Bala Subramanya Temple, Andarkuppam – The Temple
This is
a small but very beautiful Temple with nice sculptures. Lord Balasubramanya in
standing posture graces the devotees so mercifully without his weapons Vel,
Vajram and Shakti. There are two elephants near the Lord. As he is appearing in
a royal form, He is called Adhikara Murugan-Murugan with authority. Lord
appears as a child in the morning, a youth in midday and as an aged person in
the evening.
Lord
Brahmma is before the sanctum sanctorum as an oval shaped idol without a form.
Only the Kamandalam and Akshamala attributed to him are in the circle. The main
vehicle of Lord Muruga is peacock. Among the six army camps attributed to the
Lord, he has the elephant as his vahana in Swamimalai, Thiruthani and in the
Chennai Kumaran Kundram temples.
In this
temple, he has Lion also as his vahana belonging to Mother Shakti along with
peacock and it is significant that the Lion is holding the peacock. The Vimana,
tower above the sanctum sanctorum is of Ekadala design. Sri Varasiddhi Vinayaka
graces the devotees in a Shrine on the right side of the sanctum. There are
shrines for Lord Kasi Viswanatha, Mother Visalakshi and Lord Nataraja in the
prakaram.
Legend
of Murugan asking the meaning of Pranava to Brahma is depicted in one of the
pillars in the temple. Theertham associated with this Temple is Velayudha Theertham.
This is the replica of the moolavar. Note that the hands are not in abhaya mudhra
but on the hips showing authority in censuring Brahma. There is a panel showing a
Saint being blessed by Murugan. The legend Andava Kuppam is
inscribed at the base of the temple carving in the fresco.
