This is
the 51st Thevaram Paadal
Petra Shiva Sthalam and the 19th Shiva sthalam of Nadu Naadu, on the banks of the Malatar River. During the Thevara period, this place was called Thirumundeescharam. Now, the temple alone is called Thirumundeeswararm, and the place is
called Gramam.
As per
Sekkizhar, after Thirunavukkarasu Swamigal left Samanam (Jainism), he became an ardent
devotee of Lord Shiva and started his pilgrimage from Thiruvathigai. Sekkizhar
mentions that Thirunavukkarasu Swamigal visited Thiruvennai Nallur, Thiruvamathur, and Thirukovilur, then went to Pennadam. Even though Sekkizhar wasn’t mentioned
directly, the name of Thirumundeeswarar is mentioned as in other temples also. Since
the hymn on Lord Shiva of Thirumundeeswaram is available, we have to presume
that he visited this temple also
திருஅதிகைப் பதிமருங்கு திருவெண்ணை நல்லூரும் அருளுதிரு ஆமாத்தூர் திருகோவலூர் முதலா மருவு திருப்பதி பிறவும் வணங்கி வளத்தமிழ்பாடிப் பெருகுவிருப்புடன் விடையார் மகிழ் பெண்ணாகடம் அணைந்தார்
Appar and
Vallalar have sung hymns in praise of Lord Shiva of this temple.
அறுத்தவன்காண் அடியவர்கள் அல்ல லெல்லாம் அரும்பொருளாய் நின்றவன்காண் அனங்கனாகம் மறுத்தவன்காண் மலைதன்னை மதியா தேடி மலைமகள்தன் மனம்நடுங்க வானோ ரஞ்சக் கறுத்தவனாய்க் கயிலாய மெடுத்தோன் கையுங் கதிர்முடியுங் கண்ணும் பிதுங்கி யோடச் செறுத்தவன்காண் திருமுண்டீச் சரத்து மேய சிவலோகன் காண் அவனென் சிந்தை யானே.... திருநாவுக்கரசு சுவாமிகள் -“சீர்பொலியப் பண்டீச் சுரனிப் பதியே விழைந்த தெனும் முண்டீச் சுரத்தின் முழுமுதலே... திரு அருட்பாMoolavar : Sri Sivalokanathar, Sri Mudeeswarar, Sri
Mundeesar.Consort : Sri Soundarya Nayagi, Sri Kannaar
Kuzhalali,
Sri Selvanayagi.
Some of
the important features of this temple are...The temple faces east with a 5-tier Rajagopuram, which was built after 2000. There are
no stucco images in the Rajagopuram. Balipedam, Dwajasthambam, and Rishabam are after the Rajagopuram. The sanctum
sanctorum entrance arch has stucco images of Lord Shiva and Parvati as
Rishabaroodar, Vinayagar, Valli Devasena Subramaniyar, and Ambal. Moolavar is Swayambu, Dwarapalakas Thindi, and
Mundi are at the entrance of the Sanctum. In koshtam Vinayagar, Dakshinamurthy (the kallala tree is missing & sitting on Rishaba vahana), Lingothbavar, Brahma, and Durgai.
In the outer
praharam, Sri Vinayagar and Sri Murugan. Somaskandar, Natarajar, Navagrahas,
Bhairavar, Ayyanar, Nalvar, Saptamatrikas, Suryan, Pancha bootha Lingas, and
Chandikeswarar are also in the prakaram.
Ambal
Soundara Nayagi is in a separate temple with ardha mandapam, maha mandapam, and mukha mandapam. A two-tier vimana is over the adhistanam. There are no koshta murtis. People worship Ambal to excel in Dance and
Music.
ARCHITECTUREThe temple consists of the sanctum sanctorum, antarala, ardha mandapam, and maha mandapam. The sanctum sanctorum is on a pada bandha adhistanam with jagathy, three patta kumuda, and pattikai. The bhitti starts with vedikai. The pilasters are of Brahmakantha pilasters with kalasam, kudam, palakai, and vettupothyal. The prastaram consists of valapi with bhuta ganas, kapotam, and viyyalavari. A plain tala and sigaram with greevam is on the bhumi desam. The sigaram is of the vesara style. The vimanam from adhistanam to prastaram was constructed with stone.
HISTORY & INSCRIPTIONSThe
original temple existed before the 7th Century and may have been built during the Pallava Period. The temple was reconstructed with stone by the Chozhas and renovated
during the Vijayanagaras. As per the inscription, this place was called “Mouli
Gramam” and is now called Gramam, leaving Mouli. As per the Madurai
Koparakesari Varman’s 24th-year reign inscriptions, this place was
under Mudiyur Nattu Mudiyur. (Please
note that there is a connection with the Salem Sukavaneswarar temple
inscription of Madurai Koprakesari Varman). Sundara Pandyan’s inscription
mentions Mudiyur Nattu Gramam. Lord Shiva was called “Pokkanam Kodutha
Nayanar”, Atruthali Peruman, AtruthaLi Mahadevar (Since this place is on the
banks of the Malatar river), etc.
The recorded inscriptions belong to Chozha Kings
Prantaka-I, Aditha Karikalan-II, Rajendran-I, Kulothunga Chozha-I, Pandya Kings
Konerimai Kondan Sundara Pandyan, Veera Pandyan, Rashtrakooda King Kannara
Devan, Vijayanagara Kings Viruppanna Udayar periods.
The
temple was reconstructed with stone in 943 CE (Parantaka-I period) by Kerala King Vellangkumaran (to be verified).
As per
the inscription, Lord Shiva gave Pokkanam (Holy ash bag) to a Pandya King, hence
called “Pokkanam Kodutha Nayanar” and
also mentioned as Atruthali Peruman, AtruthaLi Mahadevar.
After the Rajagopuram, Dwajasthambam installation, the temple was consecrated (Maha
Kumbhabhishekam) on 10th Sep 2006.
LEGENDSLord Brahma,
Indra, Thindi, and Mundi (Lord Shiva’s bootha ganas) worshiped Lord
Shiva of this temple.
In the Dwapara yuga, a King called Chokkalingam happened to see a rare lotus flower in
a pond. He asked his people to pluck and bring it. When they went nearer, the
Lotus flower moved away. So the King shoots the flower with an arrow. When the
arrow hits the flower, blood oozes out, and the pond becomes red. The king
was shocked and happened to see a Shiva Linga inside the flower. He built a
temple and installed the Shiva Linga. The scar can be seen even now on the
moolavar. Lord Shiva was called “Mudeeswarar” and is now called with the prefixing
of Thiru in front as Thirumundeeswaram.
POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONSApart
from Regular Poojas, special poojas are conducted on Maha Shivaratri,
Pradosham, Appar Vizha in Chithirai (April-May), Ani Thirumanjanam (June-July), Vinayagar Chaturthi (August-Sep), Navaratri in Puratasi (Sep-October), Kandar Sashati in Aipasi (Oct-Nov), Thiruvathirai in Markazhi (Dec-Jan), Makara Sankranti in Thai Month (Jan-Feb), and Panguni Uthiram
in Panguni (March–April).
TEMPLE TIMINGSThe
temple will be kept open from 06.00 hrs to 10.00 hrs, and from 18.00 hrs to
20.00 hrs
CONTACT DETAILS : The landline telephone number is + 91 4146 206 700. Kannan Gurukkal may be contacted
for further details.
HOW TO REACH :
LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE
Old Dakshinamurthy---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---
அரும்பொருளாய் நின்றவன்காண் அனங்கனாகம்
HOW TO REACH :
Old Dakshinamurthy
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