Tiruppukkozhiyur
Encyclopedia
Tiruppukkozhiyur or Karunaiyaaththaal Temple is located at Avinasi near Coimbatore
Coimbatore
Coimbatore , also known as Kovai , is the second largest city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is a major commercial centre in Tamil Nadu and is known as the "Manchester of South India"....

. The word Avinasi means "that which is indestructible". Avinashi is also referred to in inscriptions as the Dakshina
Dakshina
Dakshina in the historical Vedic religion is the term for the recompense paid by the sacrificer for the services of a priest, originally consisting of a cow...

 Varanasi
Varanasi
-Etymology:The name Varanasi has its origin possibly from the names of the two rivers Varuna and Assi, for the old city lies in the north shores of the Ganga bounded by its two tributaries, the Varuna and the Asi, with the Ganges being to its south...

. This is one of the seven Shivastalams in Kongu Naadu.

Mythology

Sundaramoorthy Nayanar
Sundaramoorthy Nayanar
Suntarar , also known as Sundaramurti, was one of the most prominent among the Nayanars, the Shaiva bhakti poets of Tamil Nadu. He was a contemporary of Cheraman Perumal and Kotpuli Nayanar who also figure in the 63 Nayanmars...

 on his way to Tiruvanchikulam is said to have miraculously rescued a boy from the clutches of a crocodile, in Tamaraikkulam here & this event is commemorated during the 'Mudalai Vaai Pillai' Utsavam on Panguni Uththiram. There is a shrine to Sundarar on the shore of the Tamaraikkulam. Brahma
Brahma
Brahma is the Hindu god of creation and one of the Trimurti, the others being Vishnu and Shiva. According to the Brahma Purana, he is the father of Mānu, and from Mānu all human beings are descended. In the Ramayana and the...

 is said to have worshipped the Shiva here for 100 years. The elephant of Indiran, Iravadham is said to have worshipped at this shivasthalam for 12 years.

Temple structure

The Shiva temple at Avinasi is spread over an area of 1.5 acres (6,070.3 m²). The main rajagopuram is on the east side with 7 tiers. Inside there are two corridors. At the main entrance, the sculptures of Narthana Ganapathy can be found on both the sides. Once we enter , there is a mandapam and the sculptures of Veerabadhirar, Oorthava Thandavar, Kaali can be seen on the pillars of the mandapam. The main shrine is for Lord Shiva known as Avinasiappar and the Ambal his consort is known Karunambikai . Ambal's sanctum is to the right of Avinasiappar's sanctum, unlike that in most temples. The mandapam in front of Ambal's sanctum has interesting sculptural work.The pathways on the four sides of the sanctum sancotrum are decorated with the images of Nayanmars, Murugan
Murugan
Murugan also called Kartikeya, Skanda and Subrahmanya, is a popular Hindu deity especially among Tamil Hindus, worshipped primarily in areas with Tamil influences, especially South India, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Mauritius and Reunion Island. His six most important shrines in India are the...

 Sannadhi in the northwest and Karaiakal Ammaiar Sannadhi on the northeast. The large Nandi here and the carved image of a scorpion
Scorpion
Scorpions are predatory arthropod animals of the order Scorpiones within the class Arachnida. They have eight legs and are easily recognized by the pair of grasping claws and the narrow, segmented tail, often carried in a characteristic forward curve over the back, ending with a venomous stinger...

 in the Ambal sanctum are of significance here. Several other carvings here deserve attention. Avinashiappar temple is a protected monument under the Archeological survey of India. The Theertham here is a well, called as Kasi Gangai Theertham. The sthala Vrisham is Paatiri. There is a shrine for Kaalabhairavar and is being worshipped here with the offerings of Vadai Maalai.

Poems on this temple

The Nayanmars thevaram
Thevaram
Thevaram is a panchayat town in Theni district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.Thevaram located in the border of Kerala separated by western ghats-Demographics:...

 Pathigam is composed by Sundarar Sundaramoorthy Nayanar .Tirumular's Tirumantiram, Arunagirinathar's Tiruppugazh & Manikkavacakar's Tiruvacakam refer to this shrine.

Festivals

'Mudalai Vaai Pillai' Utsavam during Panguni Uththiram commemorate the rescue event done by sundarar. The annual Brahmotsavam is celebrated in the Tamil month of Chittirai. The Car festival attracts large crowd and the festival car here is said to be on par with Tiruvarur
Tiruvarur
Tiruvarur is a town and a municipality in Tiruvarur district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Tiruvarur is the administrative headquarters of Tiruvarur district. Tiruvarur is one of the oldest towns which has been popular as cultural head quarters for many centuries...

.

Location

This Shivasthalam is situated 40 km from Coimbatore and about 14 km from Tirupur
Tirupur
Tiruppur pronounced as is a textile city located on the banks of Noyyal River. It is also called Dollar city. It is the administrative headquarters of the Tiruppur district. It forms a part of the ancient Kongu Nadu region of South India, where its people were the first to establish territorial...

. The nearest railway station is at Tirupur. Tirupur railway station is on the Coimbatore - Erode section of the Southern Railway. Another paadal petra sthalam Tirumurugapoondi is about 5 km from here.

External links

  • http://www.templenet.com/Tamilnadu/s012.html
  • http://www.shivatemples.com/knaadu/kn6.html
The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
x
OK