48. KOOZHAMPANDHAL

GANGAI KONDA CHOLEESWARAR TEMPLE

Distance: 18kms from Kanchipuram

Shiva: Gangai Konda Choleeswarar

Specialty:

Built by Rajendra Chola I. 

Rajendra Chola conquered all places upto Ganga in the north. As a result to celebrate his victory he built many temples in the name Gangai Konda Choleeswarar as he obtained the name Gangai Konda Choan. He has built a Shiva temple in this place called Kuzhamandhal. 

The temple Vimana and sculptures portray Chola Architecture. 

The temple faces east. 

The Dwarabalagars are with the artistic touch of Chola Architecture.

It is a stone temple.

The Yaali and the Bhoodhas depicted on the walls have been constructed with great artistic touch.

There is a village named Aakur near Kuzhamandal. The people of Aakur were devotees of Gangai Konda Choleeswarar. The gave lands for the temple. The income from the lands which were very fertile those days were utilised for the maintenance and rituals of the temple.

Rajendra Chola first son Rajadhiraja II gave a lot of gold and herds to the temple. 

There were many Shiva brahmins who worked for the temple. They were very happy to serve the temple as the temple was rich due to the gifts given by the King and people. The Brahmins like Kaushikan Malla Pattan, Kaushikan Surya Dhevan, Kaushika Pattalakan, Bharathwasi Chandrasekaran and many more were given lands to reside and salary to serve the temple. Most of the Brahmins belong to the Kaushika and Bharathwaja Gotras. Later during the Vijayanagara Krishnadevaraya regime the Pillai and the Mudhaliyar caste people who also served the temple were given lands in their own native places like Elayarai Chenneri, Kurukambi Cheri. From this we learn that the temple was maintained very well as enormous income from the property of the temple kept all the devotees in good condition. 

The name Kuzham Pandal came to the village because the people of this village were rich and they established tents (pandhal) and supplied soups (Koozh) for the people who went to Kanchipuram through this place. They also served people with soup and porridge in Kanchipuram when functions took place there. 

The temple has very beautiful deities which have been uniquely carved. 

Now the name has been transformed to Kuzhamandhal.