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PANCHAVARNEESHWARAR TEMPLE - THE LORD OF COLOURS







PANCHAVARNEESHWARAR TEMPLE – WORAIYUR – TRICHIRAPALLI DISTRICT - TAMILNADU


Uraiyur or Tirumukkeeswaram, was one of the oldest capitals of the early Chola kings (3020 BC to 245 CE) as noted by the Greek traveler Ptolomy in the 2nd CE. The 7th century Shaiva canonical work Tevaram by Tirugnanasambandar mentions the place as "Tirumukeechwaram”. Uraiyur is an area of Tiruchirapalli in Tamilnadu, sometimes spelt as Urayur, this location is also known as Thirukkozhi, Nikalaapuri, Uranthai, and Kozhiyur. It has a history dating back to before 200 BCE There is definite mention of the Cholas, and their capital in Ashokan inscriptions in Orissa pushing back the antiquity of the Cholas as well as Uraiyur to 272–232 BCE, which was the period of Ashoka (ca. 304–232 BCE) who was ruler of the Maurya Dynasty of Patliputra (modern Patna). Inscriptions and rock edicts of Ashoka and the Satavahana describe Urayur as "the citadel and centre of the Cholas". Uraiyur was ruled by Karikala Cholan.

The three tiered Rajagopuram
Karikala Cholan travelling from Kaveripumpattinam was riding his majestic elephant in a procession in the town of Urayur, when the elephant got enraged and became uncontrollable. Suddenly a Cock (Kozhi) appeared and pecked the elephant in its head, making it calm. The elephant retreated and the king understanding the significance of the place built a city and converted it as his capital. The Cock dug up the earth, where a Shivalingam was found. A temple was built around it. It would be very difficult to assess the age of the original Temple (between 2000 – 1000 years), as there has been many additions and renovations, the inscriptions of Raja Raja Chola would be around the start of the 10th Century.

The legend of the Cock engraved on the wall.

One of the eight inscriptions dated the fourth year of a ruling Chola king records a gift of the village Atigunakapaganallur to the maintenance of the temple. The introduction of Chola king Rajendra Chola 1 can be traced in the inscription. Another inscription on the north wall of the presiding deity during the seventh year of Raja Raja Chola 1 mentions Rajasraya-Chaturvedimangalam in Uraiyur-kurram, a subdivision in Keralankata-valanadu. The temple is mentioned as Udaiyar tirundaitalai Mahadeva at Tiru-uraiyur. 
Beautifully decorated inner wall
The presiding diety is Mahadev in the form of a swayambhu lingam facing east, known as PanchaVarnaswamy in Sanskrit ( Panch= five, Varna=Colour, Swamy= Lord). The Panchavarna signifies the Panchabhootam, Prithivi( Earth), Jal ( Water), Agni (Fire), Vayu ( Air) & Akasha ( Ether).There are many legends attached to the temple, one such legend says, Shiva is believed to have appeared in five different colours for Sage Udanga( Uttanka) and hence the presiding deity came to be known as Panchavarneswarar ("Lord of five colours").  Karkotakan the Naga king was carrying the images of five different Lingams which all got merged into one as the presiding deity at this temple. 
Mahadev’s Consort Devi Parvathi is known as Gandhimathi Amman and is facing north towards the left of the Lord in a separate sanctum.

Utsava Murthy
Panchavarnaswamy temple complex has three Praharams (outer courtyard) and a three-tiered rajagopuram (gateway tower). The central shrine faces east and holds the image of Panchavarnaswamy (Shiva) in the form of a swayambhu lingam. In the inner precinct leading to the sanctum, Sculptures of Ganesha, Karthikeya,Nandi and Navagraha idols are located. As in other Shiva temples of Tamil Nadu, the walls around the sanctum of Panchavarnaswamy has idols of Dakshinamurthy (Shiva as the Teacher), Durga (warrior-goddess) and Chandikeshwarar (a saint and devotee of Shiva). 

The Mukhamandapam
The huge corridors














                               The Mukhamandapam has the shrine of Bhagavathi, Sage Uthanga, Mahalakshmi. The raised Pillar hall is exquisitely designed with unique sculptures of Mahakali, Thandavamurthy, five faced Ganesh, & caricatures of women looking like a Horse and Elephant when viewed from an angle.
Shiva showed five colors to Sage Uttanka 

 In the compound entering the temple is the Nandi Mandapam with a 6 ft Nandi facing the lord, along with a deep well known as Shiva Teertham. 



Six feet Nandi

Unique Sculptures on Pillars of the Temple.

Elephant,woman and a cock Yale.
Elephant out of women carving



















Shiva as Rishabhantika
Heramba Ganapathy with five heads



















A unique Cock Bal


Horse out of women carving


















Addition of 19th century

Vijayanagara Insignia


                                                                                                























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Location: Woraiyur, Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu 620003, India

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