Sembakkam village is situated about 45 kms from Chennai. It lies on the road connecting Thirupporur (OMR) and Chengalpattu and at about 7 kms while going from Thirupporur. There is an arch on the left side of the road, indicating the direction to the temple. The temple is about 1 km from the main road.
Sembakkam has an ancient temple for Lord Shiva where the main deity is Sri Jambugeswarar and Goddess Sri Azhagaambigai. This temple is also called Vada Thiruvanaikkaa or Uthara Jambugeswaram as this temple also represents Water element. Moreover, this temple is also built by the same king Ko Chengannan who built the Thiruvanaikkaa Sri Jambugeswarar temple.According to the legend, when Lord Muruga killed Soorapadhman (Soora Samhaaram) the head of the demon is believed to have fallen here and hence the place was known as Sirampakkam (Siram means Head in Thamizh). It is said that the name Sirampakkam got changed as Sembakkam down the generations. Even today, the flag hoisting ceremony of Thirupporur Sri Kandhaswamy temple (for Lord Muruga) is done by the people of Sembakkam.
It is said that Sri Aadhiseshan along with Vasuki and other Naga Kanyas came here and worshipped Lord Shiva to get relieved of their sin as Sri Aadhiseshan spit Poison while churning the mighty ocean. Another story has it that Sage Naradha was explaining the sanctity of Sri Uthara Jambugeswarar to Lord Indra who didn’t pay much attention in listening to the sage. Because of this, Indra got into difficulties and came personally and worshipped Lord Shiva here.
As per Sthalapuraanam, the king Ko Chengannan who was childless was traveling across the country worshipping Lord Shiva at various places. When he reached Sembakkam the axle of his Chariot broke down here and he was resting at this place. Lord Shiva appeared in his dreams and directed him to build a temple here, where He would be called Sri Jambugeswarar along with Goddess Sri Azhagaambigai. The king built this temple for Lord Shiva and was blessed with a child.
This beautiful temple has a wide landscape inside the compound where a beautiful garden is maintained. Sri Jambugeswarar is facing east from a small sanctum with Dwarapaalakas guarding it. A beautiful Nandhi is facing the Lord here towards the sanctum.
There are beautiful Urchava Murthies like Sri Natarajar, Sri Somaskandhar etc., kept in the Mandapam just outside the sanctum.
Goddess Sri Azhagaambigai is facing south. At the entrance on the southern side, there is a well just near the entrance itself. It is said that the well was created by the Goddess itself which contains the powers of several crores of mantras.
Sri Dhakshinamurthy, Sri Mahavishnu, Sri Brahma and Sri Durga are present around the sanctum at their respective directions.
A new Dwajasthambham was being installed in the temple on 16.03.08 (when I visited).
A small, age old natural pond is found just near the temple entrance, which is said to be the source of water to enter the Sanctum. The temple is originally made in such a way that the water from this pond will always be percolating inside the sanctum to keep the deity always in water. But in later stages, as the temple has risen from the ground level, the water now does not enter the floor of the sanctum but remains in the pond and also under the ground level of the sanctum. Hence this Sthalam also represents ‘water’ similar to Thiruvanaikkaa.It is also said that this village has at least one temple every street. Many small temples are seen on the corners of many streets here. Sage Agasthiyar has visited this temple and worshipped the Lord here.
It is believed that many Siddhars gather here on Pournami days to offer their prayers.
The Sthala Viruksham for this temple is ‘Naaval’ tree as same as Thiruvaanikkaaval. In Sanskrit ‘Jambu’ means ‘Naaval fruit’, and hence the Lord here is called Sri Jambugeswarar. The Naaval tree is present at the south east corner of the temple.Sembakkam is an ideal place for people who seek peace from ‘within’.
Thiru Idaichuram (Thiruvadisoolam) is a small village surrounded by many hills. This village has an ancient temple for Lord Shiva. The main deity here is Sri Gnanapureeswarar, also called as Idaichura Naadhar. Goddess here is Sri Govardhanaambigai.
As per the legend, Goddess Parvathi took the form of Kaamadhenu (cow) and came to this village. One day villagers here saw the cow pouring its milk by its own, on an ant hill. They dissolved the ant hill to find a beautiful Shiva Lingam inside. They installed the deity in the same place and formed this temple.
As the cow poured milk by itself on God, the place came to be known as Thiru Idaichuram, and Goddess is called as Govardhanaambigai (In Sanskrit ‘Go’ means cow).
It is also said that this place got its name as this village is surrounded by hills. In Thamizh, the place between hills is called “Churam”.
The Yadhava man told Sambandhar that there is a Shiva temple nearby and took him to this temple. Sambandhar followed the Yadhava and went inside the temple where the Yadhava vanished near the sanctum. Sambandhar overwhelmed by the mercy of God, sung in praise of Lord Shiva here. The pond in which Sambandhar took bath (pic above) is still seen in this village, a little away from the temple. The Lord here is also said to have been worshipped by an ancient sage called Gowthama Rishi.
The temple looks too ancient amidst serene atmosphere surrounded by paddy fields. There is no Rajagopuram for this temple. The praakaarams are vast and have concrete pathways. The structure of this temple is unusual, looking like an old village house when viewed from outside. The temple is facing south.
There are beautiful stone pillared mandapams inside the temple. The ceiling is a bit lower and the whole mandapam allows limited sunlight. The interior structures are too good making us forget the present materialistic world.
The main deity Sri Gnanapureeswarar is seen facing east from a small, beautiful sanctum. The deity is made of Maragatha (dark green) stone and hence called as Maragatha Lingam, which is not too visible to make out while having dharshan. It is said that the actual color and the glow of this Maragatha Lingam will clearly be visible when ‘Then Abishegam’ (Honey Abishegam) is performed to the deity.
Sri Vinayagar, Sri Dhakshinamurthy, Sri Sandigeswarar, Sri Durgai and Sri Brahma are seen around the sanctum.
The outer Praakaaram is spread on a vast space having a small shrine for Vinayagar. Sri Valli Devasena Samedha Subramanyar has a shrine on the outer praakaaram. On the northern side there is a small shrine where another Shiva Lingam is seen in the name of Sri Brahmaandeswarar facing west.
The Ambaal for Sri Brahmaandeswarar is called Sri Brahmaandeeswari located on the eastern side facing south.
The Nandhi is seen on the eastern praakaaram facing west toward the Lord.
The Sthala Viruksham here is Vilvam, which is on the eastern part of the temple. There is also a shrine for Sri Surya Bhagavan. There is an ant hill and a Nandhi on the southern praakaaram.
Outside the compound, on the eastern side there is the temple pond with ‘Alli flowers’ grown beautifully in it. This pond looks very natural without any steps or bathing ghat built to it.