Hari Theertheswarar Temple,
Thiruvarankulam – The Temple
This
is an east facing Temple with 5 tiered Rajagopuram. The Rajagopuram is
dated to Pandyan period. The sanctum follows Chola architectural style. The
Ardhamandapam and Mahamandapam, situated in front of the sanctum also follows Chola
style. The Sanctum, Ardha Mandapam and Maha Mandapam are surrounded by a
hundred pillared mandapam. There is a second gopuram of Pandyan style to enter
the inner prakaram.
There is a large pillared hall connecting the
Rajagopuram and inner gopuram. Presiding Deity is called as Hari Theertheswarar
/ Arangulanathar and is facing east. He is housed in the sanctum in the form of
Lingam. Lord is a swayambumurthi in the temple. Dakshinamurthy, Lingodbhava, Brahma and Durga are the Koshta
Idols located around the sanctum walls. Here Lord Dakshinamurti graces with a
Veena on his hands considered a very sacred musical instrument in India.
Mother is called as Brahadhambal / Periya Nayagi. She is housed in a separate south facing
shrine. She is having four hands. It is said that Mother Goddess was born to
one belonging to Kattudayan Chettiyar lineage. Based on this belief, women of
this community regard Lord Shiva as their son-in-law and worship him covering
their head with Sari – Mukkadu.
The Mother Shrine follows
Pandyan Style of architecture rather Cholas. The vyalis and bhutagana found in the central
shrine are absent here. The earliest inscription on this shrine says that the
structure was built by Kannudaya Perumal, queen of the Nishadaraja chief of
Piranmalai and daughter of the Nishadaraja chief of Ponnamaravathi.
All the 12 Zodiac signs (Rasis) with
their relative Devadas (deities) are drawn with herbal colours on the roof of
the Vasantha Mandapam. There is also wooden carving of a soldier on a horse
believed to be one who lived in this place. There is a separate shrine for Lord
Subramaniya with his consorts Valli & Deivanai behind the sanctum
sanctorum.
There are shrines for Porpanai Vinayaka, Thiruchitrambalam Udayar, Surya,
Veerabhadra, Sapthamathas, Chaturthi Vinayaka, 63 Nayanmars, Jyestha Devi, Gajalakshmi, Ayyanar, Chandran, Bhairava, Naalvar, Kasi
Viswanathar, Visalakshi, Saraswathi, Mahalakshmi, Nataraja, Balamurugan, Navagrahas and Chandikeswarar
in the Temple premises. The idol of Lord Nataraja is very beautiful. The blue
print (Padimam) is in the National Museum, Delhi.
Sthala Vriksham is Porpanai
(Golden palm tree). It is believed that the golden palm tree was on the outer
corridor of the temple yielding golden fruits. Now, the tree is not there.
There is a pillar now. Now, Magizha tree is the Sthala Vriksham. There is a
temple tank and the Linga here is in the same level of the tank. Theertham
associated with this Temple is Hari Theertham. The place was once a centre of
iron-ore mining and contained in outcrop of ochre on the bunds of one of the
temple tanks, called the Brahma Kundam.
