Koneswarar Temple / Koneswara Swami Temple / கோணேசுவரர் கோயில், குடவாசல் / Kodavasal, Thiruvarur District, Tamil Nadu.

This is the 211^th Thevaram Paadal Petra Shiva Sthalam and the 94^th Sthalam on the south side of river Kaveri of Chozha Nadu. Now the place is called Kudavasal. This place was called Kathali Vanam and Vanmikachalam during ancient times. 

In Periyapuranam, Sekkizhar records that Thirugnanasambandar came to this temple after worshiping Lord Shiva of Thirucherai.

பாடும் அரதைப் பெரும் பாழியே முதல் ஆகச்

சேடர் பயில் திருச்சேறை திருநாலூர் குடவாயில்

நாடியசீர் நறையூர்தென் திருப்புத்தூர் நயந்து இறைஞ்சி

நீட்தமிழ்த்தொடை புனைந்து. அந் நெடுநகரில் இனிது அமர்ந்தார்

Thirugnanasambandar and Vallalar have sung hymns in praise of Lord Shiva of this temple. Thirugnanasambandar mentions this temple as “Perungoil”     

திகழுந்திரு மாலொடு நான்முகனும்

புகழும்பெரு மானடி யார்புகல

மகிழும்பெரு மான்குட வாயின்மன்னி

நிகழும்பெருங் கோயில் நிலாயவனே

........ திருஞானசம்பந்தர்

                                                -"நிலைகொள்

தடவாயில் வெண்மணிகள் சங்கங்கள் ஈனும்

குடவாயில் அன்பர் குறிப்பே"

...... திரு அருட்பா

கோணேசர் துதி

சீர்கொண்ட வெளிமுகடு கடந்தண்டத் தப்பலாய்ச் சித்தாந்தத்தின்

வேர்கொண்ட பேரொளியாய்ச் சின்ம்யமா யகண்டமாய் விமலமாகிப்

பேர்கொண்ட நாதமாய் விந்துவா யைந் தொழிலும் பிறங்கச் செய்து

பார்கொண்ட குடவாயி லமர்ந்த கோணேசர் பதம் பணிந்து வாழ்வோம்

........ தலபுராணம்

பெரியநாயகி துதி

பரையாகி இச்சா ஞானங் கிரியை அதிகாரப் பான்மையெய்திப்

புரைதீர்ந்து விந்து மோகினி யொடுமா னனைத்துலகும் பொருந்தச் சார்ந்து

கரை தீர்க்குஞ் சமய வித சத்தியமாய்க் காணமுக்கட் கடவுளாகித்

தரைமேவும் குடவாயில் வரும் பெரிய நாயகிதாடலைமேற் கொள்வாம்

....... தலபுரானம்

Moolavar  : Sri Koneswarar

Consort    : Sri Periyanayagi.

Some of the salient features of this temple are…

The temple faces west with an entrance arch and the temple tank in front.  Stucco images of Pancha murtis, Lord Shiva, Ma Parvati, Murugan, Vinayagar, and Saraswati are on the top of the arch. Dwajasthambam, Kodimarathu Vinayagar, and Balipeedam are immediately after the entrance arch. The Moolavar is a little big with marks/scars of  Garuda. In koshtam, Vinayagar, Dakshinamurthy, Maha Vishnu and Brahma. There is a Separate sannathi for Chandikeswarar.

In praharam Idumban, Dhandayuthapani, Saraswati, Gajalakshmi, Kudavayil Kumaran, Navagrahas, Bhairavar, Saneeswaran and Saptamatrikas.Chandikeswarar is in a separate temple like sannathi and Natarajar Sabha. Kasi Viswanathar is in red color and Ekapada Trimurthy with one leg, Brahma and Vishnu are on both sides.

Ambal sannathi is facing west on the left side immediately after the entrance arch in the lower level.  Ambal is with 4 hands, in abhaya and varada hasta. Since Amabl is worshiped as Biruga Durgai, there is a separate sannathi for Durgai.  

The 15th-century saint Arunagirinathar has sung hymns in praise of Lord Muruga of this temple.

அயிலார் மைக்கடு விழியார் மட்டைக ளயலார் நத்திடு                 விலைமாதர்

        அணைமீதிற் றுயில் பொழுதே தெட்க ளவரேவற் செய்து     தமியேனும்

மயலாகித்திரி வதுதானற்றிடமலமாயைக் குண                              மதுமாற

        மறையால் மிக்கருள் பெறவே யற்புத மதுமாலைப் பத         மருள்வாயே

கயிலாயப் பதியுடையாருக் கொரு பொருளே கட்டளை                யிடுவோனே

        கடலோடிப்புகு முதுசூர் பொட்டெழ கதிர்வேல் விட்டிடு        திறலோனே

குயிலாலித்திடு பொழிலே சுற்றிய குடவாயிற் பதி                          உறைவோனே

        குறமாதைப் புணர் சதுராவித்தக குறையா மெய்த் தவர்        பெருமாளே

ARCHITECTURE

This is one of the mada Koil believed to be built by Ko-cheat-Chozhan. There are  24 steps to reach the sanctum. The sanctum sanctorum consists of sanctum, antarala, and ardha mandapam. Moolavar vimana is of Vesara style with Stucco images. 

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

Since Thirugnanasambandar has sung in praise of Lord Shiva of this temple, The original temple might have existed before the 7^th Century.  This is a mada style of Temple, believed to have been built by Ko Chengat Chozha. Thirugnanasambandar mentions temple as “Perunthirukkoil”.

As per the Sangam Literature “Puranananooru”, The Chozha King Ko Chengat Chozha captured the Chera king  “Kanaikal Irumborai”, and kept him in a prison of this “Kudavayir Kottam”. Also from the same literature, it was understood that a treasury was functioning in this place.

There are about 10 inscriptions, excluding some fragment inscriptions recorded from this temple. As per Kulothunga Chozha-III’s period, the inscription Lord Shiva was called “Kudavayil Udayar”, Ambal was called “Periya Nachiyar” and Temple was mentioned as ”Perunthirukkoil”.

The 10^th to 11th-century inscription on the base of Natarajar, with a devotee’s image with anjali hastham at the center of the inscription. Natarajar is believed to belong to the Rajaraja Chozha-I period and this was gifted by a person called  “Kalakkadudayar “Maalai Thazhmarban” of Kalakkadu which is about 8 KM  from this place.

Kulothunga Chozha-III's, 15^th reign year inscription records the endowment of donation of gold 8.75 maripon 10 kalanju for making Jewellery to Perunthirukoyiludayar and Periyanachiyar by Kutralamudayan Thiruchitrambalamudayar alias Kaaranai Vizhupparaiyan.

A Vijayanagara King Achuthadeva Maharaya's 16^th Century inscription records the gift of lands for the benefit of their father and mother by Sevvappanayakar and Vaiyappa Nayakar, and to meet the expenses for the Thiruvabarana thirunal to Periya Nachi Amman. Also, they had given a gift of land for creating Nandavanam to raise flowers like Shenbagam.  

The fragment incomplete inscriptions mention words like donation of Lands, Taxes, Palli, Amanan Palli ( Jain temple ), Paddy, Kasu ( donations ), Irayili, Pidarar, Palli chantham, Aman Palli, etc. From these inscriptions, There may be a Jain temple existed in this area near Kudavayil during the 12^th to 13^th Century, and donations given to the Jain temple are recorded in this temple. Also, the Chozha inscription, years are followed like Pandya style years, like ethiramandu. 

After maintenance and renovations, Maha Kumbhabhishekam was conducted on 27^th June 1985, under Sri Kanchi  Kamakoti Peetadhipathi Sri Sankaracharya Sri Jayendra Saraswathi Swamigal’s Golden Jubilee celebrations.

LEGENDS

Birugu Muni, Thiruna bindu muni worshiped lord of this temple.

The Banana tree is the sthala vruksham of this temple. Lord Shiva was called “Suriyeswarar”, since Suriyan worshiped Lord Shiva of this temple and “Thalappiyeswarar”, since Thalappiya Munivar and “Biruganathar”, since  Birugu Munivar worshiped. Thalappiya Munivar did penance under the sthala Vruksha Manthara Tree. The Thiruna Bindu muni worshiped and Lord Shiva gave darshan. The Muni also got cured of the disease.    

The place obtained the name Kudavayil since this is one of the Mada temples facing west with an entrance -Vayil. Hence called “Kudavayil”.

As per the legend, during pralaya Brahma, the creator of this world asked Lord Shiva, how to create this universe after the pralayam. Lord Shiva instructed Brahma to put the seeds of the Living things with Amirtha in a pot to cover it with cloth and garland it. Lord Shiva also asked Brahma and keep it on the Kailash. Lord Shiva in the form of Shiva Linga, sat on the mouth of the pot and saved the Living things with Amrita. During pralaya, the pot floated and landed at Kumbakonam where Lord Shiva in the form of Kirathamoorthy shot with an arrow. The place where Amirtha drop fell has become the Amirtha Sthala and the place where the drop of Amrita fell in the theertha tank has become “Amirtha theertha”. Since  Lord Shiva saved the living things before pralaya, sitting on the pot – Ko  - Nesar ( கோ + நேசர் )-  Lord Shiva is praised as “Konesar”.

As per Sthala Purana, Lord Shiva in the form of Shiva Linga sat on the mouth of the pot- Amritha Kalasa, for a long period, and an anthill was formed. The Garuda with its beak broke open and the Living things with amrita came out. Hence Lord Shiva is called “Vanmikachalesar” and “Garudathri”. Garuda then built a temple and worshiped Lord Shiva.

As per the legend, When Lord Shiva started the creation of this universe, the pot had broken into three pieces. The place where the bottom portion fell was called “Kudmookku” – Kumbakonam also called Adhikumbesam. The place where the middle portion fell down was called “Kalayanallur” and the Top portion with the mouth fell was called “Kudavayil”.

POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS

Apart from regular poojas, special poojas are conducted on Vaikasi Visakam in the month Vaikasi ( May – June ),  Vinayagar Chathurthi in the month Avani ( Aug – Sept ), Skanda Sashti in the month Aippasi ( Oct – Nov ), Thirukarthigai in the month Karthigai ( Nov – Dec ), Thaipoosam in the month Thai ( Jan – Feb ), Masi Maham and Maha Shivaratri in the month Masi ( Feb – March ) and monthly pradosams, especially on “Shani Pradosham”.

TEMPLE TIMINGS

The temple will be kept open between 07.00 hrs to 12.00 hrs and 17.00 hrs to 20.00 hrs.

CONTACT DETAILS

The mobile number of the priest  +91 94439 59839, may be contacted for further details.

HOW TO REACH 

The temple is in Kudavayil / Kodavasal city, about 500 meters from the stand. Kudavasal is almost halfway between Thiruvarur to Kumbakonam.

The temple at Kudavayil / Kodavasal is 13.1 KM from Thalaiyalangadu, 21 KM from Thiruvarur, 19 KM from Kumbakonam,  46 KM from Mayiladuthurai and 313 KM from Chennai.

Nearest Railway Station is Thiruvarur and Kumbakonam are almost equal distance.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---