Pon Vilaindha Kalathur is a small village near Chengalpattu. The place is famous for ancient temples.
The place was earlier called as Kalanthai and then called as Kalathur. The revered poets Sri Pugazhendi and Sri Andhaka Kavi Veera Raghava Mudaliar are said to be born in this place.
As per the legend, Sri Desikacharya was travelling through this place. He stayed at Sri Narasimha temple. He had asked for little food to offer neivedyam to Sri Haya greeva. However, the village people had refused. He had just offered water and went to sleep.
Next day morning, the villagers were astonished to see their paddy fields trampled and spoiled. They had realized that it was their mistake. They repented and sought help from Sri Acharya. He accompanied them to see the fields. In His presence, all the paddy fields had become golden.
The village people realized the divinity of Sri Hayagreeva Swamy. As the paddy fields had turned into gold, the place is called as Pon Vilaintha Kalathur which means the place where gold sprouts.
As per another legend, a landlord had engaged a laborer to look after his paddy filed. Instead of wages, he had offered a piece of land to the laborer for his own cultivation. The laborer was the ardent devotee of Bhagwan Shiv. Because of His devotion, the paddy grown in his filed yielded gold whereas the paddy grown at the owner’s field was ordinary.
The owner turned employer had asked for the produce of the laborer’s filed as well. The laborer refused. Then the king interfered and reprimanded the employer.
As the land had yielded golden grains, this place is called as Pon Vilaintha Kalathur.
Sri Vaikunda Vasa Perumal Temple
This temple is also called as Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Temple. The Rajagopuram is five tiered.
Here at the bottom of the Dwajasthambam, Sri Garuda is facing the main sanctum.
The main sanctum is in a mandapam.
The Dwara Palaks at the entrance are in the form of wall painting.
There are stucco images of Sri Narasimhar with Dwara Palaks, Sri Hayagreeva, Sri Lakshmi, Sri Andal and Sri Anjaneya in the mandapam.
At the main sanctum, the presiding Deity is Sri Vaikunda Vasa Perumal and He is facing east. Sri Mahalakshmi is in His lap.
The gopuram of the main sanctum is three tiered and is called as Nagara Vimanam.
At the perambulation of the prakaram, we get to have the darshan of Sri Ahobila Valli Thayar, Sri Andal and Sri Anjaneya in separate sanctums.
The Urchava Murthy of Sri Narasimha Swamy is said to have come from Kadal Mallai Temple at Mahabalipuram.
The temple is open from 08.00 A.M to 11.00 A.M and from 05.00 P.M to 07.30 P.M. The timings may differ during festivals and special occasions.
Davana Uthsavam, Narasimha Uthsavam and Sudarshana Homam are the major rituals observed in this temple. Annual Brahmothsavam is held in Panguni month.
All Ekadashi festivals including Vaikunta Ekadashi, Sri Rama Navami, Sri Narasimha Jayanthi are the major festivals celebrated in the temple.
Devotees throng this temple with prayers for marriage. It is believed that this place is the parikara sthalam for alleviating planetary effects.
Sri Kodhanda Rama Swamy Temple
This is near to Sri Vaikunda Vasa Perumal temple in the same street.
The temple houses two shrines. One is Sri Pattabhi Ramar temple and the other one is Sri Dharba Sayana Perumal temple.
At the entrance, we get to see a dwaja sthambam alongwith deepasthambam.
To the left side of the Dwajasthambam, there is a dedicated shrine for Sri Anjaneya Swamy. To the right of the sthambam, we have a Kalyana mandapam for Deities marriage.
Beyond the Dwajasthambam, there is a maha mandapam housing the main sanctum. Garuda Sannidhi is facing the main sanctum.
In the main sanctum, Sri Rama is worshipped as Sri Pattabhi Ramar with Sri Seetha Devi on His lap. Sri Lakshman is to His side. The sanctum is facing east.
The Urchava Murthy is called as Sri Kothanda Ramar.
In the mandapam itself, to the left of Ramar sanctum, we get the darshan of Sri Abhaya Venkata Varada with Sri Devi and Bhu Devi alongwith twelve Alwars facing south.
When we do the perambulation of the maha mandapam, we get the darshan of Sri Sudarshana and Sri Narasimha in a sanctum.
We also can see the temple theertham in the form of a well.
There is a dedicated shrine for Sri Mahalakshmi in the name of Sri Alarmel Mangai Thayar.
After parikrama of the main sanctum, we should turn left into another shrine where the sanctum of Sri Dharba Sayana Perumal is situated.
It is believed that this shrine is existing since 1000 years. Here, we get to have the darshan of Sri Ram in reclining pose purported to be on dharba grass. Sri Samudra Raja and Sri Anjaneya are at His feet.
The Urchava Murthy of this sanctum is Sri Sethu Ramar. It is believed that the Urchava Murthy is from Dhanush Koti near Rameswaram.
Sri Rama Navami, all Ekadashi days including Vaikunta Ekadashi, Aipasi Pavithrothsavam are the major festivals celebrated in the temple.
The temple is open from 09.00 A.M to 11.00 A.M and from 04.00 P.M to 07.00 P.M.
Sri Munkudumeeswarar Temple
This temple ascribed to the worship of Bhagwan Shiv is believed to be built atleast 1000 years ago.
As per the legend, this temple was built by a Chola King seeking progeny. The priest of the temple was a devout Shiv Bhakt. After completing Puja, he had taken the garland to his wife. The King came to the temple unexpectedly. Knowing this, the priest had taken the garland back from his wife and offered to the King at the temple.
The King saw the strand of hair in the garland and enquired. To escape the wrath of the King, the priest had told him that the hair was from the upper portion tuft of the shiv ling. As the sanctum was anyway closed, the King said that he would return the next day to see the tuft on the Shiv Ling.
The priest was terrified for having lied. He apologized to Bhagwan Shiv and sought His protection. Next day morning, to his surprise, he saw that the upper portion of the Shiv Ling had sported a tuft. Bhagwan had decided to protect His devotee.
The presiding Deity is Bhagwan Shiva being hailed as Sri Munkudimeeswarar. Mun Kudumi means gathered hair or tuft at the forehead.
The Dwajasthambam for this temple is right in front of the main sanctum.
The main sanctum is designed as gaja brushta vimana. It appears like the back of the elephant. On perambulation of the main sanctum we get the darshan of Sri Vinayaka, Sri Dakshina Murthy, Sri Maha Vishnu, Sri Brahma and Sri Durga Devi sculpted in the outer wall.
The Urchava Murthy is Sri Chandra Sekhara. Sri Parvathi Devi is worshipped as Sri Meenakshi Devi.
The pillars in the mandapam are ornate with intricate sculptures.
The rituals are done as per Sivagama method.
The Sthala Vruksham is Vilva tree and the sthala theertham is called as Vilva Theertham.
Various festivals are being celebrated in the temple throughout the year. Prominent among them is the Panuguni Brahmothsavam in March-April; During this festival, Sri Kootruva Nayanar comes in procession in the place of Sri Chandikeshwara.
The other festivals are Shiva Rathri (March-April), Tamil Varusha Pirappu (April), Adi pooram in July-August, Navarathri during Purattasi (September-October), Annabhishekam in Aippasi, Deepavali, Skanda Sashti (October-November), Thiru Karthigai (November-December) and Sankaranthi in January.
The temple is being preserved as the archeological monument as well. It is open from 06.00 A.M to 07.00 A.M and from 05.00 P.M to 06.00 P.M.
We get the darshan of Sri Anukkai Vinayakar, Sri Muruga with His consorts Sri Valli and Sri Devyani, Sri Kala Bhairavar and Nava Graha in the prakaram of this temple.
Pon Vilaintha Kalathur is accessible through road by way of taxi or by way of buses from Chengalpattu. The nearest Railway Station is Ottivakkam.
