Sri Penneswarar Temple / Penneswaramadam Shiva Temple/ ஸ்ரீ பென்னேஸ்வரர் கோயில், Penneswaramadam / பென்னேஸ்வரமடம், near kaveripattinam, Krishnagiri District, Tamil Nadu.

24^th August 2019.

The Visit to this Penneswaraswamy/Pennai Nayanar temple at Penneswaramadam  was a part of the Heritage walk to the Temples,  Hero stones (Nadukal – Veerakallu), and Rock arts in & around Kaveripattinam in Krishnagiri District. Thanks to Mr. Sadanandam Krishnakumar, who organized this Visit along with Mr. Srinivasan and the Participants Mrs. Sakthi Prakash, Mr. Gandhirajan, Mr. John Peter and Dr. Saravanakumar Ramachandran. The temple is on the South bank of the river Thenpennai.

 

How the phrase madam was added to Penneswaramadam is not known. The 13th-century inscriptions mention the existence of “Cheraman Perumal Madam”. Perhaps this “Madam” may be added to Lord Shiva’s Name for this temple. During the Chozha period this place Penneswaramadam was in Nigarili Chozhamandalathu Vijaya Rajendra Chozha Thagadur Nattu Pennai Thenkarai Paiyur patru (Paiyur was also one of the divisions in Chozha period as Nadu)... Penneswaramadam.  

Moolavar    : Sri Penneswarar / Pennai Nayanar / Penneswaraswamy

Consort      : Sri Vedanayaki ( Thiru Kamakottamudaiyar )

Some of the Salient features of this temple are…

The temple faces east with  an entrance 7-tier Rajagopuram on the south side. The details of the Hero stones installed in front of the temple will be written separately. Nagars are under banyan trees. The entrance arch is also on the south side. Sri Sankatahara Ganapathy (facing the south entrance) and Rishabam are in Artha mandapam. In Koshtam Vinayagar, Dakshinamurthy, Vishnu, Brahma and Durgai.

In praharam Nalvar with Sekkizhar, Saptamatrikas, Seetha Rama & Lakshmana with hanuman, Vinayagar, Arputha Linga, Ananda Linga, Mangala Langs, Iswarya Linga, Poorna Linga, Sri Valli Devasena Arumugar (In standing posture), Bhairavar (Naga Bhairava – without Dog), Rishabam, balipeedam, Chandikeswarar and Kulothunga Chozha-III.

 Saptamatrikas

 Suryan - xxx - Kulothunga Chozha - Chandran

ARCHITECTURE:

The temple consists of sanctum sanctorum, antarala, artha mandapam and mukha mandapam. The sanctum sanctorum is on a simple pada bandha adhistanam with jagathi and three patta kumuda. A 3 tier Vimana is over the sanctum. The Ardha mandapam and mukha mandapam pillars are of  cylindrical (vrutha) type. The Prakara sannadhis are on a raised platform.

HISTORY & INSCRIPTION:

There are about 40 inscriptions recorded in 1973 and published by the Tamil Nadu State Department of Archaeology. The Kulothunga Period 1188 CE inscription is the earliest. Hence it may be assumed that the temple might have been constructed during his period. The inscriptions belong to Chozhas, Kulothunga Chozha-III (1188 CE, 1206 CE) and Rajaraja-III (1233 CE), Hoysalas Veera Ramanathan (1295 CE), Someswaran and Viswanathan (1208 CE), Nulamba King Madurantaka Nulamban (1344 CE) and Vijayanagaras Virupaksha Raya (1476 CE), Veerakampa Wodeyar and Pukkurayar (1410 CE) and an 18th-century inscription also available.

The inscriptions mainly speak about donations of Gold, lands (Kandaka – a measure), cows, Articles like Lamps (with weight like 800 palam), reservoir (Eri), etc, towards burning of perpetual lamps, regular poojas and Naivedyam offered to Lord Shiva. The Chozha King Rajaraja-III’s queen and Vanakovaraiyan’s daughter Koothadum Thevar Nachiyar directly donated 10 Cows  & a Rishaba towards the burning of the perpetual lamp to this temple and this inscription ends with a Chozhas Tiger Symbol. Villages like Paroor, Kooththandankuttai, Kandaka Kazhani, Paiyur, etc, are mentioned in the inscriptions.  

One of the inscriptions mentions about renouncing of doing pooja for 6 days to Seemakeswara Battan by Vidukathan. A 13th-century inscription mentions that a “Cheraman Perumal Madam”, indicates that a  Thevara School may be functioning and land belonging to Nagakandakanputhur was donated to this madam.

A 13^th Century Hoysala King Vira Ramanathan’s Period inscription is considered an important one, since, if any person doing  Soru venduthal (the meaning of the word சோறு வேண்டுதல்  is considered as seeking a cooked food/begging is treated as crime), or obstruction to the gifts/ donations in Penneswaramadam or in the Villages gifted to Sri Pennai Nayanar will be beheaded or slicing his head on his own (Navakandam) and the severe punishment will be given to the officer and the Accountant.

Kulothunga Chozha-III (1208 CE), inscription mentions that Chandeswarar was installed along with a donation of land by Jayangondan Mallan on behalf of his son Erandai. A 14th-century inscription is in the form of a Venba song which resembles Sri Adi Chandeswarar himself speaking about the celebration function of the 6^th day of the Chithirai festival by a devotee of Kathari Village.

An 18th-century inscription mentions that the mandapa ceiling was paved by a Vellappa Nadan Mecheri Kandan Kanda Chetty. A Vijayanagara period 13^th Century inscription mentions places like Thamal Village near Kanchipuram, Kanchipuram, Sathurangapattinam, Kovalam, Thanda malai, Aanaikundhi, etc which are far away from Penneswaramadam.

 Inscription on the sanctum wall. 

Inscription of Kumudam- adhisthanam

LEGENDS:

It was told that after constructing this temple the Thenpennai River changed its course and an island was formed.  The Bhairavar is with Snakes instead of Dog. Hence this temple is famous for Naga Dosha Nivarthi sthalam. Also, Ashtami Theipirai poojas are conducted to this Bhairavar. Sun Light will fall on moolavar on Masi Maha Nakshatra day.

THE TEMPLE TIMINGS

The temple will be kept open between 07.00 hrs to 12.00 hrs and 17.00 hrs to 20.30 Hrs.

HOW TO REACH:

The Penneswaramadam is about 5 km from Kaveripattinam, 28 km from Krishnagiri, and 290 km from Chennai.

Autos and private buses are available from Kaveripattinam.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE

 A Vijayanagar period - herder relief

                      A Pandrikuthipattan bas - relief on a pillar

---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---