Sri Kozhundeeswarar Temple / Akraparameswarar Temple / கொழுந்தீஸ்வரர் கோயில், கோட்டூர் / Kottur / Mela Kottur, Thiruvarur District, Tamil Nadu.

This is the 228^th Thevaram Paadal Petra Shiva sthalam and the 111^th Sthalam on the south side of river Kaveri in Chozha Nadu. This place was called Kottur during Thevaram times and same was divided into Mela Kottur and Keezh Kottur during the Kauruvurthevar period and he sang of Keezh Kottur temple ( Maniambalam ). But Melakottur is the Paadal Petra sthalam.

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

நம்பர்மகிழ் திருஆரூர் வணங்கிப் போந்து

        நலம்கொள் திருக்காறாயில் நண்ணி ஏத்திப்

பைம்புனல்மென் பணைத்தேவூர் அணைந்து போற்றிப்

        பரமர் திருநெல்லிக்காப் பணிந்து பாடி

உம்பர்பிரான் கைச்சினமும் பரவித் தெங்கூர்

        ஓங்கு புகழ்த் திருக்கொள்ளிக் காடும் போற்றிச்

செம்பொன்மதில் கோட்டூரும் வணங்கி ஏத்தித்

        திருமலி வெண்துறை தொழுவான் சென்று சேர்ந்தார்

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

நீல மார்தரு கண்டனே நெற்றியோர் கண்னனே ஒற்றைவிடைச்

சூல மார்தரு கையனே துன்றுபைம் பொழில்கள் சூழ்ந்து அழகாய

கோல மாமலர் மணங்கமழ் கோட்டூர்நற் கொழுந்தே யென்று எழுவார்கள்

சால நீள்தலம் அதனிடைப் பகழ்மிகத் தாங்குவார் பாங்காவே

........ திருஞானசம்பந்தர்.

நிலவு செல்வத்தராகி நீள் நிலத்திடை

நீடு புகழ் வாழ்வார் கோட்டூர் நற்

கொழுந்தே யென யெழுவார்களே

.....கருவூர்த்தேவர்

தலரொளி மணிப்பூம் பதஞ் சிலம் பலம்பச்’ சடைவிரித் தலையெறி கங்கைத்

தெளிரொளி மணிநீர்த் திவலை முத்தரும்பித் திருமுக மலர்ந்து சொட்டடக்

கிளரொளி மணி வண்டறை பொழிற் பழனங் கெழுவு கம்பலை செய்கீழ்க் கோட்டூர்

வளரொளி மணியம் பலத்துள் நின்றாடும் மைந்தனென் மனங் கலந்தானே

.... திருவிசைப்பா – கருவூர்த்தேவர்

                                                                    -“கொண்டலென

மன்கோட்டூர் சோலை வளர் கோட்டூர் தண்பழனத்

தென்கோட்டூர் தேவ சிகாமணியே”

........ திரு அருட்பா

Moolavar  : Sri Kozhundeeswarar, Sri Sameevaneswarar

Consort    : Sri Mathupaashini, Sri Thenar Mozhiyal,

                 Sri Thenambal.

Some of the salient features of this temple are…..

The temple faces west with an entrance arch. The inner gopuram is of 3-tiers with a mandapam in front of the sanctum sanctorum. In between the two,  Dwajasthambam, balipeedam, and Rishabam. Nandhavanam is on the left. A mandapam was built around the sanctum.  In Koshtam, Narthana Ganapathy, Dakshinamurthy, Lingothbavar, Brahma and Durgai.

In Prakaram Chandran, Maha Vishnu with his Consorts, Nalvar, Subramaniar, Akora Veerabhadra, Arambai in penance ( Standing on one leg ), Uma Maheswarar, Arthanareeswarar, Meenakshi Sundareswarar, Vallabha Ganapati, Gajalakshmi, Suriyan and Chandikeswarar.

Pradosha Moorthy is also the Moola Murthy is special in this temple. In Sabha Natarajar, Sivakami, Manickavasagar (These images are found in a village Mayilaerupuram during plowing). Another set of Natarajar, Sivakami, and Manickavasagar are kept outside of the Sabha.

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

Since Thirugnanasambandar has sung hymns in praise of Lord Shiva of this temple, the original temple might have existed before the 7^th Century and the same was reconstructed as a stone temple during the Chozha period and later extended by Vijayanagara and maintained by Nattukottai Nagarathars.

In Sabha Natarajar, Sivakami, Manickavasagar (These images are found in a village “Mayilerupuram” during plowing).

The Inscriptions recorded from this temple belong to Chozha Kings Rajarajan-I, Kulothunga Chozha-I, Rajathirajan-II, Kulothunga Chozha-III, Rajaraja Chozha-III,  a Thanjavur Maratha kings and Thanjavur Nayaks Raghunatha Nayaks.

As per the inscriptions, Lord Shiva was called Kozhundthandar, Moolasthanam Udayar, Kozhundeeswarara Swamy, and the Place was called Arumozhitheva Valanattu Nenmalinattu Kottur ( Rajaraja Chozha ), Rajendra Chozha Valanattu Nenmalinattu Kottur (Kulothunga Chozha-I).

Kulothunga Chozha-II’s 2^nd reign year inscription records the endowment of burning a perpetual lamp for which Kulothunga Chozhavalanattu Kundrathur Sekkizhan Pallavaraiyan gifted money to this temple.

Kulothunga Chozha-I’s 47^th reign Year inscription records the tank bund built by Mummudi Chozha Singalanthaka Mutharayan. Repair work was carried out by Periyan Kulothunga Chozha Kanakarajan, the head man of Kottiyur.

Koparakesari’s 10^th reign year fragment inscription records the gift of tax-free land to this temple, situated at Palan Kumaramangalam. 

Rajaraja-III, 9^th reign year inscription records the establishment of “Thirugnanam Petra Pillayar” by Nagamangalamadayan Ambala koil Kondavan. The same person also gifted land for the naivedyam during the King’s 18^th reign year.  In that inscription, Pillayar was mentioned as “Thirugnanam Petra Aludaya Pillayar”

Kulothunga Chozha-III’s 3^rd reign year inscription records the existence of a “Thirumaligai Pichar” mutt in Rajendra Chozha Valanattu, Vendalai Velir Kootrathu Thiruthuraipoondi.

Thanjavur Nayak King Raghunatha Nayak also gifted 10 veli Land to this temple.

LEGENDS

As per Purana, it is believed that Arambai, Indra and Indra’s vahana white elephant worshiped Lord Shiva of this temple. Hence Lord Shiva is called Airavateswarar and the place was called Iravatechram. Thirugnanasambandar praised Lord Shiva as “Kotturnarkozhunthe”.

In a legend, a demon Viruthurasuran terrorized the Devas after getting boons. Devas and Indra sought help from Agathiyar. Agathiyar said that he could be killed only by the Vajrayudham made of the Thatheesi Munivar’s backbone (again the legend of Thiruparkadal churning comes here. In that all devas gave their weapons to Thatheesi Muni which he kept in his mouth and went on penance. The weapon went to his backbone). Indra Killed the Viruthurasuran with the vajrayudham made of Thatheesi Munivar. To get rid of Brahmahathi dosha Indra came to this temple and worshiped Lord Shiva of this temple.

 ‘‘ததீசி தண்டு வடமே வலுவாம்

தேவராயுதமுண்டு உரமேறிற்று”

தேவராயுதமுண்டு உரமேறிற்று”

It is believed that Ramba the Indra Loka dancer was cursed. As per the advice of Athiri Maharishi, Ramba came to this temple and did penance. She did the penance standing on the left leg, folding the right leg, and keeping the left hand on the feet and the right hand on the head.

‘‘கொழுந்தீசனை அக்னி புகுந்தேயெழிலாடலரசி

யிடப் பாதந்தரை யிருத்தி யிடக் கரமதனை

பாத நடு காட்டி சிரத்தே வலக்கரமிருத்தி தபசு செய”

...... திருமூலர்

It is believed that the temple has nine theerthas, 1. Mulliyaru, 2. Sivaganga (on the back side of the temple), 3. Brahma Theertham (on the east side of Sivaganga Theertham), 4. Indra Theertham, 5. Shiva Theertham, 6. Vishwakarma Theertham (Northside – Ayyanarkulam), 7. Ramba Theertham (locally called as Karuppattiyan Kulam), 8. Mandai Theertham (in between Meela and Keezh Kottur) and 9. Amudha koobam (in front of the temple).    

Lord Shiva is also called “Akraparameswarar”. It is believed that the eye-related problems will be solved by worshiping the Vanni tree of this temple’s sthala Vruksham on Saturdays.  It is also believed that to excel in the Music field, Ambal Madhubhashini may be worshiped. 

POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS

“Thiruvilakku Pooja” will be conducted on the last Friday of Thai month every year and the Lamps are kept in the temple itself. Sangu Abhishekam will be performed on Maha Shivaratri and Karthigai Somavaram (Mondays) in the month of Karthigai. Thiruvathirai in the month Margazhi, Aani Thirumanjanam in the month Aani, Panguni Uthiram in the month Panguni, and 3 Days Brahmotsavam in the month Vaikasi.

TEMPLE TIMINGS

The temple will be kept open between 07.00 hrs to 11.00 hrs and 17.00 hrs to 19.30 Hrs.

CONTACT DETAILS 

Mobile and landline numbers +91 97861 51763 and +91 4367 279 781, may be contacted for further details.

HOW TO REACH

This place is on the main road from Mannargudi to Thiruthuraipoondi.

The temple is 14 KM from Thiruthuraipoondi, 16 KM from Mannargudi, 26 Km from Thiruvarur, 54 KM from Thanjavur, and 324 KM from Chennai.

The nearest Railway station is Thiruthuraipoondi and Junction is Mannargudi.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE:  CLICK HERE

---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---