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Tuesday, December 22, 2015

Sivaloganathar Temple, Gramam, Thirukovilur, Villupuram

Sivaloganathar Temple, Gramam, Thirukovilur, Villupuram
Sivaloganathar Temple is located in Thirumundeeswaram aka Gramam, Thiruvennainallur taluk near Thirukovilur in Villupuram district. This village during the reign Parantaka Chola I served as the garrison and the Chola prince Rajaditaya and his brother Arikulakeasari guarded the territory with the strong army. According to the inscription, one Vellankumaran of Nandikkaraiputtur, Chera kingdom and the commander of Rajaditaya has constructed this temple. Prince Rajaditaya, while riding on an elephant, was killed treacherously killed in Takkolam Battle by the chance arrow shot by the Ganga feudatory Butuka II.

Highway board of the place (Gramam) is available on the road for easy identification. This place is located at 3kms from Thiruvennainallur on the state way from Thiruvennainallur to GST road joining at Arasur.
This place is located on the southern bank of the Pennar River. This small village is having very old Sivan temple called Sivaloganathar. This temple is one of the Paadal Petra Sthalam, its 19th Devara Stalams in the nadu naadu region of Tamilnadu. This Shivasthalam is in the vicinity of Thiruvennainallur.

Deities: The presiding deity is Mundeeswarar, Sivaloka Nathar and the Ambal Kaanaarkuzhali, Soundara Nayaki.
Legends
The Dwarapalakas of Shiva Thindi and Mundi worshipped the lord here. Thindi worshipped the lord at Tindivanam and at this place Mundi worshiped the lord the original name of the place was mundishwaram.
The Lord offered a bag of Vibhuthi (Pokkalam) to king Veerapandian, so he is known as Pokkalam Kodutha Nayanar.

King Chokkalingam is supposed to have built this temple. Once he saw some strange variety of Lotuses in a tank since he could not reach it, he let go an arrow and the entire pond was filled with blood as the arrow had wounded the Shivalingam here. Startled king realized his folly and prayed to Shiva and built this temple on the bank of the pond. The Shivalingam of this temple carries a scar on the head till today. The place came to be called Thiru mouli gramam (Lord’s crowned Head village) and now only Gramam remains.

The Temple
The temple is built in the Somaskanda pattern that is Lord Murugan Sannidhi is between Lord Shiva and mother Parvathi Sannidhi. As you enter you see the Nandi and the East facing Main Shivan Sannidhi. The small spaces you see on either side have Vinayaka on the left and Murugan on the right side of Shivalingam which is the reverse of the usual arrangement in Shiva temples.  

The main entrance is from the south direction where there are statues for the Nayanmars and the small ante room where Thindi and Mundi are shown. This leads to the main Sannidhi where the Shivalingam is resplendent. Behind is the Sannidhi for Vinayaka. The Koshta Vigrahas are Ganapathy and a unique Vrishaba Dakshinamurthy without the usual Tree canopy.

The Murugan Sannidhi is behind the main Sannidhi and the Amman Sannidhi is to the left of the main Sannidhi. The other koshta Vigrahas are Lingothbhavar, Brahma and Durga. There is a Navagraha Sannidhi in front of the Durgai. Next you see the Amman Sannidhi with a tall   standing idol Soundaryanayaki, Ambal also known as Kaanaarkuzhali, Selvambikai.

The two guards (Dwarapalakas) of Lord Shiva are called Thindi and Mundi. The place where Thindi worshipped Shiva is called as Thindeeswaram now called as Tindivanam. The place where Mundi worshipped Shiva is called as Mundeeswaram now called Thirumundeeswaram or Gramam. Appar is said to have sung in this temple. Appar Vizha is one of the festivals held in this temple.

The sthala Vriksham is Vanni and the Theertham is known as Mundaka Theertham.
This is a Paadal Petra Sthalam in the Thevaram hymns of saint Thirunavukarasar. This is the 19th Lord Shiva Temple in Nadunaadu region praised in Thevaram hymns.
Connectivity
This temple is 3.5 kms from the Arasur Cross road at Chennai – Trichy National Highway.
From Villupuram: Take NH45 towards Ulundurpet. Once you reach Arasoor, take a right turn.  Thirumundeeswaram Temple falls to left hand side of the road.