MOOLANATHASWAMY TEMPLE – THENKARAI – SHOLAVANDAN

THIRU MOOLANATHASWAMY TEMPLE – THENKARAI – SHOLAVANDAN – CHOZHAVANDAN - MADURAI

In the village of Chozhavandan, is a twin temple on both sides of the Vaigai River dedicated to Lord Shiva. One of the temple is Thiru Moolanathaswamy temple in Thenkarai.

But before we dwell into the Lords abode, let us know about the place Chozavandan or Solaikurichi or or Sengagapuri. The place has mention in the Sangam period literature and was under the Pandyan Kings. Once a Chola king invaded the the pandyan kingdom and came to the village. The invading Chola King was so mesmerized with the scenic beauty of the place with, lush green fields, being watered by River Vaigai, that he became entranced with the place and abandoned the war. Hence the town got its name Cholavandan meaning Chola (Cholan + Vandan) came. Uvandan in Tamil means getting awed. So impressed was he of the place that he named it Chinna Tanjai or Small Tanjore. The town is situated between Nagamalai and Sirumalai in the Western ghats. The fertility of the place must be derived from its alluvial soil, it also falls under the Sholavandan forest reserve.

I can assure you the place is still very beautiful, if only the Vaigai had some more water. There is greenery all around with lush fields.

In this location across the Vaigai is the Serene and peaceful temple of Thirumoolanathaswamy along with his consort Akilandeshwari. The temple was constructed by Cholan Thalai Konda Veerapandian between 946 & 966 CE. The temple was also reconstructed a 100 years later by Parakrama Pandian & later came under the influence of Naicker’s. There is an inscription of Thirumalai Naicker in 1629 CE.

The Thenkarai town was constructed in the shape of a Swastika with the temple in the centre. The Lord is named after the Sage Thirumoolar who installed the Lingam. Bilwaranya Mahatmiyam a palm script details the significance of the place and the stories associated with the town, being a forest of Bilwa ( Bel, Vilvam) trees the place was also called Bilwaranya Kshetram.

The entrance of the temple is through a rectangular Mukhadwaram with a small gopuram, which seems to have been built in modern times. On the left side of the entrance is a pedestal in which sits the Vigraham of Ganapathy along with his Vahana Mooshika or Rat. Inside this dwaram you come to a pure Village sceneic, very big, compound with coconut trees and shrubs lined in almost like a pathway. At the end of this walk you come to the Dhwaja Sthambam with the bali Peetham and the Nandi Mandapam with a beautiful small Nandi facing the Lord.

Next to the Nandi mandapam through a gate you enter into a big pillared Mukha mandapam, an Ardha mandapam and the Sanctum of the Lord. The Mukha mandapam has the praharam for circumumbulation. The lord is in the form of a Lingam with a square Avudayar or Pindika in a chathuranga garbhagriha with a chathuranga vimanam, indicating the significance of the Goddess Akilandeshwari and is facing the East.

The Koshtha devathas include a beautiful Balaganapathy, Dakshinamoorthy( the banyan tree behind the lord is beautifully carved even in the ceiling of the shrine), Lingothbhavar, Brahma,Durga and a separate shrine for Chandikeshwarar.The compund wall of the inner prahara has many tamil inscriptions. It has a well and a Nagalinga tree in full blossom. There is also a shrine for Subraminiar with his consorts Valli & Devasena.

Circumumbulating from the outer prahara, you come to the Shrine of Akilandeshwari, which is a separate precinct. The mother goddess in her splendour, is standing on the left hand side of the Lord and is also facing the east. Akilandeshwari as a spinster prayed to Lord Shiva to marry her here.There is a smaller Nandi Mandapam with an even smaller Nandi dedicated to the Goddess. The Koshta Devi’s include Iccha Shakthi, Kriya shakthi and Gyana Shakthi and a Chandikeshwari.

The Utsava Murthy is Nataraja dancing on his right leg and is called chidambareshwar.

On the precinct left of the Akhilandeshwari temple, I saw a broken statue, of what seems to be Buddha. However, the area was under influence of Jains from 300 CE. This statue could be at least be installed on a pedestal for people to see. The temple is under endowment board and I request them to do so.

Contact : Shri Senthil Gurukkal – 8760162684.

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