Uthiramerur Balasubramania Swamy Temple, Kanchipuram

Address

Uthiramerur Balasubramania Swamy Temple, Uthiramerur, Kanchipuram district, Tamilnadu- 603406.

Diety

Balasubramania Swamy

Introduction

Balasubramania Swamy Temple is dedicated to Lord Muruga, located at Uthiramerur in Kanchipuram District of Tamilnadu. This is a temple adjacent to Sundara Varadaraja Perumal. Looks like later period, has a tank. The temple seems to be somewhat different from others when we go round – rocks all around. It has wide and spacious place in front with recent addition of Ayyappan Sannidhi. The temple is maintained neatly. This Temple has been praised in Thirupugazh Hymns of Arunagirinathar

Puranic Significance

According to sources, this temple belongs to 8th Century. The Murthy here is a Swayambu (selfevolved). The Temple was built by Jeyam Konda Chozhan; The place has the history of Lord Muruga himself standing as his own Vel weapon to protect the sages in penance from the threats of demons. The place is known as Ilayanar Velur – Ilayanar is youthful Muruga, Velur is the place where the Vel stood. The place on both sides of River Seyyaru then known as Utharavahini was then a forest region. Many Rishis were performing penance here. Sage Kashyapa had his hermitage here and performed penance for the welfare of mankind. Two demons, armed with their boons of immortality, began to harass the sage who appealed to Lord Kadamba Nathar for protection. Lord assured the sage that his younger son Muruga would destroy the demons and protect all sages. He also assured the sages that his Sword also would be sent to assist Muruga in the war against the demons. Taking on the command of his divine Father, Muruga set out on the protection mission. He called the demons and advised them. But their pride ignored his advice. Lord Muruga instructed his Vel to stand guard on the eastern side of the hermitage to prevent the demons. Lord Muruga separated the head of Magaran with the sword given by Lord Shiva. Seeing the death of his brother, Malayan used the magic taught by Maya the mother of Surapadma which could not stand before the sword of Lord Shiva. The place where the head of Malayan fell is called Malayankulam and that of Magaran’s defeat as Magaral. After executing the orders of Lord Shiva, Muruga built a temple for Lord Tirukadamba Nathar. Lord Shiva asked the Son to stay there and grant all boons to his devotees. It is at This Ilayanar Velur, the temple of Balasubramaniar stands now. Murugan did penance here before he started on his journey to kill Sura padman. He does penance in the presence of his parents and obtains a Vel (spear) with which he plays the Asura Sura padman. Here the vahanam for Murugan is elephant. This is because only after slaying the Asura, Surapadman he becomes the peacock which is the vahana of Muruga

Beliefs

Devotees pray in the temple to realize their wishes. Devotees perform abishek to Lord Muruga and carry Kavadis.

Special Features

This is another ancient temple in Uthiramerur. Beautifully spread on vast area, this temple is dedicated to Lord Muruga. Normally in Murugan temple, Peacock will be shown as the ‘Vaganam’ (Carrier) for Lord Muruga but here Elephant stands as the Vaganam for Lord Muruga which is rare of its kind in Murugan Temples. The Deity Balasubramaniar is about 5-6 ft. tall, well decorated and gracefully blesses the visiting devotees. Other deities are Pillaiyar, Lord Shiva, Skandhar, Shanmugar, Navagrahas etc., The outside Prakaram is so vast with Dhwajasthambha and the whole gives a divine feeling with many ancient sculptures standing testimony for the architectural excellence of our ancestors. Lord Kadambanathar graces from a shrine in the northeast corner of the temple enabling Lord Muruga to worship him. The Vel of Lord Muruga in its idol form is open for the darshan of devotees in a shrine in the northwest corner . The temple has a five tier Rajagopuram. The Oonjal Mandapam (Swing Mandapam) and the Vasantha Mandapam in the outer prakara are on the left sides respectively. The Bali peeta and the flag post (Kodimaram) are in between them. The elephant gifted by Indira to Muruga is also in this spot. The entrance to the inner mandapam has the beautiful depiction of the wedding of Lord Muruga. Mother Gaja Valli shrine – combination of Valli and Deivanai – is on the left side. This is a rare feature of this temple. It is said that Lord Muruga placed his Vel in this place to protect Sage Kashyapa while in penance. Till today, no one had been able to estimate the depth of the Vel. In the place of Chandikeswara as generally in Shiva temples, Sumithirai Chandikeswara shrine adores this temple. It is a rock hewn temple as per Pallava style and you can see the remnants of the hill with huge rocks jutting around in the outer praharam. A recently added Ayyappa Sannidhi on the right side of the entrance is glaringly different. There are figures of Shiva Parvati and Vinayaka behind the main deity. The Second praharam inside has unusual Koshta Vigrahas. It is not the Ganesha, Brahma, Durga you see it is Sangu Nidhi Kubera, etc. Asara Kondrai tree is the Sthala Viruksham in this Temple. There are shrines for Lord Ekambaranathar, Perun Dandam Udayar, Mother Maha Tripura Sundari, Lord Kasi Viswanatha, Lord Santhana Ganapathi and the Vel in the form of Lord Velayutha Murthi in the inner prakara of the temple.