Sri Jambunatheswarar Temple / ஸ்ரீ ஜம்புநாதேசுவரர் கோயில், ஜம்பை / Jambai, Kallakurichi District, Tamil Nadu.

This second visit to this Sri Jambunatheswarar Temple at Jambai was a part of Villupuram Heritage Walk organized by History Trails, on 24^th and 25^th July 2021.

 

The First visit to this temple was a part of Thiruvannamalai Heritage visit organized by the Tiruvannamalai District Historical Research Center on 30^th December 2018. Jambai is a 1000 plus years old ancient Village. Saivam, Vainavam, Jainism, Buddhism and Saktham were flourished in this village. The temples like Shiva Temple, Ayyanar Temples, Jain's sculptures, Sangam period ( 1^st Century BCE ) inscriptions on the rocks proves that Jambai is an ancient Village.  This place Jambai was called as Sambai, “Veerarajendra Chozhapuram” and “Valaiyur” during Chozha period.

Moolavar  : Sri Jambunatheswarar, Sri Jambukeswarar, 

                 Sri Thanthondreeswarar

Consort    : Sri Akilandeswari.

Some of the Salient features of this temple are….

The Temple is under renovation some of the Murtis / Idols are removed and kept outside the sanctum and the details of the sannidhis may not holds good after Kumbhabhishekam.

The Temple is facing east with balipeedam, Dwajasthambam and Nandhi with a two tier Rajagopuram. The temple is on the northern banks of river Thenpennai..

In Koshtam, Vinayagar ( not in the niche now ) with Venkotrakudai and Samaram, Dakshinamurthy, Lingothbavar, Brahma and Durgai. In the prakaram, sannidhi for  Vinayagar, Maha Vishnu with Sridevi and Bhoodevi, A Shiva Linga with Nandi, Subramaniar with Valli Devasena, Bairavar, Thavvai ( Jyeshta Devi with Manthan and Mandhi ), Lakuleesar in standing posture, Navagrahas, Mahishasuramardini ( in the front Mandapam ) and Chandikeswarar. Dwarapalakas are looking cute like Pallava sculptures. Ambal is in a separate Temple facing east.

There are two Navakanda statues kept abutting the main Sanctorum mukha mandapam.

ARCHITECTURE

The Temple consists of sanctum sanctorum, Antarala, Artha mandapam ( originally this was a sanctum sanctorum ), Maha mandapam and a Mukha mandapam. In the sanctum moolavar is on a round avudayar. The two tier Nagara Vimana is over the sanctum without any stucco images. The Adhisthana is of prati bandha ( virutha / round Kumudam ) adisthana. The walls are supported with square / Brahma Kantha pilasters.

The mukha mandapa of the main shrine has a simha pillar and Ambal sannidhi mandapa pillars are of yazhi pillars. Some of the experts of the opinion that this Simha pillars belongs to Pallava period.

Pallava pillars ( 9th to 10th Century )

Donors at the entrance

Donors at the entrance

Ambal Temple

Dancers relief stone used on the floor

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

Some of the experts claims that the original temple belongs to Pallava period and reconstructed as stone temple during Chozha period. The temple has the contributions from Rashtrakutas, during middle of 10^th Century. Murugan, Jyeshta Devi, Kalabairavar, Durgai are believed to be of Rashtrakutas sculptures. The temple also has the contributions of Medieval Chozhas, Pandyas, Rashtrakutas, Vijayanagaras and Nayaks.

The inscriptions recorded from this temple belongs to Parantaka-I, Rajararaja, Rajendran-1, Vikrama Chozha, Kulothunga Chozha - I, Rajadhirajan, Vijayarajendran ( Rajadhiraja-I  ..? ) Pandya Kings Sundara Pandyan, Kulasekara Pandyan, Pallava kings Koperunjingan, Rashtrakuta King Kannaradevan ( Krishna - III ),  Vijayanagara kings, Sadasiva maharaya, Achyutadeva Maharaya, Virapratapa Virupakshadeva Maharaya-II, and Vira Narasingaraya, 

The inscriptions mainly speaks about donations made to the temple in terms of Villages, money, coins, Gold coins, lands for conducting regular poojas,  Naivedyam, burning of perpetual lamps with donor’s name. The inscriptions also mentions Lord Shiva as “Thanthondreeswarar”, “Thanthondripiran”, then how this name was changed to the present name of Jambukeswarar, is not known. This place was called as “Sambai” alias “Veerarajendra Chozhapuram” also called as “Valaiyur” alias Nottavodapuram in Vanagopadi alias Madurantaka valanadu a part of Jayangonda Chozha mandalam. ( Exemption of Tax - Somasulavari to this temple  during Achyutadeva Maharaya period )

Parantaka-I ‘s inscription records the endowment of worship to the Jyeshta Devi for which a land was gifted. The Jyeshta Devi, presently  in the prakaram was on the banks of the Temple Tank during Parantaka period.

Parantaka Chozha-I’s 34^th reign year inscription records the endowment of  Construction of a Mandapa, Maintenance  and burning of a perpetual lamp by Viranaraniyar consort of Gandaradita and daughter in-law of Chozhamadeviyar in the name of “Nagarattar valaiyur”. For the same 70 kalanju Gold was gifted.

Parantaka-I’s inscription records the sacred bath on Sankranti days of Tanthondriappar at Valaiyur. Similarly a fragment inscription records the endowment of burning a perpetual lamp in front of Vidividangar ( processional deity ) by Ayyaradigal, a head man of Irayankudi.  Another inscription records the endowment of burning 5 perpetual lamps for which 50 Kalanju Gold was gifted.

 

Rajaraja-I’s 28^th reign year inscription starts with his meikeerthi and records a gift of 10 Kalanju of gold deposited with the urar / Village sabha of Palaippandal on the southern bank, for a perpetual lamp in the temple by a merchant of the village by name Angadi Porraman for (the memory of) one piratti Siralan of Munaippadi Navalur. The reason for the gift is stated to be that the latter trespassed into the former’s house in the night and tried to assault his mistress in his very presence, by which he was enraged so much as to stab intruder to death.

Rajaraja-I’s 24^th year inscription records the grant of 20 Servu land  by the Sabha of Nerkunram alias Vairamegha Chaturvedimangalam, urar to the user of Kolliyur in exchange of lands acquired, on their behalf from the latter  by the Rajaraja Vanakovaraiyar for the construction of  a tank calle “araiyagal – adittapereri” in their Village. Amount of taxes to be given to the King by the Urar was fixed as 1000 kalanju Gold.

Kulothunga Chozha's ( IIII ) 3rd reign year inscription records the gift of 64 sheep  ( ..?) for burning two perpetual lamps. One Pallicheriyadiyan Nambiyan alias Kovalarayaperaraiyan happened to wound fatally accidently another man Pennai Vadakarai Chengundra nattu Valaivetti, Velalan Pon PaRRiyudayan Kundran Seerudayan and the people of 19 Nattu Chitramezhi Nattars met, threw the blame on him and ordered to to endow 64 Sheeps ( Saava Moova Peradus ) for burning two lamps ( 67 / 1906 ).

Vikrama Chozha's period inscription records the endowment of burning a lamp  for the reason being... A man apparently pushed his wife as a result of which she fell and died. The 1500 men of the four quarters declared him guilty in their assembly and compelled him to provide for lamps.  

Vikrama Chozha's 9th reign inscription records the gift of 64 Cows for two lamps, by a man who in the course of a comparison of martial skill with two vellalas, killed one of them.

The Chozha King Rajakesarivarman alias Udaiyar Sri Virarajendradeva ( 1063- 1070 CE ), inscription records the gift of 500 Kulis Land to the account of Rajendrapura by the temple authorities to the temple account among whom  figures the Mahavratin Lakulisvara Pandita as the head of the pijaris. This Pujaris name figures in Melpadi inscription, of Rajendra Chozha-I, (SII Vol -III, page 28 )and Beligami inscriptions 9 Epic Indica Vol -V p 227 ), perhaps all these were same. Lakulisvara Pandita was evidentlya Kalamukha. ( A Lakulisvara's idol is in the prakaram ) 

 

Vanakovarayan Rajarajadevan Vannenjarayan’s 11^th reign year inscription records that Kasayam, Ponvari, alamji and antarayam Taxes exemption was given to the Village Gunamangalam, which belongs to this “Tiruttantonri Avudaya Nayanar”.

There are 5 Pandya King's inscriptions recorded from this temple. They belongs to Kulasekara Pandya ( 3 ), Maravarman Vikrama Pandyan Sadayavarman Sundara Pandyan. Kulasekara Pandya's inscription records the taxes to be paid depends on the crops raised. like, Nanjai, beetlenut leves, Ginger, Turmeric, Samai, El, Kol, Alasanthi Payiru etc,. 

The Kulasekara Pandya's 33rd reign year inscription records that due to short of fund amounts to 31 panam for  conducting Thiruvizha and maintenance, so the trustees gave lands belongs to the temple as Kani to Thirukotti Alwan Periyan Eeswara Battan who belongs to Manalur.

  

Another Vanakovarayan Rajarajadevan Vannenjarayan’s 11^th reign year inscription records that agreements was made by the Siva Brahmins to provide paddy offerings to gods on two festival days and also feeding for maheswaras  with the offered food from the interest of 60 kalam paddy measured on the “Tonro Marakkal”, received from Arasan Tiruttonda Nambi a Devakanmi belongs to the temple Udayar Thiruvannamalai Udaya Nayanar ( Lord Shiva of Thiruvannamalai ).

Koperunjingan’s 13th reign year ( 119 of 1906 ) inscription records that a tax free land of 150 Kuli by the Thanathar for this temple, according to the order of Gangayan, a small region leader to Annamalai, the younger brother of Atkondan, who cut of his head so that the nirutha mandapa ( நிருத்த மண்டபம் ) in the temple of Tirttantonri Aludaiya Nayanar at Sambai might be completed. Atkondan is stated to be the younger brother of Porralvi, devaradiyal ( temple maid servant ) residing in the Village. ( This inscription is for an instance of Voluntary sacrifice for the successful completion of a Mandapa ). A land measuring 150 Kuzhi was gifted to Annamalai. ( 119 / 1906 - SII VOl XII-178 )

Navakanda Hero Stones

Koperunjingan’s 14^th reign year inscription records the endowment of offerings to the God Thanthondri Aludaya nayanar, on the 7^th day of the annual festival, by Mulaiyanudaiyan Ponparappinan Kovalrayan, for which 10 Kalam paddy was received by the trustees ( thanaththar ) of this temple.

Koperunjingan’s 16^th reign year inscription records the endowment of special pooja called “Vennenjan Thirunal”, in the month Purattasi ( August – September ), from the income of the paddy assigned by Vannenja Nayanar, is the chief of Vanakovarayan Rajadevan Vannenjan of Aragalur, a subordinate to Koperunjingadeva.

Rajendran-II's 3rd reign year inscription records that a lady Veerabhudra's mother Sendhan Umayal was complled to pay the Taxes by the Village official Malaiyaman Katti Meloorudayan Pazhanguran Kundran. When she was unabled to pay, he told that he will report to the King. Due to this she consumed poison and committed suiside. On verification by the "Nangu Thisai Pathinenbhoomi NanadesikaL", Village officer was found guilty and as a punishment, he was ordered to burn a perpetual lamp at this temple, for which 32 kasu was received from the Village official. It was agreed that 2 parts of the required oil will be supplied by Manigrama Villagers and one part by the Sankarapadi Villagers. ( 80 / 1906 )

    

Inscriptions

LEGENDS

Devotees worship Lord Shiva and Ambal for Child boon, to get rid of Rahu & ketu Dosham to remove marriage obstacles.

POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS

Apart from regular poojas, special, poojas are conducted on Pradosham, Amavasya, Thai Pongal, Maha Shivaratri, Karthigai Deepam.

TEMPLE TIMINGS:

Since the temple is under the renovation, time opening and closing is unpredictable.

CONTACT DETAILS:

Venkatesan 9443815936, Shanmugam +91 9965206975 and Elumalai +91 9597140997 may be contacted for further details.

HOW TO REACH:

Jambai is about 19 KM from Thirukovilur and 25 KM from Thiruvannamalai.

Nearest Railway station is Thirukovilur.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE : CLICK HERE

Vinayagar and Lakulisar ( Lakulisar was identified as Bhairavar and this was also brought from Melai Chalukya as Victory trophy )

Dancers relief stone slab used on the floor

Mahisasuramardini ( brought as victory trophy from Melai / Kalyani Chalukyas by Rajendra Chozha's first son )

Thavvai /தவ்வை/ Jyeshta Devi - 9th to 10 th Century ( Parantaka period inscription records the endowment of burning 2 perpetual lamps )

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---