Sri Moolanathar Temple/ ஶ்ரீ மூலநாதர் கோயில், Bahour, புதுச்சேரி/ Puducherry, (A Union Territory).

The visit to this Sri Moolanathar Temple at Bahour was a part of “Shiva and Maha Vishnu Temple of Puducherry Visit” on 06^th March 2026.

Moolavar  : Sri Moolanathar

Consort    : Sri Vedambigai

Some of the salient features of this temple are….

The temple faces east with a base of Rajagopuram/ mandapam. A stucco image of Shiva and Parvati is on the top of the mandapam. Dwajasthambam, Balipeedam, and Rishabam are after the main entrance. Vinayagar and Thirugnanasambandar sannidhis are on both sides of the ardha mandapam/ maha mandapam entrance. Stucco dwarapalakas images are at the entrance of the Ardha Mandapam. Moolavar is on a round avudaiyar. Nalvar and Utsavar idols are in the ardha mandapam. Rishabam and balipeedam are in front of the sanctum sanctorum. In the koshtam, Vinayagar, Dakshinamurthy, Maha Vishnu, Brahma, and Durgai.  

Ambal Sri Vedambigai is in a separate sannidhi that faces south. Ambal is in a standing posture with abhaya varada hastam.

In the praharam, Sri Vimosanamudaiyar with Rishabam, Vinayagar, Sri Valli Devasena Subramaniar, Chandikeswarar, Sri Thirusobanamudaiyar with Rishabam, Sri Valli Devasena Subramaniar, Navagrahas, Pongu Saniswarar, and Bairavar.

Chandikeswarar is in the form of a bas-relief on the ardha mandapam wall (inside)

 Maha Vishnu in the koshtam and Thirugnanasambandar on the right side entrance to the Maha mandapam

ARCHITECTURE

The temple consists of the sanctum sanctorum, antarala, ardha mandapam and a mukha mandapam. The sanctum sanctorum is on an upanam and pada bandha adhistanam with jagathy, threepatta kumudam and pattikai. The bhitti starts with vedikal. The pilasters are of Brahma kantha pilasters with kalasam, kudam, palakai and tharanga pothyal. The prastaram consists of valapi with bhuta ganas, kapotam with nasikudus and yazhivari. The vimanam was built with stone from upanam to prastaram. An eka tala brick nagara vimanam is on the bhumi desam. Shiva, Dakshinamurthy, Maha Vishnu and Brahma are on the greeva koshtams. Maha Vishnu is as Narasimhar slaying Hiranyakasibhu. Brahma is with his consorts.

The upanam is with sculptures of elephants, dances, monkeys, donors, Kings with Queens, etc.

The Chozha period ardha mandapam

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

It is believed that the original brick temple was constructed during the Pallava reign, and the same was reconstructed as a stone temple during the Chola period. As per the inscriptions, this place was called Jayangonda Chozha mandalathu Pavithra Manicka valanattu Vahoor, alias Azhagiya Chozha Chaturvedi Mangalam. Shiva was called Sri Moolasthanamudaiya Thevar.

The Pallava king Nrpatungavarman’s 8^th reign year 877 CE inscription, the Sanskrit portion of the grant records the mythical genealogy of the Pallavas from Brahma to Aśvatthāman through Angiras, Brhaspati, Samyu, Bhāradvāja and Drona. From Aśvathāman came Pallava. It is stated that from the family of Pallava 'arose a group (of kings) commencing with Vimala and Konkanika'. Then came Dantivarman; his son was Nandivarman, whose wiſe was Śankha of the Rästrakūta family; his son by her was Nrpatunga. Nṛpatunga, by whose favour the Pandya had obtained an army formerly, burnt a confederation of enemies in a battle on the further bank of the Arichit river. With this king's sanction, Martānda alias Nilaitāngi, born in the family of Veśāli, a descendant of the family of Kuru, granted three villages in his own province (rastra) to the Vidyāsthāna at Vägür. Uttamaśīla, the minister of Tungavarman (i.e. Nrpatungavarman), was the executor of the grant. Nagaya, the servant of the Vidyāsthāna, composed the praśasti.

The Tamil portion records the royal order communicated to the nadu of Kilvali-Vägūr-nādu, a s.d. of Aruva-nādu, informing them about the grant of the three villages of Settuppakkam, Viļāngāțtāngaduvanür and Iraippuņaicceri in Vāgūr-nādu as Vidya-bhogam to the Vidyāsthana at Vägür in the eighth year of the king. The former tenants of the three villages were dispossessed, and the earlier charities and brahmadēyas were excluded. The villages of Viļāngättängaduvanür and Settuppäkkam were bound by Nenmalippāk-kam on the east, Nenmalippäkkam, Nelvāyilppākkam and Urattür on the south, Māmbakkam and a plot of land called Arupadu-ceruvu on the west and Vägür on the north. Iraippuņaiccēri had as its boundaries Neruňjikurumbu on the south, Vägür on the west, Kirimānpatti on the north and a forest on the east. The granted villages were attached to Vagür itself, thereby enjoying the parihara and vyavastha enjoyed by Vägür, and these were made brahmadēya.

Nrpatunga, the son of Mādēviperundațtān, who was the son of Uditodaya-perundațtän, a resident of Kilpaiśāram, near Kaccippēdu, inscribed the charter. 

Koparakesari Rajendra Chozha’s 10^th reign year inscription records the supply of 6 nazhi paddy as an interest for the 20 kalam paddy received by the Battars. This has to be utilised for the early morning naivedyam (Kariyamuthu) to Dakshinamurthy.

Kannara Devan’s 26^th reign year incomplete inscription records the gift of 4 kallu(?) to the padai(?) by the Minakkan Sankaran.

The Chozha King Adita Karikalan’s 5^th reign year inscription starts with his title, “பாண்டியன் தலை கொண்ட….”, records the endowment of burning a perpetual lamp by Perungondrai Thevai Battar’s son Nambi Dhamodran.

Rajaraja Chozha-I’s 17^th reign year inscription starts with his meikeerthi. The inscription records the gift of Nandavanam, Land, 10 ewes by the Queen for burning 3 perpetual lamps, and the Queen’s servant Poovanazhaku gave a gift of 90 ewes for burning a perpetual lamp.

Kannaradevan’s 22^nd reign year damaged inscription records the gift of land after purchase.

Another inscription from Kannaradevan’s 22nd reign year records the burning of a lamp.

Kannaradeva’s 22^nd reign year inscription records the gift by a Devaradiyar to the Mandradis (Herders)

Rajaraja Chozha-I’s 11^th reign year inscription starts with his meikeerthi. The inscription records the tax on the lands which get water from the eri/ reservoir.

Rajakesaribarmar Thiribhuvana Chakravarthi Vikrama Chozha’s 5^th reign year partially damaged inscription starts with his meikeerthi. The inscription records the endowment of burning a lamp.

The Chozha King Ko Rajakesaribanmar Rajendra Chozha’s 4^th reign year inscription records the endowment of burning a perpetual lamp by this village, Vellatti (Servant) Mari and Chetty.

The Chozha King Rajaraja-I’s 25^th reign year inscription starts with his meikeerthi. The inscription records the endowment of burning 3 perpetual lamps by Adhivaniyan Porkaman Pukiyan. For the same, 90 ewes are gifted.

The Chozha King Rajaraja-I’s 12^th reign year inscription records the endowment of 2 sandhi naivedyam and burning of sandhi lamp at Porsalai Nangai temple. The same land was gifted to the temple, and the periphery limits are mentioned.

The King Kannaradevan’s  27^th reign year inscription records the endowment of naivedyam by Govindhabattar Somachiyar’s son Madhisoothakaviththan, for the same land was given to him by the temple authorities.

The King Kannaradevan’s 27^th reign year inscription records the endowment of conducting poojas, abhishekam, and the person to bring water; a land was gifted.

Koparakesaribarman Rajendra Chozha’s 6^th reign year inscription records the gift of a Sama Lamp by Thirumoolattana Pichi. For the same, 12 ewes were gifted.

The Chozha King Kulothunga Chozha-I’s 35^th reign year inscription records the gift of paddy to naivedyam to artha Jama Kulothunga Chozha sandhi, to the person who does the abhishekam, oil bath, and garland.

In the Chozha king Rajendra Chozha-I’s 5^th reign year, an inscription records the endowment of burning a perpetual lamp by Vellalan Enthiraiyan Kali Uthaman’s wife, Mathangai. For the same, 72 ewes were gifted to this temple.

The temple is under the control of the Archaeological Survey of India.

Reference for the Chozha inscriptions

1. South Indian Inscriptions Volume 07, Sl Nos: 798 – 814.

References for the Pallava inscriptions:
1. SII, ii, 513-47; EI, iv, 180ff.; Ibid., xviii, no. 2, 5-15; J. Dubreuil, The Pallavas; M. Vinson, 'Le Collège de Bahour au ixe siècle' Mémoires Orientaux (Paris, 1905), 211-63; TPC (Tamil), 263-76.

2. Inscriptions of the Pallavas by T V Mahalingam. 

Maha Kumbhabhishekam was conducted in 2017.

LEGENDS

As per the legend, the Chola King Parantaka Chola-I’s wife was suffering from a skin disease. She prayed to Moolanathar to get rid of the disease. Shri Moolanathar came in her dream and asked her to construct a separate temple for him inside the temple complex and worship. After the temples Sri Vimosanamudaiyar and Sri Thirusobanamudaiyar were constructed and worshipped, the King’s wife was relieved from the skin disease. 

Sri Vimosanamadaiyar with Rishabam

Sri Thirusobanamudaiyar

The construction of the Thiru Sobanamudaiyar Temple, 20th-century inscription 

POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS

Apart from oru kala poojas, special poojas are conducted on pradosham, Maha Shivaratri, and Vinayagar Chaturthi days.  

TEMPLE TIMINGS

The temple will be kept open from 06.30 hrs to 12.00 hrs and from 16.30 hrs to 21.00 hrs.

CONTACT DETAILS

Website:

https://hri.py.gov.in/hrcehome/history.php?tid=65

HOW TO REACH

The Sri Moolanathar temple at Bahour is about 14 km from Cuddalore, 22 km from Puducherry, and 42 km from Villupuram.

The nearest Railway Station is Cuddalore.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE

 The above damaged idols are brought from a Chozha-period Shiva Temple from the same village.

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---