Sri Adhimooleswarar Temple / Sri Aadhimuleswara Temple / திரு ஆதிமூலேஸ்வரர் கோவில், திருப்பாற்றுறை / Tirupalathurai ( Tiruppaatrurai ), Tiruchirappalli District, Tamil Nadu.

This is the 113^th Thevara Paadal Petra Shiva Sthalam and 59^th  Sthalam on the banks of river Kollidam and north side of river Kaveri of Chozha Nadu. The place was mentioned in Thevaram and inscription as Thirupatrurai and is now called Tirupalathurai / Tiruppattrurai.

Periyapuranam Sekkizhar records that after worshiping Lord Shiva of Thiruvathurai ( Lalgudi ), Thirugnanasambandar came to this Temple. Thirugnanasambandar’s hymn on Thiruvathurai was not received.

கை தொழுது ஏத்திப் புறத்து அணைந்து காமர்பதி அதன் கண் சிலநாள்

வைகி வணங்கி மகிழ்ந்து அணைவார் மன்னும் தவத்துறை வானவர்தாள்

எய்தி இறைஞ்சி எழுந்து நின்றே இன்தமிழ் மாலை கொண்டு ஏத்திப் போந்து

வைதிக மாமணி அம்மருங்கு மற்று உள்ள தானம் வழுத்திச் செல்வார்

ஏறுஉயர்த்தார் திருப்பாற்றுறையும் எறும்பியூர் மாமலையே முதலா

வேறுபதிகள் பலவும் போற்றி விரவும் திருத்தொண்டர் வந்து சூழ

ஈறுஇல் புகழ்ச்சண்பையாளியார் தாம் எண்திசையோரும் தொழுது இறைஞ்ச

நீறுஅணி செம்பவளப் பொருப்பின் நெடுங்களமாநகர் சென்று சேர்ந்தார்

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

காரார் கொன்றை கலந்த முடியினர்

சீரார் சிந்தை செலச் செய்தார்

பாரார் நாளும் பரவிய பாற்றுறை

யாரார் ஆதி முதல்வரே

........ திருஞானசம்பந்தர்

                                                                                        ---ஏந்தறிவாம்

நூற்றுறையில் நின்றவர்கள் நோக்கி மகிழ்வெய்து திருப்

பாற்றுறையில் நின்ற பரஞ்சுடரே

......... திரு அருட்பா.

Moolavar  : Sri Adhimooleswarar, Sri Aathi Moolanathar.

Consort    : Sri Megambihai, Sri Moganayagi, Sri Nidhya Kalyani.

The following are important features of the temple.

The temple faces east with a three-tier Rajagopuram. Balipeedam and Rishabam are in front of the Rajagopuram. Vinayagar and Murugan are on both sides of the Rajagopuram. A Stucco image of Rishabarooder is at the front entrance of the sanctum. There is an entrance to the south side which is not used. In the sanctum, Moolavar is small and swayambhu. In Koshtam, Vinayagar, Dakshinamurthy, Sankaranarayanar Holding Mazhu, and Conch, Brahma and Durgai. Pichadanar, and Veena Dakshinamurthy in standing posture are also on the sanctum sanctorum wall. Artha mandapam is also called as Grand Court or  Deva Sabha.

Pichadanar

Veena Dakshinamurthy & Shankaranarayanar

In Prakaram Vinayagar, Subramaniyar, Bhairavar, Chandikeswarar and Venugopalan with Brahma Rukmani.

Ambal is in a separate temple like sannadhi and facing south. Ambal is in a standing posture with 4 hands. Devotees worshiped Ambal for child boons and to relieve them from marriage obstacles.

ARCHITECTURE

The temple consists of sanctum sanctorum, antarala, and artha mandapam. The Main sanctum is padabandha adhistanam with a Vesara vimana. Artha mandapam is called Deva Sabha and the pillars are very beautifully chiseled and worth seeing.

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

The 7^th Century Saint Thirugnanasambandar has sung hymns in praise of Lord Shiva of this temple and the presence of Pallava inscriptions, the original temple was built during the Pallava period before the 7^th Century. During the Chozha period, the temple was reconstructed with stone. As per the inscriptions, this place was called Kollida Thenkarai Nattu Brahmadeya Uthama Seeli Chaturvedi Mangalam Tiruppattrurai, and Lord Shiva was called Thirupattrurai Mahadevar, Thirupatrurai Mahadeva bhattrar.   

From the inscriptions of Parantaka-I and Vikrama Chozha, it was understood that there was a madam in the name of Thirunavukkarasu, that existed in this Village.  Kandraditya Chozha  period inscription records that an endowment was established for the Sacred Bath to Lord, by a lady Sendampunagi.

The Pallava King Nandhi Potharayar’s 22^nd reign Year inscription records the endowment of burning two perpetual lamps for which 60 Kalanju Gold was received by the Tiruppattrurai sabha and agreed to do it without discontinuing. ( This inscription refers to the Pallava King Nandi Varman-III, 825-850 CE )

Sundara Chozha’s 5^th reign ( 961 CE ) year inscription records the endowment of offerings, maintenance of servants, naivedyam for midday and burning of perpetual lamp by Balasiriyan Bhattan Sivan Koothan of Adhanur, for the same a land of 2 ma for offerings and araikani (1/8 ma ) for the Thirupalli Thamam ( People who are making the garland to Lord Shiva ), was gifted to the temple. 50 Ezha kasu was donated by the donor towards Taxes. The Sabhai assembled at Thiruvanaikaval Thirunavalurudayar temple praharam. 

Parantaka-I period inscription records the endowment of poojas by Koothan Bhattan of Adanur for which land was gifted, after purchase from Koravi Sri Narayana Bhattan of Utama Seeli Chaturvedi Mangalam.

Later Pallathur Adaikkappa Chettiar had done Thiruppani to this temple, as Arankavalar and  Maha Kumbhabhishekam was conducted on 11^th July 1956.  Thirupathigam / Thevara hymns inscription was fixed on the wall on 20^th March 1977.

Ref:

1. South Indian Inscriptions Volume - 8

2. South Indian Inscriptions Volume - 12

3. South Indian Inscriptions Volume - 13

4. South Indian inscriptions Volume - 19

5. South Indian Inscriptions Volume - 3 Part -III

6. South Indian Inscriptions Volume - 12, Pallavas

Inscriptions

LEGENDS

When Markandeya Maharishi visited this temple he had nothing to offer. To his true prayers, milk was flowing from the head of Shiva Linga, hence this place was called Tiruppattrurai. ( Thiru + Paal ( Milk ) + Thurai)

It was believed that Surya / Sun Worshiped Lord Shiva of this temple. Sunrays fall on moolavar in the months of Aippasi ( Oct – Nov ) and Panguni ( March – April ) during Uttarayana and dakshinayana.

POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS

Apart from regular poojas, special poojas are conducted on Maha Shivaratri in the month Masi (Feb – March ), Thiruvathirai in the month Margazhi ( Nov- December ) and Thirukarthigai in the month Karthigai ( November – December )

TEMPLE TIMINGS

The temple will be kept open between 07.00 hrs to 12.00 hrs and 16.00 hrs to 19.00 hrs.

CONTACT DETAILS : 

The landline number is +91 431 246 0455 for further details.

HOW TO REACH : 

Town Buses 2,  26  from Trichy Bus stand to Kallanai pass through the Village Panayapuram (From Panayapuram one has to take a bullock cart path on the Kollidam River bank, to reach the Village. The total distance from Panayapuram to the temple is 3 km.  

The temple is 3 km from Panayapuram one of the Paadal Petra sthalam, 12.5 km from Lalgudi, 14 km from Thirumandurai, 11 km from Thiruvanaikoil, 16 km from Tiruchirappalli, 65 km from Thanjavur and 328 km from Chennai.

Nearest Railway Station is Tiruchirappalli.  

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---