Jalanarayanan Temple (Shiva Vishnu Temple), Kakkalur,
Thiruvallur
Jalanarayanan
Temple is a Hindu Temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva located in Kakkalur,
a suburb of Thiruvallur Town in Thiruvallur District of Tamilnadu. This temple
is also called as Shiva Vishnu temple because these two Lords are the presiding
deities here. Reclining Dharshan of Lord Vishnu in this Temple is similar to Jala
Narayana Temple of Kathmandu in Nepal.
The
Temple
This
temple is also called Shiva Vishnu temple because these two Lords are the
presiding deities here. The entrance gopuram is big and exquisite. It is
painted white with beautiful idols. On entering is an open space and then is
the entrance. On either side of the entrance are the two guarding deities. Entering
into the temple on the left side is the shrine of Lord Ganesha and next to his shrine
is the shrine of Lord Ayyappan.
Next is
a small shrine for Lord Krishna with his consorts Rukmini and Bhama. Behind the
Krishna shrine is the shrine of Lord Ram along with Seetha, Lakshman and
Anjaneyar. Then comes the shrine of Lord Srinivasa and goddess Padmavathy in a
separate shrine. Next is the shrine of Lord Shiva called as Pushpavaneswarar.
It’s quite a big one since he is the presiding deity. Here Lord Shiva is in the
form of a Linga.
Then is
the shrine of Poonkuzhali Thayar. If we go around the shrine of Lord Shiva
there are many small shrines for Lord Muruga, Lord Anjaneyar, Lord Ganesha,
Lord Bairavar and the shrine for Navagraha. Adjacent to this Lord Shiva shrine
is the shrine for Jalanarayanan. There is an opening in the compound which
leads to the shrine.
It is
this idol which makes this temple famous and gives the temple its name. Lord
Narayanan here is on his snake bed along with his consort. The arrangement is
just like the Lord residing in his heavenly abode Vaikunta. This temple is
quite a new temple but maintained well and is always neat and clean. Also since
both Shiva and Vishnu can be prayed in the same place it is very famous. There
are 44 shrines in this temple.
Connectivity
The
Temple is located at about 1.5 Km from Kakkalur Bus Stop, 2 Kms from Kakkalur
Industrial Estate Bus Stop, 3.5 Kms from Putlur, 2.5 Kms from Putlur Railway
Station, 2 Kms from Thiruvallur Railway Station, 4 Kms from Thiruvallur Bus Stand, 44
Kms from Chennai and 46 Kms from Chennai Airport.