Anthiyur Chelliswarar Temple / Sri Chelleeswarar Temple, Anthiyur, Erode District, Tamil Nadu.

03^rd February 2020.

This Sri Chelliswarar Temple’s Visit was a part of a Heritage Visit to temples, Hero stones, and Heritage sites around Anthiyur and Athani, scheduled on 03^rd February 2020. This is one of the 800 and odd years old temples of Erode District. This temple has an inscription, in which The King had issued an order in favor of a community to abolish the restrictions imposed on them, by another community.

Moolavar  : Sri Chelliswarar

Consort    : Sri Chelliswari

Some of the important features of this temple…

The temple faces east with a balipeedam and Nandhi.  Vinayagar and Nagars are under a tree on the outside of the temple complex. The temple complex is about 3 feet below the outside ground level. Dakshinamurthy, Brahma, and Durga are not inside the koshtam but kept outside.

In prakaram Suryan, Chandran, Kannimoola Ganapathi, Arumuga Subramaniyar with Sri Valli DevaSena, Veera Kala Bhairavar and Saneeswaran, Ambal is in a separate temple like sannadhi facing east like moolavar.

ARCHITECTURE

The temple complex consists of Sanctum sanctorum, antarala, artha mandapam and a mukha mandapam. The 2 thala vimana is on the simple pada bandha adhisthana and Vedhika.  Since this temple was reconstructed many times, we do not know the original construction of this temple. The present temple looks like a 16^th to 17^th Century temple.

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

There are two inscriptions recorded in this temple.  The 13^th Century Kongu Pandyar Veerapandian period inscription on the west side wall records the abolition of restrictions imposed on 5 sections of Kammalars ( Acharis / Viswakarmas / Asaris ),( கொல்லர், தச்சர், கன்னார், கற்சிற்பி, பொற்கொல்லர் ) by another community. The King’s order permits the 5 sections of Kammalars /  Acharis can wear footwear, plaster their houses, blow conch on Good and bad events /functions, and play drums ( பேரிகை ). A copy of this inscription is also available at the Perur, Gudimangalam, Karur, Kadathur, Modakkur, Pariyur, and Avinashi temples.

Another 13^th Century Kongu Pandyar Veerapandyan’s 11th-year rule period inscription records the donation of 10 panam ( money ) towards the burning of Sandhya Deepam by Vadakarai nattu Anthiyur Narambarkal Nattu Kamindan and Kasiba Gothra Periya Thevan Pillai Theva Narayana Narpathennayira Nambi.

The 16^th Century Ummathur Veerananjarayar period inscription records the donation of Land to this temple. It mentions that Ponnankattiyar Venkadanathar’s farmland after his death was sold to and purchased a new land for 20 Panam and a Samadhi was built for him. The new land with Samadhi was donated to this Shiva temple. This was done by 5 persons, whose names are also inscribed.

Inscriptions on the adhisthana

TEMPLE TIMINGS:

The temple will be kept open between 07.00 hrs to 11.00 hrs and 17.00 hrs.

HOW TO REACH:

This temple is about 500 meters from Anthiyur Bus Stand.

Anthiyur is 18.5 KM from Bhavani, 25 KM from Erode, 23.8 KM from Gobichettipalayam, 108 KM from Coimbatore, and 400 KM from Chennai.

Nearest Railway Station is Erode.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE

---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---