VELUDHARAN TEMPLES VISIT : Sri Adikesava Perumal Temple / ஆதிகேசவ பெருமாள் கோவில், Paramandur, Pudukkottai District, Tamil Nadu.

Thursday, 12 October 2023

Sri Adikesava Perumal Temple / ஆதிகேசவ பெருமாள் கோவில், Paramandur, Pudukkottai District, Tamil Nadu.

The visit to Sri Adikesava Perumal Temple at Paramandur near Avudayarkoil was part of the Shiva and Vishnu Temples of Pudukkottai and Sivagangai Districts Visit on 23^rd & 24^th September 2023.

Since Sri Adikesava Perumal was worshipped by Veda Vyasa’s father, Parasara Maharishi, this place was also called “Parasara Kshetram”.

Moolavar : Sri Adikesava Perumal

Consort : Sri Parimala Valli

Some of the salient features of this Temple are...

The temple faces east with a 5-tier Rajagopuram. Dwajasthambam, balipeedam, and Garudan are in front of the temple. Parasarar and Nagar's sannidhis are on the left side of the Dwajasthambam. Vishwaksena and Anjaneyar pillar reliefs (Anjaneyar will look Young and old when viewed from both sides) are in the mukha mandapam. In the maha mandapam, Ramanujar, Nammalwar, Manavala Mamuni, Sridevi Bhudevi sametha Varadharaja Perumal, and Lakshmi Narayanan. Jayan & Vijayan, the dwarapalakas, are at the entrance of the ardha mandapam.

Moolavar Sri Adikesava Perumal is with Sridevi and Bhudevi in a standing posture. Moolavar is with 4 hands, holding sankha & chakra in the upper hands; the lower right hand is in Abhaya hastam, and the left hand is in kadi hastam. Moolavar is made of stucco; hence, abhishekam is not carried out, and only thaila kappu will be done. Utsava Murtis are in front of Moolavar.

Thayar Parimalavalli is in a separate temple facing east on the right side of the Moolavar Temple. The temple consists of the sanctum sanctorum, antarala, and ardha mandapam. The sanctum sanctorum is on a pada bandha adhistanam with three patta kumudam. The pilasters are Brahma kantha pilasters with kalasa, kudam, mandi, palakai, and vettu pothyal. The prastaram consists of valapi with lotus petals, kapotam, and viyyala vari. An eka tala dravida vimanam is on the sanctum sanctorum.

Varadharaja Perumal

Dwarapalakas

ARCHITECTURE

The temple consists of a sanctum sanctorum, antarala, ardha mandapam, and a maha mandapam. The sanctum sanctorum is on a kapota bandha adhistanam with vrutha kumudam and kapotam. The Koshtas are sala-style padra kostas and are without images. Sthamba panjaras are in the antarala portion. The Bhitti starts above the vedika. The pilasters have a square base & Naga bandham, Vishnu kantha body, malai thongal, kalasam, kudam, lotus petals mandi, palakai, Veera kandam, and Pushpa pothyal. The Prastaram consists of lotus petals, valapi, and kapotam with floral designs, nasi kudus & keerthi mukhas, Kodi paalai, and maiyya karukku. Yazhi vari is above the kapotam. Makara thundam is shown on the corners. A two-tier stucco dravida Vimana is on the bhumidesam.

Dilapidated temple components are used for Compound walls during the reconstruction

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

The original temple may belong to the early Pandya period, and 15th-16th-century inscriptions are found on the walls.

Andiappa Achchutanayaka Tondaiman son of Tyagarasar Narasanayaka Tondaiman’s, Saka 1499, reign inscription (ARE, 511, 1926) on the base of the north, west and south walls of the central shrine records a screamange gift of the village Merkattar as diru-namattukkapi (to the Vishnu temple ) by the chief who bears the birudas Alaivil-añjadan etc., and calls himself the arais of Arantangi in Jango-nadu, a sub-division of Vadavallaru-nadu alias Sundarapandya-valanadu.

Ekapperumal Tondaimanar’s, Sakam 1403, reign inscription (ARE 512, 1926) on the north wall of the same shrine, records a provision made by the chief of Arantangi in Vilangō-nadu, for the service called Tondaindu-sandi in the temple of Kēśava-Perumal at Paráéaranputtor in Vadavellaru.

Ponnambalanatha Tondaimanar’s Bhahuthanya, Avani 11, reign inscription (ARE 513, 1926) on the same wall, records an order of the chief to the temple-accountant, granting a house and 6 må of land and a nali of offered food daily as tirukkas-valakkam to a certain Tiruvaranga-Tatar for his duties as Vaishnavakkēlvi in the temple.

A damaged Sakam 1440 inscription ARE 514, 1926, on the same wall, records the order of the temple giving effect to the above gifts and defining the boundaries of the house and land granted to Tiruvaranga-Tatar alias Inakkunalla-meyyan.

Ponnambalanatha Tondaimanar, son of Ekapperumal Tondaimanar, Sakam 1459 reign inscription (ARE 515), on the west wall of the same shrine, records a sarvamanya gift of land in Araiyakoļapparra in Panangai-nadu as tirunamattukkani to the temple at Para-éaranputtür for the maintenance of the service Ponnambala-nathan sandi instituted by the chief in his name.

Pandya period without king’s name and reign year, inscription (ARE 516, 1926) on the south wall of the same shrine is Incomplete. It seems to record an order of the king while camping at Manjakkudi, remitting taxes on certain Jands in different villages. for worship and offerings in the temple of Koéava, peruma)-Vinnagar-Alvar at Panamput tür alias Srivaishnava-chaturvedimangalam in Vellaru alias Sundara-Pandya-valanādu, during the service called Sundara-Pandyan-sandi, instituted in the name of one of the princes and for special worship on the day of Mala in the month of Purattadi in which he was born.

The inscription ARE 517, 1926, on the left door jamb on the entrance to the centre shrine, states that the érivimanam was known after the name of Sundara-Pandyadevar. The writing seems to be of the 13th century C.E.

Heviilambi year, inscription (ARE 518, 1926), without the king’s name and year, on the north wall of the verandah around the shrine, records an order issued by the temple at the instance of the tanattar and the nastir of Vadavellaru and the rajagaram, to a certain Arantangi Aravamudalvår, granting him a house, 6 ma of land and a nali of offered food daily in the temple for reciting the Vedas before the god.

Ponnambalanatha Tondaimanar, Sakam 1459, reign inscription (ARE 519, 1926) on the same wall, records a gift of the village Nulambür alias Ponnambala-nathanallûr, a separate village in the western division of Milalai-karram by this chief of Arantangi on the day of Sravana, which was his natal star, for the maintenance of the service in the temple in his name.
The inscriptions (ARE 520, 1926) on the pillar of the maha mandapa in front of the same shrine, beginning and end lost. Records a gift of land at Kundu-galür Näraņakkudi for offerings during the service Sun-dara-Pandiyan-sandi and for special worship on the day of Mala in Purattadi and on the days of that asterism every month. Seems to be connected with No. 516 above.

Timmayyadeva Maharaja, Saka 1415, reign inscription (ARE 521, 1926) on the south wall of the second praharam, records a sarvamanya grant of 6 vēli of land by the king at Tiruvalandurai in Nalarrupparru for offerings during the service Timmarayan-sandi in the temple.

Saka 1377, inscription (ARE 522, 1926), on the same wall, records a similar grant of 15 vēli of land free of all taxes in Puñjniúr alias Kēśavapperumāļnallür in Nalarrupparru of Arvalakkürram, a division of Nenmeli-nādu in Rajendra valanattu for worship and other expenses in the temple.

Reference

Annual Report on South Indian Epigraphy, Year 1925 - 1926.

LEGENDS

It is believed that the Moolavar was worshipped by Veda Vyasa’s father, Parasarar. It is also believed that Ramar came to this temple and worshipped Sri Adikesava Perumal of this temple.

Parasarar's sannidhi

POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS

Apart from regular poojas, special poojas are conducted on Fridays, Vaikunta Ekadasi, Krishna Jayanthi, Purattasi Saturdays, Margazhi month all days, Navaratri, etc. Devotees pray to Anjaneyar to fulfill their wishes and tie coconuts.