Sri Kailasanathar Temple /ஸ்ரீ கைலாசநாதர் கோவில், திம்மச்சூர் / Thimmachur, Kallakurichi District ( previously in Villupuram District ), Tamil Nadu.

The visit to this 9^th to 10^th Century Sri Kailasanathar temple at Thimmachur, in Kallakurichi District was a part of the Viluppuram Heritage Walk organized by History Trails, on 24^th and 25^th July 2021. The original temple was built with Bricks, maintained during the Chozha period, and reconstructed during the Vijayanagaras period. Since the temple was in bricks during the Chozha period, the inscriptions were inscribed on a rock/boulder, which is about 100 meters from this temple.

 

Moolavar  : Sri Kailasanathar

Consort    : Sri Visalakshi.

Some of the salient features of this temple are…

The temple faces East with balipeedam and Rishabam. The entrance to the artha mandapam is from the south with a small mandapam.  There is no murtis in the koshtam. A balipeedam, Rishabam, Dakshinamurthy, Chandikeswarar, Suriya, and Nagars are in the ardha mandapam.

Ambal is in the ardha mandapam facing south with a balipeedam and a nandi. In the prakaram Vinayagar, Arumugar with Valli Devasena, Jyeshta Devi

ARCHITECTURE

The temple consists of Sanctum Sanctorum, antarala and ardha mandapam. The temple may have been reconstructed into stone during Vijayanagara Period.

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

It is believed that the original temple was a brick temple and the same was reconstructed as a stone temple during the Vijayanagara period,14th to 15th Century. The inscriptions connected to this temple are inscribed on the Boulder, which is about 100 meters from the temple. The inscriptions belong to Adithya Karikala, Rajaraja Chozha, and his son Rajendra Chozha.  Since the inscriptions belong to Rajaraja –I, the original temple might have existed before the 10^th Century.

The inscriptions mainly record the worship, Naivedyam, and burning of perpetual lamps. Rajaraja–I period inscription records that 96 sheep/goats are gifted to the temple for burning a perpetual lamp.

There is a Chekku with an inscription also found near the boulders.

POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS

Apart from regular oru kala poojas, special poojas are conducted on Pradosham, Maha Shivaratri, and Fridays.

TEMPLE TIMINGS

Since oru kala pooja is conducted the opening and closing times are unpredictable.

CONTACT DETAILS

The Trustee of this temple, Mr. K Ramamoorthy (Thimmachur Village, G. Ariyur Post, Thimmachur Kallakurichi District - 605751) may be contacted on his mobile numbers +91 9842849465 and +91 9360898463, for further details.

HOW TO REACH

The Temple is 13 km from Thirukovilur, 33 km from Kallakurichi,  36 km from Ulundurpet, 57 km from Viluppuram, and 225 km from Chennai.

The nearest Railway station is Thirukovilur (near Arakandanallur Shiva temple).

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---