A compassionate Nandi in an ancient Siva temple

Elanagar, home to the Srinivasa Perumal (Vishnu) and Udayapurishwarar (Siva) temples, is among the many ancient villages between Kanchipuram, Uttiramerur, and Vandavasi. Close by are the villages of Perunagar and Manampathy, which also have historic temples.

The Udayapurishwarar temple has a few inscriptions, but they are barely visible due to weathering. Although the two temples in Elanagar do not have ancient epigraphs that can be read, giving information either about the temples or this village, the stone records from Manampathy provide some authentic data. An epigraph of Vira Pandya records that Vanavanmadevi village (present-day Manampathy) was in the ancient territorial subdivision called Perunagar Nadu, a part of Venkundra Kottam in Jayamkondachola Mandalam. The Perunagar inscriptions are also informative.

The east-facing Udayapurishwarar temple, surrounded by agricultural fields, sadly has neither a gopuram nor a compound wall. The Siva Linga in the main sanctum is sandal coloured and has a deep mark. It is said that this image lay buried, and a farmer’s plow hit against it, thus creating the mark. Subsequently, this Lingam was consecrated here. Noteworthy is the Linga-Pitham (Avudaiyar), which is lotus-shaped. Another interesting feature is that there are two Nandis, side by side in front of the principal shrine, one of which can be rotated to the side. It is said that a pregnant lady who came to this temple suddenly fainted, and this Nandi turned to make way for her to lie down. She then had a comfortable delivery. Even today, women about to give birth pray to this Nandi and are assured of a safe delivery. Goddess Parvati is worshipped in this temple as Udayambikai alias Shubhaprasava Nayaki.

The Utsava-murti (processional image) of the Udayapurishwarar temple participates in a unique festival during Thai Poosam (Poosam asterism between mid-January to mid-February) in which the processional images from many Siva and Muruga temples from nearby villages like Perunagar, Ukkal, Manampathy, Melpakkam, Tandarai, Chepakkam, etc. are brought to the banks of the River Cheyyar on their respective vahanams, and abhisekam is performed. They assemble in a circle, and the priest of each temple offers puja to all the other deities. This celebration goes on throughout the night.

Interestingly, a similar unique festival is celebrated in the month of Vaikhasi (May-June) in the asterism of Visakam during Pournami (full moon), in which the utsava-murti of the Srinivasa Perumal temple in Elanagar has traditionally participated. Fifteen ustava-murtis of Vishnu temples on their respective Garuda vahanas from the Vishnu temples in the Kanchipuram-Vandavasi route go to the River Cheyyar near Cheyyar town, where tirumanjanam (abhisekam) and alankaram (decoration) are performed for them. Later, they return to their respective temples.

Elanagar is situated approximately 25 km from Kanchipuram on the road leading to Vandavasi, passing through the villages of Mamandur, Doosi, Ukkal, and Kooramandal and reaching the village of Perunagar, close to which is Elanagar.