Palli Kondeswarar Temple, Surutapalli

Palli Kondeswarar Temple
Name
Proper name Palli KondeswararSwamy Temple
Geography
Coordinates 13°9′N 80°18′E / 13.150°N 80.300°E / 13.150; 80.300Coordinates: 13°9′N 80°18′E / 13.150°N 80.300°E / 13.150; 80.300
Country India
State Andhra Pradesh
District Chittoor
Location Surutapalli
Culture
Primary deity Palli Kondeswarar (Shiva)
Architecture
Architectural styles Dravidian architecture
History and governance
Website http://pallikondeswarar.com/index.html

Palli Kondeswarar Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to the god Shiva located in Surutapalli,[1] a village in Chitoor district of Andhra Pradesh state close to the border of Tamil Nadu, India. Surutapalli is located 55 km away from Chennai on the Chennai Tirupathi highway.Surutapalli is just 2 km away from Uthukottai, Tamil Nadu.

The Temple

A temple sculpture depicting the central icon

Palli Kondeswarar translates to reclining deity. Shiva as Palli Kondeswarar is seen in reclining posture in the lap of his consort Parvati as Sarva Mangalambika, which is typical of Ranganatha form of the god Vishnu. The temple was built during the late Vijayanagara period and the deity here is termed as Bhoga sayana Siva.[2] This icon of Shiva is unusual; most Shiva temples contain a Lingam, his aniconic symbol, as the central icon. The gods Ganesha, Kartikeya, Surya, Chandra, Indra and sages such as Narada are seen standing around Shiva.

The performance of Pradosha here is noteworthy. The temple has countless icons, besides the central icon:

  1. Gods: Brahma, Vishnu, Chandra, Kubera, Surya, Indra, Ganesha, Kartikeya with consorts Valli and Devayanai
  2. Sages: Bhrigu, Markandeya, Narada, Agastya, Pulastya, Gautama, Tumburu, Vashista, Viswamitra, Valmiki
  3. Adhishankara, another form of Shiva, in a separate niche.
  4. Navagraha deities in a shrine
  5. Sanganidhi and Padumanidhi with their consorts Vasundara and Vasumadhi respectively.

Legend

During the Samudra manthan (churning of the ocean of milk) by the gods and demons, many treasures along with the Amrita (elixir of the gods) and the poison Halahala rose from the ocean. To rescue the beings of the world from the poison, Shiva consumed it. When the poison was just going down the throat of Shiva, his consort Parvati stopped it there by tightly holding Shiva’s throat, turning Shiva's neck blue. After the episode, Shiva proceeded to his abode Kailash with Parvati. On the way, he felt exhausted and slightly uncomfortable, when he reached a place in the bounds of Andhra, which came to be called Suruttappalli. There, He lied down to relax, keeping his head in the lap of Parvati. The gods, who were concerned about Shiva’s well-being assembled there and stood around him, waiting for the Lord to open his eyes. This lying posture of Shiva is rare and unique, is almost similar to Vishnu’s reclining posture.

Festivals

Pradosham, the fortnightingly festival is celebrated in all the south Indian temples. This temples garners around 15,000 visitors during pradosham and around 30,000 during the Sivarathri festival.[3]

Notes

  1. ↑ V. 2006, p. 26
  2. ↑ A. Satyanarayana, Pedarapu Chenna Reddy, Recent trends in historical studies: festschrift to Professor Ravula Soma Reddy, p. 253
  3. ↑ "Deities in rare form". The Hindu. 28 February 2003. Retrieved 12 October 2016.

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Palli Kondeswarar Temple, Surutapalli.
  • Subburaj, V. (2006). Tourist Guide to Chennai. t. Krishna Press: Scarecrow Press, INC. ISBN 81-7478-040-8. 
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