Rajarajeshwari Shrine

In an earier posting I mentioned a few details of Rajarajeshwari Temple on the hillround roadway and its location at Parvati Hill. Below is some more interesting information about this small, fascinating Temple.

What is now the Rajarajeshwari Temple on the Girivalam pathway has been at the same .25 acre site in some form or another for the last 100 years

The family who maintain the Trust of this independent Temple is that of A.Valagurumudaliar Annaporni and comprises 7 brothers and 2 sisters, all of whom are actively involved in the running and development of the Temple. The family, who come from a merchant tradition, are Mudaliars, a sect famous for their support of Temples and Religious endeavours in many area throughout Tamil Nadu.

Of the seven brothers of the Valagurumudaliar Annaporni family, Arul Arasu, who trained as an engineer, is currently the priest and manager of Rajarajeshwari Temple.

Rajarajeshwari is held as the first God of the Devi Mahatmyam, in which all others are centred.

In the shrine room at the feet of the goddess is a Koorm Pristhiya (Meru) Sri Yantra of which you can more details at this link:

Below is the statue of Sri Ganesha which is stationed at the doorway of the Inner Shrineroom.

The next photograph is of the statue of Rajarajeshwari which is located outside the Shrineroom and is used for various other kinds of puja and processions around the Temple.

The metal carving of Gaja Lakshmi is positioned outside the Shrineroom.

Facing the Shrineroom, instead of the usual Nandi one always associates with the Shiva Lingam, is the Simha (lion) associated with the Goddess aspect, particularly that of Durga.

Below one can get a better idea of the Simha dais facing the Shrineroom inside the Temple.

The blue panel at the back of the outside of the Shrineroom is the back of where the Rajarajeshwari statue is located.

When this Temple was established a 100 years ago by the ancestors of the current A.Valagurumudaliar Annaporni family, the small pink structure was the whole of the original Temple. As time progressed what is now the current Rajarajeshwari Temple grew around the original Shrineroom below.

The next photograph is of the Goddess, in another of her aspects, located inside the Compound but outside the Shrineroom.

Currently a small Shiva Temple (i.e. Rajarajeshwaran) is being constructed adjacent to the current Goddess Shrine. The Lingam in the below photograph will get moved into its own small Temple when complete.

The Nandi below is also awaiting completion of the new Temple, afterwhich it will be positioned facing the Shiva Lingam.

A view of the small garden surrounding the Rajarajeshwari Temple.

This lovely Amman Temple is becoming increasing popular for people performing Girivalam. It is estimated each month during the day of Poornima over 50,000 people visit this Temple. The number increases to 100,000 on the day of the annual Bharani Deepam (which this year is celebrated on November 24th, 2007).

For full information of Poornima and Deepam dates please check this link.