Kachi Mayaneswarar Temple, Kanchipuram

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 6^th Thirumurai in 97^th Patikam in 10^th 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