SRI VAAGHEESHVARAR TEMPLE / VAAGEESWARAR TEMPLE, PATLUR, ERODE DISTRICT, TAMIL NADU.

03^rd February 2020.

This Vaageesvarar Temple’s Visit was a part of Heritage Visit  to the temples, Hero stones and Heritage sites around Anthiyur and Athani, scheduled on 03^rd February 2020. In this visit we tried to cover the ancient temples with inscriptions or with some Heritage value. 

Moolavar : Sri Vaageeshvarar

Consort   : Sri Soundarya Nayaki

Some of the salient features of this temple are….

The temple is facing east without any entrance arch or Rajagopuram. Balipedam and Nandhi are under a metacolur sheet shed.  Moolavar is of swayambu. There is no images in the koshtam. In the outer prakaram  sannadhi for Vinayagar, Arumugar, Sandikeswarar and Bhairavar. Ambal sannadhi is in the arthamandapam.

ARCHITECTURE

The sanctum sanctorum consists of sanctum, antarala and arthamndapam. Ambal is in arthamndapam facing south. The arthamandapa pillars has the reliefs elephant worshiping Lord Shiva, Vali &  Sukreevan  fight, Vinayagar, etc,.

The pathabhandha adhisthana is built with stone and sanctum with ekathala vimana  and mandapam are built with brick.

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

There are 9 inscriptions recorded from this temple, which includes a separate stone inscription on a slab stone. As per the inscriptions this place was called as Pattil Oor.

The inscriptions belongs to 13^th Century Kongu Chozha Veera Rajendran  ( 7 inscriptions ) and 14^th Century  Hoysala King Veeravallalan –III ( one inscription ).

Veera Rajendran period inscriptions records the gift of 1 achchu towards to-wards construction of Mahamandapam by a Erode Rajaraja peruntheru  Merchant Mupperudayan Ponnambalavan, Sandhya Deepam by Pandya Vettuvar Punnathoorali’s daughter Paandaandi, gift of land by the villagers of Pattil to this temple, 3 Sandhya Deepam by Kodumbur Vettuvar Pillai, donation of Pattil village with Pasungannithazhai Eri and the land it irrigates, 3 Sandhya deepam by Vettuvar Periyathevan’s son Periya Pillai alias Periyathevan, privileges offered to the various Nadus and the temples of Kodumudi, Karur, Thirumukkudal, Venjamakudal and Thirumuruganpoondi and the donation made to Thirunanaa ( Bhavani Shiva temple ). The above temples are also mentioned in this temple’s inscriptions.

TEMPLE TIMINGS:

The temple will be kept open between 08.00 hrs to 12.00 hrs and 16.00 hrs to 19.00 hrs.

CONTACT DETAILS:

Gurukkal may be contacted on his mobile number 9500397777 for further details.

HOW TO REACH:

This temple at Patlur is about 500 meters from Anthiyur – Ammapettai  and Bhavani – Vellithiruppur Road Junction.

The temple at Patlur is 22KM from Bhavani, 40 KM from Erode, 120 KM from Coimbatore and 400 KM from Chennai.   

Nearest Railway station is Erode.

LOCATION: CLICK HERE

 Kavasam of Bhairavar

Elephant worships Lord Shiva

  Pillar relief - Vali & Sukreevan fight

 Inscription on a stone slab

Inscription

---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---

OLAGESHWARA SHIVA TEMPLE, OLAGADAM, ERODE DISTRICT, TAMIL NADU.

3^rd February 2020.

This Olageshwarar Temple’s Visit was a part of Heritage Visit to temples, Hero stones and Heritage sites around Anthiyur and Athani, scheduled on 03^rd February 2020. In this visit we tried to cover only ancient temples. The first visit was to this 12^th to 13^th Century Shiva temple.

Moolavar : Sri Olageshwarar

Consort   : Sri Ulaga Nayagi

Some of the salient features of this temple are…

The temple is facing east with a 3 tier rajagopuram. Balipedam, Dwajasthambam and Nandhi are immediately after the rajagopuram. Moolavar is swayambu. In Koshtam Vinayagar, Dakshinamurthy, Lingothbavar, Brahma and Durgai.

In prakaram sannadhi for Vinayagar, Sri Valli Devasena Shanmuga subramaniyar, Sandikeswarar, Bhairavar, Navagrahas, Chandran, Suryan and Shaniswarar. Ambal is in arthamandapam facing south. In addition to this there are some Hero stones and details will be posted separately.

ARCHITECTURE

The sanctum sanctorum consists of sanctum, antarala and arthamandapam. The adhisthanam is of very simple padabandha adhisthana with tripatta kumuda.  The Arthamandapam might have been constructed after the sanctum. The Rajagopuram was constructed during Vijayanagara period.

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS 

As per the inscription this place was called as Ulagavidangam and Lord Shiva was called as Vageeswarar. Since this temple bears the 13^th century inscriptions, this temple my belongs to 12^th century or before.

The 13^th Century Kongu Chozha Veerarajendran’s 24^th year rule inscription on the Sri Valli Devasena Subramaniyar sannadhi’s entrance side stone records the construction of this sannadhi Kundramerintha Pillayar ( Lord Muruga is also called as Kundramerintha Pillayar ) by Vadakari Nattu Ulagavidanga Village Kallai Vettuvar Karunchokkan Valiya Chokkan.

  

A 13^th Century Kongu Pandyar Sundara Pandyan period inscription on the mahamandapam entrance side stone opposite to Sri Subramaniyar sannadhi records the  gift of land to this Olageshwarar Temple and it also mentions the erection of Soolakkal on all the four boundaries.

A 13^th Century Kongu Chozha Kulothungan’s 5^th year rule inscription on the Mahamandapam entrance side stone opposite to Ambal sannadhi records the gift of land to this temple by Vadakarai Nattu Ulagavidanga Village Kallai Vettuvar  Sadaya Nammpillai.

The 13^th century ( without King’s name and year ) inscription records the King’s direct order of gift  to Vadakarai Nadu, Poovaniya Nadu, Kizhangka Nadu and Venkala Nadu. Since the inscription was damaged very heavily the details are not known.

The 13^th Century Kongu Chozha Veerarajendran’s 34^th year Rule inscription on the mahamandapam west wall records the gift. The details are not known.

The 14^th Century Kongu Chozha Vikrama Chozha period inscription on the mahamandapam north side wall records the gift and the details are not known.

During renovations some of the stones are interchanged and some were lost. Hence the inscriptions of Vikrama Chozha, Thiribhuvanaveerathevar, etc., are not complete and do not have continuity.

Kumbhabhishekam was conducted in 1894 and 2003

TEMPLE TIMINGS:

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

CONTACT DETAILS:

Sri Eswara Gurukkal may be contacted on his mobile 9597097614 and 9842639376 for further details.

HOW TO REACH:

This Shiva Temple at Olagadam is about 300 from Olagadam EB office on the Olagadam to Rajakumaranoor Road.

Olagadam is  9 KM from Anthiyur, 17 KM from Bhavani, 41 KM from Erode and 420 KM from Chennai.

Nearest Railway junction is Erode.

LOCATION: CLICK HERE

Vijayanagara period inscription

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA---

MAHAKALIAMMAN KOVIL / SRI MAHALIAMMAN TEMPLE, CHITHODE, ERODE DISTRICT, TAMIL NADU.

03^rd February 2020.

This Mahaliamman Temple / Mahakaliamman Kovil was not a part of Heritage Visit to temples, Hero stones and Heritage sites around Anthiyur and Athani, scheduled on 03^rd February 2020. It was planned to pick me up from Chithode. Since I reached little earlier, had been to this temple, which is on the main road from Chithode to Bhavani.

Presiding Deity : Sri Mahaliamman

Some of salient features of this temple are..

The temple is facing North with an entrance arch. Mahaliamman’s stucco image is on the top of the north side entrance arch. Like any other village deities in Erode District, this temple also has the Oonjal, balipedam and simha Vahana. The sanctum sanctorum is about 3 feet higher than the ground level.  Mahaliamman is in sitting posture. The stucco images of  Munis ( Periyannan and Chinnanan ? ) with ferocious look on their faces, holding Sword and shield in their hands. They are on the right side of the temple facing east. The sanctum sanctorum consists of sanctum, a small arthamandapam and a mukha mandapam. Vinayagar sannadhi is on the south west corner of the main temple.

The original temple may be more than 100 years old. The temple was renovated in the recent years. The sanctum was built with stone and there is no koshta images. The front mandapa was built with concrete. From the inscriptions, in 1940 a Chariot was donated by Chinnappa Mudaliar, which was made by Arumuga Mudaliyar. In the same year Kuppanaya Chettiyar donated a well for the temple. In 1968, a mandapam was also built.

TEMPLE TIMINGS:

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

HOW TO REACH:

This temple is on the Bhavavi Road and about 300 Meters from Erode to Sathyamangalam  and Perundurai to Bhavani Road Junction.

Chithode is about 7 KM from Bhavani, 10.5 KM from Erode, 100 KM from Coimbatore and 420 KM from Chennai.

Nearest Railway station is Erode. 

LOCATION: CLICK HERE

 Vinayagar sannadhi

 South Side entrance

 Inscriptions

Inscriptions 

---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---

UDAYAGIRI FORT, PULIYURKURCHI / PADMANABHAPURAM, KANYAKUMARI DISTRICT, TAMIL NADU.

 26^th January 2020.

The visit to this Udayagiri fort at Padmanabhapuram in Kanyakumari District was a part of Nanjil Nadu Heritage Walk organized by Yaaooyaakay and Celebrate Kanchi in association with Tamil Nadu Tourism and Development Department, Kanyakumari, scheduled on 24^th to 26^th January 2020. 

Udayagiri Fort was constructed with mud during the reign of Venadu King Sri Vira Ravi Varma ( 1595 – 1607 CE ) and latter it was reconstructed with stone in the reign of Marthandavarma ( 1729 – 1758 CE ). The matters of Nanjil Nadu made donations for the construction of this Fort. This fort served as a cantonment under De Lannoy The Dutch Captain who was captured as a war prisoner by Marthandavarma and latter appointed as commander in-Chief Military equipment including cannons were manufactured and stored here. It also served as a Jail, where the soldiers of Tippu Sultan’s forces were kept towards the end of 18^th Century CE.

De Lannoy, who served as a captain of the army under the rulers of Travancore Marthandavarma and Karthigai Thirunal Ramavarma, died in 1777CE,  a memorial tomb was erected for him in the Udayagiri Fort Campus and it bears the inscriptions in Tamil and Latin languages. The emblem of the Dutch  Government is also found in this tomb. Near his tomb are also seen the tombs of his wife Margeratte De Lannoy and his son John De Lannoy and Peter Flory, a second rank army General.

A Church was built  and roof was not erected. In side the Church there are toms of De Lannoy’s family and other people. In addition to this it was told that there is a tomb for the Horses of De Lannoy.

1.  Lannoy Tomb Inscription- டி லெனாய் சமாதியின் கல்வெட்டு வாசகங்கள்.

இந்த லொகத்திலே இருக்கிறவனெ கெள்

வெகுமானமுள்ள இசமானாகிய யளவுஸ்தாக்கியு  தெலலுவ திருவாங்கொட்டு

வலிய தம்பிரானுடைய செனைப்படைகளுக்கெல்லாம் பிறதானமுமாகிய சீவவிய

கப்பித்தாருமாயிருந்து ( 37 ), வருசமாக மிஞ்சின விசுவாசத்தொடெ

தம்பிரானைச் செவித்து கிளக்கெயிருந்து வந்த படைகளிலெ நடத்தின

காட்டிகங்களல்லாமல் காயங்குள முதல் கொச்சி வரைக்குந் திருமனதிலெ

காருண்ணியங் கொண்டும் ஆயுதங்களுடைய பலத்தைக் கொண்டும் தம்முடைய பெர்

கீற்த்தியைக் கொண்டும் மாற்றானாக வந்தவர்களை நடுநடுங்க விரட்டி அவர்களை

தம்முடைய இராசாவுக்கு கீள்ப்படுத்திக் கொடுத்து இந்த வெகுமானமுள்ள சேவுகத்திலெ

சாகுமட்டு மிளைப்பாறாமல் கஸ்த்திப்பட்டு சகல நன்மையு மடைகிறதுக்கு

பாத்திரவானுமாய் இருந்து கிடாட்சத்திலெ நிறைந்து (62) வயசும் (5) மீ

சுகமெயிருந்து (1777) வரு சூன் மீ (1) உ

மரணத்தை அடைந்து இந்த இடத்திலே  அடக்கப்பட்டிருக்கிறார்.

தமிள்க்கணக்கில் (952) வரு வைகாசி மீ 22 ஞாயிற்றுக்கிளமை

ரா என்றறியவும். இவருக்காக சறுவெசுரனைப் பார்த்து மன்றாடி பிராத்திச்சு இந்த

ஆற்றுமற்றுக்காக ஒரு பரமண்டல மந்திரம் ஓதிக்கொள்ளவும்.

2. Lannoy’s Wife Tomb Inscription

பூலோகத்திலே பரதேசியா யிருக்கிறவர்களே’

பாருங்கோ இந்தக் கல்லறையிலே

மிகவுங் கிற்திப்பட்ட பெரிய கற்பித்தா(ர்) யெவ தாக்கியு

வெந்து நெ லானொயிஸ் பெண்சாதீயாகிய

மரிகாத் தெ லானையில் அம்மாளுடைய

யெப்போதும் தாரமாயத் தற்மங்கள்

செய்ததினாலே யெல்லாருடைய வாய்னாலே

யெழியவர்களுடைய தாயா ரென்று பேர்பட்டவள்

(958) வரு ஆவணி மீ (29)

புதன் கிளமை மரித்து போனாள் யிந்த புன்ணியவதியுடைய

ஆற்றுக்காக வேண்டிக்கொள்ளவும்.

3. De Lannoy’s Son's Tomb Inscription

பூலோக்த்திலே பரதேசிக் கிறிஸ்தவனெ

நில்லு நினையுங்கோ

இவிடத்திலே யிருக்கிற

வலிய கப்பித்தாருட மகன் செறிய கப்பித்தான்

(யு)வான் இஸ்தாக்கியோ வெந்தொ தெல்னுவ (921)

வரு ஆவணி மாதம் (12) செவாயிக் கிழமைக்கு பிறந்து

(940) வரு சித்திர மாதம் ( 920 ) உ திங்கள்

கிழமைக்கு களக்காட்டுச் சண்டையிலே காயப்பட்டு

( 941 ) வரு புரட்டாசி மாதம் (9) உ சரீரம்

விழுந்து போகவும் செய்து அவருடய

ஆற்பனாவுக்கு உதவியாக

சறுவேசுவரனோடே வேண்டிக்

கொள்ளவும் ஆமென்.

4. பெதுரு புலோரி Tomb 

வயசு (33 ) பரமண்டலம்

வேண்டிக்கொள்ளவும்

இந்தவிடத்திலே வெகுமானப்பட்ட

பெதுரு புலோரி (39) வருடம்

விசுவாசத்துடனே மகராசா அவர்களே

சேவித்து இந்த கோட்டைக்கு

ரணடாம் பேர் உத்தியோத்திலே

இருந்து ( 955 ) பங்குனி மீ (16) உ

பொதன் கிளமை மரணம் அடையிந்து

போனார் வயசு ( 55 )

5.  W Rouse Cond Tomb

SACRED

TO THE MEMORY OF

THE ROUSE

WIFE OF W ROUSE COND

WHO DEPARTED THIS LIFE

22^ND DEC 1811

AGED 60 YEARS

THIS TOMB HAS BEEN ERECT (ED )

BY THE DESIRE OF HER DOUGHT (ER )

MRS JANE LEONARD

6. Captn. A r. Hughes infant sons.

Here lie the

Remains of the

Infant son of Captn. A.r. Hughes

5 Reign : N:1

Born March 16: and

Died July 31. 1812

Also of a second on

Alex Radford

Born March 12: and

Died Octob: 7 : 1813

7. Major. tomb 

இந்த யிடத்தில்

அடக்கப்பட்ட சரீரம்  திருவதங்கோட்டு

ராச்சியத்தில் சங்கை

பொறந்த முடிதரிக்கப்பட்ட

மகாராசர் அவர்கள் படை

றாணுகளில் மேசர் பிக்கசர்சாற்றிகள்

வுரெட்டு அவர்கள் வெகு

நாளாய் சேவகத்தில் சேவித்து

யிருந்து (978) வரு

புரட்டாசி மீ (11) மரணமடைந்தார்.

In addition to this there are two tombs. We do not know how they are connected to this Udayagiri Fort. They belongs to Shree Mudiyil M K Kesava Pillai died in 1968 and his wife Mrs M K Kesava Pillai alias L Gourikutty Amma 19-07-1971.

The Fort is under the Control of Forest department and a Bio diversity Park is functioning inside the Fort. There is a Temple also at the entrance of the Fort.

HOW TO REACH:

Udayagiri fort is about 500 meters from Padmanabhapuram.

Padmanabhapuram is  18 KM from nagercoil, 40 KM from Kanyakumari, 102 KM from Tirunelvel, 275 KM from Madurai and 800 KM from Chennai.

LOCATION: CLICK HERE

 The Horse Tomb

 The way to De Lannoy Church

 Fort wall

  Fort wall

 Recent period tomb

A Temple at the entrance of the fort

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---

THIRUVITHAMCODE ARAPALLI / ROYAL CHURCH / THOMAYAR KOVIL / St. MARY’s ORTHODOX CHURCH, THIRUVITHAMCODE, KANYAKUMAI DISTRICT, TAMIL NADU.

26^th January 2020.

The visit to this Christian Church at Thiruvithamcode in Kanyakumari District was a part of Nanjil Nadu Heritage Walk organized by Yaaooyaakay and Celebrate Kanchi in association with Tamil Nadu Tourism and Development Department, Kanyakumari, scheduled on 24^th to 26^th January 2020. This was the 2^nd temple’s visit on the third day after Thiruvithamcode Sree Neelakandaswamy  Temple. This place is being spell in different ways such as Thiruvithancode, Thiruvithankodu, Thiruvithamcode, etc.

THIRUVITHAMCODE ARAPALLI - Usually the word Aram is used in Jainism and Arapalli is that one,  School which teaches, good habits. Jainism was flourished in Kanyakumarai, especially between 3^rd Century to 7^th Century. During that time Jain monks practiced thanams / gifts  like Education, food, oushatham / medicines. Jains calls these are Aram – அறம்.  Since St Thomas also teached the principles of Jesus, this place / Church might have been called as Arapalli.

The Church claims to be the world’s oldest  living churches in India  and believed to be built by St. Thomas, known as the apostle of India in 57 CE ( Actual year is not known ) and the Cross was carved by him. The Church is being called in different names like Thomayar Kovil, St. Marry’s Orthodox Church, Amalagiri Church  and Thiruvithamcode Arapalli.

It is also believed that this Church was built during  Kerala King Perum Chottu Uthiyan Cheralathan. But there is no evidence to prove the same. The church might have been built in different stages. The entrance arch is built with stone beams and pillars. The beam has the bas-relief of  Cross and two persons in worshiping posture. A small cross is on the top of the arch. A Kerala style stone lamp is erected after the entrance arch. The alter is very simple. The main alter portion was built with granite stones quarried locally. The alter portion and prayer hall  are supported with pillars & pothyal / Capital ( like Hindu Temples ).  The roof is slope on both sides and paved with mangalore tiles. The entrance to the prayer hall from front hall is with stone door jambs and the lintel has the Christian related bas-reliefs. There are two side entrances  near the alter portion. The Church is 45 ft in length, 15 feet wide and 10 feet high.

The Church’s Alter, baptism basin and incense burner are believed to be from Portuguese. On all the three sides new building like, residence, assembly hall, library and office rooms were built.  A stone Cross of about 20 feet tall with a pedestal is erected in front of the Church. Jesus life incidents are carved on the pedestal. In Additions to this there is a tomb on the right side of the Church. The names of past Pastors, Rev. Fr Yacoob, Rev. Fr. Alexander, Rev. Fr. Konattu Yacob, Very Rev. Fr. K V Gheevarghese Ramban, 14-07-1890 - 16-07-1970 are inscribed on a single tomb.

  

As per the Historians the original Church was built under the patronage of King of Thiruvithamcode. The same was found dilapidated condition about 80 years back and the same was reconstructed to the present state by the late Rev. Fr. Koottumkal Geevarghese Ramban. It is told that this Church was reconstructed  more than 5 times. This Church is being maintained by Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church. On 16^th December 2007, Catholicose of East, Baselios Marthoma Dydimas I, declared as a St. Thomas International Pilgrim Centre.

CONTACT DETAILS.

The land line +91 4651 250 216 may be contacted for further details.

HOW TO REACH:

The Place Thiruvithamcode ia about 2 KM from Thuckalay, 25 KM from Nagercoil, 35 KM from Kanyakumari, 107 KM from Tirunelveli, 260 KM from Madurai and 800 KM from Chennai.

Nearest Railway Station is Nagercoil.

LOCATION: CLICK HERE

 A single grave of the past Pastors 

 A New building 

A Stone bowl

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA---