Kachi Mayaneswarar Temple,
Kanchipuram
Kachi Mayaneswarar Temple is a
Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva located at Kanchipuram Town in Kanchipuram
District of Tamil Nadu. The Temple is famously called as Kachi Mayanam. The
Temple is situated in front of Kanchipuram Ekambareswarar Temple. Presiding
Deity is called as Kachi Mayaneswarar / Mayana Lingeswarar and Mother is called
as Kamakshi Amman. The Temple is considered as Thevara Vaippu Sthalam as
Devaram hymns had a mention about this Temple. This Temple is considered as one
of the Pancha Mayanam Temples.
Legends
Due to a mythical boon, a
demon called Pandakasuran used to mix up with the body of Vishnu, Brahma and
other Devas and reduced their ability. Hence Lord Shiva decided to destroy him.
So, Lord Shiva appeared in form of fiery column of fire accompanied by divine
mother and started a Yaga. He sacrificed all the living beings including Brahma
in the Yagna fire. Pandakasuran came to see the Yagna and Lord Shiva sacrificed
him also to the Yagna fire. At last, the Yagna fire took the form of Linga and
came to be called as Mayana Lingam. Present Sivagangai Theertham is considered
as the Yagna Kundam.
The Temple
The Temple is situated in
front of Kanchipuram Ekambareswarar Temple. This Temple is technically inside
Kanchipuram Ekambareswarar Temple and located towards the right side of
Dwajastambam of Ekambareswarar Temple. This Small Temple is facing west. Presiding
Deity is called as Kachi Mayaneswarar / Mayana Lingeswarar. He is housed in the
sanctum in the form of Lingam. Brahma, Durga, Lingodbhava and Vinayaga are the
Koshta Idols located around the sanctum wall.
Mother is called as Kamakshi
Amman. There is a 16 pillared Mandapam on the western side of the Temple. There
is a beautiful painting of Lingodbhava can be found in this Mandapam. The
temple contains 15 inscriptions belonging to Kakatiya Kings, Uthama Chola,
Rajaraja Chola I, Rajathiraja Chola I, Kulothunga Chola I, Vijaya Kandagopala,
Sadasivaraya of Vijayanagar Empire. Theertham of this Temple is Sivagangai.
Temple Opening Time
The temple remains open from
06.00 AM to 12.30 PM and 04.00 PM to 08.30 PM.
Religious Significance
Mayanam means cremation
ground. Lord Shiva is told to be in Mayanams generally. Mayanam are the places
where Lord Brahma was reduced to ashes by Lord Shiva. Mayanams here are nothing
but temples. But these following temples are told to have highest spiritual
importance.
There are five Shiva's Mayanams
and they are the following:
1. Kachi Mayanam (Kanchipuram)
2. Kazhi Mayanam (Sirkazhi)
3. Veezhi Mayanam (Thiruveezhimizhalai)
4. Naalur Mayanam (Thirunallur
Mayanam)
5. Kadavur Mayanam (Thirukkadaiyur
Mayanam)
Literary Mention
The Temple is considered as
Thevara Vaippu Sthalam as Devaram hymns sung by Appar had a mention about this
Temple. The Temple is mentioned in 6th Thirumurai in 97th
Patikam in 10th Song.
மைப்படிந்த கண்ணாளுந் தானுங் கச்சி
மயானத்தான் வார்சடையான் என்னி னல்லான்
ஒப்புடைய னல்லன் ஒருவ னல்லன்
ஓரூர னல்லனோ ருவம னில்லி
அப்படியும் அந்நிறமும் அவ்வண் ணமும்
அவனருளே கண்ணாகக் காணி னல்லால்
இப்படியன் இந்நிறத்தன் இவ்வண் ணத்தன்
இவனிறைவன் என்றெழுதிக் காட்டொ ணாதே.
Contact
Kachi Mayaneswarar Temple,
Inside Ekambareswarar Temple,
Kanchipuram – 631 502
Phone: +91 44 2722
2084
Connectivity
The Temple is located at about
500 meters from Guajarati Chathiram Bus Stop, 1 Km from Kanchipuram New Railway
Station, 2 Kms from Kanchipuram East Railway Station, 2 Kms from Kanchipuram
Bus Stand, 28 Kms from Arakkonam, 42 Kms from Chengalpattu, 61 Kms from Chennai
Airport and 73 Kms from Chennai. Kanchipuram is most easily accessible by road.
The Chennai – Bangalore National Highway, NH 4 passes the
outskirts of the city. Daily bus services are provided by the Tamil Nadu State Transport
Corporation to and from Chennai, Bangalore,
Tirupati, Villupuram,
Thiruthani, Tiruvannamalai,
Vellore, Tindivanam, Salem, Coimbatore
and Pondicherry.
There are two major bus routes
to Chennai, one connecting via Poonamallee and
the other via Tambaram. Local bus services are provided
by The Villupuram division of Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation. The Chengalpattu –
Arakkonam railway line passes through Kanchipuram and travellers can access
services to those destinations. Daily trains are provided to Pondicherry
and Tirupati, and there is a weekly express train to Madurai and
a bi-weekly express train to Nagercoil. Two
passenger trains from both sides of Chengalpattu and Arakkonam pass via
Kanchipuram. Nearest Airport is located at Chennai.
Location
