10th January 2017.
After darshan of Sri Ramanathaswamy at
Rameswaram, boarded a bus to Ramanathapuram from there went to
Uthirakosamangai. 2 of my office friends family also joined with me to
Uthirakosamangai. It was learnt that the sandal wood paste will be
removed throughout the day on 10th January 2017 and
abhishekam will be done during early hours of 11th January
2017. Sandalwood paste will be applied immediately after the abhishekam.
The temple towers of moolavar and Ambal welcomed
us from a long distance. After darshan of Sri Mangalanayagi samedha Sri
Mangaleswaran, joined in the Rs 10, ‘Q’ for the dharshan. There were three Qs
and collected @ Rs 10 & 100 and a separate ‘Q’ for the free darshan. The
crowd was little less in the free darshan Q. So, second time had the darshan
through the free darshan Q also. Police pushed every one not to stand before
the sanctum more than a second.
Manickavasagar has sung hymns on Shiva of this
Uthirakosamangai Temple in his Thiruvasagam. Also Manickavasagar says that Shiva belongs to Pandiya Nadu, Uthirakosamangai.
சீரார் பவளங்கால் முத்தங் கயிறாக
ஏராரும் பொற்பலகை ஏறி இனிதமர்ந்து
நாரா யணன் அறியா நாண்மலர்த்தாள் நாயடியேற்கு
ஊராகத் தந்தருளும் உத்தர கோசமங்கை
ஆரா அமுதின் அருள்தா ளிணைப்பாடிப்
போரார்வேற் கண்மடவீர் பொன்னூசல் ஆடாமோ.
பாண்டி நாடே பழம் பதி ஆகவும் பத்திசெய் அடியரைப்
பரம் பரத்து உய்ப்பவன்உத்திர கோச மங்கை ஊர் ஆகவும் ….
தாதாடும் பூஞ்சோலைத் த்த்தாய் நமைஆளும்
மாதாடு பாகத்தன் வாழ் பதி என் – கோதாட்டி
பத்தர் எலம் பார்மேல் சிவபுரம்போற் கொண்டாடும்
உத்தர கோச மங்கை ஊர்..
குதிரைச் சேவக னாகிய கொள்கையும்
ஆங்கது தன்னில் அடியவட் காகப்
பாங்காய் மண்சுமந் தருளிய பரிசும்
உத்தர கோச மங்கையு ளிருந்து
வித்தக வேடங் காட்டிய இயல்பும்..... ..
Moolavar : Sri Mangalanathar
Consort : Sri Mangala Nayaki
Some of the important features of this temple
are...
The temple is facing east with a 7 tier
Rajagopuram. At the entrance of Rajagopuram Murugan and Vinayagar sannidhis are
interchanged. After the main rajagopuram there is another Rajagopuram of 5
tiers on the second stage. Between the two, Nagars with Vinayagar under a
Bodhi tree. In the front
mandapam balipeedam, Dwajasthambam and Rishabam / Idabam. In koshtam Dakshinamurthy,
Lingothbavar and Durgai. There is no Brahma Statue.
In one of the pillar of the front mandapam
Ramanatha Sethupathi’s statue. Dwarapalakas are in front of the sanctum.
In the front mandapam of Sri Mangalanathan, there are 12 balipedas
on a single stone ( What for? the reason is not known) and on the right Chandikeswarar Not on out side ).
In the outer prakaram sannadhi for 63var, Saptamatrikas, Rishabarooder, Kannimoola Ganapathi, Lingas with their concerts ( Paramasivan, Kasthuri Lingam, Kaviraja Lingam, Chandrakantha Lingam,
Somanatha Lingam, Rajagopala Lingam, Sankara Lingam ), Sri Valli Devasena
Subramaniar, Gajalakshmi, Shethrabalar, Bhairavar, Chandran, Nandhiyam Peruman
and Surya.
Amman is in s separate temple with a 5 tier
Rajagopuram at the first stage and a mini Rajagopuram at the second stage
facing east.
Sahasra Linga with sthala vruksham – Jujibi tree-
are in a separate Temple. Maragatha Natarajar and a Shiva shrine are in
the same premises. There is a separate Sannidhi for Manickavasagar.
Manickavasagar ( PC - Ananth )
Believed to be a Pallava period Squatting Lion Pillar ( PC Web site )
HISTORY
The temple is under the control of Ramanathapuram samasthanam and first preference is given to them. This temple is also called as Adhi Chidambaram, due to the presence of Maragatha Natarajar. The original temple exists since Sangam age, and received contributions from Pallavas, Pandyas, etc.
Apart from Tamil Inscriptions some urudu language inscriptions also found in this temple. The Urudu inscriptions records the donations made to Islam pallis, the Islam Kings. The inscriptions are recorded on Avanam 11 - 2000, 24, Utharakosamangai 24-1,2 & 3, Avanam -7, 1996, 41, Utharakosamangai Thiruvasi Kalvettu.
The 1433 Veera Pandyan's 3rd reign year ( 2+1 ) inscription records the gift of land with ponds, wells, trees etc, to this temple by Narayana Sarman Veerapandya Thevan of Brahmadeyam Marungur alias Panditha Chozha Chaturvedi mangalam in Muthoor Kootram.
The 1471CE inscription without King's name records abhishekam on Karthigai 25th day to Chembi Nattu Brahmadesam Thiruuthirakosamangai Udayar Marai Mangai Perumal Nayanar by Nanchal Udayan Poovandan Sethirayan of Thirukanapair Kootram.
The 1503 CE year inscription without King's name records the endowment of Maha Shivaratri Pooja by Sri Rudra Sr Maheswrarom Pavur nattu Vendru Mudichoodiya Sundara Pandyapurathu Puliyurudayan, for the same 303 panam was deposited in the treasury. The inscription gives the details of 4 sandhi poojas, amount of naivedyam, quantity and Type of Naivedyam to be offered are clearly inscribed.
There is a Yazhi mukha Thiruvasi on the back side of Rishabam. This Yazhi mukha thiruvasi was made with a provision of lighting 230 old lamps. The 1924 year ( salivahana sahaptham 1845 ) inscription records that the Thiruvasi was made by Veeraputhira Asari and the Thiruvasi weighs 842.3/4 ser, as per instruction of a Muslim Sayubu, a manager called Ismayil. This was recorded in the Avanam -7. The inscription reads as ,…..
- சாலிவாஹன சகாப்தம் 1845 சரியான குரோதி வருஷம் ஆவணி மாதம்
- 27 உ சோமவாரமும் கிருஷ்ணபக்ஷத்து துவாதெசியும் பூச நச்த்திரமும்
- வரிக நாழி யோகமும் கவுல பால்கரணம் கூடிய சுபதினத்தில்
- திருவுத்தரகோசமங்கை ஸ்ரீ மங்களேசுவரியம்மன் சன்னதிக்கு மதுரை
- இலிருக்கும் மகாராசராச மகி சையது யிசுமாயில் சாய்பு அவர்கள் மானேஜர் அதிகாரத்தில் மேற்படி கோவில் அமிஷத்திலிருந்து செய்து வை
- த்த 230 விளக்குள்ள வெங்கல யாழிமுகத் திருவாச்சி
- க்கு சேர்
- 842 3/4
- சில்ப்பம் வீரபுத்திர ஆசா
- ரி ஸ்வஹஸ்த லிகிதம்.
PC - Abi Shek
LEGENDS
As per the legend, Mandodari married
Ravanan with the blessings of Lord Shiva of this temple. In the process,
Manickavasagar saved the Vedas from the fire of Lord Shiva and hence Manickavasagar
is in the form of Lingam in this temple.
There is a legend behind the Maragatha Natarajar. There was a fisherman called
Marakayar. One day during fishing, his boat
drifted and hit on a rock due to the cyclonic storm. The Rock broke in
to three pieces and felled in his boat. Immediately thye storm stopped and rain
also stopped. After got up from shock, praying to Sri Mangalanathar, somehow The
Marakayar reached Mandapam. Without knowing the value of the rock he laid it as
a stepping stone infront of his house. Due to wear, the stone changed to its original colour of
green and glitering in the sun light. He thought of giving the stone to the
king, assuming that the King will give some money, which he will recover from
poverty. The king with the help of experts came to know the stone was a
Maragatha Stone. The Fisherman Marakayar was rewarded.
The King decided to make a Natarajar out of
this Maragatha stone. He understood that a sculptor of Kayavagu -I, of Srilanka can
make Natarajar. On seeing the rock the sculptor got fainted and refused to
make. When the king was praying to Mangalanathar, the Siddhar Shanmuga Vadivelar
came forward to make the Natarajar and he did the same. Latter a temple was
built for this Natarajar. The Natarajar will be always with santhana kappu and
on Arudra darshan day only the abhishekam will be done. ( It is believed that The Natarajar belongs to 2nd Century, based on Kayavagu-I, war On Chozhas )..
Interestingly it was noted that Thalampoo is offered to Shiva of this temple.
Maragatha Natarajar Darshan
PC Website
THE TEMPLE TIMINGS:
The temple will be opened between 07.00 Hrs to
11.30 Hrs and 16.30 Hrs to 20.30 Hrs.
HOW TO REACH:
The Uthirakosamangai is a small Village
about 17 KM from Ramanathapuram.
Town buses are available from new bus stand up to
Uthirakosamangai and special buses are operated during important function days.
