Margapurisvarar Temple, Visalur – The Temple

Margapurisvarar Temple, Visalur – The Temple

This Temple is facing towards east with an entrance arch. The entrance arch has stucco images of Lord Shiva Parvathy flanked by Murugan & Vinayaga. An idol of Nayaka King and Vinayaga can be seen on the right side of the entrance arch on the inner side. A Mandapam can be seen immediately after the entrance arch. There is a second level two tiered gopuram can be seen at the entrance of the inner prakaram.

Nandi, Balipeedam and Dhwaja Sthambam can be seen in front of the second level gopuram, facing towards the sanctum. The sanctum sanctorum consists of sanctum, ardha mandapam, maha mandapam and mukha mandapam. Nandi can be found in the maha mandapam facing towards the sanctum. Presiding Deity is called as Margasahayesvarar / Margapurisvarar / Vasukisvaramudaiya Mahadevar / Varadukasuramudaiya Nayanar.

There are no niches on external walls of the sanctum except the southern niche enshrining an image Dakshinamoorthy. This niche seems to be of later addition. The vimana over the sanctum is of single tier and is square in plan. The shikhara has big arches in middle on all four sides. Niches are carved below these arches on the only tier of the vimana. These niches enshrines Dakshinamurti on south, Vishnu on west and Brahma on north.

An image of Nandi is placed on all the four corners on this tier. Chandikeswarar shrine can be seen in his usual location. A cloistered mandapa runs around the external walls of the inner prakaram. Shrines & Idols of Vinayaga, Lakshmi, Murugan, Vishnu, Durga, Lingams, Jyestha Devi, Goddess Parvathy, Surya, Sapta Matrikas, Chandran and Bhairava can be seen in the temple premises. Navagrahas Shrine can be seen in the mukha mandapam.