Vanniyappar Temple, Alwarkurichi – The Temple
The
ancient temple of Agneeswarar is located at the outskirts of Alwarkurichi
village. The structure is very old and needs immediate attention. The east
facing temple towers as well as the ceiling of many parts of the
temple are in dilapidated state. The sanctum sanctorum has a big
sized Shiva Linga named as Agneeswara. The shrine is facing the east
direction. In the Maha Mandapa, there is a Nandi idol facing the main shrine.
There is a small Ganesha idol at the entrance of the Ardha Mandapa.
Theertham
is Agni Theertham and Sthala Vriksham is Vanni Tree. During the Later Pandyas
Period, they moved the original Agneeswara to the East of the temple as Easanya
Lingam, and placed a larger Shivalingam in the Sanctum. However, they never replaced the Nandi.
The
Goddess Sivakami is found in a separate shrine facing the south
direction. Both the main shrines are located on a raised platform as per the
"maada kovil" architecture style. The area between the tower and the
main temple is huge with so many pillars and some of the pillars have statues
such as the mythological animal, Yazhi. The Bali peetha, Nandi and the
wooden flag staff are all located in this area. There is a big shrine dedicated
to Lord Nataraja in this area.
The
temple has two prakaras. The outer prakara is not accessible today due to poor
maintenance; it appears like a forest and full of structural debris. The first
prakara has the idols of Sapta Matas, Surya, Chandra, Bhairava, few Shiva
Lingas, Ishana Linga, few Nagas and 63 Nayanmars. The sub-shrines of Kanni
Vinayaka, Subramanya-Valli-Devasena and Dhakshinamoorthi are also located in
the inner prakara. Small bas-relief images of Yoga Narasimha and Brahma, which
are obviously later additions, are found on either side of Dhakshinamoorthi.
This temple
is a parihara sthalam for marriage and childbirth. The mandapa opposite the
main shrine has so many pillars. In one of the pillars, two carvings are
worshiped as Goddesses. One of the female images is worshiped as Kalyanambal.
The local people believe that she gives boon of marriage for unmarried people.
The other female image is a typical pregnant woman image which is found in many
temples in South Tamilnadu. In this temple, people call it as 'Garbha
Rakshambikai'.
It is
believed that she gives boon of child for childless couple. More than the main
deity, these two carvings pull the crowd to this temple. There are Idols of
women helping another woman to deliver; various yoga postures for pregnant
women on the main gopuram. Each pillars of this Temple has sculptures depicting childbirth. Few of the pillars has erotic sculptures.
The
Navagrahas in the temple are in a rare different set up. Instead being
installed in a separate shrine, they are in Yantra form sculpted in the roof of
the Artha mandapam before Lord’s shrine. Such a Navagraha set up is in the
Thanumalayan temple before the Neelakanda Vinayaka mandapam in Suseendram in
Kanyakumari district. But this is the only temple Navagraha Yantras are before
Lord Shiva shrine. This temple is also a place of worship
for Kalasarpa Dosham.
It is
also believed that if the water in the Agni Theertha completely covers the
Shivalinga in – drowned – there will be heavy rain. Dharma Sastha is in
the form of a peeta with Poorna and Pushkala nearby. Karuvur Siddhar appears
with a dog in a pillar. There is large Nataraja made of a
single stone, belonged to this
temple, but has now been moved to another temple nearby for safe-keeping.
63 Nayanmars are depicted with similar faces and in standing posture. All of the them were depicted with folded hands. Stories related to each Nayanmar were written on the wall behind them. Grouping of the Nayanmars are not done as per tradition but done based on relationship.
In most
of the places, there is a beautiful carving of Hanuman or His face carved and
sculpted. Inside the hall, shrines for Saptha Kannikas, Vigneshwar,
Dhakshinamoorthy, Nagar, Pooranai, Pushakalai samedha Azhakiya Nambi Sastha,
Valli – Deivanai samedha Subramanya, Chandikeswarar, Saneeshwara Bhagwan, Sankaranarayana,
Isanya Lingam, Kala Bhairavar, and small Nandi in front of Goddess sanctum
adorns the premises. Sivakami Ambal blesses her devotees with her utmost benign
posture.
It is said that those residing in the Panchakrosha
Sthalas around Kasi – Varanasi, never think of sins by word or deed.
Likewise there are such five holy places around including this temple –
Pappankulam Rameswarar, Papanasam Papanasa Nathar, Thiruvaleeswararm
Tiruvaleeswara Nathar and Shiva Shailam Shivashailappar. All the temples
are within a radius of 25 km with convenient bus facility from Alwarkurichi.