Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Kovilkulam Thennazhagar Temple

Shravanam Utsavam was celebrated in a grand manner in this 10th Century AD temple
Sundararaja Perumal is part of the Annual 5Garuda Seva that takes place at Ambasamudram


Located 3kms North East of Ambasamudram is the over 1000years old Thennazhagar temple in Kovilkulam where Lord Thennazhagar is seen in a grand standing posture alongside Sri and Bhoo Devi Thaayar.

A temple that in the 10th Century AD saw several contributions towards the maintainence of the temple and one where monthly festivals were celebrated in a grand manner is now in a bad shape with the last renovation having taken place over 150years back.

Burning Perpetual Lamp
During the rule of Sadaya Maran Pandyan (Raja Simhan II), there was a gift of 25sheep for lamp to be burnt by Kadan and his wife Narachey Nokki in 905AD. In centuries gone by, this temple was referred to as Thiru Podhigai Vinnagaram.

In 925-926AD, there was a gift of sheep made by one adigal for burning a lamp at the temple.

Shravanam Festival every month
During the rule of Jatavarma Pandya Kulasekara Deva in 1203AD, there was a gift of money for a festival to be celebrated each month on Shravanam in the temple of Sripati Vinnagaram- Emberaman.

Vikrama Pandya Deva, in 1293AD, there was a gift of money for the Sundararaja Perumal temple by Sundarattol Korriyammai. Earlier in 1287AD, there was a gift of money for temple by a resident of the fourth hamlet of Raja Raja Chaturvedi Mangalam. During the rule of Vikrama Pandya, there was also gifts of money to development and improvement of the temple.

There was a gift of land by Koneri Mel Kondan for offerings to Sripati Vinnagara Azhvaar.

Several of the vahanas are still found inside the temple, though some of them are in poor shape.


Festivals
In centuries gone by, a 10day festival in Aadi used to be celebrated in a grand way
Thennazhagar joins Lords from Krishnan Koil, Navaneethan Krishnan temple, Purushottamar Koil and Lakshmi Narasimhan temple in Ambai in the  annual 5Garuda Sevai utsavam.

 The priest and his forefathers have been taking care of the temple for several generations but his current salary is in two digits. The renovation has been in the offing for quite some time now but has been stalled for some reason or the other. His monthly income too has been under consideration to be regularised at a fair level. It is hoped that a priest whose lineage has been taking care for centuries will be taken care of lest he looks for greener pasteurs.

Quick Facts
Moolavar          : Thennazhagar East facing Standing Posture
Thaayar            : Soundara Sundaravalli Thaayar
Utsavar             : Sundararaja Perumal
Time                : 7am-10am and 5pm-7pm
Contact            : G Manikandan Bhattar @ 94891 17581

How to reach
 Auto from Ambai and back will cost Rs. 150. Contact: 92451 20679

No comments: