VELUDHARAN TEMPLES VISIT : Ancient Pillayar Temple/ Ancient Vinayagar Temple, Chenbagaramanputhoor, Kanyakumari District, Tamil Nadu.

Tuesday, 8 July 2025

Ancient Pillayar Temple/ Ancient Vinayagar Temple, Chenbagaramanputhoor, Kanyakumari District, Tamil Nadu.

The visit to this Ancient Pillayar Temple at Chenbagaramanputhoor near Nagercoil 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. This is one of the Vinayagar temples exclusively built for Vinayagar as the presiding deity.

Moolavar: Sri Vinayagar

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

The temple faces east on the Thadaga foothills. The Vinayagar is not in the sanctum sanctorum but kept in the ardha mandapam (the reason behind this is given in the History). Nagars are on the left side of Vinayagar.

There is a Shiva’s sannidhi on the left side of Vinayagar sannidhi, and Rishabam is in front of the Shiva’s Sannidhi.

Shiva's Sannidhi

Two mandapas are on the right side of the road that leads to the temple from the main road.

ARCHITECTURE

The temple consists of the sanctum sanctorum, ardha mandapam/ maha mandapam. The temple was constructed with stone from adhistanam to prastaram. The sanctum sanctorum is on an adhistanam Brahma kantha pilasters with vettu pothyal on the bhitti. Vinayagar’s bas reliefs are on the koshta makara torana. The prastaram consists of valapi with lotus petals and kapotam with nasi kudus. The brick vimanam above the prastaram is of one tala and nagara sigaram.

Shiva’s sannidhi has an eka-tala vesara vimanam. A Jala is provided on the mandapam's east side wall, opposite the Shiva Lingam.

The mandapa pillars have images of donors/ Vijayanaga Nayakas in Anjali hastam, and on the opposite side are the Pavai vilakku.

Donors

Pavai Vilakku

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

Originally, the temple was in the Village of Athichanpuduvoor (ஆதிச்சன் புதுவூர்), but for unknown reasons, the villagers moved to Chenbagaramanputhoor, leaving the Vinayagar temple. It is believed that the original temple was built by the Pandyas. The temple was constructed /re-constructed during the Vijayanagara Nayakas period. The Vijayanagara period inscription is found in the big mandapam, opposite the Vinayagar temple.

பிள்ளையார் கோயில், மண்டபத்தின் மேற்குப் பக்கச் சுவர் பட்டியில் உள்ள சக ஆண்டு 1544, கொல்லம் 798 & பொயு 1622 ஆம் ஆண்டு கல்வெட்டு நாஞ்சி நாட்டு ஆதிச்சன் புதுவூர் மடத்தில் எழுந்தருளியிருக்கும் பூதனாதருக்குத் திருமாலைக்கும், நந்தவனத்துக்குமாக நிலம் அளிக்கப்பட்டதைப் பதிவு செய்கின்றது.

The saham 1544, Kollam 798, and 1622 CE inscription on the west wall of the mandapa record the endowment of Thirumalai / Garland and Nandhavanam, for the same land was gifted to the temple.

Ref

கன்யாகுமரிக் கல்வெட்டுகள் ஐந்தாம் தொகுதி (தோவாளை)

The mandapam with the inscription

LEGENDS

It is believed that Surya worshipped Shiva at this temple. The Suryan’s rays will fall on the Shiva lingam for 3 days a year, through the jala fixed on the east side wall of the mandapam.