Sri Valampuranathar Temple / Sri Valampura Nathaswamy Temple, வலம்புரநாதர் கோயில், திருவலம்புரம், Thiruvalam Puram / Melaperumpallam, Mayiladuthurai District, Tamil Nadu.

This is the 161^st Thevara paadal Petra Shiva Sthalam and 44^th Sthalam on the south side of river Cauvery in Chozha Nadu. This place was called as Thiruvalam puram during 6^th to 7^th Century and now called as Melaperumpallam, since this place served as a moat ( Pallam ) for Poompuhar. Also this place is on the right side ( valam ), so called as Valampuram. It is believed that this is one of the 70 mada temples built by Ko Chengat Chozha.

   

In Periyapuranam Sekkizhar records that Thirugnanasambandar came to this temple after worshiping Lord Shiva of Thirunanipalli. It is believed that Thirunavukkarasu Swamigal came to this temple along with Thirugnanasambandar. Lord Shiva himself called Appar to this temple and gave darshan. Sekkizhar didn’t mentioned this temple in particular in Thirunavukkarasu Swamigal puranam.   

கறைஅணி கண்டர் கோயில் காதலால் பணிந்து பாடி

மறையவர் போற்ற வந்து திருவலம் புரத்து மன்னும்

இறைவரைத் தொழுது பாடும் கொடியுடை ஏத்திப் போந்து

நிறைபுனல் திருச்சாய்காடு தொழுதற்கு நினைந்து செல்வார்

-----திருஞானசம்பந்தர் புராணம்

Thirugnanasambandar, Thirunavukkarasu Swamigal, Sundarar and Vallalar has sung hymns in praise of Lord Shiva of this temple.

கொடியுடை மும்மதில் ஊடுருவக் குனிவெஞ்சிலை தாங்கி

இடிபட எய்த அமரர் பிரான் அடியார் இசைந்து ஏத்தத்

துடிஇடை யாளையொர் பாகமாகத் துதைந்தார் இடம் போலும்

வடிவுடை மேதி வயல்படியும் வலம்புர நன்னகரானே

.... திருஞானசம்பந்தர்

தெண்டிரை தேங்கி யோதம் சென்றடி வீழுங் காலைத்

தொண்டிரைத் தண்டர்கோனைத் தொழுதடி வணங்கி யெங்கும்

வண்டுகள் மதுக்கண் மாந்தும் வலம்புரத்து அடிகள் தம்மைக்

கொண்டுநற் கீதம் பாடக் குழகர்தாம் இருந்த வாறே

....... திருநாவுக்கரசு சுவாமிகள்

எனக்கினித் தினைத்தனைப் புகலிடம் அறிந்தேன்

பனைக்கனி பழம்படும் பரவையின் கரைமேல்

எனக்கினி அவன்தமர்க்(கு) இனியவன் எழுமையும்

மனக்கினி அவன்தன(து) இடம்வலம் புரமே

....... சுந்தரர்

                                                                    -“எள்ளுறுநோய்

ஏயவலம் புரத்தை எண்ணாமல் எண்ணுகின்றோர்

மேயவலம் புரத்து மேதகவே

....... திரு அருட்பா

Moolavar  : Sri Valampuranathar.

Consort    : Sri Vaduvarkkanni.

Some of the salient features of this temple are as follows.

The temple is facing east, built in mada style. The temple tank is in front of the temple with a Vinayagar temple on its banks. Eranda Maharishi is next to Vinayagar shrine. The Rishabam and balipeedam are in front of sanctum sanctorum. The stucco images of Lord Shiva and Parvati as Rishabaroodar, Vinayagar and Murugan are on the top of the Sanctum sanctorum entrance. Moolavar is of Swayambhu a Prithvi Lingam. There is a shallow on the top. Sambrani and Punugu sattam is applied.

In prakaram Suriyan, Vinayagar, Nalvar, Viswanathar, Murugan, Ramanathar, Gajalakshmi. Image of Pichadanar called as Vattanai Nayagar looks beautiful.

ARCHITECTURE

This is one of the Mada Koil - The temple Consists of Sanctum Sanctorum, antarala and artha mandapam. The sanctum sanctorum is on a pada bandha adhistanam with three patta kumudam. The bhitti starts with Vedigai. Vishnukantha pilasters are with kalasam, kudam, mandi, palagai, and Vettu pothyal. The prastaram consists of Valapi, and kapotam. a two tier stucco vesara Vimanam is on the sanctum sanctorum.  

 

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

Since Thirugnanasambandar has sung hymns in praise of Lord Shiva of this temple, the original Mada Temple might have existed before 7^th Century. It is believed that the original Mada style temple was built by Ko Chengat Chozha and latter re-built as stone temple by Chozhas and further extended during Vijayanagara period.

The inscription recorded from this temple belongs to Vikrama Chozha, Rajathirajan-II, Kulothunga Chozha-III. As per the inscriptions this place was called as Rajarajavalanattu Akkurnattu Thalachangattu Thiruvalampuram ( Vikrama Chozha ), Jayangkonda Chozha valanattu, Akkurnattu Thalachangattu Thiuvalampuram ( Kulothunga Chozha ). Lord Shiva was called as Thiruvalampuri Udayar and Ambal was called as Thadangan Nachiyar.

Vikrama Chozha’s 6^th reign year inscription records that idols of Koothadu Thevar ( Natarajar ) and his pirattiyar ( Sivakami ), Palliyarai Pirattiyar, are established and 2.25 veli land was gifted for worship by Kulothunga Chozhavalanattu Vilanattu, Alangudi Velan Kandaradithan.

 

Thiruvalampuram Village Sabha assembled at Mummudi Chozhan Perambalam, had done service to this temple.  Rajathirajan period inscription records that Jayangonda Chozha mandalathu melmalai Pazhayanurar gifted some of the idols for this temple. 

The inscriptions also throws some light on sale of people to the temple. In one of the inscription, it  records that Rajathirajavalanattu Nangoor SripathuLi Chathurvedi managalam Thattan Soman sold 6 peoples for 13 Kasu. Another inscription Thalachangadu Thiruvalampuri udayan Kaliyan’s son Thambiran Thozhan sold 8 people to this temple.

Rjathirathirajan-II’s inscription (கல்வெட்டு இதழ் 6 – Thanks to Anbu ) records Pichadanar as “வட்டணை படநடந்த நாயகர்”. The same is mentioned in the hymns sung by Thirunavukkarasu Swamigal. The sculptor had made the idol as mentioned in the hymns. The hymns is as follows..

"கறுத்ததொரு கண்டத்தார் காலன் வீழக்

    காவினாற் காய்ந்துகந்த காபாலியார்

முறித்ததொரு தோலுடுத்து முண்டஞ் சாத்தி

    முனிகணங்கள் புடைசூழ முற்றத் தோறுந்

தெறித்ததொரு வீணையராய்ச் செல்வார் தம்வாய்ச்

    சிறுமுறுவல் வந்தெனது சிந்தை வௌவ

மறித்தொருகால் நோக்காதே மாயம் பேசி

    வலம்புரமே புக்கங்கே மன்னி னாரே.

பட்டுடுத்துப் பவளம்போல் மேனி யெல்லாம்

    பசுஞ்சாத்தங் கொண்டணிந்து பாதம் நோவ

இட்டெடுத்து நடமாடி யிங்கே வந்தார்க்

    கெவ்வூரீர் எம்பெருமா னென்றே னாவி

விட்டிடுமா றதுசெய்து விரைந்து நோக்கி

    வேறோர் பதிபுகப் போவார் போல

வட்டணைகள் படநடந்து மாயம் பேசி

    வலம்புரமே புக்கங்கே மன்னி னாரே."

Maha kumbhabhishekam was conducted on 18^th June 1966 after renovations / thirupani.

LEGENDS

Thirumal got the Valampuri sangu ( conch ) after worshiping lord Shiva of this temple.

This legend is also associated with Erandamuni of Kottaiyur and Thiruvalanchuzhi, who entered in to river Cauvery at Thiruvalanchuzhi and came out at this place. This legend connected with Thiruvalanchuzhi goes like this, As per the sthala purana, when Adhiseshan came out from patala loka, the Kaveri river went to patala loka through the hole in which Adhiseshan came out. The Chozha king was very much worried and prayed to Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva in the form of divine voice/asariri, told that either King or a Maharishi go in to the hole and give their live, the Kaveri will flow in the usual route. The Chozha King Harithuvajan went Kottaiyur, where the sage Eranda Maharishi was doing a penance under a erandam plant. The King told the problem and seek his advice. The Eranda Maharishi went to Thiruvalanchuzhi and went inside the hole. The Kaveri river came out and flowed in it’s original direction.  The Eranda muni came out to this place, Thiruvalampuram. There is a temple for Eranda Munivar ( Jeeva Samadhi ) in front of the main temple..

As per the legend Maha Vishnu did a penance on Lord Shiva, after leaving Mahalakshmi to assist ma Parvati. Satisfied with the penance Lord Shiva blessed Maha Vishnu and gave him the Chakkra and Gatha. Ma Parvati also gave Maha Vishnu the Conch / sangu and Padmam. 

  

Eranda munivar Jeeva samadhi

POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS

Apart from regular Poojas special poojas are conducted on Vinayagar Chathurthi in the month Avani ( Aug – Sept ), Skanda sashti and Annabishekam in the month Aippasi ( Oct – Nov ), Thirukarthigai in the month Karthigai ( Nov – Dec ), Thiruvathirai in the month Margazhi ( Dec – Jan ), Maha Shivaratri in the month Masi ( Feb – March), Panguni Uthiram in the month Panguni ( Arch – April ), Pichadanar festival in the month Thai ( Jan – Feb ), Pattinathar festival and every month pradosham day.

TEMPLE TIMINGS

The temple will be kept opened between 08.00 hrs to 12.00 hrs and 18.00 hrs to 20.30 hrs.

CONTACT DETAILS 

Temple office land line numbers +91 4363 200 890 and +91 4364 200 865  and the mobile numbers of  P Gnanaskanda gurukkal  +91 81108 05059 or Pattu Gurukkal +91 94428 60605  or Radhakrishna Gurukkal +919787709754 may be contacted for further details.

HOW TO REACH 

The temple is near to Kadaimudi on the bus route Mayiladuthurai to Poompuhar.

Near Melayur on the bus route Sirkazhi to Poompuhar.

The temple is 3.6 KM from Thalachangadu, 6.6 KM from Akkur, 12 KM from Sembanarkoil, 17.5 KM from Sirkazhi, 21 KM from Mayiladuthurai, 57 KM from Kumbakonam and 255 KM from Chennai.

Nearest Railway station is Sirkazhi.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE : CLICK HERE

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---