A closer look at Chathuranga Vallabanathar, "Chess Temple" mentioned by Prime Minister
Tuesday, August 9, 2022
  • Circulation
  • Advertise
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
Organiser
  • ‌
  • Bharat
  • World
  • Editorial
  • Analysis
  • Opinion
  • Defence
  • Sports
  • Business
  • More
    • RSS in News
    • Special Report
    • Culture
    • Sci & Tech
    • Entertainment
    • Education
    • Books
    • Interviews
    • Travel
    • Health
    • Obituary
SUBSCRIBE
No Result
View All Result
Organiser
  • ‌
  • Bharat
  • World
  • Editorial
  • Analysis
  • Opinion
  • Defence
  • Sports
  • Business
  • More
    • RSS in News
    • Special Report
    • Culture
    • Sci & Tech
    • Entertainment
    • Education
    • Books
    • Interviews
    • Travel
    • Health
    • Obituary
No Result
View All Result
Organiser
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Bharat
  • World
  • Editorial
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Culture
  • Defence
  • RSS in News
  • Subscribe
Home Bharat

A closer look at Chathuranga Vallabanathar, “Chess Temple” mentioned by Prime Minister

Inaugurating the 44th Chess Olympiad on July 28th, Modi said "Chathuranga Vallabanathar Temple in Tiruvarur shows that even Gods played chess with their queens

TS VENKATESAN by TS VENKATESAN
Aug 3, 2022, 06:31 pm IST
in Bharat, Culture, Tamil Nadu
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterTelegramEmail

A temple with connections to Chess in a non-descript and sleepy village near Tiruvarur has been receiving a lot of public attention lately. This temple is the Lord Shiva temple at Thirupoovanur near Tiruvarur which has Arulmigu Sathuranga Vallabhanathar as the presiding deity.

Inaugurating the 44th Chess Olympiad on July 28th, Modi said “Chathuranga Vallabanathar Temple in Tiruvarur shows that even Gods played chess with their queens. This shows that Tamil Nadu has a strong historical connection with the case and hence it is the chess powerhouse of India.”

TN CM Stalin, who hails from the same district, did not bother to mention anything regarding this ancient connection.

Download Organiser App

According to legendary tales, Lord Shiva adopted the name Sathuranga Vallabhanathar after He played chess to marry local king Vasusenan’s daughter Rajarajeswari, who is also denoted to be the manifestation of the Goddess Parvathi.

The temple is situated on the southern banks of the Cauvery and is considered to be the 103rd Thevaram Sthalam.  Thiruvadikudil Swamigal, founder, Jothimalai Iraipani Thirukoottam, a forum of devotees, quoted documents and said “chess had been played in Tamil Nadu about 1,500 years ago. Tamil Saivite poet-saint Tirunavukkarasar had sung Thevaram in praise of the temple”.

According to temple history “Raja Vasudevan was childless for a long time. The king and his queen visited many Shiva temples praying for a child. The royal couple then prayed at the Nellaiappar kovil in Tirunelveli. God blessed them and granted them their wish. When the royal couple took a dip in the Tamraparni they saw a conch floating toward them. The moment the king took the conch in his hand, it turned into a girl child. She was none other than Devi Parvati. The child was named Rajarajeswari. Over the years, she became an expert in the chess game. When it was time for her marriage the king was unable to find a suitable match for his daughter. He then decided to hold a swayamwar. “The one who wins against my daughter in chess would win her hand in marriage,” he announced.

None could defeat the princess. As per the advice of a sage, king Vasudevan undertook a pilgrimage accompanied by his queen and daughter. The entourage arrived at Thirupoovanur where Lord Shiva met them disguised as an old-aged sadhu and offered to play chess with the princess. Mahadev successfully defeated Princess Rajarjeswari.

When the king hesitated to give her daughter to an old man, God appeared before him and said his daughter is none other than Parvathi Devi.  King Vasudevan got her married to Shiva. Shiva then came to be known as Chaturanga Vallabhanathar because he defeated Goddess in Chess.

The temple has a shrine of the goddess Chamundeeswari, who is one of the Saptamatrikas (seven divine mothers), was sent as a nanny for Rajarajeswari. The temple finds mention in Tamil Saivite Saint Gnanasambandar’s Thevaram. The Vimana (tower) of the chief deity is estimated to have been constructed around the thirteenth or fourteenth century. 11 inscriptions discovered here have been dated to the 13th-16th centuries and most are in a damaged or fragmentary state.

A mere mention of the temple’s name by honourable Prime Minister has ensured a continuous flow of devotees from all parts of the state.

Topics: world chess championshipChathuranga VallabanatharNarendra ModiTempleTamil NaduPrime Ministerchess olympiad
Share23TweetSendShareSend
Previous News

Tributes paid to Vinayakrao Kanetkar in Guwahati

Next News

Government withdraws Data Protection Bill, 2019, to come up with new comprehensive legislation

Related News

Tamil Nadu: DMK government’s attempt to demolish a temple halted by Hindu Unity

Tamil Nadu: DMK government’s attempt to demolish a temple halted by Hindu Unity

One-liners of Venkaiah Naidu are wit liners: says PM Modi as he bids farewell to Vice President

One-liners of Venkaiah Naidu are wit liners: says PM Modi as he bids farewell to Vice President

PM Modi paid tribute to India’s rich cultural diversity on the occasion of National Handloom Day

PM Modi paid tribute to India’s rich cultural diversity on the occasion of National Handloom Day

Thailand PM congratulates to PM Modi on their 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations

Thailand PM congratulates to PM Modi on their 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations

“Our nation will forever be indebted” says PM Modi paying homage to Pingali Venkayya, designer of Indian National flag

“Our nation will forever be indebted” says PM Modi paying homage to Pingali Venkayya, designer of Indian National flag

Two more arrested TN with links with terror outfits, 6 detained for questioning

Two more arrested TN with links with terror outfits, 6 detained for questioning

Comments

The comments posted here/below/in the given space are not on behalf of Organiser. The person posting the comment will be in sole ownership of its responsibility. According to the central government's IT rules, obscene or offensive statement made against a person, religion, community or nation is a punishable offense, and legal action would be taken against people who indulge in such activities.

Latest News

Tamil Nadu: DMK government’s attempt to demolish a temple halted by Hindu Unity

Tamil Nadu: DMK government’s attempt to demolish a temple halted by Hindu Unity

Madrassa students vandalise Hindu temple in Bangladesh for objection on playing football around temple

Madrassa students vandalise Hindu temple in Bangladesh for objection on playing football around temple

Resolutions on the Eve of Azadi  ka Amrit Mahotsav

Resolutions on the Eve of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav

Kerala CM helped UAE terrorist to escape: Swapna Suresh

Kerala CM helped UAE terrorist to escape: Swapna Suresh

China goes ballistic over Taiwanese skies

China goes ballistic over Taiwanese skies

Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav: Time to Reclaim Our National Selfhood

Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav: Time to Reclaim Our National Selfhood

Kapil Sibal’s “no hope left” statement about Indian judiciary “contemptuous”: Bar Association

Kapil Sibal’s “no hope left” statement about Indian judiciary “contemptuous”: Bar Association

Delhi Court sends ISIS active member Mohsin Ahmad to NIA custody till August 16

Delhi Court sends ISIS active member Mohsin Ahmad to NIA custody till August 16

Is Pakistan going the Sri Lankan way?

Is Pakistan going the Sri Lankan way?

CWG 2022: PV Sindhu’s clinches first gold for India in Badminton, also her first CWG gold in women’s singles

CWG 2022: PV Sindhu’s clinches first gold for India in Badminton, also her first CWG gold in women’s singles

  • Privacy
  • Terms
  • Cookie Policy
  • Refund and Cancellation
  • Delivery and Shipping Policy

© Bharat Prakashan (Delhi) Limited.
Tech-enabled by Ananthapuri Technologies

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Bharat
  • World
  • Editorial
  • Analysis
  • Opinion
  • Defence
  • Culture
  • Sports
  • Business
  • RSS in News
  • Special Report
  • Sci & Tech
  • Entertainment
  • Education
  • Books
  • Interviews
  • Travel
  • Health
  • Obituary
  • Subscribe
  • Advertise
  • Circulation
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Refund and Cancellation

© Bharat Prakashan (Delhi) Limited.
Tech-enabled by Ananthapuri Technologies