Sahasralingam, Skandhashramam
Selaiyur, Chennai, Tamilnadu
 
Skandhashramam
is situated at Selaiyur, near Thambaram, Chennai. The unique feature
in this temple is the Sahasra lingam - a huge stone lingam weighing 20
tons, 9 1/2 feet in height which has 1007 lingams carved within and
a Nandhi 5 ft long and 4 ft high. The temple was built by Shanthananda
Swamigal who has also established the Judge Swamigal Adhishtanam at Pudukkottai,
Om Sri Skandasramam at Salem and Dattagiri at Sendamangalam.
Other deities in the temple are Panchamukha
Heramba Ganapathy, Kamala Siddhi Vinayakar, Bhuvaneshwari Amman, Panchamukha
Aanjaneyar, Veera Sarabeswarar, Saniswarar, Swaminathaswamy (Skanda), Dattatreyar,
Prathyankara Devi, Sri Chakra Maha Meru, Ayyapan, Ashtadasabhuja Durga
Parameswari, Sudarshana Chakrathazhwar, Lakshmi Narasimhar.
Sri Panchamukha Heramba Ganapathi idol
on a lion vaahanam (vehicle) in the temple is 12 feet high. Ganesha
has five elephant heads, four faces facing the four directions & the
5th face facing the sky - upward. In his ten arms he holds the noose,
goad, rudraksha garland, pownder, battle axe and cord. Bala Ganapathy and
Lakshmi Ganapathy sannadhis are situated nearby.
Gopuram style - Orissa style of
architecture
Sri Kamala Siddhi Vinayagar stone
idol around 6 1/2 feet is seen seated on a lotus with a flower, mango,
sugarcane and parasu in his four arms and the kalasam in his trunk.
This sannadhi is to the right of Goddess Bhuvaneswari and around this sannadhi
are installed Yoga Ganapathy and Uchchista Ganapathy.
Gopuram style - Tamilnadu type of
architecture
Goddess Bhuvaneshwari idol is of
6 ft stone. With two arms in abhaya and varada postures, she holds
the noose and angusam in the upper arms. The idols of other Dasamahavidya
deities Kali, Tara, Shodasi, Tripurabhairavi, Cinnamastha, Dhumavati, Bagalamuki,
Rajamathangi, Kamalathmika are installed around the sannadhi.
Gopuram style - Tamilnadu type of
architecture
Sri Shantanada Swamigal idol is 4
½ ft in marble, on the left of Goddess Bhuvaneswari.
Gopuram style - Tamilnadu type of
architecture.
Sri Panchamukha Anjaneya stone idol
is 14 ft high and is located at the vaayu moolai (north west corner) opposite
Lord Saniswara. His five faces are the embodiment of Lord Anjaneya in the
east, Lord Narasimha in the South, Garuda in the west, Varahaa in the North
and Lord Hayagriva at the top. Bhakta Hanuman and Veera Hanuman idols
are installed around this sannadhi.
Gopuram style - Orissa type of architecture
Veera Sarabeswarar is a 12 ft idol.
Sarabeshwara is half bird half animal - with a lion face & wings.
He was sent by Lord Siva to control the wrath of Lord Narasimha after he
had killed Hiranyakashipu. The two wings bear Goddess Prathiyankara and
Goddess Soolini. In his arms he hold a deer, battle axe, snake and fire
and Bhairava and Agni in his abdomen. Ashta Bhairavars - Achithanga, Ruru,
Chanda, Krodana, Kabala, Unmatha, Bheeshana, Samkara, svarnakarshana are
installed around the Sannadhi.
Gopuram style - Tamilnadu type of
architecture.
Lord Saniswarar is a stone idol,
14 ft in height and is placed in the easanya moolai (north east corner),
opposite Lord Panchamukha Hanuman. Since Lord Saniswara is facing Lord
Hanuman it is believed that whoever is in the clutches of Sani will not
face much of problems. Lord Saniswara is in the standing posture with one
leg on his vehicle the crow while the other leg is placed on the ground.
Around the sannadhi are installed the different forms of Lord Saniswara.
Gopuram style - Orissa type of architecture.
Lord Swaminatha Swamy facing the
Bhuvaneshwari sannadhi is 12 ft. Around this sannadhi are installed the
different forms of Lord Muruga in the Arupadai veedu – Swamimalai, Tirutani,
Tiruparankundram, Palani, Pazhamudircholai, Tiruchendur apart from Murugan
of Kadirkamam, Balamurugam and Lord Subramanya swami.
Gopuram style - Tamilnadu type of
architecture.
Lord Dattatreya, is a 15 ft stone
idol installed in the agni moolai (south east corner) opposite Panchamukha
Heramba Ganapathy. He is the son of sage Athri and Anusuya and is
the embodiment of the Trinity – Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva.
He has 3 heads and 6 hands in which he holds a trident, rosary, lotus,
discus, conch and a water-pot. Around this sannadhi Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu
and Lord Siva are installed.
Gopuram style - Orissa type of architecture.
Goddess Ugra Prathiyankara (Atharvana
Bhadrakali) is a 12-ft panchaloka icon facing the Sannidhi of Lord Veera
Sarabeswara. She is also referred to as Aparajitha – the invincible. She
is believed to have emerged from the fire emanating from the third eye
of Lord Sarabeswarar. It was Goddess Prathiyankara who aided in subsiding
the anger of Lord Narasimha. She is lion – faced and is seated on a lion.
Her four hands bear a noose in the form of a snake, trident, hand-drum
and bowl (kabaala paathram). She wears a garland of skulls. In this Kali
yuga, where evil is manifest in varied forms, Goddess Prathiyankara is
regarded as the saviour of mankind, alleviating the sufferings of humanity.
She possesses the power to offset the influences of black magic. Though
fearsome in appearance, she is the very embodiment of benevolence and grace
to her devotees. Navadurgas - Sri Sailaputri, Sri Brahmacharini, Chandrakande,
Kushmande, Skandamatha, Kathayayini, Kalarathri, Mahagauri and Sidhithathri
are installed around this sannadi.
Gopuram style - Tamilnadu type of
architecture.
Sri Chakra Poorna Maha Meru (personification
of Goddess Sakthi) is 5 ½ feet in height and is installed at the
centre.
Gopuram style - Tamilnadu type of
architecture.
Lord Ayyapa - (Sri Dharma Shastha,
Harihara Suthan), son of Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu as Mohini is a 7 ft
panchaloka idol in a sitting posture. His right hand shows the Gnana
Mudra and his Left hand shows the Vara Mudra. The sannadhi is in the east
facing the Astadasabhuja Durga. To his right is installed the Kanni Moolai
Ganapathy.
Gopuram style - the Kerala type
of architecture.
Sri Ashtadasabuja Durga Parameswari
is a 6 ft idol. Her 18 hands hold different weapons, including the trident
of Lord Shiva, the discus of Lord Vishnu, the conch of Varuna, the bow
and arrows of Vayu, the Vajra of Indra etc. Her vehicle is the lion. She
resides in the Southern part, at the back of Sahasralingam in this temple
facing the North side.
Gopuram style - Tamilnadu type of
architecture.
Sri Maha Sudarshana Murthy (Chakarathazhwar)
with Lakshmi Narasimhar is a panchaloka idol measuring about 18 feet. The
speciality of this idol is that it has Sri Sudarshana Murthy on the obverse
and Sri Lakshmi Narasimhar (along with his consort Sri Lakshmi) on the
reverse. Bhaktha Prahlada is in his right hand side standing and worshipping
Sri Lakshmi Narasimhar. It is generally Yoga Narasimhar who is found in
the reverse. Sudharshana Chakra is regarded as the primary weapon of Lord
Vishnu. Around this sannidhi are installed the images of the Dasavatharas
or the 10 avatars of Lord Vishnu.
Location
near the Mahalakshmi bus stop on the Tambaram Velachery main road.
Buses: 51G, 51H, 51S, 51V, 51PP
Contact
Chennai Om Sri Skandasramam
1, Kambar Street, Mahalakshmi Nagar
Selaiyur, Chennai 600 073
Ph: 91-44-22290134 / 22293388
email: santhanam@skandasramam.com
skandasramam.org
Ashtalakshmi temple, Besant Nagar, Chennai
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