Sri Malleeswarar Temple / Sri Sivan Temple /ஶ்ரீ சிவன் கோவில், Mannamaravathi, Kovilmedu, Nilakottai, Dindigul District, Tamil Nadu.

The visit to this Sri Malleeswarar Temple at Mannamaravathi, Kovilmedu, Nilakottai, was on the previous day of the “Mangala Devi Kannagi’s Adichuvattil Heritage Walk” - organized by Kumbakonam Vattara Varalatrua Ayvu Sangam, on 22^nd – 23^rd April 2024. After attending a marriage at Nilakottai on 21^st April 2024, I visited this temple. Pradosham poojas are in progress during our Visit.  This temple is believed to be one of the Siddhar Peedam.

Moolavar   : Sri Malleeswarar

Consort     : Sri Mangalanayagi.

Some of the salient features of this temple are….

The temple faces east, with an entrance arch. Balipeedam, Dwajasthambam, and Rishabam are after the east-side entrance. Moolavar is on a square avudayar. Dakshinamurthy is only in the koshtam.

In praharam, Varahi Amman, Chandikeswarar, Pathanjali Munivar, Navagrahas, and Samhara Bairavar with 8 hands. 

Pradosha alangaram

 Chandikeswarar

 Varahi

 Ashtabhuja Bairavar

 Pradosha alangaram

ARCHITECTURE

The temple consists of the sanctum sanctorum, antarala, ardha mandapam, and mukha mandapam. The sanctum sanctorum is on a simple Gramiya style adhistanam bhitti, prastaram, eka tala greevam, and Nagara sigaram. No stucco images were found on the vimanam.

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

It is believed that the temple is 300 years old and celebrates its 288^th year Panchami thithi. The temple was reconstructed about 28 years ago. The old mandapam, pillars, and pothyals are used for the pavement and footpath. As per the iconography of the sculptures, the temple may belong to the 16^th – 17^th centuries.

A 19^th – 20^th century inscription flat stone is erected about 50 meters in front of the temple. The inscription records some gifts given to this temple, and the details are not known. 

The temple and Thimmaraya Perumal Temple on the opposite side of the road are under the control of the Sri Agobila Narasimha Perumal Temple of Nilakottai. Maha Kumbhabhishekam was conducted on 08^th May 2017.

It was said that a 1567 CE Cheppedu is available with a person from the village, along with the same records of the lands gifted to this temple. 

An inscription slab stone is installed about 50 meters before the temple

LEGENDS

It is believed that this temple is one of the Siddhar Peedam due to the presence of Patanjali Siddhar.  

POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS

Apart from Regular poojas, special poojas are conducted on pradosham, Maha Shivaratri days, and both Theipirai and Valarpirai Panchami thithi days.

CONTACT DETAILS

HOW TO REACH

The temple is about 500 meters from Madurai on the Theni main road, Kovilmedu, Mannamaravathi.

Kovilmedu, Mannamaravathi, is about  9 km from Kodai Road Railway Station, 28 km from Dindigul, 45 km from Madurai, 51 km from Theni, and 68 km from Kodaikanal.

The nearest Railway station is Kodai Road.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---

Sri Agobila Narasimma Perumal Kovil / Sri Ahobila Narasimma Perumal Temple / ஸ்ரீ அகோபில நரசிம்ம பெருமாள் கோயில், நிலக்கோட்டை / Nilakottai, Dindigul District, Tamil Nadu

The visit to this Ahobila Narasimha Perumal Temple at Nilakottai was on the previous day of the “Mangala Devi Kannagi’s Adichuvattil Heritage Walk”, organized by Kumbakonam Vattara Varalatrua Ayvu Sangam, on 22^nd – 23^rd April 2024. After attending a marriage at Nilakottai on 21^st April 2024, I visited this temple. Even though this is a Maha Vishnu Temple, there is a Shiva temple inside the premises, and pradosham poojas were in progress during our Visit.

Adhi Shiva

Moolavar   : Sri Narasimma Perumal

Consort     : Sri Kanakavalli

Some of the salient features of this temple are….

The temple faces east with a 2-tier Rajagopuram. Deepasthambam/Kodimaram, balipeedam, and Garudan are after the Rajagopuram. Dwarapalakas are at the entrance of the ardha mandapam. Anjaneyar is on the left side of the entrance to the antarala. Moolavar Narasimhar is with Sri Devi and Bhudevi in a standing posture. Narasimhar is in abhaya varada hastam. Utsavars are in front of the moolavar. There are no images in the koshtams. 

In the praharam are Kanakavalli Thayar sannidhi, Adhi Shiva Sannidhi, Chandikeswarar, and Navagrahas.

Thayar is in a separate temple with a sanctum sanctorum and an ardha mandapam. Thayar is in a sitting posture with abhaya varada hastam.

 Narasimha Perumal with Sridevi and Bhudevi

 Thayer

ARCHITECTURE

The temple consists of the sanctum sanctorum, antarala, ardha mandapam, and an open mukha mandapam. The Sanctum Sanctorum is on a pada bandha adhistanam with jagathy, three patta kumudam, and pattikai. The bhitti starts with vedikai. The pilasters are Brahma kantha pilasters with kalasam, kudam, lotus petals mandi, and palakai. The prastaram consists of valapi and kapotam with nasi kudus. The Brick vimanam is of two tiers. Stucco images of Maha Vishnu’s various forms are on the Tala and greeva koshtams.

Monkey and snake sculptures are on the kodungai of the mukha mandapam. The mukha mandapam pillars have the statues of Nayaka Kings/chieftains, Hanuman, and Yazhi pillars.

Thayar temple consists of the sanctum sanctorum and ardha mandapam. The sanctum sanctorum is on an adhistanam, and an eka tala vesara vimanam is on the sanctum sanctorum. Maha Vishnu’s various Leela bas-reliefs are on the sanctum sanctorum wall. The ardha mandapam is of the vavvalnethi style.

 Nayaka Kings / Donors

 Anjaneyar

 Monkey with snakes on Kodungai

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

It was said that the temple was constructed during the Pandya period, and the mukha mandapam was extended during the Madurai Nayakas period.

Thayar Sannidhi Mukha Mandapam was built in the vavvalnethi style and may have been built during Marata’s/Madurai Nayakas period.

Maha Kumbhabhishekam was conducted on 09^th August 1949 and 06^th July 2003. The Garuda’s sannidhi was constructed by the Telugu Chettiars.

Water pipelines were sponsored by Muthiya Pillai & Sons on 31^st July 1967. 

In 1949, Kumbhabhishekam, along with electric lighting, was sponsored by Kottur Karnam Saravanakumar Pillai’s son, S Sivakozhunthu Pillai.  

LEGENDS

Narasimha is one of the avatars of Maha Vishnu. He took this avatar to kill Hiranyakasipu since he obtained a boon of not to be killed by an animal, nor by a human, not in the daytime, not in the nighttime, not outside his palace, nor inside the palace, nor be killed using weapons. So Maha Vishnu took the avatar of Narasimhar, with Simha's face and human body, at the meeting point of night and day, sitting on the doorstep and using nails as a weapon to kill Hiranya Kasibu.  

POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS

Apart from regular poojas, special poojas are conducted on Narasimhar Jayanthi, Hanuman Jayanthi, Rama Navami, etc.

CONTACT DETAILS

The mobile number +917947109767 may be contacted for further details.

HOW TO REACH

The temple is about a km from Madurai to the Theni main road. Nilakottai is about 10 km from Kodai Road Railway Station, 29 km from Dindigul, 46 km from Madurai, 50 km from Theni, and 67 km from Kodaikanal.

The nearest Railway station is Kodai Road.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---