Pachottu Avudayar Temple / Sri Aruthra Kabaleeshwarar Temple / Arudra Kapaleeswarar Temple / அருள்மிகு பச்சோட்டு ஆவுடையார் திருக்கோயில், மடவிளாகம் / Madavilagam, Tiruppur District, Tamil Nadu.

The visit to this Arudra Kapaleeswarar Temple at Madavilagam Village near Koduvai was a part of the “Kongu Nadu Heritage Visit to Temples, Hero stones, Ayyanar and Jyeshta Devi Sculptures around Kangayam” in Tiruppur District. Sri Raghupathi Narayana Perumal Temple is on the south side of the Shiva Temple. This place is also called Parpathyur.

Moolavar  : Sri Arudra Kapaleeswarar / Arudra Kapaleeswarar

                /Pachottu Avudayar

Consort    : Sri Prakala Nayaki / Periya Nayaki

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

The temple faces east with a Deepasthambam. A bas-relief of a Lizard worshiping a Shiva Lingam is at the base of the Deepa Sthambam. Vinayagar and Nagars are under a Peepal tree is also in front of the temple. A mandapam is at the entrance of the temple. Stucco images of Lord Shiva and Parvati as Rishabaroodar, Vinayagar, and Murugan are on the top of the mandapam. The temple complex is about 3 feet below the outside ground level. Balipeedam Dwajasthambam and Rishabam are in front of the temple. In the sanctum sanctorum, Moolavar is believed to be of swayambhu. Pradhana Vinayagar and Nalvar are in the ardha mandapam. In koshtam, Vinayagar, Dakshinamurthy, Lingothbavar, Brahma, and Durgai.

In praharam Kannimoola Ganapathi, Kalyana Valli Devasena Subramaniar, Ambal Periya Nayaki, Saneeswarar, Nagars with sthala Vruksham, Navagrahas, Utsava mandapam, Thanthondreeswarar, Kala Bhairavar, Chandran, Suriyan, Temple tank, and Chandikeswarar.

ARCHITECTURE

The sanctum sanctorum consists of a sanctum, antarala, artha mandapam, and a mukha mandapam. The Temple is about 2 feet higher than the inside ground level. The Adhistanam is of simple pada bandha adhistanam with three patta kumudam. A 3-tier stucco Nagara Vimanam is over the sanctum sanctorum. Lord Shiva as Dakshinamurthy, Maha Vishnu, and Brahma are in the two tiers of the Vimanam.

The sanctum sanctorum was built with stone up to prastaram. The sanctum walls/ bhitti are supported with Brahma kantha pilasters with Kalasam, Kumbam, palakai, and Vettu pothyal. The prastaram is with Nasikudus. A viyyalavari / Yazhivari is shown above the prastaram. The Padma petals are shown in the valapi. Bas relief, like a Child coming out of a crocodile’s mouth (The Sthala Purana of Avinashi Temple), is on the sanctum walls.

    

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

The inscriptions recorded from this temple belong to Kongu Pandiyas, Kongu Chozhas, and Vijayanagara King Devaraya. As per the inscriptions, Lord Shiva was mentioned as “Pachottu Avudayar”, “Pachottu Udayar”, “Pachottu Aludayar”, and “Parpathyur Udaya Nayanar”.

Vijayanagara King Devaraya-I’s 1408 CE, year inscription records that this inscription belongs to his son Kumara Ariraya Udayar (Hariharan-III). The Kangeya Nattu Alambadi Village, full (Taxes of Housing plots, House Taxes to Kanikkai vari / Tax – amount to be paid to the King and his officials), and Veera Chozha Valanattu (Then/ south Kuruppa Nadu) Katrankanni Village lands (nearly 5 ma Thadi – paddy field/fertile lands with periphery limits are also given) were gifted to Parpathy Pachottu Udayar. Pappini and Madavilagam were a single village during that period. Now, Pappini has become a separate village.

This inscription, without the King’s name and year, is in the form of a song, which praises Kangeya nattu Karaiyur Pattakaran Chakkarai Uthama Kaminda Mandradiyar. This song is in the form of a lady who loves the hero and tells his glory to her friends. In the song, she compares him to Rama, and he was worshiped by his enemies, but he didn’t offer his two shoulders. Now see, the cold breeze is blowing…. The breeze will destroy me like a garland in the hands of a monkey.

சரங்கொண்டிலங்கை சமைத்தபெற் றான்டரி யாரிறைஞ்ச

உரங்கொண்ட காரைமன் னுத்தம சோழன் னுபையபுய

மிரங்கும் படியரு ளான்மட வீரினி யென்னுயிரைக்

குரங்கின்கை யிற்ப்பட்ட பூமாலை யாக்குங் குளிர்தென்றலே

This inscription is similar to the first inscription belonging to Vijayanagara King Devaraya I (1408 CE). This inscription records that the gift was made by the King himself. The tax in the name of Devaraya was levied on Ezhukarai Nadu and Pathinen Vishayam. One Panam and Mirasu Kalathilamuthu padi to this temple by each Village Big Village Small Village  Kalpattur. Pattali Vaddakai Villages also gives one panam per year.

The 12^th Century Rajakesari Tribhuvana Chakravarthi (Kongu Chozha ..?),’s 12^th reign year inscription records the endowment of burning a Sandhya Deepam at Vinayagar temple at Parpani, by the Rajarajapuram (Dharapuram) officials (Perumal Urimaiyar)  gifted an achu, and the same was received by Sivabrahmins.

The 13th-century Kongu Pandiyar Veera Pandiyan period inscription records the endowment of burning a lamp at this temple after receiving (money … ?) from Chozhiyan Sivan Perundevi by the Siva Brahmins.

The 18th-century inscription on the Deepa Sthamba mandapam records that the Deepasthambham was installed on the 19^th day of Margazhi Month Ananda Year,  during the Vangarayar period by Kangeya Nattu Damodara Mudaliar’s son Vaidhyalinga Mudaliar.      

Inscriptions

LEGENDS    

Lord Shiva is worshiped as the Kula Deivam by the Kongu Vellalars of  Sub Sects Thodai, Kadai, Keerai, and Kannanthai Kulam.

It is believed that Ambal, as Parvati, did a penance at this place, and Lord Shiva appeared in the form of Pichadanar, holding an unbaked mud pot. Hence called Pachai-odu Avudayar – Pachottu Avudayar. Ambal, as Annapoorani, gave food to Lord Shiva.

As per the experts, Madavilagam means a place where army soldiers stayed, and Madams / Mutts existed in this place. The mutt belongs to the Pasupata sect of Shiva worship. The Gangar ruled Kongu during the 6^th Century. So it is believed that the Pasupata sect of worshiping Lord Shiva came during their period. The places where the Pasupatha mutts functioned in the Kongu regions are Karaithozhuvu, Perur near Coimbatore, and Sevur.

As per the legend, the temple tank was created by Lord Shiva through his leg nail scratch. Once in 12 years, an unbaked mud pot will appear filled with Vibhuti. Hence, Lord Shiva is called “Pachchai Ottu Avudayar”. Here, Pachchai does not mean the Colour, but a pot made up of mud mixed with water, wet and unbaked.

But as per the other legend, Lord Shiva plucked the 5^th head of Brahma, and the head (Kapalam – மண்டை ஓடு in Tamil) stuck with his hand. With that head hanging, Lord Shiva found it very difficult and couldn’t do anything. As per the advice of Maha Vishnu, Ma Parvati sprayed food on the street. The head left Shiva’s hand and started eating. Before the head completes eating, Lord Shiva had taken a bath in the temple tank, and the head couldn’t stick back.

The Arudra is referred to here as Nakshatra (There are different versions of Rudra; one says Rudras are one form of Lord Shiva, another says they are sons of Kashyapa and Aditi, and in Vamana Purana, they are sons of Brahma and Surabhi, and they are Nirrti, Shambhu, Aparajita, Mrigavyadha, Kapardi, Dahana, Khara, Ahirabradhya, Kapali, Pingala, and Senani). This Arudra is added to Kapala (the head of Brahma), and Lord Shiva is holding the wet Kapala of Brahma. Lord Shiva is called “Arudra Kapaleeswarar” in Sanskrit. And in Tamil as “Pachchottu Avudayar” and “Pachcottu Aludayar”. (பச்சை+ஓடு+கபாலம்- பச்சைஓட்டுகபாலம் – பச்சோட்டு கபாலம்- பச்சோட்டு கபாலீஸ்வரர்) 

Believed that a pot with Vibhuti appears in this tank once in 12 years

POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS

Apart from regular Poojas, special poojas are conducted on Pournami (full moon days), Amavasai (New moon days), Maha Shivaratri,  Karthigai Deepam,

TEMPLE TIMINGS

The Temple will be kept open from 07.00 hrs to 11.00 hrs, and from 17.00 hrs to 19.00 Hrs. 

CONTACT DETAILS

The mobile numbers 

HOW TO REACH

The temple Sri Arudra Kapaleeswarar Temple is at Madavilagam.

The temple is 8 KM from Kangayam Bus Stand, 26 km from Koduvai, 40 km from Palladam, 36 km from Tiruppur, 40 km from Dharapuram, 80 km from Coimbatore, and 460 km from Chennai.

The nearest Railway Station is Tiruppur.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE

Reference: http://kongukalvettuaayvu.blogspot.com/2018/05/

Avinashi Temple sthala purana (a boy comes out of the mouth of a crocodile)

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---