VELUDHARAN TEMPLES VISIT : January 2015

Friday, 16 January 2015

Sri Kundrapureeswarar Temple and Sri Lakshmi Narayana Perumal Temple, Kunnathur, Tiruppur District, Tamil Nadu.

15, January 2015.

My Tiny Village Pappavalasu is about 4 KM from Kunnathur in Erode district. Whenever I used to cross Kunnathur to Gobichttipalayam or Coimbatore thought of visiting the Kunnathur Shiva Temple. Somehow it could not happened. But during my recent visit to my native Place Visited this temple. I completed my school education at NRKN (NR Karuppana Nadar Kalvi Nilayam) High School and then I did my Engineering Diploma at Government Polytechnic, Coimbatore. During my school days, I was not an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva.

After reading the book about Kongu Nadu published by the ASI ( Archaeological Survey Of India ), I feel very proud of being born in a historical place that had links to Hindu and Jain religions and was ruled by Chera, Chozha, Pandya, Hoysala, Vijayanagara Kings and Mysore Wodeyars, ( The Vijayamangalam was once a capital to Kongu Nadu, is very near to my Native Place. The Vijayamangalam still has a Jain temple which I have to explore yet ).

I had made up my mind that I would cover one or two places of History during my future visits to my native place. Hence I mentioned this post as PART-1.

Moolavar Vimanam with Chandikeswarar Sannadhi

HISTORY OF KUNNATHUR IN KURUPPA NADU

The old name of this Kunnathur was “Kundrathur”, in Kongu Nadu. Kongu Nadu was called after the name Nectar. Kongu Nadu was divided into four parts North Kongu Nadu, South Kongu Nadu, Mel Kongu Nadu, and Keel Kongunadu. The present Erode district lies in South and North Kongu Nadu. This was divided into 24 sub-sections called Nadus once again. Kunnathur is in one of the sub-sects of Nadu called “Kuruppu Nadu”, which comes under Perundurai. It was believed that a large number of Kurumbu section ( குறும்ப இன மக்கள் ) people lived in this area. The name Kurumbu later turned to Kuruppu. ( I used to wonder why the Name “Kuruppu Nadu” is mentioned in the marriage betrothal ceremonies ( Nadu Vilambuthal - நாடு விளம்புதல் ). Now I understand how I belong to “Kupruppa Nadu” – we belong to “Kuruppa Nadu Kammalars” ).

KUNNATHUR SHIVA TEMPLE.

As per ASI, this temple was built during the 14th century with Hoysala’s architecture. But this was completely changed to the present structure ignoring the past. There is no trace of the old structure now. It is a shame of the history. The present Shiva temple is a reconstructed one, without any remembrance of the past glory and structure. There was no epigraph, which might have been destroyed during renovation. I still remember the reconstruction of this temple during my school days through one of my relatives. But after reconstruction,n the old beauty has gone.

Moolavar: Sri Kundrapureeswarar

Some of the important features of this temple are..

The temple is facing west. There is no Rajagopuram instead there is an arch.

There are Sannadhis for Vinayagar, Navagrahas, Chandran and Suriyan. There is a Deepasthambham/ Vilakku Thoon or Garuda Thoon in front of the temple. The temple is under renovation for Kumbhabhishekam.

HOW TO REACH :

Kunnathur is on the state highway between Gobichettipalayam to Tiruppur and Erode, Perundurai to Coimbatore.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE

Ambal sannidhi Vimanam

Ambal sannidhi vimanam

Villakku thoon or Garuda thoon

SRI LAKSHMI NARAYANA PERUMAL TEMPLE

Front view of the temple

Moolavar : Sri Lakshmi Narayana Perumal

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

This temple is just opposite Sri Kundrapureeswarar Shiva Temple on the straight line facing east. Here also there is a Deepasthambham/ Vilakku thoon or Garuda thoon in front of the temple.

There is no separate Thayar Sannidhi since Sri Lakshmi is sitting on the left Lap of Sri Narayana Perumal.

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

The temple has a lot of Epigraphs which proves that the temple was constructed during the 12^th century. Now the temple is under renovation. There is no change in the old base structure.