Kottai Muneeswaran Temple, Sri Veerabhadra Temple, Sro Varadaraja Perumal Temple, Sri Chennakesava Perumal Temple, Kaifeer Dargah and Jamia Pallivasal - a Heritage Visit, Sankagiri Fort, Salem District, Tamil Nadu.

04^th August 2016

சங்ககிரி கோட்டை மரபு நடை...இல்லை..இல்லை. தினற வைத்த மலை ஏற்றம்...வழிபாட்டு தலங்கள் .கோட்டை முனீ ஸ்வரர் கோவில், வீரபத்திரர் கோவில், கோட்டை மாரியம்மன் கோயில், வரதராச பெருமாள் கோயில், முகமதியர் தொழுகை கூடமாகிவிட்ட இந்து கோவில் மண்டபம். இரகசிய வழியுடன், மழைகாலத்தில் அருவி பாயும் சூரிய சந்திர லிங்கங்கள், அனுமன் கோவில், சென்னகேசவ பெருமாள் கோவில், சிவலிங்கம் புடை சிற்பம், முகமதியர்களின் தர்கா. ... கோடி புண்ணியம் பிரதோசத்தன்று பெருமாளின் சங்கு மலையை வலம் வந்தது...

When we go around the hill through various fort entrances, we can come to the conclusion that fort entrances were constructed for the temples and most of the entrances are with mandapams with Hindu temple architecture. The fort with temples was constructed and expanded through the Chozhas, Hoysalas, Pandyas, Vijayanagar, and Mysore Udayar king's periods.

LOCATION OF THE FORT:    CLICK HERE  

KOTTAI MUNEESWARAN TEMPLE.

This temple with mandapam is located on a small hilltop in the southwest direction. Since climbing to the temple was a little difficult, people created a small temple at the left-side entrance of the first fort wall and started worshiping Sri Muneeswarar.    

SRI VEERABHADRA TEMPLE

This temple is after the second entrance facing east with head chopped Nandhi and a big stone standing.  This temple was constructed during the 16^th century and the same was damaged by the Tippu Sultan period. The nandhi’s head was chopped off and one leg is resting on a demon’s head. The damaged temple was reconstructed recently. Veerapathirar image is about 5 feet tall in standing posture on a pedestal with a sword, bow & arrow in hands. In deva koshtam under keerthi mukha, Nandhi on the west side, Thavasi on the north side, and King in a sitting posture on the south side. There are Kannada inscriptions on the south side of adhistanam. 

 King worshiping posture 

looks like a Jain monk, see the ears are hanging 

SRI KOTTAI MARIAMMAN TEMPLE

This temple is constructed after the Kadikara vassal before Sri Varadharaja Perumal Temple faces east. The annual festival is celebrated during Tamil Masi month. The poojas are done by a Brahmin called Pandaram.

ARULMIGU NAGAR TEMPLE.

The temple is very small on the back side of Sri Varadharaja Perumal with a temple tank. The Nagars are under worship. The Temple was constructed during the 20^th century.

SRI VARADHARAJA PERUMAL TEMPLE.

The temple faces east with a 3-tier Rajagopuram. A small mandapam and a stone Garuda thoon are in front of Rajagopuram. The temple has three entrances. A regular entrance on the east side, the Paramapatha vassal is on the north, and another on the south with an arch. The temple is measured 150 feet in length and 142 feet in width. The temple is constructed with Sanctum, artha mandapam, and maha mandapam. The Maha Mandapam pillars have with lot of sculptures.  Thayar is in a separate sannidhi. Around the sanctum walls reliefs of Arjunan’s dhabas, standing on one leg, folding the right leg in front,  Fighting with Shiva, and Narasimhar, Lots of reliefs on the front mandapam Kodungai to be watched. The lotus and Nagars with the Sun and moon on the entrance roof are worth watching. The Balipeedam is on a tortoise and it is believed that the temple was constructed during the 16^th century by the Vijayanagara period. The temple has an underground secret storage room with an entrance on the north side of Mandapam. 

 The arch with entrance on the south side 

 3 tier Rajagopuram with Garuda thoon 

 Podhyal a demon 

 Relief of Lotus, Nagars with Suryan and Chandran ( Symbolic representation of solar and lunar eclipse )  

NaraSimhar 

 Reliefs above Devakoshtam 

 Moolavar Vimanam 

 Arjuna’s dhabas to get Pasupatha Asthira from Lord Shiva   

SRI ANJANEYAR TEMPLE

This temple is on the top of the hill after the 10^th gate, facing east. The sanctum roof is in damaged condition. The Hanuman is still under worship.

SRI CHENNAKESAVA PERUMAL TEMPLE.

This temple is also on the top of the hill facing east with steps from the north side.  The temple is in damaged condition. Moolavar vimanam kalasam is missing and constructed with lime mortar and bricks in lotus shape. There is a small Garudathoon in front of the sanctum entrance with Kannada inscriptions. There is a Madapalli below the main temple. It was believed that the temple might have been constructed during the 13^th century by Hoysalas. The last Kumbhabhishekam was conducted about 50 years before and it was requested to do renovations by the state and central Governments.

A relief of a man worshiping Lord Shiva with Devanakari inscriptions  

  This relief  is  on a rock on the way to the 5^th Fort entrance 

Hanuman relief is in one of the fort entrance mandapam  

KAIKFEER DHARKA.

This is a Muslim prayer place, which was once a Hindu temple. There is a secret passage and it was believed that Sufi Muslim saint Kafeer stayed here. This is about 200 meters after the 5^th fort entrance on the left side. Nobody ventured into the secret passage in recent years.

 This mandapam must belong to a Hindu temple once 

inscriptions  This is the secret passage and where it leads?..

JAMIA PALLIVASAL

This is also a Muslim prayer place on the north side of the hill below Sri Chennakesava Perumal temple, with steps chiseled on the rock. This is standing on three walls without a roof and it was said that a lady by the name of Jatsaabee was buried under this mandapam.

  

  --- OM SHIVAYA NAMA:---