VELUDHARAN TEMPLES VISIT : Sri Athitheeswarar Temple / Sri Athitheerwara Swamy Temple / ஸ்ரீ அதிதீஸ்வரர் கோயில், Vaniyambadi, Tirupattur District, Tamil Nadu.

Wednesday 11 March 2020

Sri Athitheeswarar Temple / Sri Athitheerwara Swamy Temple / ஸ்ரீ அதிதீஸ்வரர் கோயில், Vaniyambadi, Tirupattur District, Tamil Nadu.

29^th December 2019.

The visit to this Athitheeswarar Shiva Temple on the west side banks of River Palar in Vaniyambadi of newly formed Tirupattur District, was a part of Shiva, Vishnu and Hero Stones Heritage Visit in and around Vaniyambadi scheduled on 29^th December 2019. Thanks to Mr Srinivas of Vaniyambadi, who took me to all these temples and places.

Moolavar : Athitheeswarar

Consort : Periyanayaki

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

The temple is facing with a three tier Rajagopuram of the west and a 5 Tier Rajagopuram on the east side. Balipeedam, Dwajasthambam, Nandhi are after the west side Rajagopuram. Dwarapalakas Dindi and mundi are at the entrance of sanctum sanctorum complex. In Koshtam, Vinayagar, Dakshinamurthy ( Sitting on the nandhi ), Mahavishnu, Brahma and Durgai. In the inner prakaram Nagars, Nalvar, Bhairavar, Sivasuriyan, Maragatha Lingam, Natarajar, Kamala Ganapathy, Deventhira, Saptamatrikas, Chandran and Chandikeswarar.

In the outer prakaram, Parantaka Chozhiswarar, Nagars, Dakshinamurthy, are under a bilva tree, Saraswati, a 16 pillar mandapa and Sri Valli Devasena Subramaniar. Ambal is in a separate temple sannidhi facing west, the same direction of Lord Shiva. Navagrahas are in the Ambal temple mukha mandapa.

ARCHITECTURE

The temple complex consists of sanctum, antarala, arthamandpam and a maha mandapam. The mandapa pillars are the combinations of Pallava, Chozhas, Gangas, Vijayanagaras. The Ganga period pillars are virutha ( cylindrical ) with Kalasam, Thamarai kattu, kumbam, pali, palakai and Pothyals. The Kumba and Kalasas are with kodi karukku. The malai thongal are beautifully sculptured. There are two Pallava period squatting lion pillars also.

The Adhisthana is of padabandha adhisthana. The prastaram is of kapotha style. Lord Shiva‘s dance, Lord Shiva’s dance with Kali, in the makara thorana are worth to watch. The two tier Vimana over the prastaram is built with green stone, may be sourced from Vallimalai region.

Moolavar is swayambhu and is believed that moolavar is with Ambal.

Simha pillars

Kodi karukku on pillars too

Chozha Inscriptions of pillars are too.. Aditha Karikalan

Ganga pillars

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

The temple was built during 7^th to 8^th Century Pallava period and latter contributions from Chozhas, Gangars and Vijayanagaras. During Pallavas period this place was called as Narasimha Chaturvedi mangalam under Adyar Nadu in Paduvur Kottam. And During Kulothunga Chozha’s period this place was called as Madurantaka Chatuvedi mangalam in Aimpulugur-nadu in Perumbanapadi. Lord Shiva was called as Virunthina Thevar. The Chozha period inscription mentions this place as வாணியந்பாடி. The temple mainly has the Rajaraja-I, Rajendra-I, Kulothunga Chozha inscriptions. The Rajaraja inscriptions starts with his title / meikeerthi. The door sides, even Pillars too has the inscriptions.

The inscriptions mainly speaks about donation of land, cattle, money for the regular poojas and burning of perpetual and sandhi lamps.

Adhita karikala's inscription

Rajaraja-I inscription

Kulothunga Chozha Inscription

LEGEND:

This is a Punarpoosam nakshatra temple and devotees, who are born in this star offers special prayers on their birth days in this temple, to get rid of doshas.

As per the legend Sri Saraswati was cursed by Brahma to loose her powers and speech. Saraswati came to this place and got back her power. She has sung songs on Lord Shiva of this temple, hence this place is called as Vaniyambadi ( Vani – Saraswati and Padi means singing ).

In another legend saint Kashyap’s wife Athithi worshiped lord Shiva of this temple and hence Lord Shiva is called as Athitheeswarar.