The
Visit to this Thiruvarutkaleeswarar Rock Cut Cave temple at Malayakovil in Pudukkottai
District was a part of Pudukkottai Heritage walk, on 7th and 8th
January 2023, organised jointly by Aatrupadai, TTDC and Ula. Thanks to M/s
Trichy Parthy, Prabhaharan and Francis Edison.
This
Malayakovil Rock Cut Cave temple complex consists of two caves, back to back.
Okkaleesuvaram Cave Temple is facing west and Seevaramudayar Cave Temple is
facing east. In addition to these two caves, two small Shiva Lingas are
excavated on the rock / boulder, in the form of koshtas, of one is under
worship, which is facing south.
OKKALEESUVARAM - WEST FACING ROCK CUT CAVE TEMPLE
Moolavar : Sri Thiruvarutkaleeswarar /Thiruvokkaleeswarar
Consort : Sri Dharmasamvardhini / Sri Aram Valartha Nayaki
Some
of the Salient features of this two Cave temples are….
Vinayagar
and Murugan are in the mandapam. The
first cave is facing west with a Sanctum sanctoum and a mukha mandapam. A new
mandapam was built abutting the mukha mandapam at a latter period. A Shiva
Linga on a round avudayar is in the sanctum Sanctroum excavated out of mother
rock. This Shiva Linga is worshipped as Thiruvarutkaleeswarar. Rishabam is in
the ardha mandapam.
A
Shiva Linga is also excavated on the south side of the west side cave like
koshtam. A small Ambal, Navagrahas, Saniswarar and Bairavar are in the right side mandapam in
front of south facing koshta like rock
cut shrine.
Ambal
is in a separate temple facing North. Ambal is in standing posture with abhaya
varada hastam. Vinayagar Sannidhi with ekatala vimanam is after Ambal temple. The
Vinayagar temple was constructed by Ragunatha Pillai. Next to that is the
village deity Karuppar’s sannidhi.
The Vinayagar
sculpture… The Valampuri Vinayagar in the ardha mandapam is found with
leg damaged. The right tusk is not there and left tusk is available in full. He
is shown with yagnopaveetha and without uthara bandham. He is holding Mothakam,
mothakam / Mango (… ? ), flower and the broken tusk in hands. Sarapalli is
shown on the neck and a small makuda is on the head. This Valampuri Vinayagar
belongs to the same period of this Rock Cut Cave Temple ie.. 7th
Century.
200
– 300 years old ( May be Nayakas … ?) paintings are in the Mukha mandapam wall
and verandah ceiling. The paintings include A Queen worshiping a Shiva Lingam,
a King worshiping Anantha sayana Perumal, Sankara narayanan, Krishna, Andal,
Natarajar, etc,.
Murugan
as Valli Devasena Subramaniyar is in a separate temple with 3 tier Vesara
Vimanam, Mukha mandapam and circumambulatory path above the Rock cut cave
temple. Idumban is also in a separate sannidhi with ekatala vimanam.
திருவோக்காலீசுவரம்.... குடைவரையின் காலம் ஏழாம் நூற்றாண்டாய்
ஆய்வாளர்களால் கருதப்படுகிறது. எனினும் அக்காலத்தையை கல்வெட்டுகள் கிடைக்கப்பெறவில்லை.
மூன்றாம் குலோத்துங்கன் கால கல்வெட்டொன்று. இக்கோவிலினை "குளமங்கலத்து உயாரான
திருவோக்காலீசுவரம்" என்கிறது.
கிழக்கு மேற்காக 3. 18 மீ. நீளம், வடக்குத் தெற்காக
3 மீ. அகலம், 2.08 மீ உயரம் கொண்டு கருவறையின் சுவர்கள் அமைந்துள்ளது, நாற்புறத்தும்
வாஜனம் கூரையின் நடுப்பகுதியில் இலிங்கத்திருமேனிக்கு மேலிருக்கு மாறு தாமரைமலர் காட்டப்பட்டுள்ளது.
இதே போன்ற செதுக்கல் சிற்றண்ணல்வாயில் குடைவரையின் கருவறைக் கூரையிலும் காணப்படுவது
குறிப்பிடத்தக்கது.
கருவறைத் தரையின் நடுவே 4 28 மீ. சுற்றளவு. 62 செ.மீ
உயரம் கொண்ட பாதபந்த அமைப்புடைய வட்டவடிவ ஆவுடை யாரும் 63 செ. மீ. உயர் உருளைப் பாணமும்
தாய்ப்பாறையில் அமைந்துள்ளன. சிறிய கோமுகம் பெற்றுள்ள ஆவுடையார் மேற்பகுதியில் சிதைந்துள்ளது.
திருமஞ்சன நீர் ஓட்டத்திற்காக ஆவுடையாரைச் சுற்றி 2 செ.மீ. அகலம், 1 செ.மீ ஆழம் கொண்ட
குழி வெட்டப்பட்டுள்ளது.
குடைவரை வெட்டப்பட்டுள்ள பாறையின் மேற்பகுதியில் கருவறை செங்கற் கட்டுமான மாய் இரண்டாம்
தளமும் வேசர கிரீவம், சிகரம், தூபி இவையும் பின்னாளில் கட்டப்பட்டுள்ளன. அது போலவே
பைரவருக்கென ஒருதள நாகர கிரீவம், சிகரம் இவையும் பிள்ளையாருக்கென ஒருதள வேசர கிரீவம்
சிகரம் இவையும் செங்கல்லால் அமைக்கப்பட்டுள்ளன. இக்குடைவரை காலத்தில் செய்யப்பட்ட அற்புதமான
விநாயகர் சிலை ஒன்று குடைவரையின் உள்ளே உள்ளது. தலையில் சிறுமகுடத்துடன் சம்மணம்மிட்டு
அமர்ந்துள்ளார் வலம்புரி நாதர்,
ARCHITECTURE
The
mandapa infont of the cave is with two full pillars and two pilasters, which
makes 3 entrances. A provision was made for the abhisheka water out let through
the mandapam. The pillars are 4 cm after the floor from the outer edge. The
bottom squares of the pillars are larger than the top square. A damaged
inscription is found on the top of the pillar. The pthyals above the pillars,
some are bends, with virikona tharanga.
The vajanam abutting he uthram ceiling, extended on east and west side. The
kapota is without extending Ceiling. Kulothunga-III’s period inscription is
found on the east side wall.
The
sanctum sanctorum is with an entrance on the east side measuring 1.1 meter
width and 1.93 meter high. The sanctum sanctorum measures 3.18 meter length, 3
meter wide and 2.08 meter high. A Lotus medallion is above the Shiva Lingam.
The Shiva Linga at the centre measures 4.28 meter circumference and 62 CM high
excavated out of mother rock. A channel is cut around the avudayar to drain the
abhisheka water. A Brick two tier brick
vesara vimanam was built above the sanctum sanctorum. A two tier Vimanam was
also constructed above Bairavar during recent years.
On
the south side of the west facing cave, a small sanctum on the right side is in
the form of koshtam / rock cut measuring 1.04 meter wide, 96 CM width and 49 cm
depth with a Shiva Lingam excavated out of mother rock.
HISTORY AND
INSCRIPTIONS
It
is believed that this Rock Cut Cave Temple belongs to 7th Century
and there is no evidence to prove the same. There are 3 inscriptions found of
which one on the pillar is not able to read. Kulothunga Chozha-III’s period inscription
mentions this temple as “குளமங்கலத்து உயாரான திருவோக்காலீசுவரம்”.
Kulothunga-III,
period inscription starts with his meikeerthi. This inscription records the
sale of Manguruchi Field & Tank situated in Panayaiyur paRRu as irayili
devadhanam to Kulamangalathu Udayar Thiruvokkaleesuwaram, by Rettapadi konda
Chozha valanattu Panaiyur Udayars Araiyars Rjan Periyan alias Nattu Priyan,
Rajan Ulagan alias Rettapadi Kondan, Rajan Chandran, Rajan ENman, Ulagan
Keralan alias Thannusiya Rayan, Gunaperarayar
KaRRilamallan Ooran, Mudiyan Sirummudiyan Periyan, Ooran Devan alias
Thuvarapathi NadaLvan, Keralan Udayan alias ILaiyudayan. While mentioning the
limits of field it was mentioned as PaNkudithalai, The Keel vaikal / Channel
coming to Manguruchi tank Velanjai, Kollan Sei and Veerapandya Peraiyan.
The
inscription on the west wall records the
endowment of service to be done on Adi Karthigai, for the same, the tax called
“Siru kaval” collected from Kulamangalam Villagers was given to the temple by a person who belongs to Kulothungapuram.
Since the inscription is damaged, the donor’s name is not able to read.
The
1883 inscription on Murugan Temple steps, records the construction of steps
leading to Murugan temple and the spring by Soodamanipuram Udayan
Nachanthupatti alias Thirumalai Chamudram, Periya karuppan Chettiar’s son
Ramanathan Chettiar. Soodamani Samudram was in Kerala Singa Valanadu alias
Brahmapoor Nattu Iluppaikudi alias Pukazhidamana Patnam.
The
inscription on the south side cave side boulder belongs to Kulothunga-II, 12th
Century. This inscription records the donation of land to temple by Panaiyur
Villagers Rajan Ulagan, and Rettapadi Kondan. ( New inscriptions from the book,
by Karu Rajendran of Pandya Nattu Varalatru Aayvu Maiyam. )
The
Pandya King Kulasekara Pandya period inscription inscribed in the form of poem
on the wall of the rock cut cave shrine, records the exemption of Taxes to the thevadhana land. ( Pudukottal
kalvettukkal )
POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS
Since this Rock Cut Cave temple, Shiva and Murugan
are the Ishta Theivam for the Villages like Nachandupatti Chettiars, special
poojas are conducted on pradosham, maha Shivarati, Panguni Uthiram, Thaipoosam,
etc,.
TEMPLE TIMINGS
The temple will be kept opened between 06.00 hrs to
12.00 hrs and 16.30 hrs to 20.00 hrs.
HOW TO REACH:
The Rock Cut Cave Temple at Malayakovil is about 2.8 KM from
Nachandupatti, 18.5 KM from Pudukkottai, 66 KM from Trichy, 76 KM from
Thanjavur and 394 KM from Chennai.
Nearest railway station is Namanasamudram ( 9 KM ).
Ref:
1. Pudukkottai
Navatta Kudaivaraikal by Mu. Nalini and Ira. Kalaikovan.
2. Pudukkottai
Mavatta Kalvettukal
LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE : CLICK HERE
Bairavar
--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---
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