Appichimar Madam / அப்பிச்சிமார் மடம் / Appichimar Madam, Thingalur, Erode District, Tamil Nadu.

A featured post on Indiblogger

06^th December 2018.

It was a long wish to visit this Appichimar Madam temple very close to Thingalur in Erode District. The temple was kept closed for a long period due to a legal battle between two groups of the Vettuvar Community. Hope the dispute was resolved and the temple was opened for darshan. This old post is updated with architecture, History, Legends, and photos. Really fortunate to Visit the temple on 16^th August 2022.

This Appichimar madam was praised by the 18^th Century Kullaiyan’s son Avanasi Pulavar in his book called “Thingalur Arulmalai Nondi Nadagam”.

10. அப்பச்சிமார் பேரில் விருத்தம்

சந்திரபுரி மாநகரில் இந்திர யோலக்கமாய்

        தழைத்திட விளங்கு மடமாம்

தண்டமிழ்கவி வாணர்கொண் டாடவே வந்தசரச

        சங்க மான மடமாம்

விந்தையுட னேசகல பேர்கள னைவோர்களும்

        மெய்ப்பாய் விளங்கு மடமாம்

வீரன்ரெண சூரன்அப் பச்சி மாரய்யன்

        வீற்றிருக் கின்ற மடமாம்

கொந்துலவும் குலமாதர் நித்தம் நடனம்பரவு

        கொலுவலங் கார மட்மாம்

கூறரிய கொங்குமலை யாளமும் ஈழமும்

        கொண்டாட வந்த மடமாம்

DEITIES

The presiding deities Appichimaraiyyan, Rakkiyannan, and Maasiriyamman are in separate temples. A Vinayagar sannidhi is on the back side. 

ARCHITECTURE

The Appichimaraiyyan and Maasiriamman temples face east and Rakkiyannan temple faces North with a common entrance with a mandapam and a mini Rajagopuram on the south side. The balipeedam and Deepasthambam are on the east side of the temple. Two stone elephants are also installed at the Deepasthambam with a mandapam.

The main shrine faces east with sanctum sanctorum, antarala, ardha mandapam, and mukha mandapam. Both Moolavar and Rakkiyannan mukha mandapams are joined together and formed as a single mandapam. The Mukha mandapam wall facing Rakkiyannan has the painting of epic Ramayana-related scenes. The mandapam pillars have Vijayanagara-style sculptures and Pushpa pothyals. 

All three temples are with similar construction. The sanctum sanctorum is on a simple pada bandha adhistanam with three patta kumudam. The bhitti starts with vedika. Brahmakantha pilasters with kalasam, kudam, lotus petals mandi, palakai, Veera kandam, and Poomottu pothyal. The Koshtas are empty. Bhuta ganas are in Mahara thorana above the Koshtam, which is common in Kongu region temples. 

The prastaram consists of valapi, kapotam, and Bhoomi desam, a Two-tier brick Vimanam is above Bhoomi Desam. The Vmanam has stucco images of both Shiva and Maha Vishnu. In one of the tala koshtam Hanuman and Garuda are on both sides of Maha Vishnu. Usually on the back side of the Vimanam, Maha Vishnu's stucco image will be there, but here a man in a standing posture with 2 hands is there (maybe Periya Maraiyyan). And Maha Vishnu is in Brahma's place.

 

  

Epic Ramayan scene paintings 

Vijayanagara period pillar reliefs ( the iconic Herdsman )  

Entrance mandapam adhistanam

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

As per the architecture of the entrance mandapam and mukha mandapam, the temple might have been built during the 16^th to 17^th Century, Vijayanagara / Nayakas Period ( Vijayanagar's iconic sculpture of herdsman can be seen on one of the pillars of the entrance mandapam ). This Thingalur Appichimar madam is believed to have been constructed by the Thingalur Pattakarars, a sub-division of the Vettuvar Community. These Vettuva Gounder of Thingalur Pattakarars claim that they belong to the descendants of Kannappa Nayanar, one of the 63 Nayanmars who worship Lord Shiva.  

"Appichimar Kaviyam" narrates the story of Appichimars in the form of a Poem. The Vettuvar Community, believed to be the decedents of Kannappa Nayanar (one of the 63 Nayanmars) worships Appichimaraiyyan as Kula Deivam. 

As per "Appichimar Kaviyam", Maraiyyan alias Periya Maraiyyan ruled Vazhavanthi Nadu, one of the 24 Nadus of Kongu Mandalam. He has 4 brothers and they are Chinna Maraiyan, Pillai Maraiyan, UththaNdarayan, and Avudayan. The Minister Karpakathan, Rakkiyannan of Vettuvar Community Pattali kulam, the learned poet Singa Kavirasan, the Guards Thanukkaman and Patharukarar helped Periya Maraiyyan for the governance of his country from Aththani mandapam. In addition to that Nalla Saman of Kongu Velalar Payira Kulam, Sivagurunathan’s son Ardhanari of Sathanthai Kulam, and his wife Moiyandaayee also are in the Aththani Mandapam

All 5 brothers had 70 Children. When arrangements were made for the marriage of  Periya Maraiyyan’s elder son Palaniappan with Vettuvar Kulam Annan Ponnaiyan’s daughter Kaliammai of Nagamalai, in Keerambur Kadu, Palaniappan told that he could not marry alone, since all the 70 brothers had taken a vow to marry at a time. 

So Periya Maraiyyan arranged marriage for all the 70 brothers with the brides / Girls from 11 families of Perur, Poonthurai Nadu, on the banks of river Kaveri. The 11 families are from 7 Odappalli Vettuvar community, they are Harichandra Vettuvar, Kattu Vettuvar, Pulla Vettuvar, Punnadi Vettuvar, Ponna Vettuvar, Maniya Vettuvar and Ventha Vettuvar kulams / Sects of Vettuvar Community. Andayi alias Moiyandaayi played a main role in arranging the brides.  After fixing the marriage, the marriage was conducted after fulfilling the rituals and along with the marriage feast.

In the meantime, Pothirayan, who belongs to Poovani Vettuvar Kulam / Sect ruled the South Poovani Nadu with Perur as Capital. There was a conflict between Pothirayan and the Poonthurai Nadu, which resulted in a war. In that, Poonthurai Nadu was defeated and a lot of damage occurred. Poonthurai Nattar had sent a person/ messenger to Periya Maraiyyan with a request to help them from Pothirayan. On hearing the request Periya Maraiyyan and all the 70 bridegrooms marched toward the field to fight with the Pothirayan. In the war Periya Maraiyyan killed Pothirayan and he also died. Along with him some of the 70 brothers were also killed in the war. On seeing some of their brothers were killed in the war, the rest of the 70 brothers killed themselves.

On hearing the news, the 70 brides, decided to end their lives, since they could not marry another person after the completion of their marriage. Told their decisions to their brothers and parents, to prepare a funeral pyre at Koopittachunai alias Kanaachunai on top of the Kappara Hill. Further told that they all will jump into the funeral pyre and wish to become Veeramathis. The brides went to the war field took their bridegroom's head and jumped into the funeral pyre after praying Tiruchengode Ardhanareeswarar. Later Vettuva community people built a temple for Periya Maraiyyan as “Appichimaraiyyan” and worshiped him.  

It was told that the descendants of Appichi Siththaiyar, separated from Thingalur and established 6 more Appachimar Madams in Tamilnadu. 

This Appichimar or Appichi Maraiyan was praised by the 18^th Century Kullaiyan’s son Avanasi Pulavar in his book called “Thingalur Arulmalai Nondi Nadagam”.

ஆருக்கும் அனுகூல முற்றருள் மெஞ்ஞாளமே

        அருள்பொருட் டானமணியே

ஆகமது ரஞ்சித்திர வித்தாரக் கிருபையில்

        உத்தாரக் கிருபாகர்

அண்டகோ எத்தையில் உத்தண்டனே அக்கினியில்

        உக்கிர கன்னியர் அமிரா

ஆங்காரச் சங்காரனே அன்ன சத்திர

        சாலை மண்டபமும்

ஆணிமுத்துக் கோர்வைநவ ரத்தினவ பிடூரியம்

        அழுத்துமுப் பரிகைமேடை

ஆற்றளையில் நீர்பெருகி வாய்த்தகுள ஆறெல்லாம்

        அவர்ந்ததாம ரைத்தடாகம்

அல்லிமலர் நெய்தலும் மல்லிகை யிருவாட்சி

        அருநெல்லி வருசாலையும்

ஆங்கமிகு தெங்குதிறை பூஞ்சோலை மாதனைகள்

        அழகுற சதாளிவகையும்

ஆகமபு ராணசாஷ்த்திரம் அனவேத மறையோர்கள்

        அருள்திங்க ளூர்மடத்தில்

ஆசார நெறியுடைய சோடசஉப சாரமுடன்

        ஆண்டமுத்துச் சுவாமி

அர்ச்சனைகள் செய்யவளர் பொன்மசரி யும்ராக்கி

        யண்ணதீர தளபதியோடு

அப்பச்சி மாரய்யன் மெய்ப்பச்சி யானதுரை

        அப்பச்சி மாரய்யனே.

LEGENDS

When I was a young boy, I was told this temple was a holy temple to chase the evil spirits from those who are caught. In the process of chasing out the evil spirit, the person’s hair will be plugged and nailed to a tree.

POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS

Two kala poojas are conducted in this temple. Do not know completely the procedure followed during the pooja. The sanctums are in closed condition. The Poojari, usually the Pattakarar sect of the Vettuvar Community used to light lamps immediately after the main door and closed once again. The Deepam can be seen through the gap of the door. All the three sannidhis are followed with the same procedure. 

Special poojas are done on Amavasya days. Thousands of devotees turn on no moon day (Amavasya) to pray Appichimar. They offer whatever yields from their fields like paddy, coconut, groundnut, etc,.

The door is always kept closed

TEMPLE TIMINGS

The temple will be kept open between 07.00 hrs to 12.00 hrs and 16.00 hrs to 18.00 hrs.

HOW TO REACH.

Appichimar Madam is about 2 KM from Thingalur. Town buses are available from Perundurai and Gobichettipalayam.  

The temple is about 14,5 KM from Perundurai, 18.6 KM from Gobichettipalayam, and 33 KM from Erode.

The nearest railway station is Perundurai.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE

Deepasthambam with stone elephants

Durga

OLD PHOTOGRAPHS

Present praying place

A handmade tiled roof mandapam in front of the temple

A handmade tiled roof mandapam in front of the temple

PRESENT STATUS as of 06th December 2018

Now the temple is kept closed due to a legal dispute between two groups of the Vettuva Gounders community to hold the Temple & its property.

In one of the Google blogs, it is mentioned that this temple is a Jain’s Jinalaya/ Temple for the 9th Tirthankara Pushpadanta (Suvidhananda)  and there is a Jain Tirthankara sculpture inside the temple. There is no visible evidence found to prove that claim.  

A Humble appeal is, that someone from the Vettuvar Community, has to take the initiative to open the temple for General public worship and to know the temple, architecture, religion, and culture of our Kongu region. 

Ref:

1. http://gounderhistory.blogspot.com/2011/04/blog-post.html?m=1

2.https://kavithaimathesu.blogspot.com/2011/06/blog-post_12.html?m=1

3."Thingalur Arulmalai Nondi Nadakam" written by Avinasi Pulavar

4. Kongu Mandala Sathakam.

5. Appichimar Kaviyam, republished by Pulavar Rasu.

---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---