13th October 2019.
The Visit to this Sri Akka Salai Eswran Temple also popularly known as Kottai Anumantharayaswamy Thiru Kovil was a part of Kongu Heritage walk scheduled on 12th and 13th October 2019. With a great difficulty we are able to locate this temple, since this original Shiva Temple was converted in a Anajaneyar / Hanuman temple and called as Kottai Anumantharayaswamy Thiru Kovil. As per historians, the word Akka Salai means a place where ornaments are made out of Gold, minting of money, Statues made of metals. And the craftsmen are called Kammalars and they add this word Akkasalai with their name to distinguish from others.
Moolavar : Sri Akka Salai Eswaran
Consort : Sri Vadivudaimangai
Present Moolavar : Sri Anumantharayaswamy
Some of the important features of this temple are…..
This temple is facing North and a Deepa sthambam with a mandapam is in front of asbestos sheet canopy extended from arthamandapam. The temple consists of sanctum sanctorum, antarala and arthamandapam. In sanctum sanctorum Hanuman as Anumantharayaswamy is in the form of Bas-relief on a stone slab. Hanuman’s face is facing west. On the west side of the main temple there is a sannadhi facing north in dilapidated condition. Looking at the Vimana, this may be Ambal’s sannadhi when the main temple was as Sri Akka Salai Eswran Temple.
ARCHITECTURE
The Temple consists of Sanctum anctorum, antarala and arthamandapam. The mandapa pillars are supported like Vijayanagara period Capitals / Pothyals. The sanctum sanctorum is on a pathabandha adhisthana with tripatta kumuda. The sanctum sanctorum walls has the niches / koshtas, which are empty now. The thorana above the koshta are simple, in the one thorana a Shiva Linga is there and a lotus flower motif on the other. There is no Vimana over the sanctum sanctorum.
HISTORY & INSCRIPTION:
Looking at the iconography of the moolavar Hanuman ( Hanumantharayaswamy ), this temple might have been converted and reconstructed from Shiva Temple during Vijayanagara period. The temple is prefixed with “Kottai”, means that a fort might have existed in this place or this temple might be inside the Fort.
As per the inscription the moolavar was called as Akka Salai Eswaramudayar and the place was called as Sevur.
The sanctum sanctorum walls and kumudam has 8 inscriptions, which are belongs to Veerarajendran ( 1235 AD, 1253 AD), Veera Pandyan (12 67 AD, 1276 AD).
The Inscriptions mainly speaks about donation of money for Naivedyam and oil for burning of perpetual lamp, Achu kasu ( money in coin ), Ghee for the celebration Shivarathri and burning of 80 lamps on that day, Oil ennaikappu to Lord Shiva( one ulakku for one chekku – manual Oil extraction machine ), 2 pazhanchalakai achu kasu for burning of 2 Santhya lamps ( burning lamp during evening hours ), donation of paddy and Kampu ( a type of millet ) for naivedyam.
TEMPLE TIMINGS:
Since orukala pooja is done, the closing and opening times are un predictable.
HOW TO REACH:
The temple is about a KM from the Sevur bus stop and the Place Sevur is on the way to Mettupalayam from Avinashi.
The Sevur is about 9 KM from Avinshi, 47 KM from Coimbatore and 20 KM from Tiruppur, the District headquarters.
The nearest Railway Station is Tiruppur.
A dilapidated structure - may be Ambal's sannadhi
The inscription mentioning The temple's Shiva Name as Akka Salai Eswarar
The inscription mentioning Sevur
A Shiva Linga in a koshta Thorana
---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---
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