Munkudumeeswarar Temple, Pon Vilaintha Kalathur,
Kanchipuram
Munkudumeeswarar
Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva located at Pon Vilaintha Kalathur located at
a distance of 10 km from Chengalpet in Kanchipuram District of Tamilnadu. The
Speciality is the tuft in the head part of the Shivalinga. During the
Brahmotsavam, in the place of Chandikeswara, Kootruva Nayanar comes in
procession.
Pon Vilaintha
Kalathur is a small village situated about 60 kms from Chennai and about 8 kms
from Chengalpattu. After Chengalpattu, one has to take the road towards left
(eastern side of GST Road) and cross a level crossing to reach the road towards
Pon Vilaintha Kalathur.
It is
said that the village got its name as Gold was harvested in fields in the
ancient days. Presently, the name of the village is shortened as PV Kalathur.
Great poet Pugazhendi Pulavar, who wrote Nala Venba, was born here. One of the
63 Nayanmars called Sri Kootruva Nayanar is also said to have lived in this
village.
Legends
Story behind the name Munkudumeeswarar:
The
legend of the God here is too unique and interesting. There lived a king who
was ruling this part of the country in ancient days. He was an ardent devotee
of Lord Shiva and had a habit of getting Prasadam from this temple every day before
starting his routines. The priest of this temple used to perform daily morning
pooja to the Lord and carry the Prasadham for the king at his palace.
Once, as
usual, the priest performed the pooja and went to the palace to submit to the
king. The king was having his bath the priest had to wait for a while for the
king to return and accept the Prasadham. Meantime, the queen saw the priest
waiting and enquired him. The priest told that he had brought Prasadham from
the temple for the king. The priest was holding a plate carrying Vibhuthi (Holy
Ash), Kumkum, fruits and some flowers offered to the Lord.
The
queen liked the fresh flowers on the plate and out of curiosity took the
flowers and wore on her head. The priest was shocked and told the queen that the
first Prasadham from the temple is meant only for the king and grabbed the
flowers from her head and kept them back on the plate.
The king
arrived and accepted the Prasadham with much devotion. But he was shocked to
see a single long hair stuck with the flowers of the temple. The king got angry
and asked the priest on how the hair got mixed up with flowers from the temple
and whether the Lord had a long hair. The priest got frightened as he cannot
tell the king that the queen was the responsible for it. At the same time, he
had to answer. So, the priest told the king that the Lord in the temple has a
long hair and hence the flowers taken from the Lord’s idol had a hair mixed up
among the flowers.
The king
couldn’t believe it and told that he will visit the temple the next day morning
during the Pooja and if he doesn’t find the hair on the Lord, the priest’s head
will be cut off. The priest returned to the temple, cried and prayed the whole
day in front of the Lord to save him from the king’s punishment.
The next
day both the priest and the king arrived at the temple for morning Pooja. When
the priest opened the doors of the sanctum to start the Pooja, he was
astonished to see a tuft near the forehead of the Shiva Lingam. The priest was
in tears realizing the mercy of the God to whom he was doing Poojas with full
devotion. The king, on seeing the tuft apologized with the priest for
suspecting him. As the Lord has a tuft (Kudumi) towards his forehead, he came
to be known as Sri Munkudumeeswarar. Even today, we can witness the tuft on the
Lord’s (Lingam’s) head.
Story behind the name Pon Vilaintha Kalathur:
Once,
Vedanta Desikar couldn’t get alms to feed Lord Hayagriva at night while staying
in this village. The next day morning the villagers complained to him that
a white horse had destroyed their paddy fields in the night. When Desikar went
there, the places through which the horse had run through had turned into gold.
Hence this village got the name Pon Vilaintha Kalathur wherein pon refers to
gold and Vilaintha means yield from cultivation in Tamil.
The
Temple
The main
deity here is called as Munkudumeeswarar and Meenakshi Amman. The temple was
built by Rajendra Chozhan. Munkudumeeswarar is bold and beautiful and is facing
the east. Nandhikeswara is seen present in front of the sanctum. Goddess
Meenakshi Amman is so beautifully decorated and has a separate shrine near the
sanctum facing south. Koshta deities like Brahma, Dhakshinamurthy and Durgai
are present around the sanctum.
The
presiding deity graces the devotees sitting under Gajabrushta Vimana (roof
design of the sanctum sanctorum). There are Anukkai Vinayaka, Muruga with his
consorts Valli and Deivanai, Kalabhairava and Navagraha (9 planets) shrines in
the corridor. It is the tuft on the head of the Shivalinga makes the temple
especially famous.
Valli
Devasena Sammedha Subramanyar is present at the North West corner of the outer prakaram.
Surya Bhagawan and Chandra Bhagawan are seen in front of the sanctum, facing
the Lord. Bhairavar is present at the corner at the prakaram around the Ambaal
Shrine. There is a small shrine for Kootruva Naayanaar who is said to have
lived in this village, worshipping Lord Shiva here.
There
are many beautiful sculptures found on many of the pillars of the mandapam in
front of the sanctum. There are also many inscriptions found on the walls of
the temple. There is a beautiful Panchamuga (5 headed) Lingam carved on one of
those pillars.
Outside
the compound wall of the temple, a huge and majestic Nandhi is found facing the
Lord towards the sanctum. But the wall obstructs the Nandhi from facing the
Lord. There are 4 strong pillars around the Nandhi which might have been the
pillars for Nandhi Mandapam in ancient days.
The
priest visits the temple only in the morning and evening for daily poojas to be
performed. As there are no much of visitors, the priest leaves after his
poojas. The temple is open and the sanctum is closed during the day. One can
have Dharshan of the Lord through the closed grill door at the sanctum.
The
temple is situated on a vast area amidst the paddy fields in the calm village.
The temple is now protected and maintained by Archeological department and is
very neat and clean.
Temple
Opening Time
The
temple is open from 6.00 a.m. to 7.00 a.m. and 5.00 p.m. to 6.00 p.m. For
Dharsan during other hours, devotees may get in touch with the temple priest
for the arrangement.
Festivals
Brahmotsavam
in Panguni (March-April), Chitra Poornima (April-May), Aadipooram in
July-August, Annabishekam in Iyppasi (October-November), Navarathri in
Purattasi (September-October), Skanda Sashti in October-November,
Thirukarthigai in November-December, Shivarathri in Vaikasi (May-June), and Thiruvadirai
in Margazhi (December-January).
Prayers
Those
cheated by others and those seeking mental peace pray to the Lord in the temple
Devotees, after gaining relief, perform abishek to Lord and Mother, offer
vastra (clothing) and special poojas.
Contact
Sri
Munkudumeeswarar Temple,
P.V.
Kalathur – 603 405, Kancheepuram district
Mobile: +91-97890 49704 /
+91-99624 67355
Connectivity
Pon
Vilaintha Kalathur is located at a distance of 10 kms from Chengalpet. There
are local buses every half hour (during morning and evening) running between
Chengalpet and Pon Vilaintha Kalathur. Pon Vilaintha Kalathur is about 65
kms from Chennai.
From
Chengalpet, take the Old GST Road, turn left (1km before the Madras – Trichy
National Highway Bye Pass.) into the road leading to Thirukazhukundram via Pon
Vilaintha Kalathur (PV Kalathur). About 6kms into this road, one should
cross the Ottivakkam railway station gate to reach Pon Vilaintha
Kalathur.
Nearest
Railway Station is Ottivakkam Railway Station. One can take a passenger train
between Chennai Egmore/Tambaram and Villupuram and get down at Ottivakkam and
walk to this temple from the station. One can take an auto or taxi from
Chengalpet (10kms). Nearest Airport is Chennai Airport.
References