Sri Adalvalleeswarar Temple / Adavalleeswarar Temple / ஆடவல்லீஸ்வரர் கோயில், முன்னூர் / Munnur, Villupuram District, Tamil Nadu.

28^th April 2019.

When Mr Manoj asked me to join them for the temple visit on the route from Marakkanam to Tindivanam, which includes Munnur Shiva and Vishnu temples. Since I didn’t cover any temples in this route, readily accepted to join. Mr Ramesh one of my Facebook friends, invited us to visit the temples of his native Village Munnur. Even though Mr Ramesh, lives in Chennai, came to Munnur, especially for us, during this temple Visit. After the Perumukkal temple visit, we were a little late, when we reached the Shiva temple at Munnur.

I extend my sincere thanks to Sri Munnur Ramesh, Dr Ko Uthradam, and the trustees of the Shiva and Vishnu temples for their excellent hospitality extended to us.

Moolavar   : Sri Adavalleeswarar

Consort     : Sri Brahan Nayaki , Sri Periya Nayaki.

Some of the salient features of this temple are…

The temple faces South with balipeedam, Dwajasthambam, and Rishabam on a raised platform to match the height of moolavar under a meta color sheet canopy. The temple tank is on the right side. The remains of Rajagopuram after the Rishabam. 

In koshtam, Vinayagar, Dakshinamurthy, Vishnu, Brahma and Durgai. Even though the temple faces south, the deva Koshta Murtis are positioned in the clockwise direction from Vinayagar to Durgai keeping Vishnu on the back of the moolavar. 

In the sanctum, the Moolavar is on a round avudayar on a padma peedam and the komukha is on the east side instead of the usual north side. In the praharam sannadhi for Selva Periya Vinayagar (mentioned in the inscription), Iyappan, Sri Valli Devasena  Subramaniar (Arumugar), Kailasanathar, Eswari, 63var, Urchavars, the remains of Saptamatrikas panel (broken into three pieces & belongs to 12^th to 13^th century), Anjaneyar, Suryan, Bhairavar, Kamakshi Amman (facing east wrongly mentioned as Brahan Nayaki) and Chandikeswarar. 

Ambal Sri Brahan Nayaki sannadhi is in mukha mandapam. (Brahan Nayagi was originally in a separate temple, called Kamakotta Nachiyar, on the east side of the temple. The total Ambal was destroyed during the Muslim invasion, and a New Ambal with sannadhi was built in the Mukha mandapam during the 1978 Kumbhabhishekam. The damaged Ambal is kept outside under a shed. The pillars are used for the reconstruction of the front mandapam). Vinayagar and Nagars are under the sthala vruksham Vanni tree. There is a Panel that contains the reliefs of Brahma, Shiva Lingam, Parvathi, Murugan, and Narasimha. After analyzing Dr. Nagasamy said that the panel was made out of soapstone and belongs to the 7^th to 8^th Century. Further, he said that they might have existed before the 8^th Century.

In the front Mandapam, a statue of Navakandam (Offering of head to Kali for the well-being of the king or get a Victory in the war or to get cure from decease and offering his head to show his bravery) and a Thavvai Thai (Jyeshta Devi – was under worship up to 11^th  Century and latter it was discontinued. The reason is not known). In one of the pillars, a relief of a King is colorfully painted. It was told that this relief may be Rajendra Chozha-I since the earliest inscription belongs to him. In front of the Rajagopuram base, there is the Statue of Chandran. These Chandran, Jyeshta Devi, and Navakanda statues are found during cleaning of the Temple tank.

Jyeshta Devi (Found out from Temple Tank)

ARCHITECTURE

The temple consists of Sanctum sanctorum, antarala, artha  mandapam, Madhava rayan mandapam (16 pillar mukha mandapam), maha mandapam and a front mukha mandapam.

The sanctum sanctorum is at an elevated level since the floor level is maintained from the base of the upanam. (In most of the temples upanam will not be visible). The sanctum adhistanam is a prati bandha adhistanam with vrudha kumudam. The Yazhivarai is just above the Kumudam. The sanctum kumudam is virutha style, whereas the mandapa kumudam is of three patta / faced one. On the top of the pilaster pothiyal valapi / bhuta vari, Kapotham with nasi kudus and viyyala vari. The three-tier Vesara bricks vimanam is above the sanctum.

 A warrior in the yazhi's mouth- Makara thundam 

 A warrior relief on the yazhi's mouth - Makara thundam

 A Yazhi vari

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS:

The inscriptions mentions Lord Shiva, as Adavalleswarar, Adavallanayanar, Thirumoolasthanamudaya Mahadevar.

The place Munnur was called Munjoor (முஞ்ஞூர்), Rajanarayana Chaturvedi Mangalam, Purushothama Nallur and Singavananthal.  11^th to 12^th Century, this place was called Jayangonda Chozha Mandalathu Oyma Nattu Vijaya Rajendra Valanattu Munjoor (முஞ்ஞூர்) otherwise known as Rajanarayana Chaturvedi Mangalam.

During Sadayavarman Vira Pandyan’s period the place Vizhuvur was changed to Adavalla Kootha Nallur.

During Rajendran-I’s, period,

A place called “Kidaram Konda Chozhan Salai”- in this as per experts, we may take it as Choultry for feeding food, or a School or Coin printing place, or a hospital ( athura salai).

An inscription mentions the donation of 120 Saava moova peradu of which 90 for Ghee and 30 for buttermilk to the Chatur Veda Brahmins. ( Saava moova peradu – sheep or Goats, the goats will be given after some time if the goats give birth the baby goat to be surrendered to the Temple, and in case anyone dies the temple will give one. This means at any point in time the quantity will be maintained as given )

During Kulothunga-II ‘s, period,

A merchant by the name Thamaiyan Ennayiravan bought land of 200 kuzhi in exchange for gold from the temple and created a street called Merchant Street ( வாணிபர் தெரு ).

One by Gnanamurthy Pattan donated land in which the channel feeding water name is mentioned as abimana meru.

Thirukovilur Eran was killed accidentally by the son-in-law of Meekama Pallavarayan. As a punishment, he gave 500 kuzhi land for burning of perpetual lamp in this temple.

For celebrating special poojas like Thaipoosam, Maha Shivaratri, Solar Eclipse Day, No Moon Day, Kiruthigai Day, and Avani Thirunal, rice was offered as naivedyam to this temple. 

During Rajaraja-II’s, period

Chengony Ammaiyappan Seeyan Rajanarayan Sambuvarayar in the name of Ethirika Narayan, allocated taxes towards the construction, renovation, and maintenance of praharam.   

During Kulothunga –III, period….

Sirupadi Village also called Kulothunga Chozha Nallur was gifted to this temple.

Samandan Adhiyaman raised a stone wall with door in Madhavaraya mandapam and sopana mandapam in front of Dakshinamurthy Devakoshtam.  He also did Kumbhabhishekam to the moolavar vimanam after renovation and excavated a well for Lord Shiva’s thirumanjanam.

Iraiyur Balakannan Kaman bought land from the temple and the money he spent for clearing the Periya Eri of Munnur.

The inscriptions mainly speak about a donation of land, gold, money, sheep, goat, cow, etc, towards the burning of perpetual lamps, daily poojas, annual celebrations (Thiruvizha) like Chithirai Thiruvizha, Avani Thiruvizha, Karthikai thiruvizha, Masi thiruvizha, and pounami pooja etc,. The food offered to Lord Shiva like Arisi Amuthu (rice), Thayirmuthu (curd rice), Neiyamuthu (ghee rice), and Kariamuthu (vegetable rice) are also mentioned in the inscriptions.

In 1968, Mambalam Vijaragavalu Reddy came for worship. At that time the temple was in dilapidated condition. That night Shiva ordered him to reconstruct the temple in his dream. He told this to Kanchi Mutt Maha Periyava. They visited the temple in 1969. On seeing the ruined condition of the temple Mahaperiyava asked Reddy to start the renovation immediately and gave Rs 1121, as Kanchi Mutt’s share towards renovation. Sri Thirumuruga Kirupananda Variyar also contributed some amount from the money received through discourse.  

Sri-la Sri  Siddhar Sivananda Swamigal Konikatti Swamikal also called Mouna Swamigal worshiped Lord Shiva of this temple. After 10 years of hard work, the Kumbhabhishekam was conducted on 19^th June 1978.

 inscription

 Rajaraja-II inscription

 The place Munjoor mentioned inscription ( a sample )

LEGENDS

The Sthalapuranam appeared in the 1978 Kumbhabhishekam souvenir, which was a mixture of poem and text. In that, it was mentioned that Lord Shiva danced for Sanakatha Maharishis and Kulothunga Chozhan for his yeoman service. Hence Lord Shiva is called Adavalleeswarar.  Lord Shiva gave mukti to the Tharukavana rishis after destroying their egos by taking the form of Pickshadanar. As per HR&CE, when Pandavas were in exile, lived in the place called “Munnutru Mangalam”, they worshiped lord Shiva of this temple.

As per the advice of Vishnu, Parvathy came to this place Munnur created a Shiva Linga with neerazhi mandapam (always to keep cool) and worshiped Lord Shiva. Shiva gave darshan to Parvathi with Anandha Thandavam.

Guru Bhagavan who is the son of Angiras Rishi and grandson of Brahma, supposed to be a master of 4 Vedas, forgotten everything due to ego. As advised by Brahma, Guru came to Munnur, worshiped lord Shiva, and regained his powers. So this temple lord Shiva facing south will bless his devotees who are weak in Guru palan and relieve them from all illness.   Guru Bhagavan is Guru for Devars and also one of the Navagrahas. He is also called as Brihaspati. Hence this temple is a parihara Sthalam for Guru.

A King by the name of Adavalli Koothan ruled this place and noticed that the quantity of milk given by the cow was very low. When the same was checked and found the cow mulched on a Shiva Lingam in the forest.  Later the King built a temple in that place.

The place is called Munnur since there were 300 temples once it had. Hence called Munnuru later corrupted to the present name of Munnur.

TEMPLE TIMINGS:

The temple will be kept open between 07.00 hrs to 11.00 hrs and 16.00 hrs to 20.00 hrs.

CONTACT DETAILS:

Archakar Saravanan Gurukkal may be contacted on his mobile at +91 9566378974 for further details.

HOW TO REACH:

Munnur Village is about  3.1 KM off from Tindivanam to Marakkanam main Road. The Bus stop's name is Alanguppam.

Alanguppam bus top is 18.4 KM from Marakkanam, 19.3 KM from Tindivanam Railway Station, and 36 KM from Pondicherry through Brahmadesam.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE

                                  The base of the Rajagopuram

The view of the front Mandapam.. built with the pillars of the destroyed Ambal Temple.

                        Believed to be Rajendra Chozha's relief

 Chandran found out from the temple tank

 Saptamatrikas

                                        Saptamatrikas

                                         Saptamatrikas

 63var 

  The main sanctum Sanctorum

                                        Sri Periyanayaki Amman

  Dwarapalakas

 Navakandam (Savan Silai) Statue - Found out from temple tank

A lizard relief on the corridor ceiling

---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---