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.
