Veerattaneswarar Temple, Thiruvathigai – The Temple
The temple covers an area of 7 acres (2.8 ha) with
two precincts. The temple has a seven-tiered gateway tower which has sculptures
depicting 108 poses of Bharatanatyam. There are two prakarams in this temple. There is a
gopuram at the entrance to the first prakaram and another 5-tiered gopuram at
the entrance to the 2nd prakaram. Inside these 2 prakarams, the
sanctum sanctorum of Lord Shiva and that of female deity is situated. There is
a sixteen-pillared hall called Thiruneetru mandapam, which is believed to have
constructed at the behest of Thilagavathiyar, the sister of Appar to commemorate his conversion to Saivism.
There is also a garden for various plants representing
various Rasis and Nakshatras in the outer prakaram. There is a 5 feet buddha
statue, present in the right side (north side), and the temples tank is present
at the left side (south side) before the entrance of the 2nd Rajagopuram.
Lord Vinayaga Idol and Kodimaram is present before the 2nd Gopuram.
Huge Nandhi can be seen after entering the 2nd Gopuram. On the
second precinct, the sanctum is built on an elevated structure.
Presiding Deity is called as Veeratteswarar / Veerattaneswarar
/ Athigai Nathar / Tirukedilavanar. Moolavar is big and made of 16 flat surfaces. Sanctum
houses the image of Veerataneswarar in the form of lingam. There is an image of Ammayappar housed in the sanctum.
There is no entrance in front of the sanctum. One must get inside through the
south side entrance. On the vimana above the sanctum, one can see the sculpture
of Tripura Samhara Murthy with his 12 hands with a stance of Thiripura
Samharam. The shrine over the sanctum has a pyramidal roof with stucco images
all through the filial at the top.
The moolavar gopuram of Tanjore and Kancheepuram
Kailasanathar temple was built after seeing this temple. In all the three
temples the shadow of the Gopuram will not fall on the ground. One
of the special attraction of this sanctum sanctorum & Gopuram is the
presence of many stucco images around three sides, which we cannot find any
other temple. Because of this gopuram looks like Chariot. Similarly, the
entrance steps of the sanctum sanctorum, also from the side, similar to
other two temples. Urchavar is Chandrasekharar.
The outer wall of the sannidhi of Shiva has an exquisite
Dakshinamurthy and a Durgai and Chandikeswarar. It also has a statue of Shiva
and Shakthi together. Mother is called as
Thiripurasundari / Umayammai / Periya Nayaki. The shrine of Umayammai, the
consort of the presiding deity, is present in the second precinct to right of
the sanctum complex. The shrine houses the image of Lingam which is believed to
have worshiped by Vishnu. Behind Mother Shrine is the sannidhi for Murugan on
the west side corner. Saint Arunagirinathar has sung many hymns in praise
of this Murugan.
There is a south facing shrine in the hall before the
sanctum where the image of Tripurasamharamurthy with sixteen hands is housed.
There is an unique idol called Panchamuga Lingam (5 faces) is
present inside the temple which is a rare one, the four faces of the lingam are
facing on each directions and the fifth one is facing at the top. this Panchamuga
Lingam belongs to Pallava period. This idol is one of the very rare piece of
lingam in the world as this kind of ancient idol cannot be found anywhere.
Lord Vinayaka is worshipped as Siddhi Vinayaka. There
are shrines around the sanctum in the inner precinct that has a shrine of
Thilagavathiyar, a pillared hall housing the sixty three Nayanmar, Saneeswarar, Durga, Siddivinayagar, Muruga, a set of Lingam, Nataraja and Surya. Theerthams of the temple are Shoola Theertham, the
well in the temple, Chakkara Theertham, a tank and River Kedilam. The temple
tank named Chakra Teertha kulam has a Vasantha mandapam on the northern portion
of the tank. Sthala Vriksham is Sara Kondrai.
