Athmanatha Swamy Temple,
Avudaiyarkoil – History
The original temple is believed to be built by Manikkavasakar in the 9th
century AD. Manickavasagar was said to have used the money meant for buying
horses for the cavalry to construct the temple at Thiru Perunthurai, one of the
ports of the Pandiya Kingdom. Manickavasagar penned Thiruvasagam and
Thirupalliyezhuchi while camping in this temple and referred to it as
Thiruperunthurai.
The
State Archaeology department had found inscriptions confirming that
Manickavasagar, the Minister of Pandiya King Arimarthana Pandian, built the
sanctum sanctorum and the Kanaga Sabha Mandapam. His contribution has been
recorded in the form of a poem. The inscriptions, found in the Panchakshara
mandapam of the temple built in the 16th century, also record that
Thiruvasagam was inscribed on the walls.
This temple was built in 3 different periods with the latest being about
16th Century AD in the Nayak Period. The sanctum sanctorum was
constructed by Manickavasagar and the other portions were constructed by
different kings and rulers of this area like Pandiya kings, Nayak kings,
Thondaimans of Pudukkottai, Zamindars of Palayavanam, Sethupathis of
Ramanathapuram etc., at different periods of time.
Inscriptions
found in this temple describe it as a Chathurvethi Mangalam denoting the fact
that it was the home of great scholars, who were masters of all the four Vedas,
the holy scriptures of Hindus. The stone
inscriptions show that the temple was consecrated once in 1891 AD. The next
consecration was performed only in 1990. The temple is now under the management
of Thiruvaduthurai Aadheenam. The Zamindars of Palayavanam are honored to lead
the temple festivals such as Temple Car festivals every year as they have
donated more than 35 villages to the temple.