Siva Suriya Peruman Temple,
Suriyanar Koil – The Temple
This Temple is facing towards
west with a three-tiered Rajagopuram. The Rajagopuram is about 50 feet high. It
has a granite wall enclosing all the shrines of the temple. There is a sacred
bathing ghat, called Surya Pushkarini, situated to the north of the
Rajagopuram. It is important to bathe in this Ghat before offering worship at
the temple. If not, one should at least sprinkle its water on one’s head. Balipeedam
can be found immediately after the entrance.
Sun Vehicle is horse, called as
Saptha (meaning seven in Sanskrit). It is housed in a Mandapam to the east of
Balipeedam, facing the sanctum. The Sanctum Sanctorum consists of Artha
Mandapam, Maha Mandapam, Mukha Mandapam and Sanctum. The Sanctum is situated on
an elevated structure. Presiding Deity is called as Siva Suriya Peruman / Kulothunga
Chozha Marthandalaya Devar.
Lord Sun graces from the sanctum
sanctorum facing west with Mother Usha Devi on the left and Pradyusha Devi
(also known as Chaya Devi) on the right in wedding form. He is holding lotus in
both hands with a smiling face. As Sun is noted for his scorching heat, to
cool down the effect, planet Guru (Jupiter) is just opposite the shrine,
facilitating his worship under a bearable temperature.
The hall leading to the central
shrine has images of Viswanathar, Visalakshi, Nataraja, Sivakami, Kol
Theertha Vinayagar, Chandikeswarar, Brihaspati (Guru) and Murugan. There
are separate shrines for all the other seven planet deities namely Budha
(Mercury), Shani (Saturn), Shukran (Venus), Chandra (Moon), Angaragan
(Mercury), Rahu and Ketu.
All the other eight shrines of
the Navagrahas are arranged facing the shrine of Suryanar. All these shrines
are without their Vahana (Vehicles). Theerthams associated with this temple are
Surya Pushkarini and Cauvery River. Sthala Vriksham is Vellerukku (Madar
Plant).
