Kalayar Kovil
Encyclopedia
Kalaiyar Kovil is a place which is situated in Sivaganga District
, Tamil Nadu
, India
which was ruled by the Maruthu Pandiyar
. There is a very large Shiva
temple. Kalaiyar Kovil is owned by the family of the Rajah of Sivaganga
. It is run by their devasthanam, and a trust of the zamindar
family of Devakottai
.
- Manamadurai Road and 66 km south-east of Madurai by Thondi Road.
A lofty Rajagopuram (150 feet) and an imposing Teppakkulam tank (with a mandapam) named Aanai madu adorn this shrine. Airavatam the elephant of Indra
is said to have created this tank. There are three shrines in this temple associated with the three functions of creation, preservation and completion. The presiding deity lord shiva is called as Kaaleeswarar, Someswarar, Sundareswarar and the Ambal his consort mother Parvathy is called as Swarnambikai, Soundara Nayagi, Meenakshi. Additional to that there are 3 separate shrines for both the male and female deities of famous Shiva temples in a mandapam outside the shrine.
, Muthu Vaduga Natha Thevar (1750–1772) and Maruthu brothers defended it. Rajah Muthu Vaduganatha Thevar in anticipation of the English invasion made preparation for defence. But Rajah Muthu Vaduganathar with the many of his soldiers fell dead in the kalaiyarkoil battle. The invading English forces plundered Kalaiyarkoil and collected jewels worth 50,000 pagodas. Kalaiyarkoil temple belongs to Sivagangai Devasthanam.
The temple was kept locked and prayers stopped for some time. it was later re opened and substantial repairs and development were done by Devakottai Zamindar. In fact Shree AL.AR.RM.Arunachalam Chettiar, zamindar of devakottai took up sanyas from Koviloor and moved to the vedantha madam at kalayar kovil. He was known as Shreelashree Jamindar Arunachala Gnana Desiga Swamigal and his samadhi
is in the rear of the madam. Shree Zamindar swamigal, senior heir of the family had started AL.AR.Trust to conduct daily,monthly poojas to God Sorna Kaleeswarar.This is performed continuously by the devakottai zamindar family
Sivaganga District
Sivaganga District is an administrative district of Tamil Nadu state in southern India. The city of Sivaganga is the district headquarters. It is bounded by Pudukkottai district on the Northeast, Tiruchirapalli district on the North, Ramanathapuram district on South East, Virudhunagar district...
, Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
which was ruled by the Maruthu Pandiyar
Maruthu Pandiyar
The Marudhu Pandiyar brothers ruled Sivagangai, Tamil Nadu towards the end of the 18th century...
. There is a very large Shiva
Shiva
Shiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...
temple. Kalaiyar Kovil is owned by the family of the Rajah of Sivaganga
Sivaganga
Sivaganga, also known as Sivagangai, is a town and a municipality in Sivaganga district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is the administrative headquarters of Sivaganga district.-Geography:...
. It is run by their devasthanam, and a trust of the zamindar
Zamindar
A Zamindar or zemindar , was an aristocrat, typically hereditary, who held enormous tracts of land and ruled over and taxed the bhikaaris who lived on batavaslam. Over time, they took princely and royal titles such as Maharaja , Raja , Nawab , and Mirza , Chowdhury , among others...
family of Devakottai
Devakottai
Devakottai [தேவகோட்டை] is a town and a first grade municipality in Sivaganga district in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. Devakottai is one of the biggest towns of the Nagarathar community.-History:...
.
Location
The temple Kalaiyar Kovil is in Sivaganga District. It is 16 km east of Sivaganga, 35 km west of Devakottai on the DevakottaiDevakottai
Devakottai [தேவகோட்டை] is a town and a first grade municipality in Sivaganga district in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. Devakottai is one of the biggest towns of the Nagarathar community.-History:...
- Manamadurai Road and 66 km south-east of Madurai by Thondi Road.
Name cause of the temple
Kalaiyar Kovil derived its name from the Kaleeswarar temple of the place. Kalaiyar is a corruption of the word Kaleeswaran. During the Sangam period, this place was known as Kaanapair as is seen from the 21st verse in the purananooru sung by Iyur moolakizhar, a poet of the Sangam period. In the 9th Century A.D. Saint Sundara moorthy nayanar described the presiding deity in his devotional songs as Kaalai. Since then the deity was known as Kalaiyar, with the Tamil sufix yar added to it denoting respect. The temple came to be known as Kalaiyar Kovil and this was later adapted to the place also.Temple structure
Indra
' or is the King of the demi-gods or Devas and Lord of Heaven or Svargaloka in Hindu mythology. He is also the God of War, Storms, and Rainfall.Indra is one of the chief deities in the Rigveda...
is said to have created this tank. There are three shrines in this temple associated with the three functions of creation, preservation and completion. The presiding deity lord shiva is called as Kaaleeswarar, Someswarar, Sundareswarar and the Ambal his consort mother Parvathy is called as Swarnambikai, Soundara Nayagi, Meenakshi. Additional to that there are 3 separate shrines for both the male and female deities of famous Shiva temples in a mandapam outside the shrine.
Seat of kings
Kalaiyarkoil was the seat of the kings from very early days. King Vengai Marban ruled over this area during Sangam period. It was the strong hold of rulers of Sivangangai. It was also the seat of the freedom fighters like Muthu Vaduga Natha Thevar and Maruthu brothers.History
On 25 June 1772, the Company forces under Col. Joseph Smitt and Cap. Bonjour marched towards Kalayar Kovil. The second king of SivagangaSivaganga
Sivaganga, also known as Sivagangai, is a town and a municipality in Sivaganga district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is the administrative headquarters of Sivaganga district.-Geography:...
, Muthu Vaduga Natha Thevar (1750–1772) and Maruthu brothers defended it. Rajah Muthu Vaduganatha Thevar in anticipation of the English invasion made preparation for defence. But Rajah Muthu Vaduganathar with the many of his soldiers fell dead in the kalaiyarkoil battle. The invading English forces plundered Kalaiyarkoil and collected jewels worth 50,000 pagodas. Kalaiyarkoil temple belongs to Sivagangai Devasthanam.
The temple was kept locked and prayers stopped for some time. it was later re opened and substantial repairs and development were done by Devakottai Zamindar. In fact Shree AL.AR.RM.Arunachalam Chettiar, zamindar of devakottai took up sanyas from Koviloor and moved to the vedantha madam at kalayar kovil. He was known as Shreelashree Jamindar Arunachala Gnana Desiga Swamigal and his samadhi
Samadhi
Samadhi in Hinduism, Buddhism,Jainism, Sikhism and yogic schools is a higher level of concentrated meditation, or dhyāna. In the yoga tradition, it is the eighth and final limb identified in the Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali....
is in the rear of the madam. Shree Zamindar swamigal, senior heir of the family had started AL.AR.Trust to conduct daily,monthly poojas to God Sorna Kaleeswarar.This is performed continuously by the devakottai zamindar family
Festivals
Kaaleesar's festival is celebrated in the month of Thai where the car festival is observed during the Poosam. Someswarar's Bhrammotsavam is celebrated in the Tamil month of Vaikasi. the float festival also happens then. Aadi Pooram is celebrated for Swarnavalli amman.See also
- Maruthu PandiyarMaruthu PandiyarThe Marudhu Pandiyar brothers ruled Sivagangai, Tamil Nadu towards the end of the 18th century...
, Madurai districtMadurai DistrictMadurai district is one of the 32 districts of the state of Tamil Nadu, in southeastern India. The city of Madurai serves as the district headquarters. It houses the world famous Sri Meenakshi Sundareshwarar temple and is situated on the banks of river Vaigai. Thiruparankundram is one of the major... - SivagangaSivagangaSivaganga, also known as Sivagangai, is a town and a municipality in Sivaganga district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is the administrative headquarters of Sivaganga district.-Geography:...
- Hindu templeHindu templeA Mandir, Devalayam, Devasthanam, or a Hindu temple is a place of worship for followers of Hinduism...
- DevakottaiDevakottaiDevakottai [தேவகோட்டை] is a town and a first grade municipality in Sivaganga district in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. Devakottai is one of the biggest towns of the Nagarathar community.-History:...
External links
- http://www.shivatemples.com/pnaadu/pn10.html
- http://www.templenet.com/Tamilnadu/s091.html