Chennai: Sri Kurungaleeswarar Temple at Koyambedu has a connection with the epic, Ramayana. The temple is also known as Kusalavapuriswarar Temple. The name is derived from the sons of Rama – Lava and Kusa.
“Legend says that Lava and Kusa were brought up in sage Valmiki’s ashram here. This is the place where they fought with Lakshmana unknowingly and got Gothrahathi Dosha. To free themselves from the dosha, they were advised to worship Lord Shiva and that is how the Linga came into being here,” says priest Sashi Kumar.
“The temple was built by Kulothunga Cholan in the 12th century. While he was going in a chariot, the wheels went over the Shivalinga and blood started oozing out. Only after that the Shivalinga was unearthed and the temple built,” he adds.
The speciality of the temple is that unlike other temples, the Shivalinga faces north. “There is no other Shiva temple where the main deity faces north – that is a speciality here,” adds the priest.
Around the main shrine, there are idols of Lord Nataraja, 63 Nayanmars, Dakshinamoorthy and Durga. There is also a separate shrine for Lord Ganesha.
Another unusual aspect in the temple is the placement of the Ambal shrine. While in most of the temples the Almighty is placed to the left side of the main sanctum, here it is on the right. The Goddess is called Dharmasamvardhini.
To the left of the Kurungaleeswara shrine is one for Muruga with Valli and Deivanai. Navagraha is placed outside the Ambal shrine and it is also designed in a unique way.
Lord Surya is placed in the centre on a chariot and on a circular path around the chariot, all the other grahas are placed.
“Also, every Sunday, from 4 pm to 7 pm, special Rahu Kala Pooja is performed for Sarabeswarar. Sarabeswarar is placed in a 16-pillared hall in the temple,” he said about the popular pooja.
“The Pradosha darshan here is considered equivalent to 1,000 darshans and during Rahu Kala Pooja Om Sarabeswaraya Namaha is chanted 108 times,” says the priest.
“It is believed that if people worship Sarabeswara for six weeks continuously, by lighting two lamps (agal vilakku) and going around the 16-pillar mandapam nine times, their prayers will be answered,” says Sashi Kumar. The temple is open every day from 5 am to 12.30 pm and 4 pm to 8.30 pm.