Tirupattur District Temples

STATE/ DISTRICT	PLACE	DESCRIPTION
Tirupattur Dist	Ambur	Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple
Tirupattur Dist	Ambur	Gangai Amman Temple
Tirupattur Dist	Elagiri Village	Chitramezhi Kalvettu
Tirupattur Dist	Elagiri Village	Sri Chennakesava Perumal Temple
Tirupattur Dist	Thennambattu	An Ancient Shiva Temple
Tirupattur Dist	Vaniyambadi	Athitheeswarar Temple
Tirupattur Dist	Vaniyambadi	Azhagu Perumal Temple
Tirupattur Dist	Vinnamangalam	Appathamman Eshwaran Temple
Tirupattur Dist	Vinnamangalam	Hero Stone Temple

Hero Stone / Sati Stones / Veerakallu / Nadukarkal / நடுகற்கள் of Alankuppam, Draupadi Amman Temple, Semmanthikuppam Tirupattur District, Tamil Nadu.

29^th December 2019.

The visit to these Hero Stones is a part of the temples and Hero Stones Heritage visit scheduled on the 29^th of December 2019. Mr Srinivas of Vaniyambadi took me to all these places.

HERO STONE OF ALANKUPPAM.

This hero stone is erected in the mandapam of the Sri Ponniamman temple, of Alankuppam village, facing Amman. The Hero stone is about 5 feet high and 3 feet wide.  The hero is carved in the form of a bas relief to about 3 feet. The hero is holding a sword in his right hand and a shield in his left hand. The hero died due to the hitting of an arrow being hit in his chest. Lamps are shown on both sides, a whisk (chowry), and a poorna kalasam are shown (these are considered Mangala symbols). This shows that the hero is worshiped like a God. On top, it has the Tamil inscriptions. 

The inscriptions belong to Dantivarman’s 14^th year of Rule (810 CE). As per the inscription, the hero Veeraiyan, son of  Sathima Vakilavan, was killed during a war with the opposite country. The hero Veeraiyan fought to save his village from destruction by the enemies. The Hero stone was erected by Pennai. The inscription reads as... 

1. ஸ்ரீ கோவிசைய தந்தி விக்ரம பரு
2. மற்க்கு யாண்டு பதின் நா
3. ல்காவது அடையாறு நாடு ம
4. லையன்னரான ஒருகில் மணற்
5. ச்சுனை மேற் படை வர ஊர் அழியா
6. மைய் காத்து பட்டான் சத்தி
7. ம வகிலவன் வீரையர்க் கல்
8. பென்னை

கல்வெட்டு பொருள்: 

அடையாறு நாட்டின் அருகில் மணற்சுனை என்ற ஊரின் மீது படையெடுத்து வந்த எதிரிநாட்டுப் படையினர் உடன் எதிர்த்து போரிட்டு தான் வாழ்ந்த ஊரை அழியாமல் காத்தவர் சத்திம வகிலவனின் மகன் வீரையர். பென்னை என்பவர் இந்த நடுகல் எடுப்பித்து உள்ளார். 

LOCATION OF THE HERO STONE: CLICK HERE

HERO AND SATI STONE AT DRAUPATHI AMMAN TEMPLE, SEMMANDHIKUPPAM

This hero stone is in a "Village Deity Sri Draupathi Amman Temple" on the banks of the river Palar.  A Hero stone that may belong to the 16^th to 17^th century is carved on one side, and a Sati, a Hero with his wife, is carved on the back. In the hero stone, the hero is shown looking to the left. He holds a sword in his right hand and a shield in his left hand. He wears a cap and looks cute. A round ornament is shown on his ears. A Half dress is shown below his waist with a kattari tied.

LOCATION OF THE HERO STONE: CLICK HERE

 Sati image on the back

  Pothuraja

---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---

An Ancient Shiva Temple at Thennambattu Tirupattur District, Tamil Nadu.

19^th December 2019.

The visit to this temple was a part of the temples and Hero Stones visit scheduled on 19^th December 2020. After the visit to the Armamalai cave paintings, on the way to Thennambattu, I happened to see this temple. The temple is under renovation. The vimana above the sanctum-sanctorum was completed, and the front mandapa is under construction. Since the temple was old, people peeped in the temple.

ARCHITECTURE

The original temple consists of a sanctum and an ardha mandapam. The mukha mandapa is under construction with brick and cement. The adhisthana is a simple padabandha adhisthana. Koshtas are provided on the sanctum walls. The Ambal sannidhi is under construction. The temple is under worship with the Shiva Lingam and the new Rishabam. The old Rishabams are kept outside. The old mandapa pillars and roof slabs are scattered around the temple.

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

The adhistana has the inscriptions of both the latter period Chozhas and Vijayanagaras. From the inscriptions, the temple might have been constructed between the 12^th to 13^th centuries.

Chozha and Vijayanagara inscriptions - polished completely

LOCATION: Thennambattu (12.753, 78.664) CLICK HERE

  New and old Rishabams

---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---

Hero Stone / Veerakallu / Nadukal / Thoongu Thalai / Thookku thalai / தூங்குதலை / தூக்குதலை நடுகற்கள், Worshiped as Appathamman Eshwaran, and Memorial Stone at Vinnamangalam, Tirupattur District, Tamil Nadu.

 29^th December 2019.

In the 10^th century, Parantaka Chozha Period Nadukal, or a Hero stone of type “Thoongu Thalai or Thooku Thalai” is found erected for a hero who sacrificed himself to Kotravai, at Vinnamangalam Eri banks. The Vinnamangalam Village was a part of Thondai Mandalam during the Chozhas and Pallavas period. 

This type of Hero stone is considered a rare one, since only 4 numbers have been identified in Tamil Nadu, to date. The word “Thoongu Thalai -தூங்கு தலை” – is inscribed on a hero stone found at Thirumalaichery Village of Vellore District. With the available evidence, this type of sacrifice may have been followed till the 10^th Century. The Thoongu Thalai, hero stones are mentioned in Sangam literature, Kalingathu Parani, also,  which reads as...

 “வீங்குதலை நெடுங்கழையின் விசைதொறும்

திசைதொறும் விழித்துநின்று தூங்கு தலை..”

--- கலிங்கத்துப்பரணி பாடல் எண் 117

Usually, Thoongu Thalai's sacrifice to Goddess Kotravai will be for various reasons.  The reasons may include achieving victory in the war, for the wellness of kings, or getting cured of deceases, etc.

The procedure adopted is that the tuft of the hero’s head will be tied to one end of the bamboo with flexibility called “Thalai Thoongu Nedumaram”.  The head of the hero will be chopped off by a person, and the head will be lifted in the air.

This Thoongu thalai Hero stone is about 3.2 feet wide and 4 feet high in a small temple with two women sculptures, whose faces are turned right are installed. The hero is in a sitting posture, keeping one leg folded and the other leg knee in lifted condition (Rajaleelasana ?). The left hand is on his raised knee, and the right hand is holding a sword. The head is shown with a gap of about 5 inches, and the tuft is tied to the bamboo. He is wearing an ornament on his neck, and a half dress is shown below the waist.

 

During Chozha King Parantaka-I ‘s 7^th year rule, an inscription was inscribed on the top of this Thoongu Thalai Hero Stone. The inscription reads as... 

1.ஸ்வஸ்தி ஸ்ரீ கோப்பரி கேசர பன்மற்கு

2. யாண்டு ஏழாவது இடக் காத்தரைய மிண்

3.ணமங்கலமான இடக் காத்தரையத் தம்

4.பி யளசந்தையன்

5.மேளை யசந்தை

6.யன் இடக்காத்த

7.ரை யட்டா

8.டி யான் தூ

9.ங்கு  த

10.லை குடுத்தான்

11.பெருங்க

12.ண்ண

13.ன் வைப்பி

14.ச்சக்

15.கல்

As per the inscription, Idakatharaiyan’s brother Idakatharaiyattiyan of Melaya Sandhai had given this Thoonguthalai. In memory of him, this Hero stone was erected by Perungannan. 

LOCAL LEGEND:

There is a local story about this hero stone. The legend goes like this... The hero was an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva.  He ran out of the village of Vinnamangalam when he was young due to a difference of opinion between his sisters. He returned to this village after a long period and started religious service. Two women are helpful for the poojas. When he came to know that they were his sisters, he told them he ran out of the village, since he didn’t want to see their faces again. The sisters were ashamed of their acts and turned their faces. Immediately, he cuts his head. From then onwards, his descendants worshiped him as a God. This story was narrated by one of his descendants, Mr Gobi (9025120914)

LOCATION OF THE HERO STONE: CLICK HERE

 Thoombu kalvettu

HERO STONE AT MANDI, VINNAMANGALAM

This Hero stone is erected in a place called Mandi, a part of Vinnamangalam. The hero stone is about 4 feet high and 3 feet wide. The Hero is standing in a tribhanga posture. He is holding a sword in his right hand and a shield in his left hand. He was killed due to the hitting of three arrows, of which one arrow pierced through his body. Below him are two cattle. This indicates that he was killed in the process of guarding his cattle. On top, he was shown worshiping a Shiva Lingam. This indicates that he obtained the Shivalok.

MEMORIAL STONE AT PERUMAL TEMPLE

This memorial stone is installed on the left side of the Rajagopuram. This may be Sati. After her husband’s death, she might have entered a funeral fire. On both sides are the Devakannis escorting them to Devalok. Since this memorial stone is highly eroded, full details could not be traced.

LOCATION OF THE HERO STONE: CLICK HERE 

Ref:  

"Thadayaththai Thedi" published by Yaaooyakey & Celebrate Kanchi”

---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---

Armamalai Cave and paintings, Malayambattu, Tirupattur District, Tamil Nadu.

29^th December 2019.

This visit to this cave was a part of the Temples and Hero Stones visit around Vaniyambadi in Tirupattur District, scheduled on 29^th December  2019. This happened to be the last heritage Visit of this year. It is believed that this cave was once occupied by the Jain monks, and a school was functioning. Also, this hill was called ”Arumpavi Malai”, which got corrupted to the present name of Armamalai.  The paintings and this cave were identified during the 1960s-70s. The same was recorded on the Tamil Nadu Archaeological Department website also.

On reaching the village of Malayambattu, we didn’t know the path to the cave. A schoolboy came to our rescue, and he took us to this cave. It was about a 2 km walk on the bunds of the fields to reach the foothills. A few steps are cut on the rock, and a few steps are constructed to reach the Cave situated about 50 meters from the ground level. The cave is about 80 meters in length and 10 meters wide. The cave was divided into three parts. The first part is empty, the surface is flat, and there are no beds found. We found a Lotus pedestal with a 10^th to 11th-century Tamil inscription. There are also three pieces of a Dwarapalaka’s bas-relief carved on a flat stone.

In the second part of the cave, rooms are constructed with mud and unbaked bricks. The walls are raised up to the ceiling, about 3 meters high. The rooms are small and difficult to live in.

The third part of the cave’s surface is not uniform. The ceilings have patches of paintings similar to Sittannavasal and Bagh caves. Only a few patches are recognizable, like flowers, leaves, a lotus, a man, a bird, etc.  The colours like red, green, blue, black, and white are used.

The cave is now being used as a cattle shed and a Bar by the drunkards.

After seeing the cave, I have my own doubts.

1. How was the cave identified as the Jain Cave ?.
2. Only with the two fragments of the Sculptures is it possible to judge a monument that existed in that cave? (No other structures are found)
3. Maybe the paintings can be compared with Sittannavasal. But this may not be proof to come to a conclusion that the cave belongs to Jainism.

Experts are requested to throw some light on this.

HOW TO REACH:

The cave is in a Hill called Arma Malai, about 2 km from the village called Malayambattu.

Malayambattu is about 10 km from Vaniyambadi, 11 km from Ambur, and 8.3 km from Vinnamangalam.

The nearest Railway Station is Vaniyambadi.

LOCATION OF THE CAVE: CLICK HERE

---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---

Azhagu Perumal Temple / Sundara Varadaraja Perumal Temple, Vaniyambadi, Tirupattur District, Tamil Nadu.

29^th December 2019.

This visit to the Azhagu Perumal Temple was a part of the Temples and Hero Stones visit around Vaniyambadi in Tirupattur District, scheduled on 29^th December 2019. This happened to be the last heritage visit of this year 2019. This place is very much associated with Saraswati (Vani) and the Athitheeswarar Temple. As per the legend, Lord Shiva asked Saraswati to sing, hence this place is called Vaniyambadi. This Vishnu Temple is on the east banks of the river Palar. This temple was called Sundara Varadaraja Perumal during the Chozha period and got corrupted into Azhagu Perumal Temple.

 A Vimana with Rajagopuram

Moolavar  : Sri Azhagu Perumal

Thayar     : Sri Sundaravalli

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

The temple faces west with a recently built 3-tier Rajagopuram. Balipeedam, Dwajasthambam, and Garudan are immediately after the Rajagopuram. Moolavar Azhagu Perumal is with Sridevi and Bhudevi in a standing posture. Chakra is in a ready-to-use position. There are no images in the koshtas.

In the praharam Vinayagar, Lakshmi Narayanar, Thayar Sundaravalli, Chakrathalwar with Yoga Narasimhar, Bala Anjaneyar, and Urchava mandapam.

ARCHITECTURE

The temple consists of, sanctum sanctorum, antarala, ardha mandapam, and an open mukha mandapam. The sanctum sanctorum is on a pada bandha adhistanam, and the two tala dravida vimanam (includes adhi tala) is on the sanctum sanctorum.

 Vijayanagara architecture

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTION

As per the inscription found on the adhistana, this place was called Madhurantaka Chozha Chaturvedi Mangalam, and the temple was built by the 10th-century Chozha King Madhurantakan. It is to be noted that Rajaraja-I’s father was called Sundara Chozha, and Sundara means Azhagu in Tamil. 

  

The temple was reconstructed during the 15^th to 16^th century Vijayanagara period, and inscriptions are found on the sanctum walls.

 Inscriptions

 Chozha period inscription at the base..

Vijayanagara period inscription

TEMPLE TIMINGS:

The temple kept open from 07.00 hrs to 11.00 hrs, and from 17.00 hrs to 20.30 hrs.

CONTACT DETAILS:

The temple may be on the mobile number +9193447 43439 for further details.

HOW TO REACH:

The temple is about 2 km from Vaniyambadi Bus Stand and Railway Station, 18 km from Ambur, 24 km from the District Capital Tirupattur, and 267 km from Chennai.

The nearest Railway Station is Vaniyambadi.

LOCATION: CLICK HERE

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA---