Kumarakottam Temple, Kanchipuram – The Temple
Kumara
Kottam is a well visited temple with two prakarams and a complete pantheon
of parivara devatas enshrined in their respective shrines.
The Karthikai asterism each month attracts large crowds. The
temple, as now rebuilt, has the temple pinnacle (shikara) above the main sanctum (garbhagriha), which is built in granite and is in the shape of a
dome called the chakravimanam (circular dome) which is a Chola period structure. The corbels and the pilasters with epigraphs decorate the walls of the temple.
The
central image of Murugan is uniquely depicted as Brahma-Shasta, holding a kamandalu (water pot) and
beads of Rudraksha. The linga worshipped by Murugan is deified in a
separate shrine within the temple complex and is called Devasenapatisar or
Senapatisvara. It is to be noted that there is no separate shrine
to Ambal in any of the Shiva temples at Kanchipuram, and that
the Somaskanda shrine at the Ekambareswarar temple is of great
significance.
The
priests here are said to come down the lineage of Kachiappa
Sivachariyar associated with the Skanda Puranam. The temple has west
facing tower (Raja gopuram). The sanctum sanctorum enshrines Murugan. He has
two arms and is found in the standing posture. His sculpture is exceedingly
attractive. As stated above, he is in the form of Brahma Shasta.
Only few
temples depict this form of Murugan and it is considered to be unique and rare
form. The main shrine has a long ardha mandapa and maha mandapa apart from the
sanctorum. Near the tower, the flag staff, Bali peetham and peacock vahana are
found facing towards the main shrine. The entrance of the temple's area
enclosing the main shrine and inner prakara has the sub-shrine enshrining big
idol of Ganesha.
The
temple has two prakarams around the main shrine. The outer prakara is open
space whereas the inner prakara has many sub-shrines and idols. The mandapa
where Kachiappa Sivachariyar composed Skanda Purana is found in the outer
prakara. In the maha mandapa, facing the presiding deity, the idols of Shiva
Linga named Senapateeswarar and Santana Ganapati are situated.
The inner prakara has the following sub-shrines:
·
Palani
Andavar with Ganesha at the entrance
·
Arumugam
with Valli and Devasena - Utsava idols
·
Urugum
Ulla Perumal (Vishnu) with his two consorts
·
Somaskanda
- Utsava idols
·
Muthukumaraswamy
- Utsava idols
·
Nava
Veeras - Utsava idols
·
Gaja
Valli - a combine form of Valli and Devasena - Utsava idol
·
Valli -
Utsava idol
·
Devasena
- Utsava idol
·
Murugan
with his two consorts - Utsava idols
The following idols are also situated in the inner
prakara:
·
Nava
Veeras
·
Pamban
Swamigal
·
Ramalinga
Adigal
·
Kachiappa
Sivachariyar
·
Veerabhadra
·
Dakshinamurti
·
Vishnu
·
Chandikeshwarar
·
Navagrahas
