Ayyam Pozhil Eeswarar Temple/ அய்யம் பொழில் ஈஸ்வரர் திருக்கோயில், ஆமூர்/ Amur, Madurai District, Tamil Nadu.

The visit to Sri Ayyam Pozhil Eeswarar Temple, at Amur, Madurai, was a part of “Traditional Journey to Yanaimalai”, on 31^st August 2025, organised by the Kumbakonam Heritage by Gopinath, and kumbakonamheritage.com. Thanks to Prof. Devi Arivu Selvam for leading our Heritage Journey with valuable inputs.

Moolavar  : Sri Ayyam Pozhil Eeswarar 

Consort    : Sri Meenakshi

Some of the salient features of this temple are….

The temple faces east with an entrance from the south side. The temple tank with lotus flowers is on the south side. Balipeedam and Rishabam are on the east side of the temple. Shiva and Parvati as Rishabaroodar are on the top of the east side wall. A jala is provided in front of the Rishabam on the east side wall of the ardha mandapam. Moolavar is on a round avudaiyar. Vinayagar, Sri Valli Devasena Subramaniar are in the ardha mandapam. No murtis are found in the koshtams.

Chandikeswara

ARCHITECTURE

The temple consists of the sanctum sanctorum, antarala, and ardha mandapam. The sanctum sanctorum is on an upanam and adhistanam with jagathy, threepatta kumudam, and pattikai. The bhitti starts with vedikai. The pilasters are of Brahmakantha pilasters with kalasam, kudam, lotus petals, mandi, palakai, and vettu pothyal. The prastaram consists of valapi and kapotam with nasi kudus. An eka tala nagara vimanam is on the bhumidesam. Shiva Dakshinamurthy, Maha Vishnu, and Brahma are in the tala and greeva koshtams.

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

Amur is situated on the way to Thiruvathavur from Madurai. The merchant guild Thisai Ayirathu Aynurruvar from Aihole in Karnataka had constructed a Siva temple during the 13th Century CE, Sadaiyavarman Kulasekara Pandyan-I, and named it Ayyappozhil Isvaram.

ஆமூரிலுள்ள பிற்காலப்பாண்டியர்‌ சிவன்கோயிலை முதலாம்‌ சடையவர்மன்‌ குலசேகர பாண்டியன்‌ காலத்தில்‌ தென்னிந்தியாவில்‌ புகழ்பெற்று விளங்கிய திசையாயிரத்து ஐஞ்ஞூற்றுவர்‌ என்ற வணிகர்‌ குழுவினர்‌ கட்டியுள்ளனர்‌. தக்கணப்பிரதேசத்தில்‌ அய்ஹோளே என்று அழைக்கப்‌பட்ட ஊரில்‌ இக்குழுவினர்‌ இருந்துள்ளனர்‌.  அய்ஹோளே என்பதே அய்யப்பொழில்‌ என்று பெயரிடப்பட்டிருக்கிறது. கல்வெட்டுகளில்‌ ஆமூர்‌ “ஈல்லணி ஆமூர்‌” என்று குறிப்பிடப்படுகிறது.

பாண்டிய மன்னர் முதலாம் மாறவர்மன் சுந்தர பாண்டியனின் 3 ஆம் ஆட்சியாண்டு, பொயு 1219, அர்த்தமண்டப வடபுற அதிட்டானத்தில் உள்ள கல்வெட்டு தென்பறப்பு நாட்டு நல்லணி ஆமூர் சுந்தரத்தோளன் திருப்பூவணமுடையானான செம்பியன் பல்லவரையன் உச்சி சந்திக்கும் சந்தியாதீபத் திருவிளக்கிற்கும் தானம் அளித்ததைத் தெரிவிக்கிறது இக்கல்வெட்டு. இதற்காக எட்டுப் பழங்காசுகள் அளிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளன.

The Pandya king Maravarman Sundara Pandyan-I’s 3 reign, 1219 CE inscription on the ardha mandapa adhistanam records the endowment of Uchs kala Sandhi and Sandha Deepam, by Thenparappu Nattu Nallani Amur Sundarasolan Thirupoovanamudaiyan alias Chembian Pallavaraiyan. For the same 8 pazhangasu was gifted to the temple. 

பாண்டிய மன்னர் சடையவர்மன் குலசேகரனின் 13 ஆம் ஆட்சியாண்டு பொயு 1203, கருவறை வடபுற அதிட்டானத்தில் உள்ள கல்வெட்டு ஐயப்பொழில் ஈஸ்வரமுடையார் கோயிலில் திருப்பள்ளி அறை நாச்சியாரை செம்பியன் பல்லவரையன் எழுந்தருளிவித்து விளக்கெரிக்க நிலம் ஆவணப்படுத்திக் கொடுத்ததை இத்துண்டுக் கல்வெட்டுகள் குறிப்பிடுகின்றன (106/2003).

The Pandya King Sadaiyavarman Kulasekaran’s 13^th reign year 1203 CE inscription on the Sanctum Sanctorum north side adistanam records the establishment of Palliyarai Nachiyar, and a land was gifted for burning a lamp.

13 ஆம் நூற்றாண்டு முதலாம் மாறவர்மன் சுந்தர பாண்டியனின்,  தென்புற அதிட்டானப் பகுதியில் உள்ள இரண்டு துண்டுக் கல்வெட்டுகள், தென்பறப்பு நாட்டு நல்லணி ஆமூர் ஐயப்பொழில் ஈசுவரமுடைய நாயனார் கோயில் சிவபிராமணர் சிலர் திருவாலத்தி எரிக்க காசு பெற்றுக் கொண்டமை குறித்த செய்தி கூறப்படுகிறது. மேலும் மலைக்குடி மலைமேல் கோல் என்ற அளவுகோலால் அளந்த நிலத்தின் எல்லைகள் சொல்லப்படுகின்றன.

The 13th-century Maravarvam Sundara Pandiyan-I’s fragment inscriptions on the adhistanam south side record the endowment of Thiruvaalathi, and for the same, the Siva Brahmins accepted kasu. The land gifted was measured through the “Malaikudi malaimel Kol”.

பொயு. 13 ஆம் நூற்றாண்டு மன்னர் மற்றும் ஆட்சி ஆண்டு அறியப்படாத கருவறை நிலைவாயிலில் உள்ள கல்வெட்டு இக்கோயிலின் கருவறை நிலைவாயிலைச் செய்வித்தவன் அழகன் அரியானான காடுவெட்டி என்று இக்கல்வெட்டு தெரிவிக்கிறது.

The 13^th Century, without the King’s name and year, inscription on the sanctum sanctorum door jamb records that the door was done by Azhagan Ariyan alias Kaduvetti.

பொயு 13 ஆம் நூற்றாண்டைச் சார்ந்த சிவன்கோயில் மகாமண்டபக் கிழக்குச் சுவரில் உள்ள துண்டுக் கல்வெட்டு மூத்த பிள்ளையார்க்கு [விநாயகர்] திருவிளக்கு எரிப்பதற்காக அறுபது பணம் தானமாகத் தரப்பட்டமை பற்றியும், நிலவிற்பனை பற்றியும் தெரிவிக்கின்றது.

The 13^th century without a king’s name and year fragment inscription on the maha mandapam east wall records the endowment of burning a lamp for Vinayagar, and for the same 60 panam was gifted, and the inscription also mentions the sale of the land.

பொயு 09 – 10 ஆம் நூற்றாண்டு பாண்டியர் காலத்து, ஆமூர் கண்மாய் மடைத் தூணில் உள்ள வட்டெழுத்து கல்வெட்டு, இம்மடையைச் செய்வித்தவன் பெருமை பேசப்படுகிறது. இவன் பாண்டியனது அதிகாரியாக விளங்கிய கலிதீரனின் தந்தை சாத்தன் என்று தெரிகிறது.

9 to 10^th century vattezhuthu inscription in verse records the construction of a sluice by Sathan, who was the father of an official of the Pandya King.   

Ref:

மதுரை மாவட்டக் கல்வெட்டுகள், தொகுதி - 1

Pallavaraiyan, who established the Thirupalli Nachiyar.

POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS

Apart from regular poojas, special poojas are conducted on Maha Shivaratri Days, etc.

TEMPLE TIMINGS

The temple will be kept open from 07.00 hrs to 11.00 hrs and from 17.00 hrs to 19.00 hrs.

CONTACT DETAILS

HOW TO REACH

Amur is on the way to Thiruvathavur from Thirumogur, one of the Divyadesam.

The temple is 6.1 km from Thiruvathavur, 7.4 km from Thirumogur, 10 km from Othakadai, 13 km from Mattuthavani Bus Stand, and 29 km from Madurai Junction.

The nearest Railway Station is  Madurai Junction.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA---

Srirangam Ranganathaswamy Utsavar Mandapam, Sri Vedanarayana Perumal Temple, Thiruvazhikal, Sumai Thangi, and Pandya Period Inscription, Kodikulam, Madurai, Tamil Nadu.

The visit to Srirangam Ranganathaswamy Utsavar Mandapam, Pandya period Thiruvazhikal at Kodikulam, Madurai was a part of “Traditional Journey to Yanaimalai”, on 31^st August 2025, organised by the Kumbakonam Heritage by Gopinath, and kumbakonamheritage.com. Thanks to Prof. Devi Arivu Selvam for leading our Heritage Journey with valuable inputs.

SRIRANGAM RANGANATHASWAMY UTSAVAR MANDAPAM.

It is believed that during Muslim’s rule, especially Malik Kafur and later Uluk Khan in the early 13^th - 14th century, Srirangam Ranganathaswamy Utsavar was taken to many places to save from the Muslim rulers. It is said that the Utsavar was taken to this place by Pillai Lokachariyar and kept in a natural cave, and a mandapam was built at a later date. Now the mandapam is in a dilapidated condition. The mandapam pillars with bas-reliefs of Vaishnava deities are found inside the debris.

Pillai Lokachariyar Temple 

Pillai Lokachariyar

Well 

SRI VEDANARAYANA PERUMAL TEMPLE.

A 13^th -14^th Century Sri Vedanarayana Perumal was just near the old mandapam. The Shrine consists of the sanctum sanctorum and an ardha mandapam. A Shrine for Pillai Lokachariyar was also constructed near the Sri Vedanarayana Perumal Temple, in recent years.

The inscription at Thirumogur Sri Kalamega Perumal temple, connected to this Sri Vedanarayana Perumal Temple, records the gift of a village as irayili to this temple. The details of the inscription are…

பிற்கால பாண்டியர் முதலாம் மாறவர்மன் குலசேகரரின் 40 ஆம் ஆட்சியாண்டு தெற்கு வெளிப்புற திருமதிலின் உட்புறம் உள்ள கல்வெட்டு, துங்கவனத்தில் பிரம்மதீர்த்தக்கரையில் அரசன் பெயரால் சுந்தர பாண்டிய சோழக் கோனார் என்பவர் எடுப்பித்த வேதநாயகர் கோயிலுக்குத் தென்பறப்பு நாட்டுப் பன்னாட்டான் கோட்டை என்ற ஊர் காராண்மை திருவிடையாட்ட இறையிலி யாக அளிக்கப்பட்டதை இக்கல்வெட்டுக் கூறுகிறது. இக்கோயில் யானை மலையின் தென்கோடியில் உள்ளது. இங்குள்ள பாறையில் பிற்காலப் பாண்டியர் கல்வெட்டு ஒன்றும் காணப்படுகின்றது.

Later Pandya, Māravarman Kulasekara Pandyan I’s, 13century CE, inscription records that Pannāttānkōttai was endowed as Kārāņmai thiruvidaiyāţţa iraiyili to the temple of Vedhanathar. This Vedhanāthar temple, which is located in the southernmost part of Yanaimalai, was in dilapidated condition before the period of Maravarman Kulasekara Pandya I, and it was reconstructed by one Sundharapānaya chōlaköņār in the name of the ruling Pandya king, Māravarman Kulasekara Pandya I. The location of this temple, while it was in a dilapidated condition, is recorded in this inscription as the tank of the Brahmathīrttham located in Srithungavanam.

Pandya period inscription at Kodikulam

THIRUVAZHIKAL AT KODIKULAM.

The Thiruvazhikal is measuring 6 feet tall and 1.5 feet wide. The inscription side of a Thiruvazhi is in the form of petroglyphs (keeral), on the top. This Thiruvazhi kal is with 17 lines of 13th-century Pandya-period inscriptions.

The inscription records the gift of land as thiruvidaiyattam for creating a nandavanam and thirupani to Tenparappu Nattu Thorumogur, Perumal Temple.  

LOCATION OF THIRUVAZHIKAL: CLICK HERE

THIRUVAZHI KAL WITH PANDYA's EMBLEM AT PERUMALPATTI.

After visiting the Kizhavikulam/Poosaripatti rock arts site on the way to Amur Shiva temple, we happened to see the Thiruvazhikal in the Nondisamy temple at Perumalpatti Village. This thiruvazhikal belongs to the later Pandya period. 

This Thiruvazhi kal is square in shape, approximately 3 feet tall, 1 foot wide, and 1/2 foot thick. The Thiruvazhi symbol is on both sides, and the Pandya’s emblem of fish with chendu is on both sides of the Thiruvazhi/ Chakra on one side. No inscriptions are found on this Thiruvazhikal. As per the experts, this Thiruvazhikal was erected on the periphery of the land gifted to a Vihnu/ Perumal temple.

Nondi Samy temple

LOCATION OF THE THIRUVAZHIKAL: CLICK HERE

SUMAI THANGIS

These two Sumaithangis are installed on the roadside, close to Sri Yoga Narasinga Perumal Temple. Usually, these Sumai Thangis are installed in memory of a Lady who lost her life during pregnancy or at the time of delivery. These Sumaithangis serve to unload the headloads and take rest for the travellers from distant places.

LOCATION OF THE SUMAI THANGI: CLICK HERE

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA---

Cairns in Circles and Squares, Dolmens and Menhirs, Narasingampatti, Madurai District, Tamil Nadu.

The visit to Prehistoric burial sites with Cairn Circles, Dolmens, and menhirs on the eastern side of the Perumal Malai base, at Narasingampatti, Madurai, was a part of “Traditional Journey to Yanaimalai”, on 31^st August 2025, organised by Kumbakonam Heritage by Gopinath and kumbakonamheritage.com. Thanks to Prof. Devi Arivu Selvam for leading our Heritage Journey with valuable inputs.

Cairns are in a circle

Prehistoric humans lived in caves/plains, where water was easily available from a river or a lake. Since a prehistoric burial site contains more than a hundred burial monuments in one place, it indicates that prehistoric human beings lived in large numbers for a long period. The burial monuments are Cairn (கற்குவை), Cairn Circles (கல்வட்டங்கள்), Cairn Circles with Cist (கல்வட்டத்துடன் கூடிய கல் பதுக்கைகள்), Dolmens (கல் திட்டைகள்). As per the historians, these burial monuments belong to the Stone Age, ie, 3000 to 1800 BC, and were practised till the Sangam Age, ie, 300 BC to 200 CE.

In cairn circles, the stones may be pebble-like stones or laterite stones, or stone slabs, or the available stones of that region are kept in a round or Square shape, keeping the cist at the centre. The size of the circle and the Cist depends on the person deceased, like the group leader. Burial pots are pots in which the remains of the deceased will be kept and buried. In some cases, part of the bones is also kept. Along with the big pots, small pots containing the articles and food that are loved by the deceased are also kept. The cist contains stone slabs on 4 sides and is covered with a capstone slab. The cist will be below the ground level. In the case of Dolmens, side stone slabs are erected in the form of an inverted swastika, and a cover stone slab is erected on top. The Dolmens are erected where stone slabs are easily available, like hills, and are also available in the plains. In Tamil Nadu, these burial monument sites are found in the northern region, western region (Kongu Nadu), and southern region up to Madurai.   

Cairns, in Circles and Squares, Dolmens and Menhirs, Narasingampatti.

This site is along the south side of Perumal Malai. All full stretches of the hill base have the cairn circles, which signify that many humans lived in this area. Most of the cairn circles and dolmens are disturbed. The cairns are erected using slab stones, in round and square shapes. The periphery stones project up to 5 feet in height in some of the cairns, which look like menhirs. A few cairn circles are erected with laterite stones also.

Cairns in Square

Cairns in Square

Cairns in Square

Cairns in Square

Some stones around the periphery of the cairn circles look like Menhirs

Some stones around the periphery of the cairn circles look like Menhirs

Some stones around the periphery of the cairn circles look like Menhirs

Some stones around the periphery of the cairn circles look like Menhirs

Some stones around the periphery of the cairn circles look like menhirs

Some stones around the periphery of the cairn circles look like menhirs

WORSHIP AND CELEBRATIONS

The locals worship the Cairn Circle with a cist as “Emaveeran”. The locals consider these cists their ancestors’ atma are still living in these cists. Once every three years, poojas are conducted, and Cocks are sacrificed for this Emaveeran.

In addition to the above Dolmens, stone heaps (kal kuvai – கற்குவை) are found in one place. It is said that if a small stone is dropped in the heap after Perumal Malai.

LOCATION OF THE SITE: CLICK HERE

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---

Kizhavikulam Malai (Paarai Pallam) Rock Art Site / கிழவிகுளம் மலை (பாறைப்பள்ளம்) பாறை ஓவிய புடவு, Madurai District, Tamil Nadu.

The visit to Kizhavikulam Malai, a Rock Arts Site, Madurai, was a part of “Traditional Journey to Yanaimalai”, on 31^st August 2025, organized by the Kumbakonam Heritage by Gopinath, and kumbakonamheritage.com. Thanks to Prof. Devi Arivu Selvam for leading our Heritage Journey with valuable inputs.

The hill (Rocky Kundru) Kilavi kulam, a part of Poosaripatti with a natural cave, which contains rock art, is almost on the plains. This single rocky hill was partly blasted for a granite quarry. The Rock arts are found in the natural cave ceiling and the side wall. The rock art is in white and red ochre. The blasting for the granite quarry was stopped by Heritage enthusiasts like Smt. Devi Arivu Selvam and locals.

The display board was also erected by the locals. The display board contains the details of this rock art. These red and white ochre rock arts are more than 3000 years old, possibly in the Neolithic period.

In white ochre rock art, only four drawings are in an identifiable condition. The rock art contains a man riding on an elephant, Human beings, elephants, cows, hunting, etc. A man with an animal depicts the domestication of animals.

 

The red ochre rock art contains human beings and their celebrations, dances, and some animals.

LOCATION OF THE CAVE: CLICK HERE

cup marks (The similar cup marks made on the rock surface at Bhimbetka have been dated to 100000 BP)

Cup marks (The similar cup marks made on the rock surface at Bhimbetka have been dated to 100000 BP)

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---