Bhuminathaswamy Temple / Sri Thirumeninathar Temple Tiruchuzhi / Tiruchuli, Sri Pushpavaneswarar Temple, Tiruppuvanam, Sri Edaganathar Temple, Thiruvedagam, Appudayar Temple / Sri Rishabareswarar Temple, Thiru Appanoor / Sellur and Thiru Aalavai Temple / Sri Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple, Madurai.

 09, October 2011

On 6^th October 2011, had been to Tiruchuzhi, Thirupuvanam, Thiruvedagam, Thiru Appanur and Madurai Aalavai ( Meenakshi amman Temples. The route I followed is as given below. Really I had a tough journey.

Chennai – Madurai – Aruppukottai – Tiruchuli ( 15 Kms ) – Thirupuvanam ( Via Manamadurai ( 50 Kms)- Thiruvedagam ( Via Madurai ) – Thiru Aappudayar Koil ( Near Madurai Meenakshi Amman Temple ) – Back to Chennai.

256 /10. BHUMINATHASWAMY TEMPLE, SRI THIRUMENINATHAR TEMPLE, TIRUCHUZHI / TIRUCHULI 

This post has been up dated with Thevaram hymns, History, Inscriptions, Architecture, Legends etc. For the details of the up dated post please click this Link. 

This is the 256th Thevaram Paadal Petra Shiva Sthalam  and  12^th  sthalam of Pandiya Naadu near Aruppukottai, Sundarar has sung hymns in praise of Lord Shiva of this temple.

  

 ( Temple front view- Left Ambal sannadhi Rajagopuram and right is Shiva's sannadhi )

Moolavar    : Sri Thirumeninathar, Sri Chuzhikesar,
                   Sri Piralayavidangar, Sri Bhuminathaswamy, 
                   Sri Manakola Nathar

Consort      : Sri Thunai Maalaiammai, Sri Shahayavalli, 

                   Sri Muthumaalaiyumayal.

Some of the important features of this temple are....

The temple is facing east with a 5 tier Rajagopuram with a mandapam and Temple tank are in front. Moolavar is swayambhu on a square Avudayar. In koshtam Dakshinamurthy, Lingothbavar and Durgai.

In prakaram Sannadhis  for Sthala Vinayagars ( Thaavara Vinayagar, Bodhi Vinayagar, Arasu Vinayagar, Veladi Vinayagar, and Tharumathaavara Pillayar ), Natarajar saba ( Natarajar, Sivakami, Pathanjali, Viyakrabathar ). Usha, Prathyusha, Suryan, 63var, Santhanachariyar, Saptamatrikas, Gowthama, Agalika. Somaskandar, Kasi Viswanathar, Chuzhikai Govindar with Boomineela devi.

Ambal is in a separate Temple like sannadhi facing east. Ambal is in thiripanka style with hip, neck, left leg are in slanting posture. Sri chakra is chiseled on the stone ceiling of the Ambal sannathi.  Rasis are also chiseled on the stone ceiling in places of the mandapam. 

ARCHITECTURE

The temple consists of sanctum sanctorum, antarala and Artha mandapam. Sanctum sanctorum is in the form of Moat /Agazhi. 

It is a big temple and with long corridor with unique feature like Pandya Nadu Temples. Architecture is very amazing. Viyagrapadar statue is in the Saba mandapam must be seen. 

The spout of the outlet water from the roof top  is channeled through a stone pipe (big) on either side for the rain water outlet of the Sanctum to be watched. 

LEGENDS

When Sundarar was in this place, Shiva came in Sundarar’s dream and asked him to come to Thirukkanaper ( Kalayarkoil ) in the form of Kalai ( Young age ) with a chentu in one  hand and Chuzhi in the forehead.  This is also the birth place of Ramana maharishi.

It is believed that Shiva created piralayam and sent to Kavvaikadal Theertham.

HOW TO REACH 

From Aruppukottai lot of buses are available.

Buses from madurai to Manamadurai  goes via Thiruchuli.

CONTACT DETAILS

Archakar may be contacted through + 91 4566 282644

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE    : CLICK HERE

 ( Middle level Rajagopuram )

 ( Murugan sannadhi )

 ( Front Mandapam )

 ( Thirukulam / Temple Tank with neerazhi mandapam )

 Distant view of the temple

( Bas-relief on one of the pillar  Krishna with flute and cow )

Rain water pipe

255/9. SRI PUSHPAVANESWARAR TEMPLE, TIRUPPUVANAM

This post has been up dated with Thevaram hymns, History, Inscriptions, Architecture, Legends etc. For the details of the up dated post please click this Link. 

This is the 255^th  Devara Padal Petra Shiva Sthalam on the banks of river Vaigai and 11^th sthalam in Pandiya Nadu.  Moovar  has sung hymns in praise of Lord Shiva of this temple.  Moovar worshiped Shiva from the opposite bank of Vaigai River, since they saw Siva lingam in each and every sand of the river.

 

( Arch in front of Ambal sannadhi ) 

Moolavar    : Sri Pushpavaneswarar, Sri Poovananathar.

Consort      : Sri SoundaryaNayagi,   Sri Minnanayal.

Some of the important features of this temple are...

The temple is facing east with a 5 tier Rajagopuram. balipeedam, Dwajasthambam and Rishabam / Idabam are in a mandapam after the Rajagopuram. The sanctum sanctorum consists of sanctum, antarala and artha mandapam and a mukha mandapam. The Nandhi is not straight to the moolavar an tilted some degrees so that all the three saints had Shiva's darshan from the opposite side of the river. There is a mandapam called Moovar mandapam.

Nataraja is little big and beautiful look. Shiva had done sidhu of rasavatham and gave Gold to Woman Devotee called Ponnayal for making Shiva Lingam. After making the Shiva Lingam, she pinched Lingam by admiring the beauty. Still a scar can be seen on the moolavar.

HISTORY

Tamil inscriptions of Pandya King Kulasekara's period is available in this temple. He was made as king in this temple.

LEGEND

This temple is considered as equivalent to Kasi since the river Vaigai flows towards north and also a parihara Sthalam.

HOW TO REACH : 

Town buses available from Mattuthavani Bus stand.

Buses from Madurai to Manamadurai passes through Thirupuvanam.

Thirupuvanam is on the Madurai to Manamadurai Train route.

CONTACT DETAILS :

Archakar may be contacted  on + 91 4575 265082, 265084, 94435 01761.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE

 (Moolavar vimanam )

 ( 5 tier Rajagopuram )

248/4. SRI EDAGANATAR TEMPLE, THIRUVEDAGAM

This post has been up dated with Thevaram hymns, History, Inscriptions, Architecture, Legends etc. For the details of the up dated post please click this Link. 

This is the 248th Devara Paadal Petra Shiva sthalam on the banks of river Vaigai and 4^th sthalam of Pandiya Naadu. Thirugnanasambandar has sung the hymn starts with  'Vazhka Anadhanar'.

   

Moolavar    : Sri Edaganatheswarar, Sri Edaganathar

Consort      : Sri Ezhavaarkulazhi, Sri Sukuntha Kuntalambigai.

Some of the important features of this temple are...

At the entrance of temple stone pillars are installed and this may be the remains of old Rajagopuram. The temple is facing east with a 4 tier Rajagopuram. balipeedam, Dwajasthambam and Rishabam / Idabam are in a mandapam after Rajagopuram. In koshtam, Vinayagar, Dakshinamurthy, Lingothbavar, Brahma and Durgai.

In prakaram sannadhi for 63var, irattai Vinayagar, Subramaniyar, Nagalakshmi, Durgai, Sakthi Vinayagar and Chandikeswarar, Navagrahas, Vallabha Ganapati, Saastha, Chandran, Suryan, Karthikai. Urchavars are SomasKandar, Thirugnanasambandar, Edaka Nathar, Elavar Kuzhali Amman, ArumugaSamy.

ARCHITECTURE

The temple consists of sanctum sanctorum, antarala and artha mandapam. The sanctum sculpture, Gnanasambandar statue in Ambal temple pillar with Chandikeswari and the Malaysia made bell are the main attraction of this temple.

Ambal is also in a separate temple with 5 tier Rajagopuram facing east. Built with sanctum, antarala and artha mandapam.

LEGENDS

Thirugnanasambandar's hymn the "edu" reached the shore after swimmed against the flow of the Vaigai during vatham with Samanars.

POOJAS AND CELEBRATION

Once in a year on Vijayadasami day Urchavar is taken to near by village called Thachampattu for dasara celebration.

HOW TO REACH :

Town buses are available from Periyar bus stand to Chozhavanthaan. 25.2 Km from Madurai.

CONTACT DETAILS: 

Archakar may be contacted through +91 4543 259311

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE :CLICK HERE

 ( Nandavam view with Rajagopurams)

 ( Bootha Ganam with Rishabam / Idabam on the prakaram wall )

( Vaigai river - Edu crossed the river for Thiruganasambandars pathikam ) 

   

246/2. APPUDAYAR TEMPLE, SRI RISHABARESWARAR TEMPLE, THIRU APPANOOR - SELLUR - (THIRU APPUDAYAR  KOIL )

This post has been up dated with Thevaram hymns, History, Inscriptions, Architecture, Legends etc. For the details of the up dated post please click this Link. 

This is the 246^th  Thevaram Paadal Petra Shiva Sthalam and 2^nd sthalam of Pandya nadu. Thirugnanasambandar has sung hymns in praise of Lord Shiva of this temple.  This temple is on the north bank of river Vaigai and the place is called as Sellur.

Moolavar    : Sri Idaburesar ( Rishabaresar ), Sri Annavinodhan, 

                    Sri Aappudayar.

Consort      : Sri Kuravangazhl kuzhali

Some of the important features of this temple are....

The temple is facing east with a Rajagopuram. In the Prakaram sannadhi for Vinayagar and Valli Devasena Subramaniar and Natarajar. Natarajar is made out of single stone looks cute. This is the sub Temple of Madurai Meenakshi Amman Temple.

ARCHITECTURE

The temple consists of Sanctum Sanctorum, antarala and ardha mandapam. The sanctum sanctorum is on a pada bandha adhistanam, with three patta kumudam. A two tier vesara Vimanam is on the sanctum sanctorum. 

LEGENDS

Iraivan gave Darshan to King Chozhanthagan  in the form of AAPPU when he tried to kill himself for killing a man, whose wife worshiped Aappu as lingam. As per the legend Lord Shiva converted the sand to Annam for the anthanar. 

HOW TO REACH: 

Town bus Route No 17  from Periyar bus stand to Sellur. Get down at Thiru Apudaiyar Koil Bus stop.

Town bus to Chozhavanthan  to Mattuthavani passes through Thiruvedagam and Sellur,

CONTACT DETAILS: 

Archakar can be contacted  +91 452 2530173 & 9443676174

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE : CLICK HERE

 ( Navarathiri Lighting of Moolavar vimanam )

( Mandapam during Night ) 

245/1. THIRU AALAVAI TEMPLE ( MADURAI MEENAKSHI AMMAN TEMPLE
 

A Separate was written with Thevara Hymns, History with inscriptions, architecture and Legends. Please Click this link  for the details of the up dated post. 

Since I went at night, this time I could not had the darshan due to Sunday & Vijayadasami heavy rush. Earlier I had good darshan on many occasions. I  will post the details Latter. Hence I am posting some of the photos taken during this visit. 

 ( Murals on the wall on the side of Potramarai kulam )

 ( Murals on the wall on the side of Potramarai kulam ) 

 ( Murals on the wall on the side of Potramarai kulam ) 

 ( Navratri festival lighting around potramarai kulam )

  ( Navratri festival lighting around potramarai kulam - with Rajagopuram view ) 

( Navratri festival lighting around potramarai kulam ) 

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---