The Visit to this Ahobila Narasimha
Perumal Temple at Nilakottai was on the previous day of the “Mangala Devi Kannagi’s Adichuvattil Heritage Walk”
- organized by Kumbakonam
Vattara Varalatrua Ayvu Sangam, on
22nd – 23rd April 2024. After attending a marriage at
Nilakottai on 21st April 2024, I visited this temple. Even though this is a Maha Vishnu Temple, there is
a Shiva temple inside the premises, and pradosham poojas were in progress during
our Visit.
Adhi Shiva
Moolavar : Sri Narasimma Perumal
Consort : Sri Kanakavalli
Some
of the salient features of this temple are….
The
temple faces east with a 2-tier Rajagopuram. Deepasthambam/Kodimaram,
balipeedam, and Garudan are after the Rajagopuram. Dwarapalakas are at the
entrance of ardha mandapam. Anjaneyar is on the left side of the entrance to the
antarala. Moolavar Narasimhar is with Sri Devi and Bhudevi in standing posture
Narasimhar is in abhaya varada hastam. Utsavars are in-front of moolavar. There
are no images in the koshtams.
In
praharam Kanakavalli Thayar sannidhi, Adhi Shiva Sannidhi, Chandikeswarar and
Navagrahas.
Thayar
is in a separate temple with sanctum sanctorum, ardha mandapam. Thayar is in a sitting posture with abhaya varada hastam.
Narasimha Perumal with Sridevi and Bhudevi
Thayer
ARCHITECTURE
The
temple consists of sanctum sanctorum, antarala, ardha mandapam and a open mukha
mandapam. The Sanctum Sanctorum is on a pada bandha adhistanam with jagathy, three patta kumudam, and pattikai. The bhitti starts with vedikai. The pilasters
are Brahma kantha pilasters with kalasam, kudam, lotus petals mandi, and palakai. The prastaram consists of valapi, and kapotam with nasi kudus. The Brick vimanam is
of two tiers. Stucco images of Maha Vishnu’s various forms are on the Tala and
greeva koshtams.
Monkey and snake sculptures are on the kodungai of mukha mandapam. The mukha mandapam
pillars have the statues of Nayaka Kings/chieftains, Hanuman, and Yazhi
pillars.
Thayar
Temple consists of the sanctum sanctorum and ardha mandapam. The sanctum sanctorum
is on an adhistanam, and an eka tala vesara vimanam is on the sanctum sanctorum.
Maha Vishnu’s various Leela bas-reliefs are on the sanctum sanctorum wall. The
ardha mandapam is of the vavvalnethi style.
Anjaneyar
Monkey with snakes on Kodungai
HISTORY
AND INSCRIPTIONS
It
was said that the temple was constructed during the Pandya period, and mukha
mandapam was extended during the Madurai Nayakas period.
Thayar Sannidhi Mukha Mandapam was built in the vavvalnethi style and may have been built during
Marata’s/Madurai Nayakas period.
Maha
Kumbhabhishekam was conducted on 09th August 1949 and 06th
July 2003. The Garuda’s sannidhi was constructed by the Telugu Chettiars.
Water
pipelines were sponsored by Muthiya Pillai & Sons on 31st July
1967.
In 1949, Kumbhabhishekam, along with electric lighting, was sponsored by Kottur Karnam
Saravanakumar Pillai’s son, S Sivakozhunthu Pillai.
LEGENDS
Narasimha
is one of the avatar of Maha Vishnu. He took this avatar to kill Hiranyakasibu since he obtained a boon of not to be killed by an animal, nor by a human, not
in the daytime, not in the nighttime, not outside his palace, nor inside the
palace, not be killed using weapons. So Maha Vishnu took the avatar of
Narasimhar, with Simha's face and human body, at the meeting point of night and day,
sitting on the doorstep and using nails as a weapon to kill Hiranya Kasibu.
POOJAS
AND CELEBRATIONS
Apart
from regular poojas, special poojas are conducted on Narasimhar Jayanthi,
Hanuman Jayanthi, Rama Navami, etc.
CONTACT
DETAILS
The
mobile number +917947109767 may be contacted for further details.
HOW
TO REACH
The
temple is about a km distance from Madurai to Theni main road. Nilakottai is
about 10 km from Kodai Road Railway Station, 29 km from Dindigul, 46 km from
Madurai, 50 km from Theni, and 67 km from Kodaikanal,
Nearest
Railway station is Kodai road.
LOCATION
OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE
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OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---
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