VELUDHARAN TEMPLES VISIT : Sri Suyambunathar Temple / Swayambhunathaswamy Temple / பேரளம் சுயம்புநாதசுவாமி கோயில், Peralam, Thiruvarur District, Tamil Nadu.

Saturday, 22 July 2023

Sri Suyambunathar Temple / Swayambhunathaswamy Temple / பேரளம் சுயம்புநாதசுவாமி கோயில், Peralam, Thiruvarur District, Tamil Nadu.

The Visit to this Sri Swayambhunathar Temple at Peralam was a part of Shiva and Maha Vishnu Temples around Sirkazhi Visit on 1^st & 2^nd July 2023. This place was named after the Perala Munivar, who did penance on Shiva for the benefit of all athmas/peoples.

Stucco images of Dharumai Adheenams on both sides of Shiva and Parvati as Rishabaroodar

Moolavar : Sri Suyambunathar / Swayambhunatha Swamy

Consort : Sri Bhavani

Some of the salient features of this temple are….

The temple faces West with a 5-tier Rajagopuram and the second level Rajagopuram is of 3 tiers. Stucco images of Shiva and Parvati as Rishabaroodar and Tharumai Adheenams are on the top of the mukha mandapam. Adhikara Nandhi with his consort is in the Rajagopuram. Balipeedam and Dwajasthambam are immediately after the Rajagopuram. Stucco dwarapalakas are at the entrance of Sanctum Sanctorum. Moolavar is of swayambhu. In Koshtam, Vinayagar, Dakshinamurthy, Lingothbavar, Brahma and Ashtabhuja Durgai.

In praharam, Sahasara Lingam, Chandikeswarar, Saniswaran, Bairavar, Durgai, Suriyan, Adhi Swayambhunathar with Rishabam, Chandran, Kasi Viswanathar with Visalakshi, Nalvars, Nagars, Somaskandar, Vinayagar, Perala Maharishi, Sri Valli Devasena Subramaniyar, Maha Lakshmi, Utsava murtis of Valli Devasena Subramaniar, Natarajar, Chandrasekarar and Mariamman.

Ambal is in a separate sannidhi in mukha mandapam facing south.

ARCHITECTURE

The temple consists of sanctum sanctoum, antarala, ardha mandapam and mukha mandapam. The sanctum sanctorum is on a kapota bandha adhistanam with jagathy, vrutha kumudam, and kapotam with nasikudus. The bhitti starts with Vedika. Vishnu Kantha pilasters are on the bhitti. Kumbha panjaras are between Salaipathi and Karnapathi. Koshtas protruded outside as padra koshtas with silambhu kumudam on a Padma jagathy. An eka tala Vesara Vimanam is on the prastaram. Stucco images of Dakshinamurthy, Maha Vishnu, Brahma, and Shiva are in the greeva koshtam. Brahma and Maha Vishnu are with their consorts.

The Mandapas are of Vavvalnethi mandapas and may have been built during the Marathas period.

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

It is believed that the original temple belongs to the 11^th to 12^th Century Chozha period and may have been reconstructed and extended during the Maratha period.

This temple is under the administrative control of Dharmapura Adheenam and Maha kumbhabhishekam was conducted on 29^th January 1959, 2002, and 27^th January 2023.

LEGENDS

The Perala Munivar did a penance on Shiva of this temple and has got the boon of, that all the Atmas to rid of the Kali dosha after worshiping Shiva of this temple and this place to be called in his name.

The Moolavar is of Swayamabhu. Indra, Perala Munivar, Yagyavalkiyar (got the boon of Brahma Gnanam), Shukracharya (boon of giving life to dead body), Markandeya and Vishvamitra (has got the boon of leaving Kshatriya body and obtained a Brahmana body) worshipped the Sri Swayambhunathaswamy of this temple and got various boons.