CHENNAI: While inaugurating the Chess Olympiad in Chennai yesterday (July 28), Prime Minister Modi said that the game was seen as divine in our culture. Tamil Nadu has a long association with chess competition. Many temples in Tamil Nadu are ancient. Reflecting Tamil culture. Reminiscent of the game of chess, the Chaturanga Vallabhanathar temple is located in Thirupuvanoor, Tiruvarur district, Tamil Nadu. This temple shows God playing chess. God has played a game of chess with the princess. He said that there is a strong historical connection with chess.
Many people in Tamil Nadu do not know about Shiva who played chess and that Shiva has a separate temple. Here is the local history of the temple:
The auspicious Chaturanga Vallabhanadhar temple
This temple is graced by Lord Swayambu Lingam. It is the 166th temple among the 274 temples that have received the devarpadal of Lord Shiva. A king named Vasudevan along with his wife Gandhimati went to various temples to pray for the blessing of a child. Both went to Tirunelveli Nellayapar temple and worshiped deeply. Accepting their request, the Lord blessed Parvati to bear a child to them and Chamundi, an aspect of Parashakti, to nurse the child. Once when the king was bathing in the river Tamirabarani with his wife, Goddess Parvati appeared in the form of a conch on a lotus. As soon as the king took the conch in his hand, it turned into a child. The king and queen were happy with this and named the child “Rajarajeshwari”.
By the grace of the Lord, Chamundeeswari, one of the Saptamatars, was the foster mother of the child. The child learned all the arts. Especially in the game of chess, she was unbeatable. Knowing this, the king announced that whoever wins the game of chess will marry his daughter. But no one beat her in chess. At that time, as per the advice of a sage, the king with his daughter, foster mother Chamundi, queen and entourage went on the Thala Yatra and worshiped at this place called Bhuvanur.
Then the Lord came in the guise of Siddhar and told the king that he was good at chess. The Lord begged the King to play with his daughter and defeated Rajeshwari in chess and gave darshan to everyone in his true form. The king was pleased with this and gave his daughter in marriage to the Lord. Thus the Lord of this Talat is known as Chaturanga Vallabha Nath. Ambikai Rajeshwari and foster mother Chamundi prayed to bless everyone from separate sanctuaries in this temple.
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