The visit to this Murugan Temple was a part of the “Battle of
Thirupurambiyam- A Heritage Walk to the Shiva and Pallipadai Temples, on the North
Side of Kumbakonam, organized by Kumbakonam Vattara Varalatru Ayyvu Sangam,
scheduled on 14th July 2024. This temple is the 4th of 6
abodes (Arupadaiveedu / அறுபடைவீடு) of Sri
Subramaniar/ Murugan as Sri Swaminatha Swamy. Also, this is one of the Sapta
Sthala temples of Kumbakonam.
This small hill is also called Guru Malai, Kanthasalam, Siragiri, Siva
Malai, and Thirueraham. Arunagirinathar has sung Thirupukazh / hymns in praise
of Swaminatha Swamy of this temple.
அவாமரு வினாவசு தைகாணும்
டவாரெனு
மவார்கனலில்
வாழ்வென் றுணராதே
அராநுக ரவாதையு றுதேரைக திநாடும் றி
வாகியுள் மால்கொண் டதனாலே
சிவாயமெ னுநாமமொ ருகாலுநி
னையாததி
மிராகரனை
வாவென் றருள்வாயே
திரோதம் லமாறும டியார்கள ருமாதவர்
தியானமுறு பாதந் தருவாயே
உவாவினி யகானுவி னிலாவும
யில்வாகன
முலாசமுடனேறுங்
கழலோனே
உலாவுத யபாநுச தகோடியு ருவானவொ
ளிவாகுமயில் வேலங் கையிலோனே
துவாதச புயாசல ஷடாந வராசிவ
சுதாஎயினர்
மானன் புடையோனே
சுராதிப திமாலய னுமாலொடு சலாமிடு
சுவாமிமலை வாழும் பெருமாளே
Moolavar: Sri Swaminatha Swamy
Some of the salient features of this temple are….
The temple was constructed on three levels. The east side entrance has an
arch. Aiyyamperumal Sannidhi is on the left side of the entrance. Stucco images of
Arumugar on a peacock, Vinayagar, Murugan’s other two forms, and Arunagirinathar
are on the entrance arch. Vallabha Ganapati is at the east side entrance after
the arch. The Sthala Purana stucco images of Shiva with Swaminatha swami,
Naradhar, etc, are just above Vallabha Ganapati.
The South side entrance is with an arch, mandapam & 5-tier Rajagopuram.
Sri Sundaraeswarar Temple….
Moolavar : Sri Sundareswarar
Consort : Sri Meenakshi
Some of the salient features of this temple are....
The Shiva as Sundareswarar and
Ambal Meenakshi sandhis at the ground level facing east. Balipeedam and a
Rishabam are in front of the sanctum sanctorum. In koshtam, Vinayagar,
Dakshinamurthy, Lingothbavar, Brahma, and Durgai. In the praharam, Vinayagar, Sri
Valli Devasena Subramaniar, Chandikeswarar, Utsavars, Navagrahas, and Bairavar.
The temple consists of the sanctum sanctorum, antarala, and ardha mandapam. The
sanctum sanctorum is on a pada bandha adhistanam. The Vimanam is of the vesara
style. The Mandapam was built during the Nayakas.
Ambal Sri Meenakshi is in a separate Sannidhi facing south. Ambal is in a standing posture with Abhaya Varada hastam.
The first level is 30 steps from the Ground level and again 30 steps to the
third level. These 60 steps signify the Tamil years of 60. Every year, a special
pooja will be conducted for these steps.
Sri Swaminatha Swamy Temple….
The top-level temple has
a Rajagopuram facing east. The Dwajasthambam, Balipeedam, and Elephant Vahana
are in front of the Sanctum Sanctorum. The Dwajasthambam is covered with gold-plated
copper/brass plates, in a glass enclosure. Dwarapalakas are at the entrance of the ardha mandapam. Moolavar Murugan is tall in standing posture with his right
hand holding Thanda and his left hand in uru hastam. In kostam, various forms
of Murugan.
In ardha mandapam, Kartha Veeryaarsunar, Agasthiyar, Dakshinamurthy,
Dhaarakaprameswarar, Urchavars, Kasi Viswanathar, Chandrasekarar, Agasthiyar,
Gajalakshmi, Saraswati, Chandikeswarar, Durgai, Bairavar, Suriyan, and Chandran.
ARCHITECTURE
The
temple was constructed on three levels. The base level consists of a Shiva
temple, and the top Level consists of Sri Swaminatha Swamy Temple. A
circumambulatory path is on the second level. The Vimanam is of 3 tiers in
Dravida style. The stucco images of Swaminatha Swamy’s / Murugan's various
forms are on the vimanam koshtas. The ardha mandapam pillars are Yazhi pillars
covered with gold-plated plates.
Sri
Swaminatha Swamy’s temple consists of the sanctum sanctorum, antarala, ardha
mandapam, and maha mandapam. The sanctum sanctorum is on a pada bandha adhistanam
with three patta kumudam. The pillars are with kalasam, kudam, lotus petals
mandi, and pushpa pothyal. The bricks vimanam are of 3 three tiers in dravida
style.
HISTORY
AND INSCRIPTIONS
It
is believed that the temple has existed for more than 1000 years, and the
present structure belongs to the Vijayanagara Nayakas period.
Krishņadēvarāya’s, Śaka 1436, 1514-15
CE inscription on the side of the first Rajagopura, right entrance, is dated in
Bhava, Tula. śu. Utthana-dvādaśi, Monday. Revati (CE. 1514, October 30). The
month should be Vrischika.
This is damaged both at the beginning, which
contains one or two Sanskrit verses, and at the end. It seems to register a
remission of some taxes by the king in favour of god Sväminātha. At the top of
the inscription are engraved the figures of a trisüla, vajra, and a peacock with
a serpent held in its mouth.
Sevvappa-Nayaka’s Saka 1495, 1573-74 CE
inscriptions in fragments indicate that the Rajagopuram was built in the middle and is also
incomplete. The first and second sections together seem to register a gift of 2
vēli of land by Sevvappa-Nayakkar, son of Timmappa-Nayakkar of the
Chaturtha-gōtra and a native of Nedungungam in Tondai-mandalam to the temple of
Kumārasvami at Svāmimalai in Innambar-nādu Parāntaka-nādu, a division of
Vikramaśōla-vaļanādu of Tiruchchirappalli-chavadi, for the abhishēka service of
the god and for burning a ghee-lamp in the temple, and also for the
maintenance of a mutt called the Velayudhachchivan-madam.
A third piece, which seems to be part of another
inscription, is also found close by, which mentions Timmugudi in Vēmbattür-sirmai
and a gift of a quarter (vēli) of land for the sandhi-abhisheka (of the same god
?) and for a lamp. The date of the inscription (of Sevvappa-Nayaka)
is given as Tulā, śu. Paurņamāsi, Saturday, Aśvati (1573 CE, October 10).
The inscriptions that stood in the temple here
have been copied by the Madras Epigraphical Department during the year 1907.
The Subrahmanya shrine of this place, famous as
the place where the God instructed His own father in religion and therefore a
centre of pilgrimage and vows, has inscriptions of the sixteenth century.
It has a choultry founded by a Principal Sage Amin, who was cured of a disease
by taking a vow in the temple! It has, however, his epigraph in it.
The inscription, 496 of 1907 (Grantha and Tamil),
is on the first gopura of the Subrahmanyaswamy temple, right of the entrance. A
damaged record of the Vijayanagara king Virapratapa Krishnadeva Maharaya in S.
1436, expired Blusva. The trisula and a peacock are engraved on the top of the
inscription.
The inscription 497 of 1907 (Grantha and Tamil) is in the same place. This inscription records that the Nayaka king Sevappa
Nayaka (1549-72) in S. 1495, expired...... Refers to the son of Timmappa
Nayakkar of the chaturtha gotra, who was a native of Nedungunram in To.....
mandalam."
Ref:
South Indian
Inscriptions Volume 23
South Indian Shrines
As
per the temple records, the temple has 236.74 acres of Nanjai, 234.19 acres of
Punjai, Manavari 4.40 acres, Thoppu 64.85 acres, house sites of 906670 sq feet, and buildings of 43951 sq feet. Income from the immovable property Rs 4,38,08,579.00
Maha
Kumbhabhishekam was conducted on 09th September 2015.
LEGENDS
As
per the legend, since Brahma has the power of creation, he thought of himself as superior
to Shiva, Maha Vishnu, and the Devas. On seeing his misbehavior and attitude,
Muruga asked Brahma to explain the meaning of Pranava, OHM, and Brahma
couldn’t answer. So Muruga hit him on his head and locked him in prison. Due to this, the creation was affected.
On
the other hand, Brighu did a severe penance on Shiva to attain mukthi. He also
cursed to forget the Brahmagnanam if anybody disturbed his penance. The Devas, afraid of Brighu Maharishi's
penance, along with Maha Vishnu, requested Shiva to help them. At the request
of Devas and Maha Vishnu, Shiva touched the head of Brighu Maharishi. Maharishi
woke up and found that Shiva was standing in front of him. On seeing Shiva,
Maharishi is afraid that his curse may affect Shiva also and requests Shiva to
pardon him. Shiva told Maharishi that this is one of his Thiruvilaiyadal.
Shiva also forgot the meaning of the Pranava mantra.
Shiva
asked Muruga to release Brahma. Muruga told Shiva that since Brahma didn’t know
the meaning of the Pranava mantra refused to release Brahma. Shiva asked
Muruga whether he knew the meaning of the Pranava mantra. Muruga replied that,
when Shiva hears Sisya, he can explain the meaning of the Pranava mantra. Both
Shiva and Muruga came to this place. Muruga taught Shiva the meaning of the
Pranava mantra in the position of Guru. Since this is a place where the
meaning of the Pranava mantra was revealed to Shiva, this place is called
Swamimalai.
POOJAS
AND CELEBRATIONS
Apart
from regular poojas, special poojas are conducted on Fridays, Kiruthigai,
Thaipoosam, Karthigai Deepam, Pradosham & Maha Shivaratri at the Shiva temple,
etc.
TEMPLE
TIMINGS
The
temple will be kept open from 06.00 hrs to 12.00 hrs, and from 16.00 hrs to 09.30
hrs.
CONTACT
DETAILS
K. Ketharieswaran
+9197893 79644, +9196291 49795, and +91435 2454421
HOW
TO REACH
Swamimalai is on the Kumbakonam to Thiruvaiyaru Bus Route, about 8 km from the
Kumbakonam Bus Stand, 10 km from Kumbakonam Railway Station, 27 km from
Thiruvaiyaru, and 35 km from Thanjavur.
The nearest
Railway Station is Kumbakonam.
LOCATION
OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE
---
OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---
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