Sri Sathyagiriswara Rock Cut Cave Shiva Temple, / Sri Satyagireeswarar Temple / Satya Giriswarar Temple, Thirumayam, Pudukkottai District, Tamil Nadu.

30^th September 2018

The visit to this temple is a part of Pudukottai Heritage visit. Thirumayam is a corrupted word of Thirumeyyaim  ( A Land of Truth). This place was ruled by Mutharaiyars, Chozhas, Pandyas, Vijayanagara, Pallavas, Hoysalas, Thondaimans and Sethupathis. There are two rock cut cave temple on the south side of the hill and a rock cut cave on the North, which may be approached through ladder. Out of Two cave one is excavated for Shiva and the other for Vishnu.

Moolavar    : Sri Sathyagiriswarar

Consort      : Sri Venuvaneswari

Some of the important features of this rock cut cave temple are....

The entrance Rajagopuram is of 3 tiers and maha mandapam is after that. The sanctum Rock cut cave is facing east with a Rishabam/ Idabam is in front. Moolavar and Rishabam / Idabam are excavated from the mother rock. Moolavar 65 CM tall on a 69 cm tall vesara avudayar. The dwarapalakas Soola Thevar & Mazhuvadayar and Lingothbavar in front of rock cut caves looks cute. The artha mandapam, Ambal shrine, A Banu Uma Maheswarar Shiva sannadhi, Bairavar, Navagrahas, Suryan, Chandran, Mahaganapathy, Natarajar  are in the prakaram built in latter period. The temple premises also has a natural pond.

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

On the north side of the rock cut cave  there are Pallava  grantha inscriptions called Parivathini ( means  a Veena with 7 strings, mentioned in Amarakosa, Raghu vamsam and Buddha Charithiram ) ) is the oldest of all the inscriptions. On the South side sanctum it was believed that there was a musical inscription  and the same was chiseled out in 13^th century and Sundara Pandyan’s 7^th year rule inscription was inscribed. Traces of old inscription can be seen. This inscription has 47 lines. The inscription also records the removal of the old inscription, since it was written in an unknown language. This inscription gives the details of the dispute between Shiva and the Vishnu Temple regarding of sharing of property and how it was resolved during Hoysala period, in front of Appanna Dhanda nayakar. As per the inscription the common land, water body, periphery belongs to both temples  are to be shared in a ratio, ie 2/3 portion to Vishnu temple and 1/3 was given to Shiva temple.

The rock cut cave has 9 inscriptions, belongs to Rajarajan & Rajendra Chozha, Maravarman Sundara Pandyan and Parakrama Pandyan periods. Comparing to Kunrandar Kovil, Mahadevar, Veerasigamani rock cut caves, this Thirumayam rock cut cave may be excavated during 7^th century, Pallava period.

The inscription- old and new can be seen 

TEMPLE TIMINGS

The temple will be kept opened between 07.00 hrs to 12.00 hrs and 17.00 hrs to 20.00 hrs.

HOW TO REACH :

Thirumayam is on the way to Pudukottai, Chettinad from Trichy.

21 KM from Pudukkottai and 68  KM from Trichy.

Nearest Railway station is Trichy.

LOCATION OF THIS ROCK CUT CAVE TEMPLE    :CLICK HERE

  Soolathevar -Rock cut Dwarapalakas - Mazhuvudayar 

 Lingothbavar

HIGHER LEVEL ROCK CUT CAVE IN SIDE THIRUMAYAM FORT

The cave is inside the fort excavated for Shiva to a size of  2.88 m x 2.7 m x 1.99 m, 10 meters height from the ground level. The entrance is 2 meters x 94 CM, carved in three steps on top and side, looks like a wooden frame . A ladder arrangement has been provided by ASI ( Archaeological Survey of India ). A Shiva Lingam  of 66 cm tall on a 95 cm square Avudayar excavated from the mother rock. The komuka is supported by a bootha gana On the side there is a Pallava grantha inscription  which may be about Parivaathini – a 7 string Veena. 

 ---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---