The Visit to this Thiruvarutkaleeswarar Rock Cut Cave temple at Malayakovil in Pudukkottai District was a part of Pudukkottai Heritage walk, on 7th and 8th January 2023, organised jointly by Aatrupadai, TTDC and Ula. Thanks to M/s Trichy Parthy, Prabhaharan and Francis Edison.
This Malayakovil Rock Cut Cave temple complex consists of two caves, back to back. Okkaleesuvaram Cave Temple is facing west and Seevaramudayar Cave Temple is facing east. In addition to these two caves, two small Shiva Lingas are excavated on the rock / boulder, in the form of koshtas, of one is under worship, which is facing south.
OKKALEESUVARAM - WEST FACING ROCK CUT CAVE TEMPLE
Moolavar : Sri Thiruvarutkaleeswarar /Thiruvokkaleeswarar
Consort : Sri Dharmasamvardhini / Sri Aram Valartha Nayaki
Some of the Salient features of this two Cave temples are….
Vinayagar and Murugan are in the mandapam. The first cave is facing west with a Sanctum sanctoum and a mukha mandapam. A new mandapam was built abutting the mukha mandapam at a latter period. A Shiva Linga on a round avudayar is in the sanctum Sanctroum excavated out of mother rock. This Shiva Linga is worshipped as Thiruvarutkaleeswarar. Rishabam is in the ardha mandapam.
A Shiva Linga is also excavated on the south side of the west side cave like koshtam. A small Ambal, Navagrahas, Saniswarar and Bairavar are in the right side mandapam in front of south facing koshta like rock cut shrine.
Ambal is in a separate temple facing North. Ambal is in standing posture with abhaya varada hastam. Vinayagar Sannidhi with ekatala vimanam is after Ambal temple. The Vinayagar temple was constructed by Ragunatha Pillai. Next to that is the village deity Karuppar’s sannidhi.
The Vinayagar sculpture… The Valampuri Vinayagar in the ardha mandapam is found with leg damaged. The right tusk is not there and left tusk is available in full. He is shown with yagnopaveetha and without uthara bandham. He is holding Mothakam, mothakam / Mango (… ? ), flower and the broken tusk in hands. Sarapalli is shown on the neck and a small makuda is on the head. This Valampuri Vinayagar belongs to the same period of this Rock Cut Cave Temple ie.. 7th Century.
200 – 300 years old ( May be Nayakas … ?) paintings are in the Mukha mandapam wall and verandah ceiling. The paintings include A Queen worshiping a Shiva Lingam, a King worshiping Anantha sayana Perumal, Sankara narayanan, Krishna, Andal, Natarajar, etc,.
Murugan as Valli Devasena Subramaniyar is in a separate temple with 3 tier Vesara Vimanam, Mukha mandapam and circumambulatory path above the Rock cut cave temple. Idumban is also in a separate sannidhi with ekatala vimanam.
திருவோக்காலீசுவரம்.... குடைவரையின் காலம் ஏழாம் நூற்றாண்டாய் ஆய்வாளர்களால் கருதப்படுகிறது. எனினும் அக்காலத்தையை கல்வெட்டுகள் கிடைக்கப்பெறவில்லை. மூன்றாம் குலோத்துங்கன் கால கல்வெட்டொன்று. இக்கோவிலினை "குளமங்கலத்து உயாரான திருவோக்காலீசுவரம்" என்கிறது.
கிழக்கு மேற்காக 3. 18 மீ. நீளம், வடக்குத் தெற்காக 3 மீ. அகலம், 2.08 மீ உயரம் கொண்டு கருவறையின் சுவர்கள் அமைந்துள்ளது, நாற்புறத்தும் வாஜனம் கூரையின் நடுப்பகுதியில் இலிங்கத்திருமேனிக்கு மேலிருக்கு மாறு தாமரைமலர் காட்டப்பட்டுள்ளது. இதே போன்ற செதுக்கல் சிற்றண்ணல்வாயில் குடைவரையின் கருவறைக் கூரையிலும் காணப்படுவது குறிப்பிடத்தக்கது.
கருவறைத் தரையின் நடுவே 4 28 மீ. சுற்றளவு. 62 செ.மீ உயரம் கொண்ட பாதபந்த அமைப்புடைய வட்டவடிவ ஆவுடை யாரும் 63 செ. மீ. உயர் உருளைப் பாணமும் தாய்ப்பாறையில் அமைந்துள்ளன. சிறிய கோமுகம் பெற்றுள்ள ஆவுடையார் மேற்பகுதியில் சிதைந்துள்ளது. திருமஞ்சன நீர் ஓட்டத்திற்காக ஆவுடையாரைச் சுற்றி 2 செ.மீ. அகலம், 1 செ.மீ ஆழம் கொண்ட குழி வெட்டப்பட்டுள்ளது.
குடைவரை வெட்டப்பட்டுள்ள பாறையின் மேற்பகுதியில் கருவறை செங்கற் கட்டுமான மாய் இரண்டாம் தளமும் வேசர கிரீவம், சிகரம், தூபி இவையும் பின்னாளில் கட்டப்பட்டுள்ளன. அது போலவே பைரவருக்கென ஒருதள நாகர கிரீவம், சிகரம் இவையும் பிள்ளையாருக்கென ஒருதள வேசர கிரீவம் சிகரம் இவையும் செங்கல்லால் அமைக்கப்பட்டுள்ளன. இக்குடைவரை காலத்தில் செய்யப்பட்ட அற்புதமான விநாயகர் சிலை ஒன்று குடைவரையின் உள்ளே உள்ளது. தலையில் சிறுமகுடத்துடன் சம்மணம்மிட்டு அமர்ந்துள்ளார் வலம்புரி நாதர்,
ARCHITECTURE
The mandapa infont of the cave is with two full pillars and two pilasters, which makes 3 entrances. A provision was made for the abhisheka water out let through the mandapam. The pillars are 4 cm after the floor from the outer edge. The bottom squares of the pillars are larger than the top square. A damaged inscription is found on the top of the pillar. The pthyals above the pillars, some are bends, with virikona tharanga. The vajanam abutting he uthram ceiling, extended on east and west side. The kapota is without extending Ceiling. Kulothunga-III’s period inscription is found on the east side wall.
The sanctum sanctorum is with an entrance on the east side measuring 1.1 meter width and 1.93 meter high. The sanctum sanctorum measures 3.18 meter length, 3 meter wide and 2.08 meter high. A Lotus medallion is above the Shiva Lingam. The Shiva Linga at the centre measures 4.28 meter circumference and 62 CM high excavated out of mother rock. A channel is cut around the avudayar to drain the abhisheka water. A Brick two tier brick vesara vimanam was built above the sanctum sanctorum. A two tier Vimanam was also constructed above Bairavar during recent years.
On the south side of the west facing cave, a small sanctum on the right side is in the form of koshtam / rock cut measuring 1.04 meter wide, 96 CM width and 49 cm depth with a Shiva Lingam excavated out of mother rock.
HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS
It is believed that this Rock Cut Cave Temple belongs to 7th Century and there is no evidence to prove the same. There are 3 inscriptions found of which one on the pillar is not able to read. Kulothunga Chozha-III’s period inscription mentions this temple as “குளமங்கலத்து உயாரான திருவோக்காலீசுவரம்”.
Kulothunga-III, period inscription starts with his meikeerthi. This inscription records the sale of Manguruchi Field & Tank situated in Panayaiyur paRRu as irayili devadhanam to Kulamangalathu Udayar Thiruvokkaleesuwaram, by Rettapadi konda Chozha valanattu Panaiyur Udayars Araiyars Rjan Periyan alias Nattu Priyan, Rajan Ulagan alias Rettapadi Kondan, Rajan Chandran, Rajan ENman, Ulagan Keralan alias Thannusiya Rayan, Gunaperarayar KaRRilamallan Ooran, Mudiyan Sirummudiyan Periyan, Ooran Devan alias Thuvarapathi NadaLvan, Keralan Udayan alias ILaiyudayan. While mentioning the limits of field it was mentioned as PaNkudithalai, The Keel vaikal / Channel coming to Manguruchi tank Velanjai, Kollan Sei and Veerapandya Peraiyan.
The inscription on the west wall records the endowment of service to be done on Adi Karthigai, for the same, the tax called “Siru kaval” collected from Kulamangalam Villagers was given to the temple by a person who belongs to Kulothungapuram. Since the inscription is damaged, the donor’s name is not able to read.
The 1883 inscription on Murugan Temple steps, records the construction of steps leading to Murugan temple and the spring by Soodamanipuram Udayan Nachanthupatti alias Thirumalai Chamudram, Periya karuppan Chettiar’s son Ramanathan Chettiar. Soodamani Samudram was in Kerala Singa Valanadu alias Brahmapoor Nattu Iluppaikudi alias Pukazhidamana Patnam.
The inscription on the south side cave side boulder belongs to Kulothunga-II, 12th Century. This inscription records the donation of land to temple by Panaiyur Villagers Rajan Ulagan, and Rettapadi Kondan. ( New inscriptions from the book, by Karu Rajendran of Pandya Nattu Varalatru Aayvu Maiyam. )
The Pandya King Kulasekara Pandya period inscription inscribed in the form of poem on the wall of the rock cut cave shrine, records the exemption of Taxes to the thevadhana land. ( Pudukottal kalvettukkal )
POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS
Since this Rock Cut Cave temple, Shiva and Murugan are the Ishta Theivam for the Villages like Nachandupatti Chettiars, special poojas are conducted on pradosham, maha Shivarati, Panguni Uthiram, Thaipoosam, etc,.
TEMPLE TIMINGS
The temple will be kept opened between 06.00 hrs to 12.00 hrs and 16.30 hrs to 20.00 hrs.
HOW TO REACH:
The Rock Cut Cave Temple at Malayakovil is about 2.8 KM from Nachandupatti, 18.5 KM from Pudukkottai, 66 KM from Trichy, 76 KM from Thanjavur and 394 KM from Chennai.
Nearest railway station is Namanasamudram ( 9 KM ).
Ref:
Pudukkottai Navatta Kudaivaraikal by Mu. Nalini and Ira. Kalaikovan.
Pudukkottai Mavatta Kalvettukal
LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE : CLICK HERE
Bairavar
--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---
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