Kuranganilmuttam Valeeswarar Temple / Valeeswarar Temple, Kuranganilmuttam, Thiruvannamalai District, Tamil Nadu.

This is the 6^th Devaram Paadal Petra Shiva Sthalam of Thondai Nadu. This temple is about 2.5 km away from the main road. 

During the Pallava and Chola periods, this place was called Pallavapuram, also known as Thirukuranganilmuttam, and it is still called by the same name. Thirugnanasambandar has sung hymns in praise of lord Shiva of this temple.

        விழுநீர்மழு வாள்படை அண்ணல் விளங்குங்

        கழுநீர்குவ ளைம்மல ரக்கயல் பாயுங்

        கொழுநீர்வயல் சூழ்ந்த குரங்கணின் முட்டந்

        தொழுநீர்மையர் தீதுறு துன்ப மிலரே.

        விடைசேர்கொடி அண்ணல் விளங்குயர் மாடக்

        கடைசேர்கரு மென்குளத் தோங்கிய காட்டில்

        குடையார்புனல் மல்கு குரங்கணின் முட்டம்

        உடையானெனை யாளுடை யெந்தை பிரானே.

திருஞானசம்பந்தர் தேவாரம்

Moolavar : Sri Valeeswarar, Sri Koyyamalar Nathar

Consort   : Sri Irayar Valliammai / Valaiammai

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

The temple faces west with an entrance gate. The temple tank with lotus flowers is around the temple, keeping the front side for access. Balipeedam and Rishabam are after the entrance. The bas-reliefs of Crow (Yama), Monkey (Vaali), a Sage worshipping Lord Shiva of this Temple with Lord Shiva and Parvati as Rishabaroodar are on both sides of the temple. The sanctum sanctorum is small, and the swayambu moolavar is also small. In kostam, Vinayagar, Dakshinamurthy, Maha Vishnu, Brahma, and Durgai.  

In the inner prakaram sannadhi for Vinayagar, Murugan, Viswanathar, Visalakshi, Durgai, Navagrahas, Bhairavar, Naalvar, Saptamatrikas and Chandikeswarar.

The Ambal sannidhi is at the front, after the entrance, and facing south. It was said that the Ambal sannidhi was originally located outside and was later moved to its present location. The total temple is constructed on a rocky surface.

HISTORY & INSCRIPTIONS

It is believed that the temple was built during the 7^th Century, in the Pallava King Mahendra Varman's period (637 CE). The temple was renovated, and Kumbhabhishekam was conducted in 1985. 

There were 6 inscriptions recorded in (ARE 290, 295, 291 of 1902) in this temple. As per the inscriptions, Shiva was called Thirukkuranganil Muttamudaiya Nayanar, Koyyamalarnathar. The place was called Pallavapuram alias Thirukuranganilmuttam in Kaliyur Kottam of Idaikazhi Nadu, Mavandur Kootram. 

The inscriptions belong to KonerimaiKondan, Kulothunga Chozha, Vijayanagara King Krishna Devarayar, Sambuvaraya King, and Rashtrakuta King Kannara Devan.

In the Saka year 1451, i.e., 1529 CE (ARE 295 of 1902), the Vijayanagara King Krishnadeva Maharayar's inscription records the gift of the village Pallavapuram for Poojas and prayers.

The Rashtrakuta king Kannaradevan’s period inscription records a gift of land for the Sribali pooja.

The Chola king Kulothunga-III’s 9^th reign year, 1187 CE, inscription, on the west wall of the mandapa, in front of the central shrine in the Koyymalar Esvara Temple, records the gift of money for a lamp by the residents of Pallavapuram.

The Chola king Kulotthunga-III’s 28^th reign year, 1198 CE, inscription, on the north wall of the Koyymalar Esvara temple, records the gift of Sattimangalam alias Annainallur in Erikil-nadu, to the temple Tirukkuranganimuttam Udaiyar at Tirukkuranganimuttam, in Kaliyur-kottam, as a devadana village, by Niraninjan Sedirayan under orders from Sambuvarayar.

Konerimaikonadan’s 10^th reign year, 12^th -13^th century CE, inscription on the south wall of the Koyymalar Esvara temple, records the gift of five veli of land for Naivedyam / offerings and repairs to the temple of Tirukkuranganimuttam Udaiyar (A Shiva Temple in the same Village). The land was made rent-free on payment of 25 pon. The different income items are enumerated. The record is signed by Tunialurudaiyan. Dusi is mentioned as one of the boundaries of the land.

Konerimaikonadan’s 10^th reign year 12^th -13^th century CE, inscription, records the gift of land to the temple of Tirukkuranganimuttamudaiya Nayanar at Pallavapuram, a village in Mavandur parru, which is a sub-division of Erikil nadu in Kaliyur-kottam. The assessment paid on the land and the taxes realised are enumerated.

A 12th-century CE inscription on one of the entrances to the maha mandapa of the Valisvara temple records this stone temple as Vikramasolan.

The Sambuvarayar-period inscription (ARE 291 of 1902) records an order issued to Neeraninthan Sethurayan to gift the village Sathyamangalam, alias Ammanallur, to this temple.    

Ref:

Annual Report on South Indian Epigraphy 1902

Note: 

Mahendra Varma Pallava's Rock-cut cave is about 500 meters from the temple.

LEGENDS

It was believed that Vaali, in the form of a monkey (குரங்கு)(worshipped with Koyya Flower – without plucking/touching – Hence Lord Shiva is called as Koyyamalar Nathar), Indra, in the form of a squirrel (அணில்), and Yama, in the form of a crow ( முட்டம் or காகம்), worshipped Lord Shiva of this temple. As per the legend, all three were cursed by the sages for their wrongdoing to become Monkey, Squirrel, and Crow. They went to Kailash, prayed to Lord Shiva, and sought his advice to regain their original form. Shiva advised them to go to Kuranganilmuttam and pray for him. Lord Shiva gave darshan and made them return to their original form. This sthala purana is available in the form of bas-relief sculptures at the entrance of the shrine.

Yama as Muttam / Crow Worships Lord Shiva 

Vali worships Lord Shiva 

Ladies pray to Ambal for a child boon and to get rid of Balarishta dosha. (Bala means child, and arista means illness ), by offering bangles, also called Valayal or Valai. Hence, Ambal is called Valaiammai. Also, this temple is a parihara sthalam for the Shani dosha.  

TEMPLE TIMINGS:

The temple will be kept open from 07.00 hrs to 10.00 hrs and from 16.00 hrs to 19.00 hrs.

CONTACT DETAILS.

The Gurukkal’s house is very near the temple. Natarajan Gurukkal's mobile number +919943295467, may be contacted for poojas and further details. 

HOW TO REACH :

The place Kuranganilmuttam is about 2.5 km from Dusi and is on the bus route from Kanchipuram to Vandavasi / Cheyyar.

From Kanchipuram, get down at Dusi; shared autos are available.

The temple is 8 km from Kanchipuram, 34.5 km from Vandavasi, 72 km from Tindivanam, 53 km from Melmaruvathur, 46 km from Arakkonam, and 88 KM from Chennai.

The nearest railway station is Kanchipuram, and the railway junction is Arakkonam.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE

Kakkai - Temple tank

---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---