Mahadevar Temple, Edayarpakkam – The Temple
The is a
small east facing stone temple built during the reign of Kulothunga Chola
I in the 11th century CE. The temple is very small and does not have gopuram or
flag staff. The historical name of the village is Raja Vidyadhara Chadur
Vedi Mangalam. It was also called as Idaiyattrup Pakkam in those days. The
actual name of the presiding deity is Tiruppada Kadudaiyar. He is called
as Mahadevar nowadays. The Chola period Mahadevar shrine is two tiered
vimana and an ardha-mandapam. The entire temple structure is made out of
granite.
The east
facing sanctum measures 3.05 m in width in the north-south direction and 4.65 m
in length in the east-west direction. The sanctum entrance is 1.35 cm in width.
The sanctum houses "Tiruppadakkadu Udaiya Mahadevar" in the form
of Shivalingam. This temple just has the main shrine and there are no other
sub-shrines. A small Vishnu idol is also found in the shrine. This idol was
found during an excavation in the recent past and someone has placed Vishnu
adjacent to Shiva Linga. Hence, this temple of Shiva has Vishnu also in the
main shrine.
The
upper portion of the vimana is broken and only half of the Vimana exists today.
The Vimana is built as per the Gaja Brushtam style. Nandhi and Vinayaka and Dhakshinamoorthy on the southern Koshta and Brahma and
Durga in the western Koshta is found. The place where the Lingothbavar is
situated in the west Koshta has been destructed and not found now. There is no Chandikeswara
shrine in this Temple.
There is
no idol of shrine for Goddess. Nandi idol and bali peetha are found facing
towards the main shrine. A newly made or found small Ganesha idol is found
below a tree in the temple complex. During the days of King Kulothunga Chola I
the temples did not have an Amman Sannidhi. The temple has a Thamarai
kulam (Lotus pond) at front.
Inscriptions:
There
are four inscriptions belonging to the later Chola period, especially that of
Kulottunga Chola I (1070 - 1120 A.D.), Kulottunga Chola II (1133 - 1150
A.D.) and Rajadhiraja Chola II (1163 - 1178) are found at this Temple. The
inscription dated 13th in the reign (year 1083 A.D.) of king
Kulottunga Chola I open with his venerated Prasasti (also known as Meikeerthi)
is considered as the earliest inscription in this temple. Inscriptions mention
the prime deity of the temple as "Tiruppadakkadu Udaiya Mahadevar" as
well as "Aludaiyar Tiruppadakkadu Udaiyar".
Inscriptions
cite the name of this village as "Edayarruppakkam". Present name
seems to have transitioned from Edayarruppakkam to Edayarpakkam.
Edayarruppakkam village fell under the revenue division of Purisai Nadu, which
was a sub-division of Manavir-kottam under the larger division of Jayamkonda
Cholamandalam. The village was also known as Purisai village fell under the
same revenue division, part of same sub-division and coming under the same
larger division. The village was also popularly known as Rajavichadira
Chaturvedi Mangalam. An Inscription belongs to Kulottunga Chola I records the
gift of land as Devadana to Tiruppadakkadu Udaiya Mahadevar by one Arurudaiyan
Vaidyanatan Tiruchcirrambalamudaiyan in Kilar-kurram, a sub-division of
Nittavinoda-valanadu of Chola Mandalam.
An Inscription
belongs to Kulottunga Chola I records the gift of 95 sheep for a perpetual lamp
for the Lord Tiruppadakkadu Udaiya Mahadevar at Purisai in Purisai Nadu, a
sub-division of Manavir-kottam by Velan Madurantakan, the head man of Arasur,
in Koneri-nadu in the Eyirk-kottam. Another Inscription belongs to Kulottunga
Chola I records the gift of land purchased from the village head of Purisai,
for a lamp to the temple of Aludaiyar Tiruppadakkadu Udaiyar at
Idaiyarruppakkam alias Rajavichchadira Chaturvedimangalam Purisai-nadu, a
sub-division of Manavir-kottam by a brahmana lady Andanaichchani, wife of
Arulala pattan in the same village.