Pariyur Kondathu Kaliamman Temple / பாரியூர் கொண்டத்துக்காளியம்மன் கோவில், Pariyur, Erode District, Tamil Nadu.

The visit to this Sri Kondathu Kaliamman Temple at Pariyur near Gobichettipalayam was a part of the “Shiva, Vishnu, Amman Temples and Heritage Sites Visit” – On 18^th May 2024. As per the Sthalapuranam, this place was called Parapuri, which has been corrupted to the present name of Pariyur.

அன்னையாய் நின்று அருள்வாய் போற்றி!

அங்கயற் கண்ணி அமுதே போற்றி!

அற்புதம் விளைக்கும் அணங்கே போற்றி!

அகிலம் எல்லாம் பூத்தவளே போற்றி!

அண்ட மெல்லாம் காத்தவளே போற்றி!

Moolavar   : Sri Kondathu Kaliamman

Some of the salient features of this temple are….

The temple faces North with a 5-tier Rajagopuram on the South Side. A Channel is flowing in front of the temple. A Deepa Sthamabam, 50 feet 50-foot-long Gundam for a fire walk, Balipeedam, and Simha Vahana are in front of the temple. Dwarapalakis are on both sides of the entrance to Ardha mandapam. Gajalakshmi is on the top of the entrance to the sanctum sanctorum. In Sanctum Sanctorum Kaliamman is in a sitting posture along with Vinayagar. Saptamatrikas Brahmi, Chamundi, Maheswari, Goumari, Varahi, Vaishnavi and Mahendri are around the temple koshtams. Utsavar Chinnamman is in the ardha mandapam.

Sri Valli Devasena Utsavars are on the back side of the sanctum sanctorum. In praharam, Vanni Vinayagar, Vara Siddhi Vinayagar, Sapthakannis, Pongaliamman, Nagars with Vinayagar, Stucco horses, and Muniyappa Swami.

Utsavar Chinnamman

Dwarapalakis

Muniyappa Swami.

ARCHITECTURE

The Rajagopuram is of 5 talas, measuring 67 feet tall with 7 kalasas. The temple consists of sanctum sanctorum, antarala, ardha mandapam, and mukha mandapam, spread over a rectangular area measuring 240 feet by 150 feet. A Gundam measuring 50 feet long is in front of the temple. Stucco images of Shiva and Parvati’s marriage are around the mandapam top. A Salakara Vimanam with 3 kalasas is on the sanctum sanctorum.  Amman’s various forms are on the tala and greeva koshtams. The adhistanam is with Padma jagathy / lotus petals jagathy, kumudam and kapotam. The Bhitti starts with vedikai. The Pilasters are Vishnukantha pilasters with square bases, kalasam, kudam, lotus petals mandi, and Poomottu pothyal.

In ardha mandapam 4 pillars have the sculptures of Maha Lakshmi, Saraswati, Rajarajeswari, and Bhadrakali.   

There are 28 pillars in front open mandapam has the bas reliefs of freedom fighters, like, Nehru, Gandhi ( yoga and standing postures ), Vallabai Patel, etc, and the Hindu deities of Shiva and Maha Vishnu.

Kaliamman

Bairavar - Murugan with Sri Valli Devasena

Shri P S Muthuvelappa Gounder - Gandhi

Patel & Nehru

Kumaran..?

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

It is not known when the original temple was constructed ( and as per the temple authorities the original temple may be 1000 years old ).

When the temple was in dilapidated condition, the temple was completely renovated with stone ( dismantling the old structures ) and Jeernodhara Maha Kumbhabhishekam was conducted on 22^nd April 1942. The Thirupani Committee Group was headed by Shri P S Muthuvelappa Gounder, son of Senniyappa Gounder of Pudupalayam. It was learned that thirupani was done through his own fund. He was also a freedom fighter. He was arrested by the British for portraying the freedom fighters' sculptures on the mandapa pillars. (Shri Muthuvelappa Gounder's image can be found in the Mandapam Pillar and as a stucco image on the Vimanam).   

Again, in 1990 mandala abhishekam was completed on 18^th June 1990 and again on 13^th November 1967 and 26^th April 2023.

The Rajagopuram was constructed at a cost of 13 Lakhs and Kumbhabhishekam was conducted on 30^th April 1990. Up to Kalkaram, the cost works out to 7 lakhs, and the 5 tiers cost 6 lakhs.

This temple is under the control of the Tamil Nadu Government HR & CE Department along with Sri Amara Paneeswarar Temple.

Ref :

Sthala Varalaru was issued by the temple.

LEGENDS

A Siddhar called Soorarasa Siddhar, who was well-versed in mantra also lived in this place. It is believed that this Siddhar had the darshan of Kondathukaliamman and his Samadhi is near the Pattari Amman temple.

It is believed that a Chera king’s Chieftain Muthukumaravira, of the Vellalar Community, had obtained a sword from this Kondathukaliamman. His descendants are called Kanavala Kulathar. One of his descendants, Gobichettipilllan, was a philanthropist during that time, and the present Gobichettipalayam was named after him. He gave everything as a gift to others, and at one stage he doesn’t have anything to give to a Poet. So he decided to die, by offering himself to a tiger in the tiger bush. He started praying to Kondathu Kaliamman. When he was tired of waiting for the tiger, happened to see gold in the bush. Thanked to Kaliamman, he gave the gold to the poet and the people. This was praised by the Karmega Pulavar in Kongu Mandala Sathagam ( Poem verse 98 ).

கவியின் மெலிந்து புகல்கவிக் கீயக்

    கபினின்மையால் புலியி னுழைபுக்குக்

கள்வர்கள் பங்குப் பொருட்டிரளை மலிய

    எடுத்து அப்புலவனுக் கீந்த வடகரை

யான், வலியன் கனவாளன் செட்டிப்

    பிள்ளான் கொங்கு மண்டலமே

Further the same appears in the Amaravidangar Kuravanji poem as …

இட்டமான கவிசொல்லும் பாவலர்க்கு

    இல்லையென்று சொலற்கஞ்சிக் காட்டின் வாழ்

துட்டவன் புலித் தூறிற் புகுந்த நல்

    தூயவன் கனவாள குலத்தியன்

செட்டிப் பிள்ளையப்பன் தினம் தொண்டுசெய்

    தேனிமாமலை மாதொரு பங்குள

கட்டு செஞ்சடை அமரவிடங்கனார்

    கதித்து வாழ் பாரியூர் எங்களுரே 

POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS

Apart from regular poojas special poojas are conducted on Pournami, Pradosham, Amavasya days, Fridays, Adi Fridays, Navaratri, Karthigai Deepam,  and Gundan, Chariot and Pushba Pallakku procession annual festival, during 2^nd week of Margazhi. The Amman utsavar will be taken up to Gobichettipalayam in Muthu pallaku.

Daily poojas are conducted by the sponsors at the following hours. 07.00 hrs, 09.00 hrs, 10.30 hrs, 12.00 hrs, 17.00 hrs and 19.00 hrs. 

Daily abhishekam will be conducted between, 06.00 to 06.45 Hrs and 11.00 hrs to 11.45 hrs.

Fridays and Amavasya days abhishekam will be conducted between 13.00 hrs to 14.00 hrs.

TEMPLE TIMINGS

The temple will be kept open between 07.00 hrs to 13.00 hrs and 17.00 hrs to 20.00 hrs.

CONTACT DETAILS

The temple priest N Sakthi Subramanian’s mobile number is +919994019049, P S Ramanandam’s mobile number is +919486937728 and P S Sakthi Srinivasa Kumar's +919578618934may be contacted for further details.

HOW TO REACH

The temple at Pariyur is on the Gobichettipalayam to Athani bus route, 5 KM from Gobichettipalayam, 9.5 KM from Athani and 38 KM from Erode.

Nearest Railway station is Erode. 

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE:  CLICK HERE

Kundam 50 feet long

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---