13th October 2019.
The Visit to this Sri Akka Salai Eswaran Temple also
popularly known as Kottai Anumantharayaswamy Thiru Kovil was a part of Kongu
Heritage walk scheduled on 12th and 13th October 2019.
With a great difficulty we are able to locate this temple, since this original
Shiva Temple was converted in a Anjaneyar / Hanuman temple and called as
Kottai Anumantharayaswamy Thiru Kovil. As per historians, the word Akka Salai
means a place where ornaments are made out of Gold, minting of money, Statues
made of metals. And the craftsmen are
called Kammalars and they add this word Akkasalai with their name to distinguish
from others.
Moolavar :
Sri Akka Salai Eswaran
Consort : Sri
Vadivudaimangai
Present Moolavar : Sri Anumantharayaswamy
Some of the important features of this temple
are…..
This temple is facing North and a Deepa sthambam
with a mandapam is in front of asbestos sheet canopy extended from
artha mandapam. The temple consists of sanctum
sanctorum, antarala and artha mandapam. In sanctum sanctorum Hanuman as
Anumantharayaswamy is in the form of
Bas-relief on a stone slab. Hanuman’s
face is facing west. On the west side of
the main temple there is a sannadhi facing north in dilapidated condition. Looking at the Vimana, this may be Ambal’s
sannadhi when the main temple was as Sri Akka Salai Eswaran Temple.
ARCHITECTURE
The Temple consists of Sanctum sanctorum, antarala
and artha mandapam. The mandapa pillars are supported like Vijayanagara period
Capitals / Pothyals. The sanctum sanctorum is on a pathabandha adhisthana with
tripatta kumuda. The sanctum sanctorum walls has the niches / koshtas, which are
empty now. The thorana above the koshta are simple, in the one thorana a Shiva
Linga is there and a lotus flower motif on the other. There is no Vimanam over
the sanctum sanctorum.
HISTORY & INSCRIPTION:
Looking at the iconography of the moolavar Hanuman
( Hanumantharaya Swamy ), this temple
might have been converted and reconstructed from Shiva Temple during
Vijayanagara period. The temple is prefixed with “Kottai”, means that a fort
might have existed in this place or this temple might be inside the Fort.
As per the inscription the moolavar was called as
Akka Salai Eswaramudayar and the place was called as Sevur.
The sanctum sanctorum walls and kumudam has 8 inscriptions,
which are belongs to Veera Rajendran ( 1235 CE, 1253 CE ), Veera Pandiyan (1267 CE, 1276 CE ).
The Inscriptions mainly speaks about donation of
money for Naivedyam and oil for burning of perpetual lamp, Achu kasu ( money in coin ), Ghee for the
celebration Shivaratri and burning of 80 lamps on that day, Oil ennai kappu to
Lord Shiva( one ulakku for one chekku – manual Oil extracting machine ), 2
pazhanchalakai achu kasu for burning of 2 Santhya lamps ( burning lamp during
evening hours ), donation of paddy and Kampu ( a type of millet ) for naivedyam.
The inscription mentioning The temple's Shiva Name as Akka Salai Eswarar
The inscription mentioning Sevur
TEMPLE TIMINGS:
Since oru kala pooja is done, the closing and
opening times are unpredictable. Out side can be seen at any time.
HOW TO REACH:
The temple is about a KM from the Sevur bus stop
and the Place Sevur is on the way to Mettupalayam from Avinashi.
The Sevur is about 9 KM from Avinashi, 47 KM from
Coimbatore and 20 KM from Tiruppur, the District
headquarters.
The nearest Railway Station is Tiruppur.
A dilapidated structure - may be Ambal's sannadhi
A Shiva Linga in a koshta Thorana
---OM
SHIVAYA NAMA---
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