This is the 265th Devara Paadal Petra Shiva sthalam and the 7th Sthalam of Kongu Nadu, on the banks of the river Amaravathi. As per Thevaram, the place was called Karuvur Aanilai, Tiruvanilai, and Lord Shiva was called Tiruvanilai Mahadevar; many scholars refer to it as Thirukaruvur Aanilai and now called Karur. Thirugnanasambandar has sung hymns in praise of Lord Shiva of this temple.
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தொண்டெலாமவர் தூவியேத்த நஞ்சு
உண்டலாருயிர் ஆய தன்மையார்
கண்டனார்கரு வூருள் ஆநிலை
அண்டனார் அருள் ஈயும் அன்பரே
... திருஞானசம்பந்தர் தேவாரம்
The sthala
purana of this temple under Karuvur puram was written by Karmega Pulavar. The
biography of Karuvur Thevar was given under Kazhiperu Sarukkam with 157 songs
in Karuvur Purana.
என்றவர் கவலித்து உட்க ஏய்ந்துசிற் றிலைகள் உற்று
நின்றதோர் வன்னி தன்னை நீதருக என்ற போழ்தின்
மின்தரு வானம் பூத்த மீன்நிலம் இழிதல் ஏய்ப்ப
அன்று அளித்தது யார் மேலோர் கருத்தினை அளவு காண்பார்
.... கரூர்ப்புராணம்
Moolavar : Sri Pasupatheswarar, Sri Pasupathy Nathar, Sri Pasupathy.
Consort : Sri Kirupanayaki, Sri Soundyarya Nayagi
Some of the important features of
this temple are...
The temple faces east with a 7-tier Rajagopuram measuring a height of 120 feet with lots and lots of stucco images. The temple has a compound
wall that measures 465 feet east–west and
205 feet north-south. A Deepasthamba is immediately after the Rajagopuram. Balipeedam,
Dwajasthambam, and Rishabam / Idabam are in the mandapam after the Rajagopuram. There is
a second-level 3-tier Rajagopuram after the mandapam. Moolavar is of swayambhu, in a little
leaned / inclined position on a square avudayar. There is a cow's
leg/hoof mark on the Sivalingam. In Koshtam,
Vinayagar, Dakshinamurthy, Lingothbavar, Brahma, and Durgai. There is also a 100-pillar mandapam in the temple, Kalyana Mandapa.
In the inner Prakaram, 63var,
Eripatha Nayanar, Vinayagar, Sri Valli Devasena Muruga, Mahalakshmi, and Pancha
Lingas. Ambal Sundaravalli (Kriya
Shakti) is in a separate sannadhi facing south. Ambal Alangara Valli (Icha
Sakthi) sannadhi is also there, facing east. Natarajar sabha, Navagrahas, and Kala Bhairavar are also in the prakaram.
Karuvurar was born in Karur, and he
used to sing in front of Lord Shiva during his younger days. As per the legend, Lord Shiva leaned to one side to hear Karuvur Thevar's songs. Even though Karuvur Thevar belongs to this place and has sung 103 hymns of various
temples in Thiruvisaippa, one of the 12 Thirumurai, he might have sung on Lord Shiva of this temple also, but the same is
not available now.
Also, this is the birthplace of Eripatha
Nayanar and Pugazh Chozha Nayanar, one of the 63 Nayanmars who turned into a
Shaivite Nayanmar from the King. Sri Karuvur Thevar’s Jeeva Samadhi temple is in
the outer prakaram.
Arunagirinathar came to this temple.
Worshiped and sung hymns in praise of Lord Muruga.
மதியால்வித் தனாகி – மனதாலுத் தமனாகிப்
பதிவாகிச் சிவஞான – பரயோகத் தருள்வாயே
நிதியேநித் தியமேயென் - நினைவேநற் பொருளோய்
கதியேசொற் பரவேளே – கருவூரிற் பெருமாளே
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HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS
Cheras ruled the Kongu region and present Kerala, keeping Karur as the Capital
during the 6th-7th Century, before the Chozhas. This temple was
built during the period of the Cheras and had contributions from the Chozhas, Pandyas, and
Vijayanagaras. During the Chozha period, Lord Shiva was called Tiruvanilai Mahadevar.
Rajendra Chozha-II’s 9th-year reign inscription starts with his meikeerthi “Thirumakal maruviya.... திருமகள் மருவிய“, records the tax-free gift tirunamattukkani
of the Village, Ganapati Nallur in
Vengala Nadu, a subdivision of Adhirajaraja mandalam, by the king to meet the
expenses of Tiruvanilai – Mahadeva.
A 13th to 14th
Century inscription without the name of the King (probably Madurai Pandya period –
based on the names of the signatories) ordered while witnessing a dance at Vanji
Nayakan Tirunandavanam after worshiping Lord Shiva, a Village Minnuvanpalli alias
Alagiya Chozha Kuttanur (with trees above the ground and wells below the
ground) to this temple, fixing a revenue of 30 pon to meet the expenses of
worship, offerings, and festivals in Masi
to god Alagiya Chokkanatha, who was installed at Tiruvanilai Mahadeva temple at
Karur. The Karuvur was in Vanji Managaram, alias Mudivalangu – Chozhapuram, in
Vengala Nadu, a sub-division of Virasola mandalam.
Kulothunga Chozha-III’s 24th-year reign inscription records (who holds Elam, Madurai & Karuvur) the
tax-free as iriyili devadhana of the Village Adichchanallurin Tattaiyur nadu by
the King to the Tiruvanilai Mahadeva in Tiru Vanji Managaram alias Mudivalangu Solapuram in Vengala Nadu, a division of
Vira Kerala (Chola) mandalam (ie, Kongu mandalam) to meet the expenses of worship, services,
repairs, and special festival on the day of Tiru-k-karthikai.
Rajendra Chozha-II’s 24th
year (maybe 9th year, since he didn’t rule for such a long year reign
inscriptions record the tax-free gift of village Sanappiratti in Tattaiyur
Nadu, to meet the expenses of worship, service, and repairs.
Another 10 inscriptions, belonging to
Pandya King Sundara Pandya, Kulothunga-III, Rajaraja-III, are recorded in South India Koil Sasanangal-II, and speak mainly of the donations of villages, lands, gold, towards meeting the expenses for
worship, services, repairs, and to conduct important functions. It was learnt
that the Rajagopuram was built at the beginning of the 20th century;
till such time it was a mottai gopuram.
Rajakesarivarman, alias Virarajendra-dêva (L.)
(line 11), inscription on the south wall of the main shrine, records a royal
grant which was to take effect "from the year which followed after the
third year," i.e. from the fourth year, of the king's reign. It opens with
a panegyrical account of the donor, which resembles the introductions of four
other inscriptions of his, viz.-
1. Tv. an inscription of the second year in the
Svētāra yêśvara temple at Tiruven-kâdu in the Tanjore district (No. 113 of
1896).
2. Tk. an incomplete and undated inscription in
the Jalanâthêśvara temple at Takkõlam in the North Arcot district (No. 19 of
1897).
3. M. an inscription of the fifth year in the
Rajagopala-Perumal temple at Manimangalam in the Chingleput district (No. 2 of
1892).
4. G. a much-damaged inscription of the fifth
year in the Brihadiśvara temple at Gangaikonda-Solapuram in the Trichinopoly
district (No. 82 of 1892).
The historical introductions of these four
inscriptions have been compared with the text of the subjoined inscription, and
a selection of their various readings is given in the footnotes.
The period of the reign of Rajakesarivarman, alias Virarājendradeva I., can be approximately fixed in the following manner. According to his inscriptions, he defeated Åhava-malla and his two sons, Vikkalan and Singanan, at Kidaléangamam. This battle is mentioned in the Kalingattu-Parani (viii. 29) and in the Vikkirama-Śólan-Ula. In these two poems the victor at Kûdalśangamam is placed after the Chôla kings Rajaraja I. (Kalin-gattu-Parani, viii. 24, and Ind. Ant, Vol. XXII. page 142, note 3), Rajendra-Chôla I. (viii. 25, and Z.c. note 4), Rajadhiraja (viii. 26, and Lc. note 5), Parakésarivarman, alias Rajendradeva (viii. 27, and Le. No. VII.), anda king who has not yet been identified (viii. 28, and l.c. No. VIIL). After the victor of Küdaléangamam, the Vikkirama-Solan-Ula places another king, of whom no particulars are given (le. No. X.), Kulôttunga-Chôla I. (Le. note 7), and Vikrama-Chôja (Le. note 8). Now, Professor Kielhorn's astronomical calculations have definitely established the two facts that Rajadhiraja reigned from C.E. 1018 to about 1050, and that Kulôttunga-Chôla I. was crowned in C.E. 1070. Consequently, the victor at Koppam (Parakésarivarman, alias Rajendradeva) and the victor over the Kuntalas at Kůdalsangamam (Rajakėsarivarman, alias Virarajendradeva I.) must have reigned between C.E. 1050 and 1070. Further, as I have stated before, Ahavamalla and his two sons, Vikkalan and Singanan, who were the opponents of the three Chôla kings Rajendra, Virarājendra I. and Kulóttunga I., have to be identified with the Western Chalukya king Ahavamalla-Soméśvara L. (A.ID. 1044 and 1068) and two of his sons, Vikra-maditya VI. (C.E. 1055-56 and 1076 to 1126) and Jayasimha III. (C.E. 1064 and 1081-82).
Kidaléangamam, the site of Virarājendra's victory over the Chalukyas, has been located by Mr. V. Kanakasabhai Pillai at the junction of the Tungabhadra and Krishna, But both kûdal and samgama mean 'junction' and might refer to the confluence of any two rivers, e.g. to Kûdali at the junction of the Tunga and Bhadra." The battle of Kûdal-fangamam was the third occasion" on which Virarajendra I. professes to have defeated the Chalukyas. He had already before driven Vikkalan from Ganga-padi over the Tunga-bhadra (L. 3 f.), and on a second occasion he had defeated an army which his enemy had sent into Vêngai-nâdu under the Mahadandandyaka Châmundarāja. The latter was killed and his daughter Nagalai, who was the queen of Irugayan, mutilated (1.4 f,). Châmunda-raja is probably identical with the Mahamandaléśvara Châvundaraya of Banavasi, who is mentioned by Dr. Fleet as a feudatory of Someśvara L. with the dates C.E. 1045-46 and 1062-63. Two other chiefs whose names occur in the account of the battle of Kûdal-bangamam, though the context does not show on which side they were fighting, - Kéśava-Dandanayaka and Mârayan (16), are perhaps identical with two other feudatories of the Chalukyas, the Dandanayaka Kesavādityadeva (l.c. p. 443) and Marasimha (ibid. p. 439).
The whole Chalukya camp fell into the hands of Virarajendra I., including the wives of the enemy, the boar-banner, and the female elephant Pushpaka (L. 8 f.). In the concluding portion of the introduction (1.9f.), the king claims to have killed the king of Pottappi,¹ the Kerala king, the younger brother of Jananatha of Dhara, the Pândya king, and others. Towards the beginning of the introduction (11. 1-3) we learn the names of a few of the king's near relatives. On his elder brother Alavandân he conferred the title Rajaraja; on his son Madhurântaka the Tondai-mandalam (i.e. the Pallava country) and the title Chôlêndra; on his son Gangaikonda-Chôla the Pândi-mandalam (ie. the Pândya country) and the title Chôla-Pandya; and on Mudikonda-Chôla the title Sundara-Chôla. According to the Tañjavůr inscription of Kulôttunga I. the name of Virarajendra's wife was Arumoli-Nangai.
The immediate purpose of the subjoined inscription is to record that the king, residing in his palace at Gangaikonda-Solapuram (1. 11 f.), granted to the Karuvûr temple the village of Påkkür, which, like Karuvûr itself (1. 14), belonged to Vengala-nâdu, a district of Adhirajaraja-mandalam (1. 12).
Parakésarivarman, alias Rajendradova’s (the successor of Rajadhiraja). 9th year of the reign, inscription on the south wall of the main shrine, an unpublished inscription of the same year in the Vaidyanatha temple at Tirumalavadi (No. 87 of 1895) states that Rajadhi-râja was Rajendra's elder brother, and that he fell in the battle of Koppam. The subjoined inscription and others mention Rajendra's elder brother, but do not give his name.
The inscription records that the king granted the village of Kanavadinallûr in Vengûla-nâdu, a district of Adhirajaraja-mandalam, to the Tiruvânilai temple. It is signed by five officers, whose names appear also in the Karuvûr inscription of Virarajên-dra I. (No. 20, 1. 15 ff. and 1. 22 ff.). This fact corroborates the conclusion drawn above (p. 32), that Virarājendra I. succeeded Rajendra within a single generation. One of the five officers whose names occur in Nos. 20 and 21, is Araiyan Rajarajan, alias Virarajendra-Jayamurinādálvân. This person is very probably identical with the Senapati Jayamurinādâlvår, who is mentioned in an inscription of Rajendradeva at Sangili-Kanadarâva in Ceylon. This inscription proves that the island of Ceylon, or at least a portion of it, was in Rajendra's possession.
This inscription bears the same date as No. 21 (above), but the king is here named Rajendra Chôladeva instead of Rajendradeva. The same date of the above inscription on the south wall of the main shrine, which starts with the historical introduction, is identical with that of No. 21 and proves that Rajendradeva, the victor at Koppam, and not his ancestor Rajendra-Chôla, the son of the great Râjarája, is meant here.
The inscription records that the king granted to the Tiruvânilai temple the village of Nelvâyppalli, which belonged to Vengala-nâdu, a district of Adhirajaraja-manda. lam, and was bounded in the east by the village of Andanûr. The grant is signed by the same five officers as No. 21.
This inscription is dated in the 23rd year of the reign of Tribhuvanachakravartin Kulôt-tunga-Chôladêva, who claims to have conquered Îlam (Ceylon), Madurai (Madhura) and Karuvůr and to have cut off the head of the Pandya king. The time of this Kulôt-tunga-Chôļa is settled by an inscription in the Ranganayaka temple at Nellûr (Nellore), which couples Saka-Samvat 1119 with the 19th year of his reign. On the basis of this inscription and of some others which contain elements for astronomical calculation, Professor Kielhorn has shown that the king's reign commenced between the 5th June and 8th July, CE. 1178. Kulôttunga-Chôladéva I. ascended the throne in C.E. 1070, and Kulôttunga-Chôladeva IL issued the Chellûr plates in C.E. 1132. Consequently, the king, to whose reign the present inscription belongs, has to be designated Kulôttunga-Chôladêva III. In other inscriptions he bears the names Parakesarivarman, Virarajêndradêva (II.) and Tribhuvanaviradeva. His latest date is the 39th year in an unpublished inscription at Chidambaram. Accordingly, he must have been the immediate predecessor of Tribhuvanachakravartin Rajarâjadeva, who ascended the throne about C.E. 1216."
The immediate purpose of the subjoined inscription is to record that the king granted to the Karuvûr temple the village of Mannarai and a portion of Keralapalli in Tattaiyûr-nadu.
This inscription on the second prahara, left entrance, is dated in the 25th year of the reign of Tribhuvanachakravartin Kulôt-tunga-Chôladêva (III.), who receives here the same attributes as in No. 23. It records that the villagers of Têvanappalli sold some land to the temple for three kalañju of gold, which a hunter had paid into the temple treasury. This person was a native of Půvâniyam near Pungam in Vengala-nadu, a district of Sôla-Kerala-mandalam. Têvanappalli belonged to Tattaiyûr-nâdu, another district of the same mandalam. The land granted was bounded in the east by the village of Nombalûr.
Punnam is found on the map of the Coimbatore district, about 6 miles west-north-west from Karuvûr. From inscriptions of Rajaraja I. and Rajendra-Chôla I. on the walls of the small deserted temple of Söméśvara at Sömür near the junction of the Kâvêrî and Amara-vati rivers, 7 miles east of Karuvûr, it appears that Têvanappalli was the ancient name of Sômûr, and that the Böméśvara temple belonged to Tirunômbalûr, a quarter or hamlet of Tevaņappalli.
This inscription on the north wall of the main shrine contains an order of a king who bore the titles Tribhuvanachakravartin Könérinmsikondân. He granted certain privileges to the artisans (Kanmalar) of the district of Vengûla-nûdu, to take effect from the month of Adi of the 15th year of his reign.
An almost identical duplicate of this inscription (No. 562 of 1893) is engraved on the central shrine of the Goshthiśvara temple at Pêrûr near Coimbatore. It differs chiefly in being addressed to the Kanmalar of Southern Kongu (Ten-Kongu) and in the king's bearing the title Kônêrimêlkondân instead of Kônêrinmaikondân.
This inscription on the outside of the second prahara of the left entrance contains an order of a king who bore the title Kônêrimelkondân. The date of the order was the 438th (!) day of the 23rd year of his reign (1.4). The king granted the village of Andanûr, surnamed Vira-Śõla-nallûr, for the maintenance of the temple servants, whom he had settled in a quarter which was called Vira-Solan-Tiru-madaivilagam after his own name. From this designation and from the surname of the village granted, it follows that his actual name was Vira-Chôla.
The village of Andanûr was bounded in the west by Nelluvâyppalli, which is the object of the grant recorded in No. 22 above.
REFERENCES
1. South Indian Inscriptions Volume III
2. தென்னிந்திய கோயில் சாசனங்கள் பகுதி -II
LEGENDS
As per the Legend, lord Shiva sensed
the conceit of Brahma, the creator of this world, and sent Kamadhenu to this world
and took up the job of creation. Also, Lord Shiva instructed her to worship him, hiding inside an anthill in the Vanji forest in Karur. Kamadhenu worshiped Lord
Shiva by milking on the anthill. During the process of worship, accidentally, Kamadhenu’s hoof hit Lord Shiva. She pleaded with Shiva to pardon her. Hence, Lord
Shiva was called Pasupatheeswarar. Please, the worship of Kamadhenu, asked
her to continue her creation. In the meantime, Brahma realized his mistake and did penance to Lord Shiva to get back his power of creation. He came to this
place, created a Theertham, and worshiped Lord Shiva. Finally, Lord Shiva, pleased by the devotion of
Brahma, pardoned him and gave back the power
of creation.
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POOJA AND CELEBRATIONS
Apart from daily pooja, an Annual 10-day festival during the Tamil New Year month Chithirai, Maha Shivaratri, Soorasamharam in Aippasi, Pradosham, No moon day, Full moon day, Krishna Jayanti,
Karthigai Deepam with 108 conch
abhishekam Festival in Aadi, Theertha Vizha in Thai, Panguni Uthiram, special poojas are conducted.
TEMPLE TIMINGS:
The temple will be kept open from 06.00 hrs to 12.30 hrs, and from 16.00 hrs to 21.00 hrs.
CONTACT Details :
The mobile number +91 4324 262010 may be contacted for further details.
Temple website: http://www.karurpasupatheeswarar.tnhrce.in/
HOW TO REACH
Autos are available from the Karur Bus
Stand.
The temple is 500 Meters from Karur Bus Stand, 2.2 km from
Karur Railway Station, 65.9 km from Erode, 80 km from Trichy, 140 km from
Coimbatore, and 400 km from Chennai.
Buses are available from the major
Cities of Tamil Nadu.
The nearest Railway
station is Karur, and the nearest Junction is
Trichy.
Rajagopuram stucco images view from east
View from Southside
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---OM
SHIVAYA NAMA---
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