Saturday, April 14, 2018

Paaleeswarar Temple, Thirupalaivanam – The Temple

Paaleeswarar Temple, Thirupalaivanam – The Temple
This is an east facing temple with five tiered Rajagopuram. The big temple tank and a 16 pillar mandapa with carved pillars are in front of the Rajagopuram. Presiding Deity is called as Paleeswarar / Palliswarar / Amrutheswarar. The sanctum sanctorum enshrines big Shiva Linga called as Paaleeswarar. Moolavar is Swayambu with a scar on his head.



The main shrine is built as per the Gajabrushta architectural style. The sanctum, ardha mandapa and maha mandapa are very long. There are two prakaras around the main shrine. The flag staff, Nandi Mandapa and bali peetha are found facing towards the main shrine after the Rajagopuram. The entrance of the maha mandapa has two big idols of Ganesha and Dakshina Murti. Ganesha, Dakshina Murti, Vishnu, Brahma and Durga are found as the niche images around the main shrine.



The entrance to the main shrine is from south side and Nataraja Saba, Nandhi and palipeedam are in the mandapam. The Goddess of the temple is Logambigadevi / Balambigai. She is found in a separate east facing shrine on the left side of main sanctum. There is a separate prakara around Amman shrine. At the entrance of her shrine, the idols of Ganesha and Subramanya with Valli-Devasena are found. The Simha vahanam is in the outer prakaram. Chozha period inscriptions are found in the Athistanam.



In the inner prakara, the idols of Chandikeswara, Hanuman, Nalvar, Vishwanathar (Linga) and Nandi, Linga, Markandeya and Nandi, Veerabhadra, Naga Linga, Subramanya with his two consorts, Nrithya Ganapati, Naga and a very beautiful Bhikshatana are located.  The sub-shrines/mandapas such as Vinai Theerkum Vinayakar, Alankara Mandapa, Nataraja-Sivakami and Simha Mandapa are also found in the inner prakara. The outer prakara is an open space where the sub-shrines of Ganesha, Bhairava, Saneeswara, Surya, Sthala Vriksham Palai Tree, with Naga statues, Chandikeswarar, Navagraha and big Arunachaleswara Linga are found. 



Theertham is Amirtha Pushkarani. This temple is a parikara Sthalam referred in some Nadi jothida suvadis (palm leaves). The sanctum walls have 71 inscriptions of which 65 are in Tamil, 3 are in Telugu, 2 are in Sanskrit and 1 is in Kannada.  These are published in the 1929 epigraphic list via (S. No 307 to 377). The inscriptions are from 11th century to 18th century.  



Some the Kings who had done thirupani and mentioned in the inscriptions are Veera Rajendra  (AD 1064 – 1069), Kulothunga Chozha I (1070-1122 AD), Vikrama Chozha (1122-1135 AD), Kulothunga Chozha II (1135-1150AD), Rajaraja Chozha II (1146-1173 AD), Rajathi Raja II (1163 – 1179 AD), Kulothunga Chozha III (1178-1218 AD), Rajaraja Chozha III (1216 – 1246 AD), Sadyavarman Sundara Pandiyan (1251 – 1271 AD),  Telugu Cholas, Nellur, Rajanarayana Sambuvarayar, Vijayanagara Kings Sayana Udayar, Kumara pukarayar and Kakatiya King Pradhaba purithira Thevar.