Kalainathaswamy Temple, Pallimadam, Virudhunagar
Kalainathaswamy
Temple is located at Pallimadam, Virudhunagar
District, on the banks of
the Gundar
River. Vira Pandya had built
this sepulchral shrine (Pallippadai) at Pallimadam for his brother Sundara
Pandya, a famous Pandya ruler. This shrine was earlier known as Pallippadai
Sundara Pandya Isvaram Udayar Kovil, now it is called Kalainathaswamy Kovil. It
is a unique sepulchral temple of its kind in Pandya Nadu.
History
Sundara
Pandya, a 10th century AD Pandya ruler, famous for his erudition,
died while visiting Pallimadam. He was buried there and his younger brother
Vira Pandya (AD 946-966) erected a sepulchral shrine (Pallippadai) over his
grave. The temple was known as Pallippadai Sundara Pandya Isvaram Udayar koil.
It is now called Kalainathaswamy koil. The name Pallippadai has over the years
been corrupted to Pallimadam. This sepulchral temple is the only one of its
kind in Pandya Nadu.
The
Temple
Kalainathaswamy
Temple is located at Pallimadam, Virudhunagar District, on the banks of the
Gundar River. There are two structures - Kalainathaswamy and Sornavalli Amman
sannidhis. There is also a small pillared Mandapam for Nandhi in the front. The
temple has a garbhagriha, ardhamandapa and mahamandapa. Everything is simple
and plain without sculptures, which is typical of Pandya style architecture.
The shrine for Shiva’s consort lies on the right side of the main temple. She
is known as Sornavalli Amman. The temple has the Nagara style of Vimana.
The
steps have a half-buried Vattezhuttu inscription that has details about a
Kurandi Thirukattampalli, a Jain school. In total there are 16 inscriptions.
“Stones used for the construction of the temple were brought from Kurandi
village which had a dilapidated Jain temple. Inscription found at the temple
also have details about the existence of a Jain school at Kurandi”. Other
inscriptions engraved in the temple mention about the various donations made to
the temple.
According
to one of the inscriptions belonging to the period of King Veera Pandya (953
AD), Moovenda Velaan alias Arangam Poothi, Kilavan Arulali and Thatchan Ulagan
and Maran Athichan alias Cholanthaga Pallavarayan of Puliyur donated lamps and
sheep to the temple. During the same period, some Devaradiyars who were engaged
in temple work also donated sheep towards the maintenance of the temple. The
inscriptions bear the names of the donors as Kaavidhi Kanaipetral, Nithipetral,
Nakan Kulangavilai etc.
Though
the temple was constructed during the 10th century, the temple was rebuilt and
renovated during later Pandya rule. According to a later Pandya period
inscription, one Sonaadan Nambi donated a doorjamb during renovation. The
temple also has 17th century inscription that informs about the renovation
undertaken by Sethupathi Raja. The pallippadai temple stands as a testimony for
ancestor worship which was rampant in Tamil culture, as Veera Pandya wanted his
brother to live as long as the sun and the moon.
In
Saivism, there were three sects namely Pasupatas, Kalamukhas and Kapalikas.
Kalamukha sect priests named as Mahaviradhis settled here and looked after the
temple’s maintenance and administration. Kalamukhas priests established a mutt
in the temple. Because of the presence of the mutt, the village came to be
known as Pallimadam.
Connectivity
Pallimadam
or Pallipadi is a village situated on the outskirts of Thiruchuli in Virudhunagar district, Tamilnadu on the eastern
bank of the river Gundar. Madurai Airport is the nearest airport.
