16th April 2019.
It was planned to visit some of the old temples around Villupuram on 16th April 2019, during our visit to Koovagam Koothandavar temple Thiruvizha. After reaching Villupuram, First we had been this Shiva Temple at Elavanasur Kottai. The temple is on a rocky place / hill called Thirumalai. Since the temple was built like a fort with Guarding deities on all 4 sides, the place is called as Elavanasur Kottai and moolavar is called in different names.
Iraivan : Sri Arthanareeswarar, Sri Grama Arthanareeswarar,
Sri Oor Bhagam Kondaruliya Nayanar,
Iraivi : Sri Brahan Nayaki, Sri Periya Nayagi.
Some of the salient features of this temple are….
The temple is facing west with a 6 tier Rajagopuram built during Vijayanagara period. Ambal Sri Periya Nayagi is in a separate temple immediately after the Rajagopuram facing east. The temple tank and a urchava vavval nethi 100 pillar mandapam is on the left.
The second level 3 tier Rajagopuram was built during Chozha period and inscriptions are found with title. Palipedam, Dwajasthambam and rishabam are before the second level Rajagopuram. The Raishabam and the Prakara rishabam are facing west in the same direction like moolavar. The sanctum sanctorum consists of a raised level sanctum, antarala and arthamandapam. The vesara vimana is on the sanctum. The terrace of the corridor may be used for circumambulation.
In the koshtam Vinayagar and Dhakshinamurthy. In the prakaram sannadhi for Sani, Nagar, Govinda Raja Perumal, Suryan, Bairavar, Navagrahas, Naalvar, 3 idols of Sapthamathar Group, Vinayagi, Valli Devasena Subramaniyar and west facing Rishabam.
LEGEND:
As per the legend “Deivigan, a Malayaman Chief Killed an asura Karundan, who was Brahmin in his previous birth. So Deivigan got the brahmahatti dhosha. To get rid from the dhosha he performed sacrifice and gifted 4 neighboring Villages to 400 Brahmins and found 400 more are left out. He got confused and do not know what to do. Lord Shiva in the form a Brahmin appeared before him asked to gift half of this Village to the 400 Brahmins and rest of the half to him. Deivigam does so. On receiving the half village the Brahmin disappeared and reveals himself as Lord Shiva. From this incident Lord Shiva was called as Oor Bhagam Kondaruliya Nayanar ( ஊர் பாகம் கொண்டருளிய நாயனார் ) and the sanskritised version is Grama Arthanareeswarar.
INSRIPTIONS:
From the inscriptions Lord Shiva was called as Oor-Bhagam-Kondaruliya Nayanar / Mahadevar, Oorudaiya Paramesvarman etc. The place was called as Iraivanaraiyur ( Elavanasur may be a corrupted name ) also called as Sri Chozha Kerala Chathurvedhimangalam in Palur Kottam of Miladu Jananatha Valanadu.
The temple has inscriptions from 900 AD to 1500 AD. The inscriptions belongs to Rajaraja-I, Rajendra –I, Uthama Chozha, the son of Chembiyan Mahadevi, Kulothunga –I, Vikrama Chozha, Rajaraja-II & III, Rajadhiraja-II, Kulothunga-II, Pallava King Koperunsingan and Vijayanagara dynasty. One inscription speaks about gift of 132 Cows to burn a perpetual lamp for killing a person by an another person by mistake in the process of hunting a boar. Vikrama Chozha’s inscription mentions a gift of land for reciting Thiruchalal from Thiruvasakam composed by Manikavasakar. The other inscriptions speaks about donation of lands and money towards functioning of daily poojas and burning perpetual lamps.
TEMPLE TIMINGS:
The temple will be kept opened between 07.00 hrs to 11hrs and 16.00 hrs to 20.00 hrs.
HOW TO REACH:
The place Elavanasur is on the Junction of Salem to Ulundurpet Highway and Thirukoilure to Asanur ( Vellore to Tuticorin).
59KM from Villupuram, 15 KM from Ulundurpet, 25.5 KM from Kallakurichi.
LOCATION:CLICK HERE
Ambal Sannadhi
Brahma sastha
Vinayagar & Vinayagi 
---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---
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