Thiruneermalai
Encyclopedia
Thiruneermalai is a panchayat town in Kancheepuram district in the India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...

n state
States and territories of India
India is a federal union of states comprising twenty-eight states and seven union territories. The states and territories are further subdivided into districts and so on.-List of states and territories:...

 of Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...

. It has a hill, and a temple
Temple
A temple is a structure reserved for religious or spiritual activities, such as prayer and sacrifice, or analogous rites. A templum constituted a sacred precinct as defined by a priest, or augur. It has the same root as the word "template," a plan in preparation of the building that was marked out...

 on that hill.It is situated outside the India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...

n city of Chennai
Chennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...

. It is chiefly known for its extensive use in filming.

Demographics

India census
Census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...

, Thiruneermalai had a population of 19,019. Males constitute 51% of the population and females 49%. Thiruneermalai has an average literacy rate of 79%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 84%, and female literacy is 74%. In Thiruneermalai, 11% of the population is under 6 years of age many of which already have college degrees.

The temple is near Chennai. There are two temples dedicated to Lord Vishnu
Vishnu
Vishnu is the Supreme god in the Vaishnavite tradition of Hinduism. Smarta followers of Adi Shankara, among others, venerate Vishnu as one of the five primary forms of God....

. One temple is on the base of the hill and the other temple is on top of the hill. Long ago, this hill was surrounded by water when Thirumangai Azhwar visited the shrine. Hence it is called Thiruneermalai. It is one of the Divya desam. People need to climb steps to reach the hill top. It would be around 200 to 300 steps. From the top of the mountain, one can view the entire Pallavaram area.
This is the only place very close to Chennai city (4 km from Pallavaram GST road) still not developed.But the proposed Outer ring road which passes close to this place will give a big boost in development.

The temple

The base Temple is dedicated to Lord Rama also known as Neervanan in a standing posture and the temple up the hill has four shrines for Lord Ranganatha (Kidanthaan - in reclining posture), Animamalarmangai Thayaar, Trivikrama (Nadanthaan - in standing posture) and Lord Narasimha (Irundhaan - sitting posture). It is a double prakaram
Prakaram
A Prakaram, also spelled Pragaram or Pragaaram) in Indian architecture is an outer parth around the Hindu temple sanctum. These may be enclosed or open and are typically enclosed for the inner most prakaram....

(outer courtyard) temple. The Garuda shrine faces the Lord. The view from the top of the hill is wonderful.

Legend

The legend is that when Valmiki
Valmiki
Valmiki is celebrated as the poet harbinger in Sanskrit literature. He is the author of the epic Ramayana, based on the attribution in the text of the epic itself. He is revered as the Adi Kavi, which means First Poet, for he discovered the first śloka i.e...

 prayed to Lord Ranganatha and Goddess Ranganayaki in the base temple, they took the form of Lord Rama and Sita, Sesha, Conch
Conch
A conch is a common name which is applied to a number of different species of medium-sized to large sea snails or their shells, generally those which are large and have a high spire and a siphonal canal....

, Chakra
Chakra
Chakra is a concept originating in Hindu texts, featured in tantric and yogic traditions of Hinduism and Buddhism. Its name derives from the Sanskrit word for "wheel" or "turning" .Chakra is a concept referring to wheel-like vortices...

 as Lakshmana, Bharata and Shatruguna and Garuda
Garuda
The Garuda is a large mythical bird or bird-like creature that appears in both Hindu and Buddhist mythology.From an Indian perspective, Garuda is the Hindu name for the constellation Aquila and...

 as Hanuman
Hanuman
Hanuman , is a Hindu deity, who is an ardent devotee of Rama, a central character in the Indian epic Ramayana and one of the dearest devotees of lord Rama. A general among the vanaras, an ape-like race of forest-dwellers, Hanuman is an incarnation of the divine and a disciple of Lord Rama in the...

. Sage Valmiki
Valmiki
Valmiki is celebrated as the poet harbinger in Sanskrit literature. He is the author of the epic Ramayana, based on the attribution in the text of the epic itself. He is revered as the Adi Kavi, which means First Poet, for he discovered the first śloka i.e...

 could view Lord Ranganatha, Lord Trivikrama and Lord Narasimha
Narasimha
Narasimha or Nrusimha , also spelt as Narasingh and Narasingha, whose name literally translates from Sanskrit as "Man-lion", is an avatar of Vishnu described in the Puranas, Upanishads and other ancient religious texts of Hinduism...

 in the top temple.

Prasadam

Puliyodharai (Tamarind Rice), Dhadhyonam (Curd Rice), Pongal, Chakkarai Pongal, Vada
Vada
Vada ; also known as wada or vade or vadai , is a savoury fritter-type snack from South India.-Description:Vada can vary in shape and size, but are usually either doughnut- or disc-shaped and are about between 5 and 8 cm across. They are made from dal, lentil, gram flour or potato.Vada is a...

, Adhirasam
Adhirasam
Adhirasam is a type of Indian sweet from Tamil cuisine. The doughnut like pastry has a long history of popularity in Tamil civilization. They are similar in shape to vadai, but are not savoury and are eaten as a dessert....

 and Murukku are offered to the Lord as Prasadam.

Composers

Thirumangai Alvar
Thirumangai Alvar
Thirumangai Alvar or Tirumangai Alvar or Tirumankai Alvar or Thirumangai Mannan is the last of the 12 Alvar saints of south India, who are known for their affiliation to Vaishnava tradition of Hinduism. He is considered one of the most learned Alvar and the most superior Alvar in the context of...

, Bhoothathalvar
Bhoothathalvar
Bhoothathalvar is one of the 12 Alvar saints of South India, who are known for their affiliation to Vaishnava tradition of Hinduism. The temples reverred by the verses of azhwars are termed Divya desam....

 have composed beautiful Paasurams on Lord Neervannaswamy. It is one of the compositions in Naalayira Divya Prabandha.

Travel and stay

The temple is near Chrompet, which is hardly 10 km from the Chennai Domestic Airport. A lot of bus facilities are available. Frequent bus services are available from Pallavaram also. From Pallavaram, the bus number is 55A. The temple opens at 8:00 a.m., unlike other temples in the region which open at 6:!00 a.m.

List of other temples to visit

Shiva
Shiva
Shiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...

Temples
  • Kapaleeswarar Temple
  • Marundeeswarar Temple
  • Velliswarar Temple
  • Thyagaraja Swamy Udanurai
  • Udanurai Vadivudaiamman Temple
  • Kalikambal Temple
    Kalikambal Temple
    The Kalikambal Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Kalikambal and Kamateswarar. The temple is located in Thambu Chetty Street, George Town a prominent financial centre of Chennai, India.-History:...

  • Kanchipuram
    Kanchipuram
    Kanchipuram, or Kanchi, is a temple city and a municipality in Kanchipuram district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is a temple town and the headquarters of Kanchipuram district...

     Temples
  • Kalahasti
  • Aabathsahayeswarar Temple
  • Adi Parasakthi Temple
  • Agastheeswarar Temple
  • Apparswamy Temple
  • Shiva Vishnu Temple
  • Kunrathur Murugan Temple
  • Mangadu Kamakshi Amman Temple
  • Thiruverkadu Devi Karumariyamman Temple
  • Vadapazhani Temple
  • Tiruttani - Arulmighu Sri Subramaniya swamy Temple


Vishnu
Vishnu
Vishnu is the Supreme god in the Vaishnavite tradition of Hinduism. Smarta followers of Adi Shankara, among others, venerate Vishnu as one of the five primary forms of God....

Temples
  • Srinivasar Temple
  • Kesavar Temple
  • Madhavar Temple
  • Thiruvidandai
    Thiruvidandai
    "Thiruvidandai" is one of 108 Divya desam. It is near Chennai around 40 km. It is Varaha Kshetram. It is famous for marriages.- The temple :...

     Lakshmi VarahaSwamy Temple
  • AshtaLakshmi Temple
  • Tiruneermalai
  • Thirukadalmallai
    Thirukadalmallai
    The Sthalasayana Perumal Temple is at Mahabalipuram. The Temple resides as the first and foremost of Mahabalipuram sculptures. It is one of the 108 Divya desam.-The temple:...

    , Sthalasayana Perumal
  • Tirumala Temples
  • Tirupathi Temples
  • Ananta Padmanabhaswamy Temple
  • Bakthavatsala Perumal Temple
    Bakthavatsala Perumal Temple
    Sri Bakthavatsala Perumal temple is a Hindu temple, located at Thirunindravur near Chennai, India. It is one of the 108 Srivaishnavite divyadesams.-The Temple:...

    , Thiruninravur
    Thiruninravur
    Thirunindravur is a Town Panchayat in Thiruvallur District of Tamil Nadu, India. It is situated at around 32KM from Chennai. Thirunindravur comes under Chennai Metropolitan Area.-History:...

  • Thirukkadigai
    Thirukkadigai
    Thirukkadigai or Sholingapuram is a Hindu place of pilgrimage in Sholinghur in the Vellore district of Tamil Nadu. As one of the 108 Divya Desams, places of worship sung about by the early-medieval Alvars in their "Mangalasasanam" , it is a holy site of particular importance to Vaishnavism.There...

    , Sholingapuram
  • Thiruevvul
    Thiruevvul
    Thiruevvul, also called Thiruvallur is a temple near Arakkonam, Tamil Nadu. The Moolavar here is Lord Veeraraghava Perumal with his Thayaar Kanakavalli . It is one of the 108 Divya desam. The Lord here is in reclining posture on Sesha facing east and his right hand blessing the devotee...

    , Thiruvallur Veeraraghava Perumal Temple and Sri Viswaroopa Panchamukha Hanuman
  • Parthasarathy Kovil
    Parthasarathy Kovil
    The Parthasarathy Temple is an 8th century Hindu Vaishnavite temple dedicated to Lord Krishna, located at Triplicane, Chennai, India. It is one among the 108 divyadesams or holy abodes of Lord Vishnu...

    , Triplicane
    Triplicane
    Triplicane also has the famous powerful Ellamman temple in SMV Koil street. A beautiful Sundaramurthy Vinayagar temple is right opposite to the Ellamman Temple....

  • Srivilliputur, Rangamannar & Andal Temple

External links

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