Tamilnadu Tourism: Virupaksheeswarar Temple, Mylapore, Chennai

Friday, December 15, 2017

Virupaksheeswarar Temple, Mylapore, Chennai

Virupaksheeswarar Temple, Mylapore, Chennai

Virupaksheeswarar Temple is a Hindu Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva located at Mylapore in Chennai City in Tamilnadu. This is the oldest temple of Mylapore and is near Kaaraneeswarar temple and Mundakkanni Amman Temple. Presiding Deity is called Virupaksheeswarar and Mother is called as Visalakshi. Virupaksheeswarar temple is the fourth Sapta Sthana Shiva Temple in Mylapore, Chennai.

Saptha Sthana Shiva Temples in Mylapore are;

1. Sri Kaaraneeswarar Temple

2. Sri Theerthapaleeswarar Temple

3. Sri Velleeswarar Temple

4. Sri Virupaksheeswarar Temple

5. Sri Valeeswarar Temple

6. Sri Malleeswarar Temple

7. Sri Kapaleeshwarar Temple

Legends

Builder of this Temple:

It is believed that it was built by a devotee named Shivanesan Chettiar. As per the popular legend, his daughter Poompavai died and the great saint Thirugnana Sambandhar brought her back alive from her burnt bones.

Virupaksheeswarar:

‘Viroopam’ means ‘Contradicting the Nature’ and since Shiva’s third eye contradicts the nature, He is called Virupaksheeswarar.

Sage Kutsa worshipped Lord Shiva here:

Legend says Sage Kutsa worshipped Lord Shiva here.

Sundarar saw Nataraja Thandavam here:

Sundaramoorthy Nayanar after worshipping the God here saw Nataraja Thandavam.

History

This is a 1000 years old temple. There are 20 inscriptions dating from 11^th century to 16^th century. Many of them are in the Sanctum Sanctorum and are inaccessible. The oldest is the 11^th century kalvettu of Veera Rajendra Chozha (1063-70) in the Karuvarai of the temple mentioning the donation of cows. Unfortunately, except for a few inscriptions in the South and North walls of the temple most of them are dilapidated and or are covered with new structures due to renovations. The Kumbabhishekam was held in May 2016.