116. MANIMANGALAM SHIVA TEMPLES

Distance: 10kms from Tambaram

Shiva temples: Dharmeswarar , Kailasanadhar

About the place: 

Manimangalam was names as Rathnagrahara in sanskrit. During the reign of Raja Kesarivarman this place was called Logamahadevi Chadhurvedhimangalam. During the reign of Rajadhiraja Chola, Rajendhra Chola I and Veera Rajendhra Chola I this place was called Raja Choolamani Chandhurvedhimangalam. In thee reign of some other kings Manimangalam was called Pandiyanai Irumadivenkanda Chola Chandurvedhimangalam. The village was included in Jayamkonda Chola Mandalam. Down to the time of Veera Rajendhra CHola I it was belonged to Maganur Naadu which was a subdivision of Senkattukottam. Later the Chola inscriptions assign it to Kundrathur Nadu which was renamed as Kulothunga Chola Valanadu after Kulothunga Chola I.

The battle between Narasimha Varma Pallava and the Chalukya King Pulikesi II occurred here in the 7th Century. From the inscriptions we come to know that the name of the village was Grama Sigamani Chadurvethimangalam of Kundrathur region of Puliyur Kottam of Jayam Konda Chola Mandalam. The Lands and the temples were donated by Kings to the scholars and Vedic Gurus for performing Vedic rituals for the wellness of their empire and people. Such villages were called Chadurvedhimangalam. Chadurvedhi means Scholar.

There are many Vinayaka temples in this village. All the Vinayaka of this village are with elephant Vahana. The usual mouse Vahana is not present in this village.

DHARMESWARAR TEMPLE:

The Dharmeswarar temple is a stone temple built with wonderful Architecture. The Mulavar Dharmeswarar faces east. The name of the Ambaal is Vedhambigai. The name of Shiva during the middle Chola period was Dhameeswaramudaiya Nayanar. The Ambaal Shrine is beside the Nandhi Mandapam. The Nandhi in the Nandhi Mandapam is made of stone. It releases the sound of bronze when one strikes on it. Many bronze stautes are found here. Many inscriptions are found on the walls. There is an inscription of King Rajaraja Chola III about the gift of oil for burning lamps. There was a wonderful Nataraja Statue. Some thieves stone the Panjaloga Statue of Nataraja. When the tried to run away from the Village with the statue the villagers chased them. They threw the statue into a pond and fled away. When the villagers tried to take out the statue from the pond some parts of the statue got damaged.

The temple is built in the Gaja Prashta Style. Many idols are found in the corner of the temple. All the Koshta deities are present. There is another Shiva Linga near the wall of the temple. The holy pond is called Shiva Pushkarani. The Sthala Viruksham is a Peepul tree. This temple was worshipped by Dharma the eldest of the Pancha Pandavas. The temple worshipped by his brother Bheema is in a village called Mudichur about 4kms from Manimangalam.

KAILASANADHAR TEMPLE

The Kailasanadhar temple was built by a Telugu Chola King Vijaya Balaya in the year 950AD. Renovations had been done by Raja Raja Chola in 985AD, Rajendra Chola in 1014AD and Kulothunga Chola in 1070AD. Siruthonda Nayanar has worshipped this temple and offered annadhanam in this temple. His hometown was Thiruchengattankudi of Nagai district. His real name was Paranjothi. He was the chieftain of the Cholas. He was a great devotee of Shiva. The Shrine of the Kailasanadhar is built out of stone. The main deity Shiva faces east. The shale viruksha is Peepul tree. The details about this temple are referred in the copper plates in Kooram.