A Wandering Heritager: Sri Sangameshwarar Temple / Sangameswarar Temple / Arulmigu Bhavani Sangameshwarar Temple, Bhavani, Erode District, Tamil nadu.

This is the 261^st Thevara Paadal Petra Shiva sthalam and 3^rd sthalam of Kongu Nadu called "Thirunana" in ancient times and now called as Bhavani. ( For Details of my earlier Visit to Sri Sangameswarar temple . The temple is located at the confluence of three rivers ( Triveni Sangamam ) called Cauvery, Bhavani and Agasa Ganga / Amudha ( which comes from the under ground ). The locals refers this temple place as Kooduthurai.

As per Periya Puranam, Sekkizhar records that, Thirugnanasambandar came to this temple after worshiping Lord Shiva of Kodimada Chengundrur ( Tiruchengode )

அப்பாலைக் குடபுலத்தில் ஆறு அணிந்தார் அமர்கோவில்
எப்பாலும் சென்று ஏத்தித் திருநணாவினை இறைஞ்சிப்
பைப்பாந்தள் புனைந்தவரைப் பரவிப் பண்டு அமர்கின்ற
வைப்பு ஆன செங்குன்றூர் வந்து அணைந்து வைகினார்

The Sthala purana of this temple as per Kongu mandala Sthakangal as…
பொன்னியே கங்கை யமுனையே பவானி பொருவரும் பராசரன் வகுத்த
மின்னவிர் அமுத நதியே வானி அல்லது வேறல இந்தத்
தன்நிகர் பிறிதுஇல் தலம் திரிவேணி சங்கமம் ஆதலால் தென்பால்
கன்னிமா மதில்சூழ் காசியின் மேலாய்க் கவினுமிக் கடிநகர் அன்றே

......பவானித்தலபுராணம்

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

பந்தார் விரல்மடவாள் பாகமா நாகம் பூண்டு ஏறது ஏறி
அந்தார் அரவணிந்த அம்மான் இடம்போலும் அந்தன் சாரல்
வந்தார் மடம்ந்தி கூத்தாட வார்பொழில் வண்டு பாடச்
செந்தேன் தெளியொளிரத் தேமாங் கனியுதிர்க்கும் திருநணாவே
( Meaning : Uma, who plays balls with finger, occupies one part of Lord Shiva and he wears the snakes around his body. The place was very pleasant to make the monkeys to dance, bees to fly from flower to flower with its flying sound to gather honey and the fruits ripe on its own and fell on the ground is the place Thirunana )

“துஞ்சலெனும்
இன்னலகற்ற இலங்கு பவானிக்கூடல்
என்னு நணாவின் இடை இன்னிசையே”

…… திரு அருட்பா

Moolavar : Sri Sangameswarar, Sri Sangameshwarar
Consort : Sri Vedhanayagi, Pannarmozhiammai

Some of the important features of this temple are ....
Since the temple is located at the confluence of rivers Cauvery, Bhavani and Amudha, Lord Shiva is called as Sri Sangameshwarar also the place is known as Kooduthurai. The temple is facing east with an entrance from north side. Rishabam is in a mandapam in front of 5 tier Rajagopuram, since the whole temple is considered as a Shiva Linga. Paramapadha vassal of Perumal temple is on the right side of the Rajagopuram. At the entrance sannadhis are for Kottai Vinayagar, Rajaganapathy and Muthukumarasamy. In the inner prakaram sannadhi for 63var, Pancha Bhoota Lingas, Shani Bhagavan, Kasi Viswanathar and Arumugasamy. Bronze idols of Nayanmars which includes Somaskanda are a part of Urchavars.

In Jwarahareshwarar sannidhi, moolavar Jwarahareshwarar is with three heads, three hands and three legs is the specialty of this temple and the dwarapalakas also has the similar features.

Kubera Lingam, Amirthalingam, Sahasra Linga, Gayathri Linga ( believed to be installed by saint Vishwamitra ), Nagars with Jyeshta Devi, Sahasrara Linga Shrine ( 1008 Small Shiva Lingas carved on one Shiva Liva Linga ) are in the outer prakara. Sri Soundaranayaki udanurai Sri Adhikesava Perumal and Yoga Narasimhar sannidhis are after the entrance of Rajagopuram with a mandapam.

Arunagirinathar also praised Lord Muruga of this Thirunanaa ( Bhavani ) temple, in his Thirupugazh as….

கலைமேவு ஞானப் பிரகாசக் கடலாடி ஆசைக்கடலேறி
பலமாய வாதிற் பிறழாதே பதிஞான வாழ்வைத் தருவாயே
மலைமேவு மாயக் குறமாதின் மனமேவு வாலக் குமரேசா
சிலைவேட சேவற் கொடியேனே திருவாணிகூடற் பெருமாளே.

ARCHITECTURE
The temple complex consists of main temple for Sri Sangameswarar, Sri Vedhanayagi / Pannarmozhiammai, Murugan Temple, Shaniswarar, Sri Soundaranayaki udanurai Sri Adhikesava Perumal and Yoga Narasimhar sannidhis. All the Temples are facing east.

The Main temple adhistanam is on a lotus petals pedestal. The Adisthana is simple Padabandha with jagathy, three patta kumuda and pattigai. The Bhitti starts with Vedhika. The Pillars and pilasters are with square base with nagabandham, Kalasam, Thadi, Kumbha / Kudam, Lotus petals mandi, palagai, veerakandam and pushpa pothyal. The prastaram consists of Valabi, kapotham and prahara ceiling covers the Bhoomi Desam. Lotus petals are in the valabi. The Stucco Vimana is of 3 tiers. Stucco images of Dakshinamurthy, Maha Vishnu and Brahma are on the Vimanam.

Dakshinamurthy Mandapam

These Ketti Mudali Mandapam pillars are similar Vijyanagara style with Yazhi and Horse riders supported by warriors and animals. This types of exquisitely carved pillars decorates the Ambal Sannidhi Mukha mandapa. The centre Panel of Mukha mandapam ceiling has the bas-reliefs of Lord Shiva Dancing, Ambal, Naradar, Nandi playing Mridangam, Brahma, Cauvery and Ganga, Kodi Pengal, Vinayagar, Arumuga with 12 hans and peacock, Maha Vishnu, Elephant Yazhi playing Veena, Varahar, Saraswati etc. Dancing girls are in the inner Square. The Centre Lotus petals are supported by the Parrots. In addition to that The Ketty mudali’s symbols Tiger, Bow with arrow, Fish, Colour plate with vaadatha malai are on the 4 corners of this panel. Part of this symbol is at the Rajagopuram also.

Rajagopuram Entrance - partial Ketti Mudali symbols

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTION
The inscriptions recorded in Erode District inscription, Volume-I, are written now and the earlier inscriptions if available will be up dated latter.

The 17^th Century inscription ( 1640 CE ) belongs to Nalludaiappar Immudi Ketti Mudali. This inscription is inscribed in two stones in which 1-10 lines are in one stone and 11- 15 lines are in another stone. This inscription records that, Prakara or the circumambulatory path, Lord Shiva’s Shrine Nirutha mandapa, Sikaram ( Vimana ?), Ambal Vedhanayaki’s shrine Sanctum Sanctorum, ardha mandapam, Maha mandapam, Kumarar Temple ( Subramaniyar ?), Vasantha Mandapam, Gopuram, walls, Yaga Sala and Shasrara Linga ( 1008 Linga on one Linga ) are established.

The 18^th Century ( 1741 CE ) inscription belongs to Mysore Wodeyar Krishna Raja Wodeyar. This inscription records that during Mysore Wodeyar’s Chieftain / Thalavai Devarasaiyan and an official Nanjaraya Wodeyar, their period Ambal Panmozhiammai Temples Prakara / Thirunadaimalaigai was constructed by Ananda Naranan’s Son Bhavani Koodal Seshaiyan. This inscription further records that this was done by the sthapathi Veeraraghava Achari’s brother Seshachari.

This 18^th Century inscription belongs to Immudi Ketti Mudali. As per the inscription, the Ambal Pannar Mozhi Amman’s sannidhi ardha mandapam was built by Immudi Ketti Mudali’s wife and the sthapathi is Narayana Achari, who is the son of Kuruva Achari and bother of Rangappa Achari. Another Inscription in the mandapa mentions as Chinnammal Sathasevai.

A 17^th Century Krishna Devaraya period inscription mentions the Governor’s name as Vaalarasa Wodeyar. To satisfy him a person called Seeman Thiruvala Nandan son of Chennarasan, constructed the Compound wall of the temple. The first part of the inscription is in the form of a poem in Venba style.

வானிகூ டல்பதிக்கு வாலரா சன்மகிழ்
ஆன திருமதிளுண் டாக்கினான் – நாநிலமெண்
சென்னரா சன்புதல்வன் சீமான் திருவகைந்
தன்மரா சன்அருளால் தான்

The 1689 CE inscription on the Subramaniyar Sannidhi adhistanam, records the construction of Vahana – Peacock mandapa and the peacock, by one Kanthappan who is the grand son of Kanthappa Pillai and son of Aththiyanna Pillai, belongs to Athreya Gothram.

The 11^th January, 1804 CE East India Company’s inscription records that, a gift of a Ivory tusk cot by the W Garrow. The legend behind that goes like this…

Since foreigners were not allowed to enter inside the temple, William Garrow, who was the Collector of Coimbatore, had the darshan of Ambal from out side through holes made on the wall opposite to Ambal’s shrine. On one rainy night he was sleeping in his bungalow. He happened to see a small girl was calling him to come out side. When he came out side, the room/ bungalow collapsed immediately and found the Girl was also disappeared. He concluded that the small Girl must be none other than Ambal Vedanayagi. As a token of thanks giving for saving his life, William Garrow gifted a cot made of ivory tusk to Ambal shrine on 11-01-1804.

Hope W Garrow might have worshiped Ambal Vedhanayagi through this Holes on the wall.

The 17^th Century inscription stone opposite to Perumal Temple Thayar Sannidhi, records the construction of Vimanam over the Sanctum Sanctorum of Soundaravalli Thayar Sannidhi and ardha mandapam. This was done by Narayana Gounder. One of the record mentions that this Narayana Gounder was the brother -in-law of Ketti mudali.

The Fragment stone inscriptions recorded on the Gopuram, Amman Temple, Kumarar Temple, Gayathri Mandapam, Padithurai and Perumal Temple, mentions the persons who had done thirupani to this temple… Anthiyur Kanakkar / Accountants Chellappar, Kembanan, Poongothai, Nallathambi Deivanayagam, Thirupani Maniyam Abath Sahayan, Kunjan Servai’s son Kumma Nattuvan, Villavan, Sathyabama Ammal, Periya Pattanam Ramaiyar, Narayanaiyar. Poongothai was the wife of Paththarpadi Emberuman Kavirayar who composed Thakkai Ramayanam. Ketti Mudali also composed literature along with Chinnammaiar. This inscriptions also mentions about Naivedyam, Donation of a Village as Thiruvidaiyattam, Poojas, Construction of steps etc,.

A 1904, 20^th Century inscription near the padithurai, records the steps taken to prevent the pollution in the river through washing the cloths animals, etc, by the Panchayat President T S A Rangasamy Chetti. The inscription reads as…

விளம்பரம்
இதனால் எல்லோருக்
கும் தெரிவிப்பது கா
வேரியாற்றில் சு
டு காட்டுதுறை வரை து
ணி துவைப்பது ஆ
டு மாடு கழுவுவது
பாத்திரம் தேய்ப்ப
து ஆகிய எந்த அ
சங்கியமும் செய்
வோருக்கு ரூ 50 க்கு
குறையாத அபறா
தம் விதிக்கப்ப
டும் TSA ரங்கசா
மி செட்டி சேர்மன்

LEGEND

This is one of the parihara sthalam for Raghu and kethu. It is believed that if one Pray Lord Shiva will get a boon, to remove marriage obstacles, Sevvai dosham, Naga dosha, Navagraha dosha, etc. It is also believed that to get rid of Raghu and Kethu doshas, people do abhishekam to Sahasrara Linga.

Lord Shiva gave darshan to Kubera in the form of Swayambhu Linga under the sthala Viruksha jujuba Tree.

Jwarahareswarar shrine…. There is an unique feature of this temple is the Jwarahareswarar worship. Devotees offer Rice, Pepper Rasam and Arai Keerai Kootu ( mixture of spinach & dhal ) to Jwarahareswarar to get relieved from fever. They also offer pepper and cumin seeds to get rid of chronic gastric ailments and worship with bilva leaves.

POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS
Apart from regular poojas, 13 days car festival in the Tamil month Chithirai ( April – May ), Adiperukku ( Tamil month’s Aadi, 18^th day – when the Mettur dam is open water in Cauvery river for the delta irrigation ), New moon days, on Eclipse days, English & Tamil New Year days, Pongal in Thai month and Deepavali are celebrated in a grand manner.

TEMPLE TIMINGS
The temple will be kept open from 06.00 hrs to 13.00 hrs and 16.30 hrs to 20.30 hrs.

CONTACT DETAILS :

The Land line and mobile numbers are +91 4256 230192 and +91 98432 48588. Temple’s Web site : http://www.bhavanisangameswarartemple.tnhrce.in/

HOW TO REACH :
The temple is about 2.5 KM from Bhavani Bus Stand.
Frequent buses are available from ERODE, Perundurai, Mettur, Salem and Gobichettipalayam.
The temple is about 16 KM from Erode, 31 KM from Perundurai, 34 KM from Gobichettipalayam, 64 KM from Salem, 100 KM from Coimbatore and about 420 KM from the State Capital Chennai ( Madras )
Nearest Railway station is Erode.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE : CLICK HERE