VELUDHARAN TEMPLES VISIT : Kunnandar Kovil / Kunrandar Kovil, A Rock Cut Cave Temple near Pudukkottai, Pudukkottai District, Tamil Nadu.

Saturday, 6 October 2018

Kunnandar Kovil / Kunrandar Kovil, A Rock Cut Cave Temple near Pudukkottai, Pudukkottai District, Tamil Nadu.

29^th September 2018.

This temple is one of the rock-cut cave temples of Pudukottai covered during our Pudukottai Heritage walk. The presiding deity is Lord Shiva.

Moolavar : Sri Parvathagiriswarar

Consort : Sri Umayambigai

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

The rock-cut cave temple faces east with Balipeedam, Rishabam, and Dwajasthambam. The entrance looks like a Rajagopuram base. From the outer praharam to the inner prakara entrance is like a Rajagopuram with a stucco image of Rishabanthikar, Pichadanar with Rishipathinis and Gajasamkara murthy. Again, a Nandhi in the mandapa. The sanctum is a rock-cut cave with Moolavar as an integral part of the main rock. The 61 cm Lingabanam is on the 57 cm high, 8-faced avudayar. The Gomukha is small. Dwarapalakas are at the entrance, but not similar. On the left is Soola Thevar, and on the right is Mazhuvadiyar. A stucco Vimana is constructed above the sanctum on the rock.

The front mandapam is joined with the main rock to form the sanctum sanctorum. In front of the sanctum on the left is Valampuri Vinayagar. Vinayagar’s yagnopaveetha and Mothagam are a little unusual to watch. On the right, Shiva with Umai Ammai in the form of bas-reliefs. Shiva and Umai are sitting in Lalitasana. On the left mandapam, Saptamatrikas with Vinayagar and Veerabhadra. Sri Murugan and Sri Valli are in a small rock-cut cave. Sri Chandikeswarar bas-relief is on the right side of the small cave.

On the west side of the temple is a 100-pillar mandapa with a raised platform. The front is built like a chariot pulled by horses. In front of images like Sanganidhi, Padmanidhi, and boothaganas. There is a Navakanda statue kept in the mandapa; how it came here is not known. Ambal is in a separate temple. Ambal is in a standing posture with abhaya varada hastha. On the hill, there is an Arumuga with 12 hands sitting on a peacock temple. It was said that with the presence of the Arumugar temple, the place was called Kunrudayar Kovil later turned to the present name of Kunnandarkoil.

Shiva with Umaiyammai

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

The rock-cut cave temple was excavated during the 8^th century by Nandhivarman. The front mandapa was extended by the Pandyas. The 100 Pillar mandapas and some of the structures were built during the Vijayanagara period.

As per the inscriptions, Lord Shiva was called Thirukunrakudi Mahadevar, Kundrakudi Nayanar, and Kunraperumal. The original name of Kundrakudi was turned into the present name of Kunnandarkoil. The temple has more than 60 inscriptions, which speak about the land measurement, sale, Taxes, donations, and the punishment for the wrongdoers.

The Pallava king Dantivarman’s reign, 800 – 01 CE, Tamil inscription, on the north of the rock-cut shrine of the Parvatagirisvara temple, records the digging of a tank called Vali-ari by Vali vadugan alias Kalimürkka Havaraiyan, who was a servant of Mārappiduvinār alias Peradi-araiyar.

The Pallava king Nandivarman III’s 3^rd reign year, 849 CE, inscription on the south end of the rock-cut shrine of the Parvatagirīśvara temple, registers a gift of 200 nāli of rice by Ganavatimān alias Pagaiccandra-Viśaiaraiyan of Vaduvür in Mīpulainādu to meet the expenses of feeding a hundred persons (in the temple) on the day of Tiruvadirai.

The 8th-century Pallava-period inscription, on the wall of the rock-cut cave, mentions Kandavārcēni, wife of Singan.

References:

1. ARE, 1914, no. 347; IPS, no. 15; SII, xii, no. 46.
2. ARE, 1914, no. 348: SII, xii, no. 41: IPS, no. 17; JSIA, July 1911.36.
3. ARE, 1940-1, no. 222; Ibid., part ii, para 108, 271-2.
4. The inscription of the Pallavas by T V Mahalingam.

TEMPLE TIMINGS:

The temple will be kept open from 08.00 hrs to 10.00 hrs, and from 17.00 hrs to 20 hrs.

HOW TO REACH:

The rock-cut cave temple is on the Keeranur to Athanur Kottai Road and 13 km from Keeranur.

Keeranur is on the Pudukkottai to Trichy Road.

LOCATION OF THE ROCK CUT CAVE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE