Sri Kundrapureeswarar Temple / ஸ்ரீ குன்றபுரீஸ்வரர் கோயில், குன்னத்தூர் / Kunnathur, Tiruppur District, Tamil Nadu.

14^th October 2019.

The second visit to this Kundrapureeswarar Shiva temple was on 14^th October 2019. During my first visit, this Kundrapureeswarar Temple was under renovation and preparing for the Kumbhabhishekam. As per the inscription this place was called Kuruppa Nattu Kundrathoor (குன்றத்தூர்),  during the 13^th Century and later corrupted to the present name of  Kunnathur. Kuruppa Nadu was one of the sub-divisions of 24 Nadus of Kongu mandalam during the Kongu Chozha period.

Moolavar: Sri Kundrapureeswarar.

Some of the important features of this temple are...

The temple is facing west. The Deepasthambham/ Vilakku Thoon or Garudathoon in front of the temple. There is an entrance arch on the west side. Balipeedam, Dwajasthambam, and Nandhi are in front of the sanctum sanctorum. The sanctum is on an elevated level.  In koshtam, Durgai, Brahma, Lingothbavar, Dakshinamurthy and Vinayagar. In prakaram Chandikeswarar, Vinayagar, Navagrahas, Chandran and Suriyan.   

ARCHITECTURE

The temple consists of sanctum sanctorum, antarala, and artha mandapam. Amman is in a separate Sannadhi facing west. As per the inscriptions the temple might have been built before the 12^th Century. But this was completely changed and the temple looks like a recent period temple. There is no trace of the old structure now and inscriptions are also not available.

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTION

As per the Tamil Nadu Archaeological Department’s report, the temple had 15 inscriptions of Hoysala King Veera Vallalan-III (14^th Century), Vikrama Chozha-III (1275 CE), Veera Pandiyan (13^th Century), Sundara Pandyan ( 1291 CE ) and Mysore Wodeyar king Nanjara Raya wodeyar (18^th Century) As per the inscriptions this place was called as Kun(d)rathur and Lord Shiva was called as Kundramudayar.

As per the inscriptions the renovations were carried out in the 13^th Century for the same, maha mandapam, artha mandapam door jambs/frames, and steps are donated by Kangeya Nattu Vellakkal merchant Punniyathevan and Siruvalur Vellalar caste ( Sathanthai sub sect ) Kesan’s wife Anthiyuraandi. 

The Mysore wodeyar’s inscription states that Kettimudali’s descendent Thamba Mudaliyar was given power in this area, who was thrown out of power during the Madurai Nayaks period.  A 13th-century inscription speaks about sharing the proportion of income from the temples by Bhattar, Thanathar ( Donors ), and ThirumuRRa Nambiyars.

The inscriptions also speak about the donation of money in terms of Achu for burning Sandhya Deepam and Perpetual lamps.  If anybody looks for these inscriptions will be disappointed, since all the inscriptions were lost during recent renovations. Hope moolavar and Nandhi are original.

  

TEMPLE TIMINGS

The temple will be kept open between 06.30 hrs to 12.00 hrs and 17.00 hrs to 20.00 hrs

HOW TO REACH : 

This temple is on the Kunnathur to Nambiyur road.

Kunnathur is at the junction of Tiruppur to Gobichettipalayam and Erode/ Perundurai to Tiruppur via Perumanallur. 

Kunnathur is 40 KM from Erode, 21 KM from Gobichettipalayam and 28 KM from Tiruppur

The nearest railway station of Tiruppur.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE 

---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---