Sri Veeratteswarar Temple / Arulmigu Veerateshwarar Temple / வீரட்டேஸ்வரர் கோவில், திருக்கோவிலூர், Thirukoilur / Thirukovilur, Kallakurichi District, Tamil Nadu.

This is the 43^rd Thevaram Paadal Petra Shiva Sthalam and the 11^th Sthalam in Nadu Naadu. During the 6^th to 7^th centuries, this place was called Thirukovalur, and the same was corrupted into the present name of Thirukoilure/Thirukovilur. The ancient name is Andhakapuram. Thirukoilure/Thirukovilur is on the banks of the Thenpennai River. This is one of the atta veeratta sthalam where Anthakasuran was killed by Lord Shiva.  This is also the birthplace of Meiporul Nayanar, one of the 63 Nayanmars.

As per Sekkizhar’s Periya Purana, Thirugnanasambandar, after worshiping Lord Shiva of Thiruvathigai and Thiruvamathur, reached this temple at Thirukoilure.

    கோவல் நீடிய வீரட்டம் அமர்ந்தவர் குரைகழல் பணிந்து ஏத்தி

    ஆவின் ஐந்து உகந்து ஆடுவார் அறையணி நல்லூரை அணைந்து ஏத்திப்

    பாஅலர்ந்த செந்தமிழ்கொடு பரவுவார் பரவுசீர் அடியார்கள்

    மேவும் அன்புறு மேன்மைஆம் தன்மையை விளங்கிட அருள் செய்தார்

Thirugnanasambandar and Appar have sung hymns in praise of Lord Shiva of this temple.

    படைகொள் கூற்றம் வந்துபெய்ப் பாசம்விட்ட போதின்கண்

    இடை கொள்வார் எமக்கிலை எழுகபோது நெஞ்சமே

    குடைகொள்வேந்தன் மூதாதை குழகன்கோவ லூர்தனுள்

    விடைதேறுங் கொடியினான் வீரட்டம் சேர்துமே

....திருஞானசம்பந்தர்

    செத்தையேன் சிதம்பன் நாயேன்

        செடியனேன் அழுக்குப்பாயும்

    பொத்தையே போற்றி நாளும்

        புகலிடம் அறிய மாட்டேன்

    எத்தைநான் பற்றி நிற்கேன்

        இருளற நோக்க மாட்டாக்

    கொத்தையேன் செய்வவ தென்னே

        கோவல் வீரட்டனீரே

.....  திருநாவுக்கரசு சுவாமிகள்

                                                    -“சொல்வண்ணம்

    நாவலர் போற்று நலம் பெறவே ஓங்குதிருக்

    கோவலூர் வீரட்டங் கொள் பரிசே”

.... திருவருட்பா

Moolavar  : Sri Veeratteswarar

Consort    : Sri Sivanthavalli, Sri Periyanayagi

Some of the features of this temple are...

The temple is on the south bank of the Pennai River. The temple faces west with a 3-tier (3 + Adi tala) Rajagopuram. Balipedam, Dwajasthambam, and Rishabam are immediately after the Rajagopuram. Shiva and Ambal Sannathis are built as separate temples with separate entrances. Dwarapalakas are at the entrance of the sanctum sanctorum. Moolavar is of swayambu and big in size, with Nagarabaranam. (It was told tried to take it out for maintenance, but couldn’t do so since the starting point of Linga banam is even 25 feet below the earth). In koshtam: Vinayagar, Dakshinamurthy, Lingothbavar, Brahma, and Ashtabhuja Durgai.  

In praharam, Somaskandar, Mahavishnu, Valli Devasena Arumuga Perumal, Gajalakshmi, Natarajar Sabha with Manickavasagar & Sivakami, Kabilar,  Bhairavar, Navagrahas, Surya Lingam, Viswanathar Visalakshi, Ekambareswarar, Pancha bhoota Lingas, Arthanareeswarar, Agasthiyar, Suryan, Thirugnanasambandar, Jadamuni, Ayyanar, Veerabhadra, Brahmi, Maheswari, Vaishnavi, Varahi, Vinayagar, and 63var.

In the utsavars procession, the deities are Anthakasura Samharamurthy, Narasinga Munaiyaraiyar, and Meiporul Nayanar.

Ambal temple faces west, as a separate temple with a 3-tier Rajagopuram. Vinayagar and Subramaniyar. Rishabam and Nandhi are in front.

Other features of this place, Thirukoilure/Thirukovilur, are one of the 108 Divya Desam of Thiruvikrama Perumal Temple, Srimath Naaniyar Swami Madalayam, Gugai Namasivayar Jeeva Samadhi, Kabilar Kundru (Kabilar, arranged marriage of Pari’s Daughters Angavai and Sangavai, but couldn’t do so. He requested Avvaiyar to help, sat facing North, and died after fasting. Avvaiyar was able to convince Deiveegan and Yenadhi Kannan, sons of Thirumudikari, to marry the girls. 

The 15th-century Arunagirinathar sang hymns in praise of Lord Shiva and Murugan of this temple, and sang hymns in praise of Lord Murugan.

    ஆவ ஆர்வன நான்மறை யாதி மூல பராவரி

            யாதி காணரி தாகிய                                    பரமேசா

        ஆதி யாரருள் மாமுரு கேச மால்மரு கேசுர

            னாதி தேவர்க ளியாவர்கள்                          பணிபாத

    கோவ தாமறை யோர்மறை யோது மோதம் விழாவொலி

            கோடி யாகம மாவொலி                               மிகவீறும்

        கோவை மாநகர் மேவிய வீர வேலயி லாயுத

            கோதை யானையி னோடம்                           பெருமாளே

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

The original temple was built during the 7^th Century by Nandhivarma Pallavan and later renovated/reconstructed and extended during Nandhivarman-III, Nirupathungavarman, Rashtrakuta Kings, Krishnan-III, Chozha Kings Parantaka Chozha, Rajarajan-I, Rajendra Chozha-I, and Rajarajan-III.

Since Rajarajan’s mother belonged to this place, it is believed  that Chozha King Rajaraja Chozhan was born here. Rajarajan’s period inscription records the endowment of burning perpetual lamps for which his Sister Kundavai has donated a Golden flower, 300 Saava moova peradukal/sheep, and 2000 kalanju gold to the sabha. 

As per the inscriptions, this place was called Thirukovalur, and Lord Shiva was called Thiruveeratanamudaya Nayanar.

Vikrama Chozha's 10th-year reign inscription records the endowment of 4 perpetual lamps for which 2400 kuli of land was gifted by Kiliyur Malayaman Nanootruvan Malaiyan, alias Rajendra Chozha Sethirayan, to Thivunnalikai sabha, Devankudi of a devathana village.

Rajaraja Chozha’s 2nd-year reign inscription records the endowment of worship and offering for which the gift of the land of 3150 kuli at Puratha field (Puratarukkal ), 850 kuli of land in the field Durgaiyar Vattam, 1500 kuli of land in Paruttikollaippadu, and 1500 kuli of reclaimed land totaling to 7000 kuli of land, by Mambakkilan of Devankudi.

Rajadhiraja-II’s 4th-year reign inscription records the endowment of 30 sandhi lamps to light up to arthajama puja,  for which a tax-free gift of 1 ½ veli land in Madivallan Tirunandavanambu Kiliyut Malaiyaman Periya Udaiyan Iraiyuran, alias Rajaraja Sethiyarayan of Perumpadikaval.

LEGENDS

Anthakasuran samhara sthalam. Natarajar's posture with thirisoolam is to be seen.  A relief of this story is carved on the wooden chariot. Meiporul Nayanar lived and did service at this temple. Avvaiyar has sung the famous “Vinayagar Agaval” which starts with “Seetha kalaba chenthamari poom patha Silambu pala Isai pada…”, in this temple. Hence, Avvaiyar reached Kailash before Sundarar through Vinayagar's trunk.

As per the Legend, this is the place where Lord Shiva destroyed Andhakasura. The legend goes like this. Ma Parvati closed the eyes of Lord Shiva. Since the lord’s eyes are believed to be the Sun and Moon, the universe became dark. The darkness took the form of Andhakasura. Andha means darkness or ignorance. Andhakasuran did penance to Lord Shiva and obtained the boon of non-death. This made him more powerful and started torturing the devas of the celestial worlds.  Unbearable torture, the Devas complained to Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva struck Andhakasuran with his soolam / trident and lifted him in the air (this is the only place where a Demon is lifted; in the other 7 occurrences, Lord Shiva destroyed them on the ground). Every blood drop that dripped on the earth grew another demon. This has become a big battle between Lord Shiva and the Demons. Ma Parvati collected blood in the bowl before it reached the ground. Somehow, blood dropped in straight vertical and horizontal lines, forming 64 squares. Again, 64 demons came out. Lord Shiva created 64 Bhairavas and killed them all.

In the meantime, the Demon’s Guru Sukrachariyar created more and more Asuras / Demons to fight against Lord Shiva. Seeing this, Lord Shiva swallowed Sukrachariyar. Sukrachariyar realized his mistake, pleaded to Lord Shiva to forgive him, and worshiped him. Pleased with his devotion, Lord Shiva gave the boon of rebirth in this universe and raised him to the status of one of the planets, Sukra.

Vinayagar Periyanai Ganapathy in the Southwest corner of the prakara is big in size, and there is a legend associated with Vinayagar. When Avvaiyar knew that Sundarar was going to Kailash, she also wanted to go there and do pooja hurriedly. Knowing her urgency, Vinayagar asked her to do the pooja slowly, and he would lift her to Kailash before Sundarar reached Kailash. So Avvayar has sung the hymns as ‘Seetha kalaba Senthamarai poo... “

Vinayagar lifting Avvaiyar to Kailash

It is believed that Vinayagar, Murugan, Rama, Parasurama, Krishnan, Indra, Yama, Adiseshan,  Goddess Kali, Saints Roma Rishi, Kannuva Rishi, Pathanjali, Vyakrapathar, Saptarishis, Kaman, and Vanasuran worshiped Lord Shiva of this Temple.

A Parikara Sthalam for Sukra to get rid of curses and sins from the previous birth. People also worship to remove marriage obstacles and Vastu problems in the construction of buildings or houses.

 

Sthala Purana - Lord Shiva killing Andhakasura

Sthala Purana - Lord Shiva killing Andhakasura  

POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS

Apart from regular poojas, special poojas are conducted on Pradosham, Maha Shivaratri, 10-day Masimaha peruvizha (on the 6^th day, Andhakasura samhara function will be conducted), Karthikai somavaram Sangabhishekam (conch–bath), Laksharchana on Sashti, Navaratri, Vasanthotsavam in Chitharai, etc.

TEMPLE TIMINGS

The Temple will be kept open from 06.00 hrs to 12.00 hrs, and from 16.00 hrs to 21.00 hrs.

CONTACT DETAILS :

Mobile numbers +91 93456 60711, 94862 80030, and landline numbers +91 4153 252220, 253532 may be contacted for further details.

HOW TO REACH :

The temple is about 1.2 km from Thirukovilur Bus Stand.

A lot of buses are available from Viluppuram, Thiruvannamalai, and Panruti.  

The temple is about 4 km from Arakandanallur, 37 km from Thiruvannamalai, 37 km from Villupuram, and 200 km from Chennai.

The nearest Railway Junction is Arakandanallur, and the nearest Railway Junction is Viluppuram.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE 

 

---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---