Only Divya Desam where the Utsav deity has a Lotus flower in his hand
The birth place of BhoothathAzhvaar
Thiru Mangai Azhvaar in his Periya Thirumozi refers to ships carrying Gold and Gems along the shores of Kadal Mallai
Located in the heart of Maamallapuram, about 50 kms South of Madras along the East Coast Road, is the Sthala Sayana Perumal temple in Thiru Kadal Mallai. Mahabalipuram was once a famous and a very important port town and business center with European traders dealing here through the barter system, thousands of years ago.
Thiru Mangai Azhvaar in his Periya Thirumozhi (1103) refers to the ships carrying gold and gems on the shores of Kadal Mallai, where the Lord is seen in a Sayana Kolam.
புலன் கொள் நிதிக் குவையோடு, புழைக் கை மா களிற்று இனமும்
நலம் கொள் நவமணிக் குவையும் சுமந்து, எங்கும் நான்று ஒசித்து
காலங்கள் இயங்கும் மல்லைகடல்மல்லைத் தலசயனம்கலங்கொள் மனத்தார் அவரை வலங்கொள் என் மட நெஞ்சே
நலம் கொள் நவமணிக் குவையும் சுமந்து, எங்கும் நான்று ஒசித்து
காலங்கள் இயங்கும் மல்லைகடல்மல்லைத் தலசயனம்கலங்கொள் மனத்தார் அவரை வலங்கொள் என் மட நெஞ்சே
Today one can see several art sculpture within a km of this temple. Also near this temple are Pancha Paandava Mandapam and the chariot, the cave temples as well as the place where Arjuna is said to have undertaken penance.
Several other temples built on the sea shore have been washed away, leaving this Divya Desam temple as the only prominent one.
Pundarika Rishi wanted to place a 1008 petals of the lotus flowers at the feet of ThiruPaarkadal Lord. As he made his way in the Eastern direction towards the Lord, he found that the sea water blocked his path. Hence, he got down to putting his mind and effort every day in clearing his way by removing the water with his hand. Pleased with the effort of the Rishi, Lord Narayana came here disguised as an old hungry brahmin. Once here, he asked the Rishi to bring him some food.
Leaving aside the work of removing the water, the Rishi left behind the 1008 flowers with the old man and went to bring food for the Lord. On his return, he found, at the Mahabalipuram sea shore, Lord Vishnu lying on the ground in a sleeping posture on top of Adhiseshan, with 4 hands and having adorned himself with 1000 Lotus petals. Hence the Lord here is called Sthala Sayana Perumal.
At this temple, one finds Pundarika Rishi at the feet of Sthala Sayana Perumal offering the Lotus flowers.
All wishes of the devotees are said to be fulfilled here as the Lord is seen sleeping on the floor, on par with the devotees, who visit him.
Famous Rulers and their association with this temple
Pallavas built this temple in the 9th century AD near the sea, right at the place where Thirupaarkadal Lord is believed to given darshan in a sleeping posture to Pundarika Rishi. Later, in 14th century AD, Vijayanagara King Paraangusan shifted the temple to within the port town of Maamallapuram, fearing the destruction due to high waves of the then existing temple and built the temple that ones sees today in the traditional form with the four Mada streets around the temple. Sthala Sayana Perumal is seen lying on the ground in a sleeping posture.
In addition to the Pallava and Vijayanagara rulers, Chozhas have also contributed significantly to the temple.
King and his daily trip to ThiruVidanthai
King HariKesaVarma, a great devotee of Lord Vishnu used to visit Thiruvidanthai, another Divya Desam about 15kms North of this temple (towards Madras on East Coast Road) for his daily prayers to Nithya Kalyana Perumal. Only after he had offered his players, would he eat.
To test his devotion, one day Nithya Kalyana Perumal, disguised as an old man, intercepted the king just as he was for leaving for Thiruvidanthai and asked for food.
Put in an awkward situation, the king decided to visualize the old man as his Thiruvidanthai Lord, prayed before him and thereafter offered him food.
Pleased with his devotion, the old man gave the king darshan as Nithya Kalyana Perumal.
Quick Facts
Moolavar : Sthala Sayana Perumal East Facing Bhujanga Sayanam
Goddess : Nila Mangai Thaayar
Utsavar : Ulaguyya Ninraan
Azhvaar :ThiruMangai- 26 Paasurams and BhoothathAzhvaar –1 Paasuram
Time : 630am –12noon and 3pm-830pm
Contact : Balaji Bhattar /Gopalakrishnan Bhattar @ 044 2744 2183 / 94442 35284 / 98404 08755
Location: 50 kms South of Madras along the East Coast Road
Buses ply regularly on East Coast Road and on Old Mahabalipuram road between Madras and Maamallapuram.
By Car, one can reach the temple within an hour from Madras
Hi Prabhu
ReplyDeleteNice story. A befitting example of true devotion to the Lord.
"In faith there is enough light for those who want to believe and enough shadows to blind those who don't"
Keep your good work going
All the best
Look forward to more stories
Dear Ranjani
ReplyDeleteThanks for reading the story.
And for your kind words and encouragement
Prabhu
Dear all,
ReplyDeleteThis is something marvellous explanation in brief.I'm in pondy and have crossed this temple while travelling many times but today i came to know the completeness of this temple.
Worth seeing.
May the lord bless all of us !
Thanks
Venkat.R
Good to Know.
ReplyDeletePrabhu
Hi Prabhu,
ReplyDeletecould you throw more light on the thiru vidanthai temple and the sculpture of mahabalipuram caves where he has lakshmi to his right unlike thiruvidanthai where he has lakshmi to his left
Madam,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the message:)
Will do.
Prabhu
Clearing the confusion on Climate Change topic - Global Warming Or Ice Age - Its relation with our KADAL MALLAI THALAI STHALAM கடல்மல்லைத் தலம் or MAHABALIPURAM SEA SHORE TEMPLES. - 7 SUPER ANCIENT Temples to indicate the stages of Global CLIMATE using Sea Level as measure (both warming phase and cooling phase).
ReplyDelete1) Graham Hancock documentaries published in Discovery channel in year 2000 showing underwater temples of Mahabalipuram. Mahabalipuram has total 7 shore temples. 7th at the highest ground elevation and 1st and the lowest ground elevation. They were constructed in exact locations where new shore lines will form each time there is a sea level drop or rise. Earth has been facing significant global warming at times of Krishna 5200 yrs ago leading up to submerging of 6 shore temples. The 7th one we called கடல்மல்லைத் தலம்
2) 2004 Tsunami bringing out the 6th Temple right at the current shore line. 25 Dec 2004 Tsunami brought out the 6th submerged Seashore Temple. Exactly at the shore line. Similarly, there are 5 more shore temples inside Bay of Bengal now. When sea level dropped down due to upcoming ice age the 4th, 3rd, 2nd and 1st shore Temples will come out gradually. There will be cycles of Earth warming and cooling and once the absolute cooling comes into effect on Earth the last shore Temple will emerge from Bay of Bengal.
3) Per history records at Mahabalipuram, past sea levels were much higher, at the base of 7th shore temple, compared to what we have now at the 6th temple.
Our Ancient Hindu Bharat Tamil Ancestors clearly mapped the maximum and minimum sea levels and construction these 7 temples of Mahabalipuram precisely indicating the shore lines as ICE Age or Global Warming - accelerate or decelerate.