Monday, August 6, 2018

Swayambu Selva Vinayagar Temple, Shenbakkam – The Temple

Swayambu Selva Vinayagar Temple, Shenbakkam – The Temple
Shenbakkam Vinayakar temple has a tank outside the temple structure and a small tower. The main gopura is colorful with idols of many gods. Actually, the outside wall and mandapa are recent construction with the original temple inside. This famous temple is dedicated to Selva Vinayagar and Soma Sundareswarar. Just in front of the Lord Meenakshi Sundareswarar shrine in an open area are the idols of Lord Ganesha. The idols don’t have the exact carving of Lord Ganesha. But the shape and some natural chiseling when looked close show us that they are the idols of Lord Ganesha.



There are 11 Vinayagars in this Temple. All are Swayambu moorthies in the form of lingams and in the formation of ‘Om’. The 11 Vinayagars are present in the following order: Bala Vinayagar, Nadana Vinayagar, Omkara Vinayagar, Karpaga Vinayagar, Chinthamani Vinayagar, Selva Vinayagar (Moolavar), Mayura Vinayagar, Mooshika Vinayagar, Vallaba Vinayagar, Siddhi-Buddhi Vinayagar and Panchamukha Vinayagar. Bala Vinayagar is still under the ground and only the top portion is visible.


On the back of Selva Vinayagar, there is a mark of the wheel of the cart, which was supposedly driven by Thukkoji. There is no roof for the main shrine to facilitate all Sages and Celestial Gods to worship the deity. The flag post is present within the sanctum sanctorum itself. Lord Saturn facing the main deity is a special significance. A silver covering was made 75 years back to cover the Selva Vinayagar fully but now it covers him only two-thirds, indicating he is growing all the way.


Munjuru (mouse) is the vahana of Ganesh. In this temple, in front of 11 Swayambu Vinayaka idols, there are four mice and one elephant standing as vahanas. Aadhi Sankarar worshipped here and installed Srichakra in the Easanya corner of the temple. Lord Somasundareswarar in the form of lingam is present in a separate shrine just behind the Selva Vinayagar. There are shrines for Meenakshi, Sundareswarar and Mariamman in the temple premises besides Selva Vinayagar and Somasundareswarar Shrines.
The temple also houses the idols of Dakshina Murti, Nalvar, Chandikeswarar, Viswanathar, Vishalakshi, Vishnu and Murugan with Valli-Devasena. There are a lot of Sudhai (Stucco) idols in the temple walls depicting various forms of Ganesha. Some of them are really rare forms such as Five faced Ganesha and Ganesha on peacock. There is a shrine where all the metal Utsava idols are kept. Navagraha is also found in the temple.