Monday 7 September 2020

Sivaloganathar Temple / Sri Sivalikanathar Temple / ஸ்ரீ சிவலோகநாதர் ஆலயம் / Thirumundeecharam / Gramam / Villupuram District, Tamil Nadu.

This is the 51st  Thevaram Paadal Petra Shiva Sthalam and 19th  Shiva sthalam of Nadu Naadu, on the banks of Malatar River. This place was called as Thirumundeescharam during Thevara period. Now the Temple alone is called as Thirumundeeswararm and the place is called as Gramam.

As per Sekkizhar after Thirunavukkarasu Swamigal left Samanam, became an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva and started his pilgrimage from Thiruvathigai. Sekkizhar mentions that Thirunavukkarasu Swamikal visited Thiruvennainallur, Thiruvamathur, Thirukovilur, then he went to Pennadam. Even though Sekkizhar didn’t mentioned directly, the name of Thirumundeeswarar, mentions as other temples also. Since the hymn on Lord Shiva of Thirumundeeswaram is available, we have to presume that he visited this temple also

    திருஅதிகைப் பதிமருங்கு திருவெண்ணை நல்லூரும்
    அருளுதிரு ஆமாத்தூர் திருகோவலூர் முதலா
    மருவு திருப்பதி பிறவும் வணங்கி வளத்தமிழ்பாடிப்
    பெருகுவிருப்புடன் விடையார் மகிழ் பெண்ணாகடம் அணைந்தார்

Appar and  Vallalar has sung hymns in praise of Lord Shiva of this temple. 

    அறுத்தவன்காண் அடியவர்கள் அல்ல லெல்லாம்
        அரும்பொருளாய் நின்றவன்காண் அனங்கனாகம்
    மறுத்தவன்காண் மலைதன்னை மதியா தேடி
        மலைமகள்தன் மனம்நடுங்க வானோ ரஞ்சக்
    கறுத்தவனாய்க் கயிலாய மெடுத்தோன் கையுங்
        கதிர்முடியுங் கண்ணும் பிதுங்கி யோடச்
    செறுத்தவன்காண் திருமுண்டீச் சரத்து மேய
        சிவலோகன் காண் அவனென் சிந்தை யானே
.... திருநாவுக்கரசு சுவாமிகள்
                                                            -“சீர்பொலியப்
    பண்டீச் சுரனிப் பதியே விழைந்த தெனும்
    முண்டீச் சுரத்தின் முழுமுதலே
... திரு அருட்பா
Moolavar  : Sri Sivalokanathar, Sri Mudeeswarar, Sri Mundeesar.
Consort    : Sri Soundarya Nayagi, Sri Kannaar Kuzhalali,
                  Sri Selvanayagi.

Some of the important features of this temple are ....
The temple is facing east with a 5 tier Rajagopuram, which was built after 2000. There is no stucco images in the Rajagopuram.   Balipeedam, Dwajasthambam and Rishabam are after the Rajagopuram. Sanctum Sanctorum entrance arch has the stucco images of Lord Shiva and Parvati as Rishabaroodar, Vinayagar, Valli Devasena Subramaniar, Ambal.  Moolavar is Swayambhu, Dwarapalakas Thindi and Mundi are at the entrance of Sanctum. In Koshtam Vinayagar, Dakshinamurthy ( Kallala tree is missing & Sitting on Rishaba Vahana ), Lingothbavar, Brahma and Durgai.

In the outer prakaram Sri Vinayagar and Sri Murugan. Somaskandar, Natarajar, Navagrahas, Bhairavar, Ayyanar, Nalvar, Saptamatrikas, Suryan, Pancha bootha Lingas and Chandikeswarar are also in the prakaram.

Ambal Soundara Nayaki is in a separate temple with Artha mandapam, maha mandapam and mukha mandapam. a two tier Vimana is over the adhishtanam, There is no koshta murtis. People worships Ambal to excel Dance and Music.

HISTORY & INSCRIPTIONS
The Original temple exists before 7th Century, may be built during Pallava Period. The temple was reconstructed with stone by the Chozhas and renovated during Vijayanagaras. As per the inscription this place was called as “Mouli Gramam” and now called as Gramam, leaving Mouli. As per the Madurai Koparakesari Varman’s 24th year reign inscriptions, this place was under Mudiyur Nattu Mudiyur.  ( Please note that there is connection with the Salem Sukavaneswarar  temple inscription of Madurai Koprakesari Varman.) Sundara Pandyan’s inscription mentions as Mudiyur Nattu Gramam. Lord Shiva was called as “Pokkanam Kodutha Nayanar”, Atruthali Peruman, AtruthaLi Mahadevar ( Since this place is on the banks of Malatar river ), etc,.

The recorded inscriptions belongs to Chozha Kings Prantaka-I, Aditha Karikalan-II, Rajendran-I, Kulothunga Chozha-I, Pandya Kings Konerimai Kondan Sundara Pandyan, Veera Pandyan, Rashtrakooda King Kannara Devan, Vijayanagara Kings Viruppanna Udayar periods.

The temple was re-constructed with stone in 943 CE, ( Parantaka-I period ) by a Kerala King Vellangkumaran. ( to be verified ).

As per the inscription, Lord Shiva gave Pokkanam ( Holy ash bag ), to a Pandya King, hence called as “Pokkanam Kodutha Nayanar”  and also mentioned as Atruthali Peruman, AtruthaLi Mahadevar.

After Rajagopuram, Dwajasthambam installation the temple was consecrated ( Maha Kumbhabhishekam ) on 10th Sep 2006.

LEGENDS
Lord Brahma, Indra, Thindi and Mundi   (Lord Shiva’s bootha ganas ) worshiped Lord Shiva of this temple.

In Dwapara yuga a King called Chokkalingam happened to see a rare lotus flower in a pond. He asked his people to pluck and bring it. When they went nearer the Lotus flower moves away. So the King shoots the flower with an arrow. When the arrow hits the Flower blood was oozed out and the pond has become red. The King was shocked and happened to see a Shiva Linga in side the flower. He built a temple and installed the Shiva Linga. The scar can be seen even now on the moolavar. Lord Shiva was called as “Mudeeswarar” and now called with prefixing of Thiru in front as Thirumundeeswaram.

POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS
Apart from Regular Poojas, special poojas are conducted on Maha Shivaratri, Pradosham, Appar Vizha in Chithirai ( April-May ), Ani Thirumanjanam ( June- July ), Vinayagar Chathurthi ( August- Sep ), Navaratri in Puratasi ( Sep- October ), Kandar Sashti in Aippasi ( Oct- Nov), Thiruvathirai in Margazhi ( Dec- Jan ), Makara sankranti in Thai Month ( Jan- Feb ) and Panguni Uthiram in Panguni (March –April).

TEMPLE TIMINGS
The temple will be kept opened between 06.00 hrs to 10.00 hrs and 18.00 hrs to 20.00 hrs

CONTACT DETAILS 
The land line telephone number + 91  4146 206 700, Kannan Gurukkal may be contacted for further details.

HOW TO REACH : 
Town bus Route No 5 E from Villupuram to Thiruvennainallur passes through this Gramam village ( on Cuddalore to Sankarapuram Rd ). 
The temple is 1.2 KM from Thiruvennainallur Railway station, 15.7 KM from Villupuram, 54 KM from Cuddalore and 182 KM from Chennai.
Nearest Railway station is Thiruvennainallur/ Thiruvennainallur and Railway Junction is Villupuram.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE : CLICK HERE 














---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---

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