Monday 21 September 2020

Sri Pushpavaneswarar Temple / Sri Poovananathar Temple / அருள்மிகு புஷ்பவனேஸ்வரர் திருக்கோயில், Tiruppuvanam, Sivaganga District, Tamil Nadu.

This is the 255th  Thevara Paadal Petra Shiva Sthalam on the banks of river Vaigai and 11th sthalam in Pandiya Naadu.  

In PeriyaPuranam Sekkizhar mentions that Thirunavukkarasar  and Thirugnanasambandar, met third time before this temple’s visit. They came to the temple after worshiping Lord Shiva of Tirupattur. Sekkizhar also mentions that, from here Thirugnanasambandar reached Tirunelveli, after worshiping Lord Shiva of Thirukanaper, Tiruchuli  and Courtallam temples.   

    பற்றார் தம்புரங்கள் மலைச் சிலையில் செற்ற
        பரமனார் திருப்புத்தூர் பணிந்து போந்து
    புற்றுஆரும் பணிபூண்ட புனிதனார் தம்
        பூவணத்தைப் புக்கு இறைஞ்சி புகழ்ந்து பாடிக்
    கற்றார்கள் தொழுது ஏத்தும் கானப்பேரும்
        கைதொழுது தமிழ்பாடிச் சுழியல் போற்றிக்
    குற்றாலம் குறும்பலாக் கும்பிட்டு ஏத்திக்
        கூற்று உதைத்தார் நெல்வேலிக் குறுகினாரே
...... பெரியபுராணம்... திருஞானசம்பந்தர்
    கொடிமாடம் நிலவு திருப்பூவணத்துக் கோயிலினுள்
    நெடியானுக்கு அறிவு அரியார் நேர்தோன்றல் கண்டு இறைஞ்சி
    வடிவேறு திரிசூலத் தாண்டகத்தால் வழுத்திப் போய்ப்
    பொடிநீடு திருமேனிப் புனிதர்பதி பிறபணிவார்
........ பெரிய புராணம் திருநாவுக்கரசு சுவாமிகள்
Thirugnanasambandar, Thirunavukkarasu Swamigal, Sundarar and Manickavasagar  has sung hymns in praise of Lord Shiva of this temple.  Moovar worshiped Shiva from the opposite bank of Vaigai River, since they saw Siva lingam in each and every sand of the river ( This was not mentioned in Periya Puranam ).

    அறையார் புனலு மாமலரும்
        ஆடரவார் சடைமேல்
    குறையார் மதியும் சூடிமாதோர்
        கூறுடையான் இடமாம்
    முறையார் முடிசேர் தென்னர்சேரர்
        சோழர்கள் தாம் வணங்கும்
    திறையார் ஒளிசேர் செய்மையோங்கும்
        தென் திருப் பூவணமே
........ திருஞானசம்பந்தர்
    வடிவேறு திரிசூலந்தோன்றும் தோன்றும்
        வளர்சடை மேல் இளமதியம் தோன்றும் தோன்றும்
    கடியேறு கமழ் கொன்றைக் கண்ணி தோன்றுங்
        காதில் வெண் குழைதோடு கலந்து தோன்றும்
    இடியேறு களிற்றுரிவைப் போர்வை தோன்றும்
        எழில்திகழும் திருமுடியும் இலங்கித் தோன்றும்
    பொடியேறு திருமேனி பொலிந்து தோன்றும்
        பொழில் திகலும் பூவணத்தெம் புனிதனார்க்கே
........ திருநாவுக்கரசு சுவாமிகள்
    எண்ணியிருந்து கிடந்து நடந்தும்
    அன்ணல் எனாநினைவார் வினைதீர்ப்பார்
    பண்ணிசையார் மொழியார் பலர் பாடப்
    புன்னியனார் உரை பூவணம் ஈதோ
........ சுந்தரர்
                                -“மோனருளே
    பூவணமும் பூமணமும் போல அமர்ந்த்திருப்
    பூவணத்திலானந்தப் பொக்கிஷமே
........ வள்ளலார் திரு அருட்பா
  "இந்திர ஞாலம் காட்டிய இயல்பினாய் போற்றி
    உத்தரகோச மங்கை வித்தக வேடா போற்றி
    பூவண மதனிற் தூவண மேனி காட்டிய தொன்மையோய் போற்றி
    வாதவூரில் பாதச் சிலம்பொலி காட்டிய பண்பா போற்றி
    திருவார் பெருந்துறை செல்வா போற்றி்
......மாணிக்கவாசகர்
    பூவணங் கோயில் கொண்டெனை யாண்ட
        புனிதனை வனிதை பாகனை வெண்
    கோவணங் கொண்டு வெண்டலை யேந்தும்
        குழகனை யழகெலா நிறைந்த
    தீவணன் றன்னைச் செழுமறை தெரியு
        திகழ்கரு வூரனே னுரைத்த
    பாவணத் தமிழ்கள் பத்தும்வல் லார்கள்
        பரமன துருவமா குவரே. (பாடல் - 151)
........கருவூர் தேவர்
Moolavar  : Sri Pushpavaneswarar, Sri Poovananathar.
Consort    : Sri SoundaryaNayagi,   Sri Minnanayal.

Some of the important features of this temple are...
The temple is facing east with a 5 tier Rajagopuram. Balipeedam, Dwajasthambam and Rishabam  are in a mandapam after the Rajagopuram. Rishabam is not straight with Moolavar. ( believed to be Moved for Moovar’s darshan ). Moolavar is of swayambhu. The Ponnanaiyal’s pinch mark, Jada mudi and Thirusoolam / trident can be seen during aarti. On back side of the moolavar Thiruvasi is lit with 27 lamps, which signifies the 27 nakshatras and believed to be of moksha deepam for the departed souls. Dwarapalakas are at the entrance of artha mandapam. In koshtam Vinayagar, Dakshinamurthy, Lingothbavar, Brahma and Durgai.

In the inner prakaram Baskara Vinayagar, Subramaniyar Suryan, Maha Vishnu as Sayana Perumal, Nalvar, 63var, Saptamatrikas, Mahalakshmi, Chandran, Chandikeswarar  and Navagrahas. In Sabha mandapam Natarajar is made of single stone, little big with a beautiful look. Patanjali and Vyakrapadar and Procession deities of Natarajar and Sivakami  are in the Natarajar Sabha.

Ambal is in a separate temple facing the same direction of Moolavar with an entrance arch. The Stucco image of Lord Shiva with Parvati, Vinayagar and Murugan are on the arch. The arch entrance is kept closed and main Rajagopuram entrance is alone used.

The 15th Century Arunagirinathar has sung hymns in praise of Lord Muruga of this temple

    தனத்தான தத்தத் தனதானா
            தனத்தான தத்தத் தனதானா
    அறப்பாவை அத்தற்   கருள்பாலா
            அளித்தாது வெட்சித் திருமார்பா
    குறப்பாவை அற்பிற் புணர்வோனே
            குலத்தேவ வர்க்கப்     பரிபாலா
    மறப்பாத கத்துற் றுழல்வேனோ
            மலர்த்தாள்வ ழுத்தக் க்ருபையீவாய்
    சிறப்பான முத்திக் கொருவாழ்வே
            திருப்பூவ ணத்திற்     பெருமாளே

ARCHITECTURE
The sanctum sanctorum consists of sanctum, antarala, artha mandapam and maha mandapam. In addition to this there are Kambathadi mandapam, Nalamaharajan mandpam, Thiruvachi Mandapam and a 6 Pillar mandapam.

HISTORY & INSCRIPTIONS
Since this is one of the Thevara Paadal Petra Sthalam, the temple might have been existed before 7th Century, latter reconstructed / renovated during Pandyas, Chozhas and Vijayanagaras.

Thirubhuvana Chakravarthi Konerimaikondan period inscription ( AR No, 17 of 1894, SII, V- 305 ) records that the king issued an order to Thandal Nayakams ( Revenue collectors ) to give 450 pon per year as thevadhanam to this Thirupuvanamudaya Nayanar Temple. This may be recorded in their accounts and in  the Temple accounts. This order was written and signed by Anjaloorudayan and Sundara Pandya Pallavarayan.  

The Pandya King Parakrama Pandya’s 9th year reign inscription ( AR No, 17-A of 1894, SII, V- 306 ) records the revenue 450 pon to be divided in in to 3/4th and 1/4th portions.. This may the continuation of the previous inscription. 

The pandya King Konerimaikondan’s 7th year reign inscription records the donation of Land to this temple.

The Pandya King Konerimaikondan Kulasekaran  period inscriptions records the endowment to Veda parayana and feed to 1008 Brahmins, Celebrations / functions for which a Land was donated to this temple.

Pandya Period cheppedu / Copper plate mentions the Rajakembeera Chathurvedi mangalam and a donation of 25  kasu was made to the Sabhai.   

The Chozha King Aditya ( 870 -907 CE ) inscription records the endowment of burning a perpetual lamp, Theerthavari, Thirumanjanam / abhishekam, on auspicious days in Tamil month Purattasi ( Sep – Oct ) in the temple .

Uthama Chozha ( 970- 985 CE ) inscription records the maintenance  and worship of Pushpavaneswarar and Varadharaja Perumal afforded to 4 able man ( ?).

The Chozha King Rajaraja-I, ( 985 – 1014 CE ) inscription records that the Village Manali was gifted to this temple’s shrine built by Chembiyan Mahadevi.

Rajendra Chozha-I’s period ( 1014 – 1044 CE ) inscription records the expansion of Maha Vishnu Shrine.

LEGENDS
Brahma, Maha Vishnu & Maha Lakshmi, King Nala, Gautama Maharishi, Sun, Agasthiyar and Korakkar Siddhar worshiped Lord Shiva of this temple. This place was called as Pushpavanakasi, Pithurmokshapuram, Baskarapuram, Lakshmipuram, Brahmapuram and Rasavathapuram. 

As per the sthala purana written by 17th Century  ( Saka 1543 ie 1621 CE )  Kandasamy Pulavar who translated from Sanskrit version. As per the sthala purana, Darumagnanan ( தருமஞ்ஞன் ), a scholar of 4 vedas carried his father Vedasharma’s asthi from Vervanam a place on the banks of river Tamirabarani to dissolve in the Ganga river  with his disciple. On the way they stayed at this place. Darumagnanan, took bath in Manikannigai theertham. Since the rain started, Darumagnanan hurriedly came to the shore, accidently his leg tripped the pot. The Asthi pot fell in to the  Theertha tank. When he opened and seen that the bones were turned to lotus flowers. When he told this incidence to the Munivars who stayed in this pace. They told that his father had attained the mukthi. Darumagnanan prayed Lord Shiva of this temple. Lord Shiva appeared before him in the form of rishabarooder and blessed him.

An another legend of the same sthala purana,... Ponnanayal, a dancer  and an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva,  spent all her money earned for annadhanam to the Sivanadiyars.   She wishes to make a Shiva Idol out of gold  for worship at Tiruppuvanam Temple. When all the money earned was not spent for annadhanam, where to go for Gold?. She prayed to Lord Shiva who gave gold pack ( porkili ) to Kulapooda Pandya, to give her too.

Knowing the wish of his Devotee Lord Shiva of Madurai Somasundarar came to Tiruppvanam in the form of a Siddhar. When Lord Shiva was asked to take annadhanam, Lord Shiva asked Ponnanayal to come before him. Ponnanayal came, prayed Siddhar and asked  him to take annadhanam. Seeing her sorrow face Lord Shiva asked her, why She is so sad?. Ponnanayal told her wish of making a Golden Shiva idol for worship and she do not know how to get the gold for the same, since  the money earned was spent completely towards annadhanam. She also told that she had made ready the mould with wax too.   

Lord Shiva sprinkled vibhuti on all the vessels brought from her home and asked her to  melt and told that all vessels will turn to Gold. When asked to stay that night for making copper / brass / bronze vessels in to gold through rasavatham, Lord Shiva declined and disappeared saying “ yam madhuraiyil vilangum siddaravom – யாம் மதுரையில் விளங்கும் சித்தராவோம்”. The verse from the  36th Thiruvilayadal Puranam is as below ..... 

    சித்தமூர்த்திகள் இரசவாதம் புரிதல்
  வைத்த வேறுவே றுலோகமு மழுவுழை கரந்த
   சித்த சாமிக ணீற்றினைச் சிதறினர் பாவித்
   தித்தை நீயிரா வெரியிலிட் டெடுக்கினன் பொன்னாம்
   அத்தை நாயகன் றிருவுருக் கொள்கென வறைந்தார்

Ponnanayal realised that the Siddhar is, Lord Shiva only. With the gold, She made Shiva’s idol, admiring the beauty, she pinched the cheeks. The pinch marks can be seen on the moolavar even now. The 36th Chapter of Thiruvilayadal puranam deals with  this alchemy of moolavar. The song below, shows that how she admired Lord shiva’s Golden Idol and the thiruvizha of Chariot procession.

   மழவிடை யுடையான் மேனி வனப்பினை நோக்கி யச்சோ
   அழகிய பிரானோ வென்னா வள்ளிமுத் தங்கொண் டன்பிற்
    பழகிய பிரானை யானாப் பரிவினாற் பதிட்டை செய்து
    விழவுதேர் நடாத்திச் சின்னாள் கழிந்தபின் வீடு பெற்றாள்

POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS
Apart from Regular poojas, special poojas are conducted on Pradosham, Maha Shivaratri, Vaikasi Visakam in May – June, Aadi Mulaikottu procession in – July – August, Navaratri in September -  October, Aippasi Kolattam in Oct – November, Thirukarthigai in Nov- December, Arudra Darshan in Margazhi, December- January and Panguni 10 days Brahmotsavam March -  April.

TEMPLE TIMINGS
The temple will be kept opened between 06.00 hrs to 11.00 hrs and 16.00 hrs to 20.00 hrs.

CONTACT DETAILS :
Archakar may be contacted  on his land line or mobile  + 91 4575 265082, 265084 and +91 94435 01761 for further details.

HOW TO REACH : 
Town buses are available from Mattuthavani Bus stand. Buses from Madurai to Manamadurai passes through Tiruppuvanam.
The temple is 20 KM from Madurai,  28 KM from Manamadurai, 29 KM from Sivaganga, 47 KM from Kalayarkoil and 456 KM from Chennai.
Tiruppuvanam is on the Madurai to Manamadurai Train route and nearest Railway Station is Tiruppuvanam

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE










---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---

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