The visit to this Sri Ekambaraeshwarar Temple at
Virupatchipuram near Valangaiman was a part of the Shiva and Vishnu temples visit
on 08th March 2025, the previous day of the “Sembiyan Mahadeviyar
Temples Heritage Tour” organized by கும்பகோணம்
வட்டார வரலாற்று ஆய்வு சங்கம், on 09th March 2025.
Moolavar : Sri Ekambareswarar
Consort : Sri Kamakshi
Some of the salient features of this temple are….
The temple faces east with a mottai Gopuram. Stucco
images of Mount Kailash, Shiva, Parvati, Vinayagar, and Murugan are on the top
of the mottai gopuram. Balipeedam and Rishabam are on after the temple
entrance. Nandi and Dwarapalakas are on both sides of the ardha mandapam
entrance. Vinayagar and Murugan are on both sides of the entrance to the sanctum
sanctorum. In koshtam Vinayagar, Dakshinamurthy, Lingothhbavar, Brahma, and
Durgai.
Ambal is in a separate sannidhi in the ardha
mandapam facing south. Ambal is in a standing posture with abhaya varada
hastam.
In the praharam, Vinayagar, Sri Valli Devasena
Subramaniar, Chandikeswarar, Bairavar, Saniswarar, Navagarahas, and Loose
sculptures like Rishabam, and Murugan.
Nandhi
A Damaged Murugan idol
A Damaged Rishabam
ARCHITECTURE
The temple consists of the sanctum sanctorum, antarala,
ardha mandapam, and mukha mandapam. (The mukha madapam was built with red
granite stones, and the Rishaba mandapam has a wooden ceiling.) The sanctum
sanctorum is on a pada bandha adhistanam with jagathy, three patta kumudam, and
pattikai. The bhitti starts with vedikai. The pilasters are of Vishnu kantha
pilasters with, square base, kalasam, kudam, palakai, and pothyal. Kumbha
panjaras are on the outer wall of the antarala. The prastaram consists of plain
valapi and kapotam with nasi kudus. The temple was built with stone from
adhistanam to prastaram. One tala brick vesara vimanam is on the bhumi desam.
Shiva, Dakshinamurthy, Maha Vishnu, and Brahma are on the tala and greeva
koshtas. The sigaram is of the vesara style.
HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS
The temple belongs to the 11th to 12th
Chozha period. A fragment Kulothunga Chozha period inscription on the south side jagathy records Shiva's name as Thiruvahatheswaramudaiyar.
Maha kumbhabhishekam was conducted in 2024. The painting was done completely from adhistanam to Sigaram. So, I couldn’t distinguish between stone and cement concrete structures.
Kulothunga Chozha period inscription
POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS
Apart from regular poojas, special poojas are done
on pradosham, Maha Shivaratri, Vianayagar Chaturthi, etc.
TEMPLE TIMINGS
The temple will be kept open from 07.00 hrs to
11.00 hrs and from 17.00 hrs to 19.00 hrs.
CONTACT DETAILS
The Kumar Gurukkal may be contacted on his mobile
number +919894341323 for further details.
HOW TO REACH
The place Viruppatchipuram is on the Kumbakonam to
Mannargudi road after Thippirajapuram.
The temple is about 1 km from Valangaiman, 3.2 km
from Thippirajapuram, 8.7 km from Nachiarkoil, 10 km from Kumbakonam, 15 km from
Needamangalam, and 28 km from Mannargudi.
The nearest Railway Station is Kumbakonam.
LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE
Maha mandapam entrance
Ambal Sannidhi entrance 
Main entrance
--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA---
No comments:
Post a Comment