Temple Development Works - TDW

Towering addition to ancient temple

Renovation Work at Kathir Narasinga Perumal Temple, Devar Malai, Tamil nadu, India includes a seven- tier rajagopuram and a new chariot. 

Kathir Narasinga Perumal temple, the five-centuries-old shrine, in Devar Malai, whose legend goes back to Hiranya Samhara and whose construction in its present form dates back to the Nayak period, will soon sport a seven- tier rajagopuram at the eastern entrance atop the current Mottai Gopuram. Plans to renovate the old chariot are also on the anvil.

The 'mottai gopuram' at the eastern entrance, which will sport a new seven-tier rajagopuram 

The story goes that after Hiranya Samharam the ferocious Narasimha, came to the forest area of Devar Malai, where he was intercepted by the Devas who had congregated in large numbers. In an effort to calm Him down, the Devas brought sacred water and performed abishekam for Narasimha.

Pleased with the gesture, Lord Narasimha provided darshan in a majestic seated posture (veera asana pose) with his right feet placed on the ground and the left leg in a folded position. His left hand is positioned as if He is inviting the devotees while His right is in abhaya hastham posture blessing them. The Sacred water here is believed to liberate those with Pitru dosham.

Rich inscriptions

There are many inscriptions, dating back to centuries, at the entrance of the Thayar Sannidhi that tell the story of the temple.

Nayaks, belonging to the Kurivarkothram in Bellary, came here to Palayam, five km west of this temple. They were the earliest of the Nayaks to enter this region after capturing Puliyur through their killings of Vengals. Impressed with the Nayaks’ might, the Pandyas gifted them lands.

The story goes that Nayaks, who were adept at grazing cows, would bring the cows every day to the forest area of Devar Malai. On one such occasion, the cowherd saw a boy drinking the milk directly from one of the cows. Angered by this, the cowherd fought with the boy but to his surprise, the boy disappeared. Transfixed by this incident, the cowherd sat there near a tree while his cows returned to Palayam.

When Vathipala Muthappa Nayak came there, he tried to wake up the cowherd and instantly found a divine light. Digging that place, they found sacred water gushing out and realised that Lord Narasimha was present there and that it was the Lord who had come as a boy to enact the drama of drinking the milk from the cow.

The delighted Nayaks built a temple for Lord Narasimha at this place and the imposing granite structure that one sees today belongs to the Nayak period. While the temple itself is about 550 years old, the moolavar idol is said to date back to over 1,000 years.

The Nayaks, who then went on to rule large parts of Tamil Nadu, had many of those places named as palayam (Palayam Kottai, Raja Palayam) but the Palayam near Devar Malai is said to be the first of the ‘Palayams,’ marking their entry into this region.

The Swarna Bhairavar shrine on the northern side is similar to the idol seen at the Dhadi Kombu Sundararaja Perumal temple near Dindigul.

The temple, which for decades had been in ruins, was renovated a few years ago and wears a new look now. However, one is welcomed by a ‘Mottai Gopuram’ and one misses the presence of a temple tower.

There are plans to build a rajagopuram atop the mottai gopuram and renovate the temple chariot, which is in a state of neglect. Those interested to support the cause may contact Balaji Bhattar (Ph: +91 99436 10705).

How to reach: Devar Malai is 65 km west of Tiruchi on the Thogamalai-Palayam route and 35 km from Karur, off the Old Karur-Dindigul Highway and five km east of the Palayam Junction.

Buses are available every one hour from Tiruchi on the Devar Malai route with the first bus at 4 a.m. One should get down at Kuruni Kalathapatti and walk one km towards north to reach the temple.

From Karur, one can board Dindigul bound bus (old Dindigul road) and get down at Palayam. There are buses available every 15 minutes from Karur. Take a mini bus from Palayam to Devar Malai Junction.

Auto from Palayam bus stop to the temple is Rs. 100.

Special Features
Veerasana Kolam of Lord Narasimha.
The first of the ‘Palayams’ of the Nayaks.
Several ancient inscriptions are found at the entrance to the Thayar sannidhi.
Moolavar idol is believed to be over 1,000 years old.

Special events
10-day Brahmotsavam in Vaikasi.
Navarathri Kolu for Kamalavalli Thayar.
Chakkarai Pongal presented to Sri Lakshmi Narayana every Monday.
Special abishekam on ashtami.

Quick Facts
Moolavar: Kathir Narasinga Perumal East Facing Sitting Posture
Goddess: Kamalavalli Thaayar (Separate Sannidhi)
Temple time: 7 a.m.-12 noon and 5-7 p.m.

More details

There are plans to build a rajagopuram atop the mottai gopuram and renovate the temple chariot, which is in a state of neglect. Those interested to support the cause may contact Balaji Bhattar (Ph: +91 99436 10705). The Hindu

TDW requests the readers to help for this temple development work.

Temple Development Works - TDW

900-year-old temple to get new lease of life

Kamakshi Samedha Ekambareswar Temple in the foothills

Chief Minister announces in the Assembly Rs. 1 crore for restoration of the temple situated atop hill near Tindivanam.

Neglected over the years, a 900-year-old temple in Villupuram district is set to get a new lease of life with Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on Friday announcing Rs. 1 crore for its restoration.

The derelict Mukyachaleeswarar temple is situated atop a hill at Perumukkal village near Tindivanam, while Kamatchi Samedha Ekambareswarar temple is in the foothills.

The temple atop the hill is under the control of the State Archaeology Department and the other one is maintained by the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department.

In a suo motu statement in the Assembly, Ms. Jayalalithaa said the temple was originally built in brick and renovated as a granite structure during the reign of Vikrama Chola (1118-35 Christian era). The deity’s Tamil name is Thiruvanmigai Iswaramudayar or Perumukkal Udayar.

S. Vasanthi, Commissioner of the Archaeology Department, said the original brick structure bore testimony to the fact that the Mukyachaleeswarar Temple was existed from ancient times. But the lower temple belonged to a later period and was constructed by Vijayanagar kings around the 15th century. The restoration plan would cover both the temples.

Mukyachaleeswarar temple atop a hill at Perumukkal village near Tindivanam.

The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), on a request from the HR&CE Department, inspected the temples on May 6 and is preparing a detailed report on restoration and the cost.

“Though it is in extremely bad shape, you cannot call it a non-living temple as a priest regularly visits to perform pooja. The compound wall is 90 per cent destroyed,” said an ASI official, who was on the ASI team that visited the temple. A minute study of the structure had to be done before suggesting restoration.

“We have to take into consideration the original structure and interventions made by subsequent rulers. Different types of lime-mortar paste were used in the past. One type for plastering, one for concrete, one for pasting and one for the weather course,” said ASI officials.

The temple tower and vimana on the top of the sanctum sanctorum are made of brick. There are 60 inscriptions that talk about donations made by Chola, Pandya, Sambuvaraya and Vijayanagar kings.

Officials also felt that Rs. 1 crore was not adequate to carry out the restoration work as the entire temple complex was in a really pathetic condition.

Ms. Jayalalithaa said Tamil Nadu had the largest number of temples as well as epigraphs.

So far, 24,060 epigraphs had been copied. These epigraphs are in Tamil, Brahmi, Vattezhuthu (ancient rounded Tamil script), Grantha, Telugu, Kannada and Nagari scripts.

She said estampages made in 1967 by the Archaeology department were in tatters and on the verge of destruction. The government had decided to salvage them by digitisation. A total of Rs. 50 lakh would be spent on this work, which will take three years to complete.

TDW requests the readers to help for this temple development work in Tindivanam.

Temple Development Works - TDW

Historic Rama temple cries for attention

A Rama temple replete with history in the coastal village (Kanaparthi, a silpakala kshetram in Prakasam district of Andhra Pradesh), covered by sand dunes, will vanish from public view forever unless urgent steps are taken to protect it.

Located some 100 to 150 metres from the sea tide level, only the temple tower is visible now.

The sleepy village is full of artefacts of both pre-historic and historic periods throwing light on the rich culture of the Andhra Pradesh people down the ages.

“The temple seems to belong to the period of Chalukyas or Telugu Cholas and calls for a detailed study,” said State Archaeology and Museums in-charge Director G.V. Ramakrishna Rao told The Hindu .

“The site is worthy of protection,” said Mr. Rao, who recently visited the village to take stock of the condition of the State Archaeological Museum, named after Andhra Pradesh’s first Chief Minister T. Prakasam Pantulu in the village.

“I have instructed the Assistant Director [Museums] to send proposals and necessary information,” he added.

“The museum’s caretaker has been asked to liaise with local revenue officials and get boundary and other particulars after perusing the revenue records for us to go ahead with preparation of a historical note,” explained Assistant Director [Museums] S. Bangaraiah.

“Once they are ready we will go ahead with preparation of a detailed project report for consideration by a State-level committee,” he added.

The museum in the village with a wonderful collection of stone inscriptions in Prakrit and Brahmi and other artefacts would be expanded and renovated to showcase the political, socio-economic and cultural aspects of the life of Andhra people for several centuries, Mr. Rao added.

The archaeological evidence found in and around Kanaparthi show that it was a flourishing centre of Buddhism and also Jainism and could be put on the international tourism circuit, felt social activist Komatla Trinatha Reddy, national Gram Ratan awardee.

“The flat beach is an ideal one for sea bathing,” added the former MPTC member and Bharat Nirmal Volunteer.

The museum houses statues of Ganesh, Kumaraswamy, Narayani, Brahmini, Surya, Parasurama, and Varahini, besides numerous Sivalingas of different sizes and shapes, including a finely chiselled “Dhara sivalinga,” with 32 dimensions. Non-indigenous stones were imported for making attractive Sivalingas by expert sculptors at the Yelleswara temple before exporting them to different destinations in south-east Asian countries.

More details

TDW requests the readers to help for this temple development work.