Sri Vilvanatheswarar Temple / Sri Vilwanatheswarar Temple /திருவல்லம் வில்வநாதேசுவரர் கோயில், Thiruvalam, Vellore District, Tamil Nadu

While I was searching the Aalayam Kanden website, I understood that Mrs Padma Priya Baskaran is organizing a one-day trip to Thakkolam (click here), Melpadi, Pullalur, and Thiruvalam on 9^th August 2015 for the Ponniyin Selvan Group (Click here, Click Here). Even though I had been to Thakkolam and Thiruvalam temples as a part of a pilgrimage yatra to cover 276 Thevara Paadal Petra Shiva Sthalam (for details, CLICK HERE), I thought of doing it once again with a group of heritage enthusiasts. 

 

Kolattam by ladies

 

The new things learned in this trip are....

Sri Vinayagar is sitting on his vahana –moonchuru holding a mango in the right hand. The reliefs associated with the history of this temple are highlighted in the front mandapam during the recent renovation. The Adhi Shiva temple is at a lower level with a lot of inscriptions.

 

As per Mr Venkatesh, Kalki's Ponniyin Selvan - Vanthiya Thevan's birthplace is Thiruvalam.

 The relief  on the pillar, Bull and elephant- Rishaba Kunjaram 

  Emblem of the Vijayanagar dynasty

Kannappar worshiping Lord Shiva – removing his eyes and keeping his legs on Shiva’s eyes as a location – see the bow’s thread.

A relief on the Adhi Vilvanathar Temple wall

 Adhi Vilvanathar Temple 

 Thiruvilayadal Puranam – Pittukku man sumanthathu 

 Hiranyakashibu and Narasimhar

 Reliefs on Ambal sannadhi wall 

 Reliefs on Ambal sannadhi wall 

 Reliefs on Ambal sannadhi wall

HISTORY  AND INSCRIPTIONS

Lord Shiva is called by different names. Nandhivarma Pallavan-III (CE863) – Theekali Vallamudaya Parameswarar, Mahavali Vaana bana Raja (Vikramathiya I) (CE 888) – Theekkali Perumanadikal,  Rajaraja Cholan (991 CE) – Thirutheekkali Alwar, Rajendra Cholan (1015 CE)-Thiruvallamudayar, Vikrama Cholan (1123 CE) –Thiruvallamudaya Mahadevar, Kulothunga Chozhan III (1212 CE) _ Thiruvallamudaya Nayanar.

The temple has inscriptions of the Pallava and Chola periods. The place was called by different names as per the inscriptions. Nandhivarman (793 CE) – Vaanapuram, Rajaraja Cholan (991CE) – Theekkali Vallam, and in Arunagirinathar’s  Thiruppugazh – Thiruvalam.

LEGENDS

Mrs Priya explained the history and the sthala purana bas reliefs in detail on the pillars and went round the temple. Had the darshan of Sri Dhanurmathyambal sametha Sri Vilvanatheswarar. (For My Previous Visit details: CLICK HERE).

The cow is milking on the Shiva Lingam 

The priest bringing water from the hill for Shiva's abishekam (The history of the temple)

When the demon Kanjan obstructed the way, Rishabam killed the demon and tore it into 64 pieces, which formed as Shiva Lingas on the hill. (History of the temple)

Rishabam turned back to Shiva and watched so that it would not be repeated by anybody else (Sthala purana of the temple) 

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE

I extend my sincere thanks to Mrs Padmapriya Baskaran, Mr Venkatesh, and Mr Vaidyanathan Ramamurthy for organizing a wonderful one-day Heritage Visit.

---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---

Jyeshta Devi / Thavvai worship at Eraiyur, Kovilur and Sengadu around Cheyyar, Thiruvannamalai District, Tamil Nadu.

The visit to these Jyeshta Devi / Thavvai sculptures at Eraiyur, Kovilur, and Sengadu was a part of the heritage visit to the temples, Thavvai, Kotravai, Durgai, and Hero Stone sculptures around Cheyyar in Tiruvannamalai District on 22^nd August 2021. Thanks to Logesh for his guidance, and Babu Mano and Manoj, for taking me to this place. 

Jyeshta Devi / Thavvai/ Mootha Devi /தவ்வை at Eraiyur

The Thavvai is in a sitting posture with a flabby belly, thighs, and breasts. She wears ornaments around the neck and ears and a yagnopaveetha. A Karanda maguta is shown on her head.  The crow flag and broom are not shown. Her son and daughter, Mandhan and Mandhi, are shown on both sides in a standing posture.

LOCATION: CLICK HERE

Jyeshta Devi as Sri Ponniamman / Thavvai, Kovilur.

This Jyeshta Devi / Thavvai was installed in a temple and worshipped as Ponniamman on the Eri Bund. This was shifted from the previous temple built at Rs 7000, which is about 50 meters from the present Temple. Since it was refused to remove the vasthram, I couldn’t collect the details, especially Mandhan and Mandhi. Only the face of Thavvai / Jyeshta Devi and her crow flag are visible. This Jyeshta Devi / Thavvai may belong to the 9^th to 10^th  century Pallava period.

LOCATION: CLICK HERE

Jyeshta Devi / Thavvai / தவ்வை at Sengadu. 

This Jyeshta Devi sculpture is inside a temple at Sengadu near Kotravai image. Since we couldn’t go near the sculpture and also the caretakers refused to open the temple on Sunday, we took the Photo from a long distance. Hence, the details are not known.

LOCATION: CLICK HERE 

---OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---

Kotravai / Durgai worship at Sri Hanumantheeswarar Temple, Anakkavur / Anakkavoor / Anakavur, Sengadu and Palanjur, Thiruvannamalai District, Tamil Nadu.

The visit to these Kotravai sculptures at Anakkavur, Sengadu, and Palanjur was a part of the heritage visit to the temples, Thavvai, Kotravai, Durgai, Hero Stone sculptures around Cheyyar in the Thiruvannamalai District on 22^nd August 2021. Thanks to Logesh for his guidance, and Babu Mano and Manoj, for taking me to this place. 

Kotravai at Anakkavur, Sri Hanumantheeswarar Temple.

There are two kotravai sculptures installed in this temple. The Kotravai near the Nandi sannidhi belongs to the latter period.

The Kotravai is standing on a buffalo’s head. She is shown with 8 hands holding shankha, chakra, sword, arrow /Chithramezhi ..?, shield, and Bow. While she holds a bowl and feeds a Parrot in her lower right hand, what she is holding in her left hand is not known. She wears ornaments on her elongated earlobes and around her neck. An ambura thooli / arrow holder is shown behind her right shoulder. Her vahana antilope or vari aadu is shown on her back. Two men are shown at her feet. The man on her right leg is shown as offering his head (Navakandam), and the left side is offering something - maybe a flower to Kotravai. This kotravai is believed to belong to the 10^th  to 12th-century Chozha period.

 

The old Kotravai is kept on the back side of the temple. The Kotravai is standing with the left leg in firm condition and the right leg folded behind the left leg. She is shown with 8 hands with a shankha, chakra, Sword, bow, etc. The lower right hand is in abhaya hastam, and the left hand is in kadi hastam. A Trident is shown behind her left shoulder. She wears ornaments on her elongated earlobe, around her neck, and yagnopaveetha. Dress frills and knots are shown beautifully. Since the bottom portion is highly eroded, the details of the men in Navakandam and the offerings are not known. As per the experts, this kotravai may belong to the 9^th to 10^th Century Pallava period.

LOCATION: CLICK HERE

Kotravai, Sengadu.

This Kotravai is installed on the east side of an Amman Temple with a color wash.

Kotravai is standing on a buffalo’s head, whose ears are beautifully chiseled. Kotravai is with eight hands holding shankha / conch, chakra, sword, arrow, bow, and shield. The right lower hand is in abhaya hastam, and the left hand is in ooru hastam. She wears ornaments on her ears and around her neck. The saree frill knot is shown on her right hip. Considering the makuda, experts believe that this Kotravai belongs to the 9^th to 10^th century Pallava period.

LOCATION: CLICK HERE 

ஸ்ரீ துர்க்கை அம்மன் ஆலயம் / Kotravai,  பழஞ்சூர் / Pavunjur.

This Kotravai is called locally Durgai and is installed under a tree of the temple. The Kotravai is standing on the buffalo’s head. She wears ornaments on her elongated earlobes and around her neck. She has 8 hands and holds various weapons like Changu, Chakra, Sword,  Shield, Bow, arrow, and Chitramezhi (..?). A deer/antelope is shown on her right side. On both sides of her leg, two men are shown. One man is shown with the Navakandam posture (Cutting his head), and the other man is in anjali hastam.

LOCATION: CLICK HERE

Antilope

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---

Sri Chandramouleeswarar Temple / இருங்கல் சிவன் கோவில், Shiva Temple, Irungal, Thiruvannamalai District, Tamil Nadu.

The visit to this Shiva Temple at Irungal was part of a heritage visit to the temples, Thavvai, Kotravai, Durgai, and  Hero Stone sculptures around Cheyyar in Tiruvannamalai District on 22^nd August 2021. Thanks to Logesh for his guidance, Babu Mano, Manoj, and Logesh of Cheyyar, for taking me to this place. 

Moolavar  : Sri Chandramouleeswarar

Consort    : Sri Anandavalli 

Some of the salient features of this temple are….

The original temple faces east on a small kundru or heap of debris. The temple is in a dilapidated condition. The roof slabs pothyals, pillars, and balipeedam are strewn around. The original temple was built with a simple pada bandha adhisthana with three patta kumuda. The sanctum sanctorum was built with bricks.

With the effort of Udhayakumar, two Shiva Lingas and balipeedas are salvaged from the debris and installed under a metacolour sheet shed. Since the original Rishabam's / Idabam's head was broken, a new Idabam was made and installed.  Both Shiva Lingas are swayambhu on a round avudayar, of which one is shorter, and the other is taller.

HISTORY

Since no inscriptions were found, based on the structure of the temple, this temple may be 400 to 600 years old. As per the experts, it is believed that the temple might have been constructed by the Sambuvaraya Kings about 600 years ago. As per the Purana, this place was called Iringalai, and the same was corrupted to the present name of Irungal. 

Due to the negligence of local people, the temple has become dilapidated. A metacolour sheet shed was constructed in front of the dilapidated temple, and the two Shiva Lingas were moved and installed on 15th August 2018. Efforts are on to conduct regular poojas and pradoshams, and Maha Shivaratri. A new Amman idol was sculptured and planned to be installed on 24th August 2022.  

The caretaker, Mr Udhaya Kumar of this temple, had prepared a video of this temple based on the present structures and the remains.

LEGENDS

Chandran’s image as a bas-relief was carved on a flat stone slab salvaged from the debris and installed inside the makeshift Temple.  As per the Sri Vedhapureeswarar Temple of Thoruvothur near Cheyyar, the sthala purana, it is believed that the Shiva Linga was installed and worshipped by Chandra.

சீதமதி இப்பரிசு சிறந்துயர் நல்வரம்பெற்று

வேதமணி நகர்க்குத்தென் மேற்றிசையில் எய்தியவன்

தீதறுமோர் சிவலிங்கப் பிரதிட்டை செய்து அமிர்தால்

ஏதம்றும் பூசனை செய்து இன்புற்றான் எனவுரைத்தான்

In another legend, Chandra worshipped Sri Vedhapureeswarar at Thiruvothur near Cheyyar on the banks of the river Cheyyar, to get rid of the sin caused by the sexual affairs he had with another deva's wife. Satisfied with Chandra's worship, Shiva and Parvati appeared in the form of Rishabaroodar and blessed him as the head of all Nakshatras. After getting the boon, Chandra came to this place, Irungalai (later it was corrupted to the present name of Irungal), the southwest of Vedapureeswarar Temple. He established a Shiva Linga and worshipped with Devamirtha. As per Vedapureeswarar Temple's sthala purana, Suthapuranigar has told this legend to Naimisaranya munis.    

POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS

Apart from oru kala pooja, special poojas are conducted on pradosam (100th pradosam is planned on 24th August 2022), Maha Shivaratri, etc.

As per Facebook, with the effort of Mr Udhaya Kumar, 75 pradoshams were conducted, after the Shiva Lingas were salvaged. All the functions are conducted with the help of Sivanadiyars from Various parts of Tamil Nadu.

Readers are requested to participate in this temple’s poojas and bring back this temple to its old glory.

Old balipeedam

Old damaged Idabam / Rishabam

CONTACT DETAILS

Mr Udhayakumar may be contacted on his mobile number +91 95000 24143 for further details.

A Facebook page on this village and the Temple is also maintained by him.

HOW TO REACH

This place Irungal is 7.2 km from Cheyyar, 38 km from Kanchipuram, 66 km from Chengalpattu, 70 km from Arakkonam, 75 km from Thiruvannamalai (District Headquarters), and 113 km from Chennai.

The nearest Railway Station is Kanchipuram and Junction Arakkonam or Chengalpattu.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE:  CLICK HERE

Invitation for the 100th pradosam and Kumbhabhishekam 

A Link to the Video: On one of the pradosam days 

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---