Kooram VidyaVineetha Pallava Parameswarar Temple, Kanchipuram

Address

Kooram VidyaVineetha Pallava Parameswarar Temple, Kooram, Kanchipuram – 631502.

Diety

VidyaVineetha Pallava Parameswarar

Introduction

Vidya Vineetha Pallava Parameswarar Temple is a Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva located in Kooram Village near Kanchipuram City in Kanchipuram Taluk in Kanchipuram District of Tamil Nadu. Presiding Deity is called as Vidya Vineetha Pallava Parameswarar and Mother is called as Kamakshi. This Temple is considered as the first temple in Tamil Nadu which follows Gajabrusta Construction. This Temple is considered as one of the 108 Shiva temples mentioned in Kanchi Puranam. It is believed that Lord Rama and Sage Gurureswara had worshipped Lord Shiva at this temple. This temple is facing towards west. The Sanctum Sanctorum consists of Sanctum, Ardha Mandapam and Mukha Mandapam. The entrance to the sanctum is from the south side of Maha Mandapam. The Pillars in the Mandapam has inscriptions. Vinayaga and Murugan can be found at the entrance of the sanctum. Murugan appears in Brahma Sastha form. He is having four hands. He is holding Akshara Mala and Kamandala in his upper hands.

Puranic Significance

The temple was built by Vijaya Vineetha Pallava, a relative of Pallava King, during the reign of Parameswara Varma Pallava I (670 – 695 AD). There are about nine inscriptions belonged to the Pallava Kings and Rajaraja Chola I. The Temple had been extensively received patronage from Parameswara Varma Pallava I, Rajasimha Pallava, Nandi Varma Pallava and Nripatungavarma Pallava and Rajaraja Chola. The Kanchi Puranam mentions this place as Koorma Gramam. The Sanctum is in the form of Gajabrusta, the shape of an elephant in its sitting posture. There is no Vimana over the sanctum. The walls of the Sanctum and the Mandapam were built with granite originally. Only foundations remained.