Kalayar Koil ( Arulmugi Swarnakaleeshwarar )

 

Many times, the God will make us to visit to the temple (though it's not in our itinerary) I had that oppourtunity to visit this giagantic temple at Kalayar Koil.  Its not a planned visit and i never know about this temple. One of my friend Mr. Hanife from Madurai travelling to his sisters house at Thamaraki a village near Devakottail. Fortunately i was also with him. While travelling he told so many interesting things about Karaikudi, Devekottai, etc.. during the discussion, he told about Kalayar temple and while retrun from his sister house, he took me to this temple. Ah...... After seeing the front Gopuram... astonished ... huge gopuram... tall, gigantic temple gopuram, is visible even as we enter the small hamlet.

The Swarna Kaleeswarar temple was built by Muthu Vaduga Thevar who died in the patriotic war against the British at this very place, Kalaiyar Kovil. His generals were the famous Maruthu Brothers who also died then. The temple lives on in their memory. A huge sprawling campus it epitomizes, everything that South Indian Temples stand for i. e. Wisdom, Strength and Beauty. The Wisdom of the Kings who built them, The strength of the structures themselves which have stood the test of time and lastly the beauty of the carvings and intricate detail that has been brought out in the wall frescoes and pillar decorations.

The Theppa Kulam at Kalaiyarkovil is huge and full of water!

One only wishes that these symbols of our ancient glory were preserved well instead of being allowed to become dust through sheer neglect and insensitivity!
En route to Kalaiyar Kovil is Nattarasankottai where the author of the Tamil version of Ramayan, Kambar was laid to rest. The Kannathal temple is also at Nattarasankottai.

Pillayarpatti Temple

Pillayarpatti Temple : பிள்ளையார்பட்டி To be very frank i never know about this temple untill i listen the song of Ajith Movie (பிள்ளையார்பட்டி ஹீரோ கணேசா) Please dont laugh at me or dont look at me stingy... I am just sharing my experience

My first visit to this temple in the year 1999 01 January. You know very well its New Year Early Morning the temple was flooded with people, very long queues, and one of my friend father was a DSP in Karaikudi, so with his help I had a darshan without any hassle. Wow.. It was a great vibration while seeing karapaga vinayagar at Pillayarpatti.The விபூதி அபிஷேகம் to கற்பக விநாயகர் was the best part

Pillayar Name in this shrine is Karpaga Vinayagar ! We can say its a Cave Temple located close to Karaikudi 12 KM away from Karaikudi City.

The only temple in Tamil Nadu that holds the pride of having a 6 feet tall and 5 feet wide idol of lord karpaga vinayaka is Arulmigu Karpaga Vinayagar Temple located at pillayarpatti . The idol of lord ganesh at pillayarpati is carved out of a rock by a sculptor named Ekkattur Koon Peruparanan has done who has put his signature on a stone inscription that is found even today in the sanctum.

The idol of lord Vinayaka here is very different from other idols of vinayaga .The Speciality of lord karpaga vinayaga idol here is he appears with two hands unlike others with 4 hands, with his legs folded and the trunk (thumbikai) curled towards his right in the valamburi mode and hence also called as valumburi vinayagar Karpaka Vinayagar here is with two hands (unlike other vinayaga idols with 4 hand)with his legs folded and the trunk (thumbikai) curled towards his right in the valamburi mode and hence also called as valumburi vinayagar .

The other special feaure of vinayaka’s idol here is his left hand rests on the waist while the right hand holds a sivalinga and Lord Vinayaka here faces north which is said to be direction of Kubera (God of Wealth) .

 History : There are several inscriptions within this temple that date back to the period between 1091 AD and 1238 AD, making it apparent that the Pillayarpatti Nagarattar became the custodians of the temple during the 13th century AD during the second growth phase of this temple, when Vimanams and Rajagopurams were built.

The third phase of growth is much more recent and it involved the repair, rebuilding and refurbishment of the entire temple complex, including the renovation of the temple tank. The tank and the two Raja Gopurams provide an attractive approach to the temple, in this rather remote town of Pillayarpatti.

Karaikudi -13 kms

Madurai to Pillayarpatti - 70 Kms

Trichy - 100 Kms

chennai to pillayarpatti - 386 kms

My recent visit to Pillayarpatti with my friend

 

பிள்ளையார்பட்டி அருகே குன்றக்குடி மற்றும் வைரவர் கோயில் உள்ளது. மறக்காமல் சென்று வரவும் .
நன்றி வெங்கடேஷ்