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Friday, July 22, 2016

Balasubramania Swamy Temple, Uthiramerur, Kanchipuram

Balasubramania Swamy Temple, Uthiramerur, Kanchipuram
Balasubramania Swamy Temple is dedicated to Lord Muruga, located at Uthiramerur in Kanchipuram District of Tamilnadu. This is a temple adjacent to Sundara Varadaraja Perumal. Looks like later period, has a tank. The temple seems to be somewhat different from others when we go round – rocks all around. It has wide and spacious place in front with recent addition of Ayyappan Sannidhi. The temple is maintained neatly. This Temple has been praised in Thirupugazh Hymns of Arunagirinathar.




Legends
For brief details, please refer below link;
History
According to sources, this temple belongs to 8th Century. The Murthy here is a Swayambu (self-evolved). The Temple was built by Jeyam Konda Chozhan.



The Temple
This is another ancient temple in Uthiramerur. Beautifully spread on vast area, this temple is dedicated to Lord Muruga. Normally in Murugan temple, Peacock will be shown as the ‘Vaganam’ (Carrier) for Lord Muruga but here Elephant stands as the Vaganam for Lord Muruga which is rare of its kind in Murugan Temples. The Deity Balasubramaniar is about 5-6 ft. tall, well decorated and gracefully blesses the visiting devotees.




Other deities are Pillaiyar, Lord Shiva, Skandhar, Shanmugar, Navagrahas etc., The outside Prakaram is so vast with Dhwajasthambha and the whole gives a divine feeling with many ancient sculptures standing testimony for the architectural excellence of our ancestors. Lord Kadambanathar graces from a shrine in the northeast corner of the temple enabling Lord Muruga to worship him.  The Vel of Lord Muruga in its idol form is open for the darshan of devotees in a shrine in the northwest corner. 




The temple has a five tier Rajagopuram. The Oonjal Mandapam (Swing Mandapam) and the Vasantha Mandapam in the outer prakara are on the left sides respectively. The Bali peeta and the flag post-Kodimaram are in between them.  The elephant gifted by Indira to Muruga is also in this spot. The entrance to the inner mandapam has the beautiful depiction of the wedding of Lord Muruga. 




The inner wall of the Darshan mandapam before the sanctum sanctorum is covered with brass sheets depicted with Siddhas engraved on them. The western wall has paintings showing Lord Muruga fighting with Malayan Magaran. Lord Muruga, 6 feet tall as Balasubramania appears majestically in standing posture in the sanctum sanctorum with his Vel and Cock symbol flag while the vahanam peacock is at his feet.  




Mother Gaja Valli shrine – combination of Valli and Deivanai - is on the left side. This is a rare feature of this temple. It is said that Lord Muruga placed his Vel in this place to protect Sage Kashyapa while in penance. Till today, no one had been able to estimate the depth of the Vel.  In the place of Chandikeswara as generally in Shiva temples, Sumithirai Chandikeswara shrine adores this temple.




It is a rock hewn temple as per Pallava style and you can see the remnants of the hill with huge rocks jutting around in the outer praharam. A recently added Ayyappa Sannidhi on the right side of the entrance is glaringly different. There are figures of Shiva Parvati and Vinayaka behind the main deity. The Second praharam inside has unusual Koshta Vigrahas. It is not the Ganesha, Brahma, Durga you see it is Sangu Nidhi Kubera, etc.




Asara Kondrai tree is the Sthala Viruksham in this Temple. There are shrines for Lord Ekambaranathar, Perun Dandam Udayar, Mother Maha Tripura Sundari, Lord Kasi Viswanatha, Lord Santhana Ganapathi and the Vel in the form of Lord Velayutha Murthi in the inner prakara of the temple.



Temple Opening Time
The temple is open from 5.00 a.m. to 8.00 a.m. and from 4.00 p.m. to 7.00 p.m.
Festivals
Aipasi Annabishekam and Skanda Sashti in October-November; Karthikai Deepam in November-December are the festivals celebrated in the temple.
Prayers
Devotees pray in the temple to realize their wishes. Devotees perform abishek to Lord Muruga and carry Kavadis.
Connectivity
Uthiramerur is well connected by bus from Tambaram. Tambaram to Uthiramerur is about one and half hours journey. Plenty of buses are there – roughly every half an hour. After Mamandur on the GST, the bus takes a right turn. Once we leave the GST, it is pristine country side with occasional granite factories. The town is very busy and has very good bus facilities to Kanchipuram and Chengalpet.
This temple is situated just adjacent to Sri Sundara Varadharaja Perumal Temple and very close to the Bus Stand. The temple can be reached through Kancheepuram-Uthiramerur buses running via Magaral. The temple is 22 km far from Kancheepuram. 
Uthiramerur can be reached either from Chengalpet side from the NH 45. It is about 18 kms from Bukathurai. Take the right on the highway after Andal Azhagar engineering college. The road ends at Uthiramerur in front of the Sundara Varada Perumal temple and the Balasubramanya swamy temple is almost next door.

References