Akkarai Sivan Temple/ அக்கரை சிவன் கோயில்/ Mahadevar Temple/ ஸ்ரீ பெருஞ்சடை மஹாதேவர் கோவில், Parakkai, Kanyakumari/ Kanniyakumari District, Tamil Nadu.

The visit to this Sri Akkarai Sivan temple, at Parakkai, was a part of the “Nanjil Nadu Heritage Walk”, organized by the Tamil Nadu Tourism Department and the தொண்டை மண்டல வரலாற்று ஆய்வு சங்கம் “திருக்கச்சி” from 16^th to 18^th May 2025. I extend my sincere thanks to Mr. Velu Pillai and Mrs. Radha Balan Ruth for organizing this Heritage Walk.

The temple is on the east side of Parakkai Lake banks, hence called Akkarai Sivan Temple (Next banks of the lake). No houses are around the temple.

Moolavar: Sri Perunjadai Mahadevar

Some of the salient features of this temple are…..

The temple faces east with an entrance arch. Stucco images of Shiva and Parvati as Rishabaroodar, Vinayagar, and Murugan. Moolavar is of swayambhu on a round avudayar. Rishabam is in the ardha mandapam. There are images in the koshtams.

In the praharam, Vinayagar, Sastha with an elephant, and Murugan.

Sastha with an elephant

ARCHITECTURE

The temple consists of the sanctum sanctorum, antarala, and ardha mandapam. The sanctum sanctorum is on a pada bandha adhistanam with jagathy, threepatta kumudam, and pattikai. The bhitti starts with vedikai. The pilasters are of Brahma Kantha pilasters with malai thongal, kalasam, kudam, palakai, and vettu pothyal. The koshta mahara toranas have the bas reliefs of Vinayagar, Dakshinamuthy, Yoga Narasimhar, and Brahma. The prastaram consists of valapi, kapotam, with nasi kudus and madhalai. Antril birds are in the valapi. An eka tala Dravida vimanam is on the bhumi desam. Shiva, Dakshinamurthy, Maha Vishnu, and Brahma are in the greeva koshtams. The Sigaram was built with bricks.

Valapi

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

As per the inscriptions, this place was called Kizhar Mangalam, alias Abimanameru Chaturvedi Mangalam, Kizhar Mangalam, Valikolli Kuzhar Mangalam, Mangala Chery, Paravaikkarasapuram, Parakkai, etc.

It is believed that the temple belongs to the 9th-10th century CE, the early Pandya period. Later reconstructed during the Vijayanagara period.

A Tamil vattezhuthu inscription is found on the lintel of the entrance to the ardha mandapam, which is incomplete. The inscription records that the Sabha assembled and established endowments at this temple.

பறக்கை ஏரியின் மறு கரையில் உள்ள அக்கரை மகாதேவர் கோவிலில் பொயு 9-10 ஆம் நூற்றாண்டு முற்கால பாண்டியர் காலத்தைச் சார்ந்த வட்டெழுத்து கல்வெட்டு அர்த்த மண்டப நுழைவாயிலின் மேல் நிலைக் கல்லில் கண்டு பிடிக்கப்பட்டது. அது ஒரு துண்டுக்கல்வெட்டு. செய்தி முழுமையாக இல்லை.

1. …………. ளூர்ச்……..சவை [யார்] இடபக்கி வை

2. கோரிதுகைவெடஞ்ச நிடமுட்ட கூடிட்டு

3. திருபடியாய் அனுதேபிக்க வேண்டுமென்ன நியமெண

4. யமும் அனுதேபிக்க நான் வேண்டும் வரமாவது நுங்களூர்க்

5. கரம் வெச்சாறை வைனேரச. . . .வெட்டி மெக்கு. ....

Ref:

Kumari Mavatta kalvettukal, Volume –VI.

LEGENDS

POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS

Apart from regular poojas, special poojas are conducted on Pradosham, Maha Shivaratri, etc.

TEMPLE TIMINGS

The temple will be kept open from 08.00 hrs to 09.00 hrs.

CONTACT DETAILS

The mobile number +918220897264 may be contacted for further details.

HOW TO REACH

The temple is on the east side of Parakkai Lake and 1.3 km from Parakkai Village, 6.8 km from Nagercoil, and 14.5 km from Kanyakumari.

The nearest Railway Station is Nagercoil.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA---