Sri Piravi Marundeeswarar Temple / Sri Bhava Oushadheeswara Temple, Thiruthuraipoondi, Thiruvarur District, Tamil Nadu.

25^th September 2017.

This temple is a part of our Heritage Visit to Chozha Period Temples on the previous day of Ponniyin Selvan Meet at Thanjavur Periya Kovil. This Temple at Thiruthuraipoondi was built by Kulothunga Chozha. Except for some inscriptions (later period), no inscriptions were found and old inscriptions might have been destroyed during renovations.

  

Moolavar    : Sri Piravi Marundeeswarar / Sri Bhava Oushadheeswara

Consort      : Sri Periyanayaki

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

The temple faces west with a 3-tier Rajagopuram is about 2 feet below the ground level.  Rishabam, Dwajasthambam, and balipeedam are in front of Rajagopuram. In koshtam Vinayagar, Dakshinamurthy, Lingothbavar, Brahma and Durgai. Lord Shiva is in the form of Gajasamharamurthy.

In the prakaram Sannadhi for Navagrahas, Pancha bootha Lingas, Suryan, Bhairavar, Naalvar, Chandikeswarar, Thiagarajar, Gaja samhara moorthy, Murugan and Gajalakshmi. Ambal is in a separate temple facing east with a three-tier Rajagopuram.

ARCHITECTURE

The temple consists of sanctum sanctorum, antarala, artha mandapam and mukha mandapam. The temple was built during the Vijayanagara Period, but Rajagopuram was spared.

The King who constructed this temple, whose identity is not known

Lion Pillars similar to Pallavas

INSCRIPTIONS:
Chozha period inscriptions are there on the side wall of the Rajagopuram passage. 

LEGENDS

The legend, Saints and the Darukavana incident applied to Thirupparaithurai are also applicable to this temple. The blessing of Lord Shiva and Bruhan Nayagi is the best medicine for the suffering caused by the birth ( Piravi ). People pray to Lord Shiva and Bruhan Nayaki for marriage, Child, and education excellence.

As per another legend, Lord Shiva chopped the 5^th head of Brahma at Thiru Kandiyur at one of the Atta Veeratta Sthalam. Brahma lost his memory, of who he was. He heard an asariri, stating that he is Brahma and Lord Shiva chopped his 5^th head and worshiped, lord Shiva of this temple, after creating a theertham, Lord Shiva gave darshan on Chithirai month Ashwini nakshatra day and got back his memories and conscious. Hence Iraivan at this temple is called Piravi Marundeeswarar. It is a Ashwini nakshatra parihara sthalam.

TEMPLE TIMINGS:

The temple will be kept open between 07.00 hrs to 11.00 hrs and 17.00 hrs to 20.00 hrs.

CONTACT DETAILS:

The following numbers may be contacted for further details. +914369222392, 9944223644, and 9865279137.

HOW TO REACH:

Thiruthuraipoondi is 30 KM from Mannargudi, on the bus route from Mannargudi to Vedaranyam.

Frequent buses both private and Govt.. are available from Mannargudi.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE:    CLICK HERE

Gajasamkaramurthy

---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---

The remains of 11th Century Light House and Kodiyakarai sanctuary- a heritage Visit, Nagapattinam District, Tamil Nadu.

25^th September 2017.

We, 20 heritage enthusiasts  and member of FFE & Chozha mandala Varalatru Thedal Kuzhu  assembled at Mannarkudi from various parts of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh on 23^rd September 2017, for a heritage visit to the Chozha Period Temples and the places where Kalki’s Ponniyin Selvan characters lived & travelled.   After visiting Oushatheeswarar Temple, Thiruthuraipoondi  and Sri Vedaranyeswarar Temple, Vedaranyam ( The original name was Thirumaraikadu ) reached  Sri Kuzhakeswarar Temple, Kodiyakarai. It was around 13.00 hrs when we completed Sri Kuzhakeswarar dharshan and we decided to venture in to the sanctuary to see the old Light house and to have our lunch latter.

LIGHT HOUSE

Travelled through the forest on the mud road watching the Deers, Black bug & Antelopes  to see the  remains of  11^th century Chozha period light house constructed with brick. This was used to warn the ships that his place is not safe for landing. Learnt that fire wood was burnt throughout the night.

RAMAR PATHAM

As per the legend Epic Ramayana Sri Ramar came to this place before going to Sri Lanka. To mark the same there are two foot prints installed on an elevated place. From Ramar Patham watch tower we could see the forest, which was described by Kalki Krishnamurthy  in his novel Ponniyin selvan.

NEW LIGHT HOUSE     

On the way we had climbed the new light house and it was an awesome sight to  see the sanctuary, sea, salt pans, Air force military base,   etc., from the top.

---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---

Brihadisvara Temple / Sri Brihadeeswarar Temple / Thanjavur Periya Kovil, the known and Unknown facts, of Sri Rajarajecharam, a Ponniyin Selvan Meet 2017, Thanjavur 2017. Thanjavur District, Tamil Nadu.

25^th September 2017.

Whenever I go to the temples, apart from worshipping Lords Shiva and Vishnu,  I used to look at the temples from historical and heritage points of view.  This  Thanjavur Periya Kovil has its own myths and facts, since this 11th-century Temple built by the Chozha dynasty King Rajarajan I, is still in worship. The temple has witnessed both the rise and fall of the Chozha dynasty, the invasion by Malik Kafur, taken care of by Pandya Kings, the maintenance by Danish Kings, the Vijayanagara kings' contributions, and the maintenance of Maratha Kings to date. The temple was also used as a bunker by the British during World War. Some of the statues and Mandapams were destroyed during the Muslim invasion. Due to the nonavailability of stones, the damages were rectified to some extent, In spite of the renovations the temple looks unfinished. For reconstruction some of the old temples near villages were dismantled stones & pillars were used. Some of the Myths and Facts are written in my last year's post. 

  

This year Mr Venkatesh took us to the front mandapam where a squatting lion pillar was installed. He pointed out the nails of the lion and told him this pillar may belong to the Pallava period. Since there was no Pallava period living temple nearby, from where this pillar was brought, is not known.

 

Mr Venkatesh also showed us a relief chiseled on the mandapam wall. The identity of the relief is also not known... but can we guess it is Raraja Chozha...?

Who could it be?.. Rajaraja Chozha...?

Mrs R K Lakshmi showed us the relief of Kuda Koothu, a form of dance posture of Lord Shiva, a kudam ( pot ) on the head and another on the hand without holding and she also spared her lens to take photographs.  

Kuda Koothu.

Mr. Sadasivam & Mr. Srinivasan pointed out that the letters written on the north side exist of Shiva's sannidhi. It is written as ARP. - பாதுகாப்பிடம் ( Air Raid Protection ). It was said that this temple was used as a bunker or a safe zone for army personnel to hide during World War II.

The north side exists where ARF is written  

---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---

Brihadisvara Temple / Sri Brihadeeswarar Temple / Thanjavur Periya Kovil, Ponniyin Selvan meet 2017, Thanjavur District, Tamil Nadu.

25^th September 2017.

Ponniyin Selvan's 3^rd year meeting was planned, at Thanjavur on 24th September 2017. Unlike last year, this year joined the Chozha Mandalam Varalatru Thedal Kuzhu under the leadership of Dr. Udhaya Shankar. This year on the 23^rd and 24^th of September 2017, we saw some of the Chozha period temples and the places where the Ponniyin Selvan Novel’s characters lived &  traveled.  Stationed at Mannargudi,  on 23rd Sep 2017, we went to Sri Oushatheswarar Temple at Thiruthuraipoondi, Sri Vedaranyeswarar Temple, Vedaranyam ( Thirumaraikadu ), Sri Kuzhakeswarar Temple, Kodiakarai, Sri Kayarohaneswarar temple, Nagapattinam, (links were given to the temples which I had been earlier). Since the planned temples and heritage sites are a long distance from Mannargudi,  hired a van for commuting. The details of the temples that I had not visited earlier will be posted separately.   

On 24^th September 2017, after the darshan of Sri Rajagopalaswamy at Mannargudi (Curated by Abirami) and Sri Parijathavaneswarar temple, Thirukalar, reached Thanjavur Sri Brihadeeswarar Temple ( Thanjai Periya Kovil) around 15.30 hrs to attend the Ponniyin Selvan Meet.  

We were very well taken care of by Miss Abirami, her father, and her Mother during our stay at Mannargudi, The hospitality was incomparable and we are very fortunate to be their guests on both days.  Thanks Abi.

The Ponniyin Selvan meeting started around 16.15 hrs. After the prayer song, Mr. Thangam shared the experiences he faced while preparing his three volumes of Ponniyin Selvan's book with drawings, on the topic “Chithiram Pesuthadi”. Mr. Venkatesh, writer of Kaviri Mainthan, a sequel to Ponniyin Selvan,  in his speech, relates the incidences and the Personalities to whom Kalki Krishnamurthy came across in his life with the Characters of Ponniyin Selvan Novel under the topic “Kalki – Aadhiyum andhamum”. Mr. Kudavayil Balasubramanian spoke on the topic “Rajarajeswarathil Rajarajan”. He narrated the Chozha history, how the Chozha kingdom started in Pazhayarai and grew to the height of Rajarajeswaram at Thanjavur. 

After the meeting, Mr. Kudavayil Balasubramanian and SPS took us around the temple and explained the important inscriptions. Mr. Uli Makizh also explained the inscription opposite to Chandikeswarar sannadhi. Rajah Bhonsle was kind enough to permit us to conduct the meeting and also arranged for a special darshan of  Sri Brihadeeswarar.

( The details of my 2015 and 2016 Ponniyin Selvan Meet were also  uploaded to my blog with photographs )

 Samyu Radha Harshini and Fowzia – prayer song  

 Miss Abiramani and Mrs Fowzia Iqbal

 Raja 

 Artist Thangam was felicitated by Dr Udhya Shankar

Mr Venkatesh

 Mr Kudavayil Balasubramanian and Artist Thangam 

More photographs are uploaded in my Google Photos Album -1, and Google Photos Album -2... 

---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---