Sri Ramalingeswara Temple / Parvathavarthini Sametha Ramalingeswara temple /பர்வதவர்தினி சமேத ராமலிங்கேஸ்வரர் கோயில், மாரங்கியூர் / Marangiyur, Villupuram District, Tamil Nadu.

The visit to this Sri Parvathavarthini samedha Sri Ramalingeswara temple at Marangiyur was a part of Shiva temples and a Jain Tirthankara visit at Emapur and Marangiyur on 10^th December 2021. The Marangiyur and Paiyur Villages, are on the island formed by the river Thenpennai River. This temple is on the banks of the northern side of the river. 

Moolavar  : Sri Ramalingeswarar

Consort    : Sri Parvathavarthini

Some of the salient features of this temple are….

The original temple is under palalayam, moolavar, Ambal, Rishabam / Idabam are kept in langoil and worshiped. Vinayagar, Jyeshta Devi with mandhan and Mandhi, Saptamatrikas, Dakshinamurthy, Maha Vishnu, Lakulesar ( one of the Lakulesar found in Tamil Nadu ), Pichadanar are in front of the Ilangoil. The temple faces east with Balipeedam and Rishabam.  Vinayagar and Sri Valli Devasena Subramaniyar is on the west side of the temple. Ambal sannidhi is in the Maha mandapam. The original Dwarapalakas are in front of the Selva Vinayagar Temple of the same Village.

ARCHITECTURE

The dilapidated temple is under reconstruction. The new temple consists of sanctum sanctorum, antarala, ardha mandapam, and maha mandapam. The sanctum sanctorum is on a padabandha adhisthana with jagathy, threepatta kumuda, and Pattigai. The Bhitti starts with vedika. The koshtas, karnapathi, and salaipathi in bhitti are formed with the Brahma kantha pilasters. The pilasters consists of , thamaraikattu, kalasam, thadi kudam, mandi,  palakai, veerakandam and pothyal. 

The prastaram is with valapi and kapotam. A single tier nagara vimana is over the bhoomi desam. Dakshinamurthy, Mahavishnu, Brahma are on the vimanam.

A shrine may be for Navagrahas 

Vinayagar Shrine

Murugan sannidhi

Moolavar sannidhi

LAKULESAR… The presence of Lakulesar sculpture in this temple shows that Lakulisa Pasupata sect worship was practiced in this area and the temple might have been managed by Pasupatha mutt. Pasupata sect worship was started by Lakulesar from Gujarat when the Jain movement was on the upper hand in the southern region. Kapalika and kalamukha sect worships are formed from Pasupata sect. This Lakulesar sculpture is one of the 13 sculptures found in the Villupuram district.

Lakulesar

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

The river Thenpennai was flowing near Thiruvennainallur till a few hundred years before ( Now a branch of Thenpennai called Malataru is flowing near Thiruvennainallur ). During a flood, the river changed its course and destroyed the temple and the village completely and this place was also formed an island. This place was once a big Village and has shrunk into a small Village now.

From 97 CE to 953 CE, till Parantaka Chozha’s period, Malayaman kings ruled this area keeping Kiliyur as their Capital. That Kiliyur Peruman was the first King and his descendants are called Kiliyur Malayamans. Kiliyur Poovan Marudhan alias Azhwan Angahara Malayaman ruled Sithalingamadam, Rajendra Chozha Sethirayan ruled Perangiyur and Vikrama Chozha Vanakularayan ruled Marangiyur. 

It is believed that the original temple was built during the Pallava period and the same was reconstructed as a stone temple during the Chozha period. The reconstruction of the destroyed temple due to the flood in the Thenpennai River is in progress. 

Totally 27 inscriptions are recorded from this temple and published in the Annual Report on Epigraphy 1935 – 36. As per the inscriptions, this place was also called Koodal Ilaadaipadi Rajendravala Nattu Brahmadeya Nel Vaipakkam alias Rajendrasinga Chaturvedi Mangalam. And Lord Shiva was called Ramalingeswarar and Thiruvirameswarar.

Thiribhuvana Chakravarthy  Rajamahendradeva’s 4^th reign year rule ( 1062 CE ), an inscription records the endowment of sacred bath, worship, and burning lamps by the Rajendrasinga Chaturvedi Mangalam sabha. For the same 500 kuzhi land was gifted to this temple.

Kulothunga Chozha’s period inscription records the endowment of burning a perpetual lamp by Karumanickan Thiruvekambamudayan alias Kandradhita Pallavarayan ( a head of Kilar Kotrathu Kilinallur ), for the same Cows were gifted.

Vikrama Chozha’s 15^th reign year ( 1133  CE ) inscription records that 4 people had sold 10 ma land. The land was purchased by Kamban Vkrama Chozha Vanakularayan and he gifted the land to this temple as thirunamathukani.

Vikrama Chozhavanakularayan, one of the Malayaman Kings built the Ambal Sannidhi with image and established an endowment of regular poojas.

Kulothunga Chozha-III’s period ( 1181 CE ) inscription records the exemption of taxes to the devadhana lands by the regional King Kiliyur Malayaman – Malayan Periya Udayan alias Ethirili Chozha Vanakularayan of Thirumunaipadi Melamoor Nadu.

Veera Rajendran’s ( Kulothunga Chozha-III ), 6^th reign year inscription records that the praharam and temple entrance was built by a Thevaradiyar Mathalvi son of Kolan Kondal.

Sundara Pandya’s  13^th reign year ( 1289 CE ) inscription records that a housing plot and Punjai land  were sold to the temple by the Koodal Iladapadi Maringur Villagers.

Konerimaikondan period inscription records that this Thirumunaipadi Nadu IdaiyaRRu PaRRu Marangur temple’s renovation and Mudimannan Sandhi/name of one kala pooja, 12 ma land was gifted as irayili Thevadhanam.

Another Konerimaikondan period inscription on the east side wall records the gift of lands for the procession during Thiruvizha and Mudimannar Nayakan sandhi at Mudimannar Nayakan Madam by Irungolapadi Nattu ChiRRamur Thyaga Perumal and his daughter.

Kulothunga Chozha-II’s period (1135 CE ), inscription records the gift of Taxes Perumpadikaval and Sirupadikaval to this Thiruvirameeswaramudaya Mahadevar Thirupalliyarai Aludayar by the regional King  Periyudayan Aththimallan alias Vikrama Chozha Vanakularayan of Kiliyur Malayaman.

Kulothunga Chozha’s 2^nd reign year inscription records the endowment of burning two sandhi lamps at this Koodal Ilayapadi temple’s Lord by 2 vellalars, for the same 8 cows were gifted.

Kulothunga Chozha’s 7^th reign year inscription records the endowment of burning ¼ lamp, in memory of “Kayilur Kurusayan”, by Konur Kadilan Nambi, for the same 8 sheep/goats were gifted to this temple.

 

As per Chorudayan leaf inscription records the endowment of the burning sandhi lamp of Rajaraja Valanadu Koodal Iladaipadi Marangiyur temple, by Kumara Narayanan, for the cows were gifted.    

Rajadhirajan’s 12^th reign year ( 1175 CE ), inscription records the endowment of burning one perpetual lamp and 6 sandhi lamps through the income from the old devadhanam.

 

LEGENDS

This temple is associated with the epic Ramayana. It is believed that Rama in search of Sita, roamed in this area. He did his tharpanam to his father Dasaratha on a full moon day on the banks of the river Thenpennai and worshiped Lord Shiva. Hence Lord Shiva is called Ramalingeswara and Ambal is called Parvathavarthini similar to Rameswaram.

Since Rama had done the tharpanam for his father Dasaratha at this place, this place is considered a pitru dosha parihara sthalam. Hence to get the blessings of the ancestors, Devotees can perform tharpanam to their ancestors at this place on new moon days / Amavasya days or on anniversary day.

POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS

Regular oru kala Pooja is conducted at Ilangoil and no big celebrations are cont conducted.

TEMPLE TIMINGS

Since oru kala Pooja is conducted at Ilangoil, the opening and closing times of the Ilangoil are unpredictable.

CONTACT DETAILS:

Since the temple is under reconstruction and needs more money for completion. The trustee may be contacted on their mobile numbers Mr. Marimuthu.. +9197519 66768 and Mr. Soundar +91 98433 56682 for further details and donations. (+91 9751966768-+919159428289, +91 9843356682- +91 9443538498 )

HOW TO REACH

The temple at Marangiyur is 11 KM from Thiruvennainallur, 26 Km from Tirukoilur, 34 KM from Villupuram, and 197 KM from Chennai.

Nearest Railway station is Villupuram.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE

Saptamatrikas

Dakshinamurthy

Suryan..?

Maha Vishnu with an adiyar

Jyeshta devi / Mootha devi / Thavvai Thai on a Lotus pedestal

Pichadanar

Ilangkoil - இளங்கோயில்

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---