is the one where Muruga is seen on the lap of Shiva preaching him the Pranavamantra. A Yantra (Disc) with the symbolic letters of Vinayaka, Subramanya, Valli, Deivanai, Shiva, Parvati, Chandikeswara, Ashtadik balagar and Bhairava has been installed here by Chidambara Swamigal and rituals are regularly performed for this. In the Sarvavadhya Mantapa here at Murugan Thiruporur are found excellent carved pillars with various forms of Muruga including Dancing Posture, Preaching Sage Agastya, Marriage with Valli, on a Fire podium, Questioning Brahma, on his Elephant Mount and more. A large and well maintained Temple Tank is on the south west side of the Murugan Thiruporur temple.

Holy Water (Theertham) – Saravana Poigai – Temple Tank, Velayudha Theertham

Sacred Tree (Sthala Vriksham) – No information

History

Murugan Thiruporur temple is believed to have been built during the Pallava era in the 10th century CE. Stone inscriptions recovered on a pillar dating back to Narasimha Varma refer to him as Adhyantha Kaman and Adhirana Chandan. Inscriptions from 12th and 13th Century CE of Kopparakesari Varman and Vikrama Chola provide information on land and gold donations to this temple. Some of them are found in places in the shrine of Deivanai. Arunagirinaadhar (16th Century CE) has sung the praise of Lord Muruga here. Subsequently the temple was dilapidated due to natural causes and was reclaimed and rebuilt by Chidambara Swamigal during the 17th century. After this many other devotees and saints heralded the initiatives to built almost all other aspects of the Murugan Thiruporur temple we see today.

Legend

Lord Muruga fought with demons in three places – the Sea at Tiruchendur, Land at Thirupparankundram and in Air at Thiruporur. Because of the war that Muruga fought here the place was called Por (war) Oor (place) and subsequently became Thiruporur. It was also called as Tharuka Puri after the demon Tharaka and Samarapuri. Sage Agastya is believed to have visited Murugan Thiruporur.

Directions

Murugan Thiruporur is about 30 kilometers from Madhya Kailash junction in Chennai. The temple tower is visible from nearby and you turn right to reach the Temple. Parking is available.

Stay and Food

None locally except tea and snack shops. One or two small restaurants are available. Stay would be Chennai.

Other Temples

Kancheepuram Temples

Tamilnadu Temples