Pushparatheswarar Temple, Gnayiru Gramam – The Temple
The temple is east facing east with 5 tiered Rajagopuram
on the south side. The temple is small but maintained beautifully with
flowering plants inside the temple premises. Presiding Deity is called as Pushparatheswarar
/ Poothereeswarar. Both the names convey the same meaning; Poo or Pushpam means
flower and Ratham or Ther means chariot. Since the Lingam was found in
Lotus, He got this name. Lotus is the flower that is offered to the God here.
Lord is Swayambu Moorthy and Lingam is short. The scar
caused by the cut of the king is visible on the Shivalinga. The presiding deity
is called Lord Pushparatheswarar because, Lord Siva emerged from a lotus flower
in the form of Shivalingam, when the Sun God Surya came down to this place to
pray. Even today, during the Tamil month of Chithirai, on the first seven
days, the Sun God does Paatha Pooja to Mother & Lord Shiva.
This can be seen every year in the mornings, when the
Sun's rays fall at their Feet. It is believed that Sun performs the Shiva Puja
these days, hence the midday puja is not performed in the temple. Vinayakar,
Dhakshinamoorthy, Lingothbavar, Brahma and Durgai are the niche idol around the
sanctum walls. There is a small statue for Kanva in the sanctum.
There is shrine for Surya in the Artha Mandapam. Special
poojas are conducted on Sundays. Mother is called as Sornambigai and she is 5
foot tall. She is housed in a separate shrine facing east. Interconnecting
mandapam between Mother Shrine and Sanctum was added at a later stage.
There is
a separate shrine for Sangili Nachiyar in the Temple premises. Urchavar is
Somaskandar. There are shrines for Kamala Vinayagar, Valli Devasena
samedha Subramaniyar, Tirugnanasambandar, Sandikeswarar, Karaneeswarar,
Kapaleeshwarar, Jambukeswarar and Hiranyeswarar and Sangili Nachiyar in the
Temple premises.
There is
special tree near Sangili Nachiyar Shrine called Tiruvodu maram (the one is
used for getting Bhiksha from the public by the Adiyars). Tiruvodu (begging
bowl of the sanyasis) is a half of the outer shell of the fruit of these
trees. It is also used by them to drink or eat food from and is believed
to prevent viral infections.
There is
a separate shrine for Kashi Vishwanathar amid the lovely flower garden is very
enchanting. Sthala Vriksham is Lotus and Nagalingam tree. Idols of Nagas are
located at the east side entrance below Nagalinga tree. Theertham of this
Temple is Surya Pushkarini, situated near east side entrance. Inscriptions here
suggest that some additions were also made by the Pandyas and Vijayanagar
Kings.
Adjacent
to the temple outer wall, there is a make-shift shrine of Yoga Narasimhar and Anjaneyar.
These Idols were found while digging for the Shiva Temple renovation. Outside
the temple complex, about 400 yards away is the birth place of Sangili
Nachiyar, wife of Sundaramurthy Nayanar. This place is a big open ground that
has been fenced around, with a small shrine-like structure, that houses a large
framed image of Sangili Nachiyar.
