The
visit to this Sri Ravi Mangalanathar Temple was a part of the Visit to Rock Arts in Natural caves Shelters near Palani in Dindigul District on 3rd July 2024.
Thanks to Thenkongu Sathasivan, who took us (Mrs. Sakthi Prakash and Mr. Srinivasan) to this temple.
This
Shiva Temple is on the ancient Vanika Peruvazhi / Trade route. There are many
specialties in this temple. The Shiva Lingam is of Dhara Lingam, which is
rarely available in Kongu Mandalam but it is quite common in Kanchipuram areas.
In Koshtam, Indran is installed in place of Maha Vishnu.
Moolavar
: Sri Ravimangala Eswarar / Then
Kalatheeswarar
Some
of the salient features of this temple are….
The
temple faces west, with an entrance also on the west side. Balipeedam and
Rishabam are in front of the sanctum sanctorum. Moolavar is a Dhara Lingam with 16
flat surfaces ( sodasha Lingam ) on a round avudayar. In Koshtam Vinayagar,
Dakshinamurthy, Indran, and Brahma.
In
praharam Vinayagar, an ant hill, a Hero stone (Details will be written in a
separate post), Murugan, Bairavar, and Chandikeswarar.
Dakshinamurthy
ARCHITECTURE
The
original temple was built with stone, and the present structure was built with
Bricks and cement concrete. The temple consists of a sanctum sanctorum, antarala,
ardha mandapam, and an open mukha mandapam, now a thatched shed. The sanctum
sanctorum is on an upanam and pada bandha adhistanam with jagathy, three patta
kumudam, and pattikai. The Bhitti starts with vedikai. The pilasters are Brahmakantha pilasters with vettu pothyal. The prastaram consists of valapi and kapotam with nasi kudus. An eka tala vesara Vimanam of on the sanctum
sanctorum. The 4 Maha nasis and 4 alpa nasis are on the greevam. Shiva,
Dakshinamurthy, Maha Vishnu Brahma, and Durgai are on the greeva koshtam.
HISTORY
AND INSCRIPTIONS
The
original temple belongs to the Chozha period. A fragment inscription stone is kept
in the temple. The inscription records the name Thiribhuvana Chakravarthy
Vikrama Devar… Also mentions a gift of land near the Vanika Peruvazhi/Trade
Route. Hope this temple might have received contributions from the Traders/merchants/businesspeople who passed through the Vanika Peruvazhi/Trade Route.
The second line reads as - வணிக பெருவழிக்கு தெற்கு..
LEGENDS
As
per the legend, Sri Kannappar (Original name was Thinnan) was one of
the 63 nayanmar and an ardent devotee of Shiva. He used to offer the meat of
the animals that he hunted in the forest. Shiva wants to show Kannappar’s
bhakti to this world and test him through the flowing of blood from his
eyes. First, Kannappar removed one of the eyes and applied it to Shiva. Now the
flood started coming from the second eye too. Kannappar held Shiva’s eye spot
with his leg and tried to remove his second eye too. Just as he was about to remove it, Lord
Shiva appeared before Kannappar and blessed him.
In
another Legend, Shiva was worshipped by a snake with precious gems, and
Elephant was worshipped with flowers. Hence, Shiva is being called Kalahastheeswara. Also this is a parihara sthalam for Rahu and Ketu.
POOJAS
AND CELEBRATIONS
Apart
from oru kala poojas, special poojas are conducted on pradosham and maha
Shivaratri days.
TEMPLE
TIMINGS
The
temple will be kept open between 07.00 and 10.00 in the morning.
CONTACT
DETAILS
The
mobile number +919976005118 may be contacted for further details.
HOW
TO REACH
This
place is called Kaala Medu. From Kolumam to Palani road, in Iravimangalam,
take a right towards Kavalapatti, and at the Junction turn left road and the temple will
be about a km.
This
Shiva temple is 3.7 KM from Iravimangalam (on Kolumam to Palani Road), 12.3
km from Kolumam, and 10 km from Palani.
The nearest railway Station is Palani.
LOCATION
OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE
Cairn Circles near the Temple
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OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---
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