Thiruvaliswarar Sivan Temple/ திருவாலீஸ்வரர் கோயில், ஆர்பாக்கம் / Arpakkam, Kanchipuram District, Tamil Nadu.

The visit to the Sri Thiruvaliswarar Temple at Arpakkam was a part of the REACH Foundation’s Epigraphic field visit on 26^th February 2023. Thiruvaliswarar Temple is very close to Sri Adhikesava Perumal Temple and Adhinathar Jain temple in the Kanchipuram district of Arpakkam. The Arpakkam village is on the banks of the river Cheyyar, a tributary of the Palar River. The river is praised as Pali in Magaral Shiva Temple, Thevara Pathigam. (about 2.2 KM from this place). 

உரையா தாரில்லை யொன்றுநின் தன்மையைப்

பரவா தாரில்லை நாள்களும்

திரையார் பாலியின் தென்கரை மாற்பேற்

றரையா னேயருள் நல்கிடே.  1.55.6

இந்த ஆர்பாக்கம் கிராமம் காஞ்சிபுரம் மாவட்டம் பாலாற்றங் கரையில் அமைந்துள்ளது. இவ்வூர் ஒருகாலத்தில் சமணம், பவுத்தம், வைஷ்ணவம் மற்றும் சைவம் சிறப்புற்று இருந்தது.. இன்றும் வழிபாட்டில் இருக்கும் சமணர் கோயிலும், புத்தரின் பின்னப்பட்ட சிலைகளும் அதற்கு சான்றாக காணப்படுகின்றது. திருவாலீஸ்வரர் என்ற இந்த சிவன் கோயில் ராமாயாண காவியத்தின் ஒரு பாத்திரமான வாலியால் வணங்கப்பட்டதாகக் கருதப்படுகின்றது. பல்லவர்களால் தொண்டைநாட்டில் கட்டப்பட்ட 108 கஜபிருஷ்ட விமானக் கோயில்களுள் இதுவும் ஒன்று எனக் கருதப்படுகின்றது. இக்கோயிலில் சோழர், மற்றும் சம்புவராயர்கள் காலத்தைச் சார்ந்த கல்வெட்டுகள் காணப்படுகின்றன. இக்கல்வெட்டுக்களுள் ஒரு கல்வெட்டு சிங்களப்படைகள் பாண்டியரை வென்ற பின்பு, சோழநாட்டில் புகுந்து நாசம் விளைவிப்பதைத் தடுக்க 28நாள் அஹோர பூஜைகள் நடத்தப்பட்டதையும் அதனால் சிங்களப்படையை வெற்றி கொண்டதையும் பதிவு செய்கின்றது.

  

Moolavar  : Sri Thiruvaliswarar

Consort    : Sri Tripura Sundari / Thirunallazhaki

Some of the salient features of this temple are….

The temple faces east with an entrance arch on the South side. A mandapam is before the south-side entrance arch. Stucco images of Shiva & Parvati in the form of Rishabaroodar, Vinayagar and Sri Valli Devasena Subramaniyar are on the top of the entrance arch. Balipeedam, Dwajasthambam and Rishabam are on the east side. A 4-pillar mandapam is on the left side of the balipeedam. Vinayagar is on the right side entrance of the sanctum sanctorum. Moolavar is of Swayambhu with a Kozhu (hit mark) on the top under Rudraksha pandal. In Koshtam Vinayagar, Dakshinamurthy with two Sanakathi munivars, Maha Vishnu, Brahma and Durgai.

In Praharam Chandikeswarar, Nalvar, Shiva Lingas include a dhara Lingam, Chandikeswarar, Suryan, Bairavar, Nagars, Navagrahas, Natarajar with Sivakami, balipeedam, and a Rishabam.

In the outer praharam, Vinayagar, Aiyyanar, Jyeshta Devi / Thavvai and vahana mandapam.

 

ARCHITECTURE

The temple consists of sanctum sanctorum, antarala, ardha mandapam and Maha mandapam. The Sanctum Sanctorum is of Gajabirushta style on a pada bandha adhistanam with jagathy, threepatta Kumudam and Pattigai. An ekatala Gajabirushta Vimanam is over the sanctum sanctorum.

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

It is believed that the original temple was constructed during the Pallava period and reconstructed with stone during the Chola period. This is one of the 108 Gajaprishta Vimana temples built in Thondai mandalam. 

The inscriptions recorded from this temple belong to Kulothunga Chozha, Rajarajan-II, Rajathirajan, and Sand Sambuvarayars. Some of the inscriptions starts with Ganapathiye Namaha – கணபதியே நமக.. and Thiruvaykezhvikku munnaaka    -   திருவாய்கேழ்விக்கு முன்னாக....,. As per the inscriptions, this place was in Jayangonda Chozha Mandalathu Eyir Kottathu, Makaral Nattu Arpakkam. Also called Alpakkam.

Most of the inscriptions record the gifts given to this temple for burning Lamps, poojas, in terms of Land, etc.

The Kulothunga Chozha III’s inscription records the endowment of burning a sandhi lamp for which 12 Sava moova peradu/ sheep/goat was gifted to the temple.  

The Koparakesari Thirubhuvana Chakravarthikal Rajayiraja Thevar alias Rajathirajan- II’s 5^th reign year ( 1163 – 1178 CE ) inscription starts with his meikeerthi as ஸ்வஸ்திஸ்ரீ கடல் சூழ்ந்த பார்மாதரும் பூமாதரும் கலைமாதரும் அடல் சூழ்ந்த போர் மாதரும் சீர்மாதரும் அமர்ந்துவாழ.... This inscription records that the Singhalese army captured the Pandya country and chased away the King. They also destroyed the Rameswaram Temple, stopped poojas and looted the Pandaram/treasury.  Then, they tried to enter Chozha Country, and the people were scared. On the way, they looted properties, destroyed temples, and tortured people. Ethirili Chozha Sambuvarayar, a small regional king under Rajathiraja, handed over a letter to Rajagru Swamithevar alias Gnanasiva of Rajathiraja at this place. And requesting to do Parihara to win the Singhalese army.  The Rajaguru conducted the Apichara Ahora poojas for 28 days. After that, we received a letter from Chozha Chieftain Pallavarayan, stating that the Singhalese army had been chased away. It was submitted to Rajaguru, and Sambuvarayar requested that Rajaguru accept something. The Rajaguru asked this Village Alapakkam (167 Veli Land comprising of Nanchei, Punjai gifted as Irayili after exempting the taxes), and the same was gifted as irayili (AR No 20 of 1899).

An inscription in the Thiruvalisvara temple at Arpakkam issued during the reign of Rajadhiraja Cðåa II (1172 AD) refers to a Svami-devar named Umapati-devar or Jnanasiva-devar who hailed from Radha (NAGASWAMY 2010: 256). In fact, Aghora Saivacarya’s manual for the priests and commentary on Saiva Siddhanta entitled Aghorasivacaryapaddhati, written in 1158 AD during the reign of Rajaraja Chola II, refers to a lineage of Saivacaryas belonging to the Amardaka matha, besides mentioning other mathas like Golaki and Ranabhadra. It also refers to the fact that most of these acaryas originated from Gaudadesa, Latadesa, Aryadesa and from Choladesa (ibid.: 248-255). One of the gurus, Srikantha Siva, came from Gaudadesa to worship Nataraja at Chidambaram and was appointed by Vikrama Chola as rajaguru. (Thanks, Dr. Ravichandran)

The south side mandapa was built by Arpakkam Mahadeva Rathna Mudaliar on the 25^th day of October 1921.  Maha Kumbhabhishekam was conducted on 25^th May 2005. The right-side mandapam in front of the Temple was constructed in the Karthigai month in the Vihari Year.

The entrance mandapam in front of the sanctum sanctorum, the entrance ceiling inscription 

The inscription, which gives the details of the Agora poojas done at this temple

Kulothunga Chozha-III's inscription

Outside the mandapa ceiling inscription

LEGENDS

It is believed that Vali, one of the Ramayana Epic Characters, worshipped Shri Shiva of this temple. Hence, Shiva obtained the name of Thiruvaliswarar.

In another legend, to carry out the Brahma Yagna with the help of Balarama ploughed the land. The plough hit an object. When they excavated, they carefully found the Shiva Linga. Shiva was then called “Kozhu Nathar” since the iron part of the plough is called Kozhu in Tamil.  Shiva was then worshipped by Rajaraja-II and his son Kulothunga Chozha.

Once Kulothunga Chozha-III’s (...? must be Rajathi Raja) Rajaguru conducted the Ahora poojas at this place. With the benefit of this Yagna, Kulothunga Chozha defeated the Singhaleese and Pandyas. He gave the village of Arpakkam to his Guru.  

POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS

Apart from 2 kala poojas, special poojas are conducted on Pradosham, Maha Shivaratri, Amavasya, Pournami, etc.

TEMPLE TIMINGS

The temple will be kept open from 07.00 hrs to 10.00 hrs and from 17.00 hrs to 19.00 hrs.

CONTACT DETAILS

Raja Gurukkal +919443690219 and Rajasekara Gurukkal +919600999204 may be contacted for further details.

HOW TO REACH

Arpakkam is about 2.2 km from Magaral, one of the Thevara Paadal Petra Sthalam, 15 km from Kanchipuram, 37 km from Chengalpattu, 51 km from Tambaram and 82 km from Chennai Central.

The nearest Railway Station is Kanchipuram.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE

Gajabrushta Vimanam View from Ground

South Side Entrance 

Sanga Nidhi and Padma Nidhi, and Mucisions at the centre

Ambal

Durga

Maha Vishnu

Shiva

Chandikeswarar & Bairavar & A Dhara Lingam

Suryan and Nagars

Chandikeswarar

Bairavar

A Shiva Linga- Dhara Lingam  may belong to another temple 

Ceiling bas-relief

Sri Umapathy Gnana Sivan, one of the Saanthana kuraavar

LOOSE SCULPTURES

AYYANAR

Jyeshta Devi / Thavvai

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---