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LORD SHIVA - PALLIKONDEESWARAR -
IN RECLINING POSTURE, SURUTAPALLI TEMPLE,
60 KMS FROM CHENNAI.
Rarity casts a spell and keeps the listeners and spectators spell bound. Be it in any field, it wins applause and attracts one and all eternally. Even in the realm of religion, where miracles permeate , rarity and oddity enthrall the viewers by their uncommon and bizarre features.
One such rarity is found in the holy temple at Surutapalli near Nagalapuram on the Chennai main road. This Shiva temple contains the most rarest unique icon of Lord Shiva in reclining posture, like the Anantha Padmanabhaswmy of Thiruvananthapuram.
Nowhere in the globe, can one come across such recumbent Shiva in any temple built in ancient times, or modern days. It is a crest jewel to Saivism and even to architectural sculpture too. This amazing icon of the Lord is very huge and exceedingly enticing by it exquisite craftsmanship.
The Sthalapuranam narrates, that Lord Shiva after swallowing the halahalam that emerged from the churning of Ksheerasagaram, experienced a sensation of reeling of head and preferred to lie down.
Here Mother Parvathi sitting at His head is seen trying to hold the neck tight with her two hands, lest the conflagration - the aftermath of swallowing halahalam would burn the worlds inside; and if let out, the worlds outside be converted into ash dunes.
The very concept and its masterly depiction by superb sculpture send thrills in the spines and unconsciously bend heads of the devotees in obeisance to that Lord of Lords. It surpasses the unsurpassable imaginative faculty and sculptural artistry. The gharbha graha is housing nearly eighteen other worshipful deities.
Next to the Lords place, lies Mother's sannidhi, Valmikis sannidhi, and a rare Dakshinamurthi with his wife who blesses many devotees as Guru.
Next you find Valmikeswara lingam. With many such unique features it is drawing the theists and art critics right round the year. As everything here is enchanting , wearing an aura of oddity in divinity, visitation of this Kshethram - the only one of its kind in India affords an elevating experience and confers solace that remains in the hearts for ever.
Its vast courtyards and beautifully sculptured icons are worthy of visitation and obeisance. The shrine is on the main road to Chennai on the highway from Nagalapuram or Uthkottai on the Tamilnadu border.
Pradosham is very famous in the Shrine and lakhs of devotees fast and receive the blessings of the Lord.
If you travel to Thirupathi by surface, it is easily assessable on the main road, take few minutes of your time and seek his blessings. Rare Gem of a temple.
ANJU APPU: PALLIKONDISWARAR, SURUTAPALLI
ANJU APPU: PALLIKONDISWARAR, SURUTAPALLI
