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PRALAYANATHASWAMY TEMPLE – SHOLAVANDAN

 PRALAYANATHASWAMY TEMPLE – SHOLAVANDAN – MADURAI



On the banks of the Vaigai river a pandian King, installed a Shiva Lingam, which he had brought from Kashi and was immersed in prayers to the Lord. There was a deluge of water and the river Vaigai was in full spate breaking boundaries. People took shelter near the Shiva Linga along with the King. The torrents of water felt like, it would blast away everyone and everything on its path and deposit them in Patala. People prayed to Lord Shiva to come to their help, who graaced them and saved them from any harm to them or the place. This place is Sholavandan and the name of the Lord here is Pralaya Nathar. (One who saved his devotees from Pralaya =Deluge or destruction.) (Lord over Pralaya) The goddess is known as Pralaya Nayaki or Soundarya Nayaki.
The temple is over five hundred years old and was built by the Pandian rulers and was later supported by the Naicker’s of Madurai.
The Temple has a North entrance, which leads into a huge compound with many a shrine. In the centre are two separate Mukhamandapams ( built in modern times) for the Lord and the Goddess with the Garbha Grihams. Both Lord Shiva and goddess Parvathi are facing the east. The shrine of the goddess is on the left side of Lord Shiva. The Lingam is a Bana lingam, meaning excavated with a square Avudayara or Pindika indicating the significance of the Goddess in the Temple. For it is the Goddess Parvathi who opened the eyes of the Lord, married him and made him a house holder for the benefit of the entire world. People also call it Swayambhu. However, I feel a swayambhu Lingam is a natural formation and need not be in a perfect shape of the Lingam. The goddess is in a standing Position, with all her splendour.
There is only one Prahara which has the Koshta devatas on the outer walls of the Shrines, including Bala Vinayagar, Dakshinamurthy,Lingothbhavar, Bramha & Durga. On the walls of the Goddess shrine are the Ichha, Kriya and Gyana Shakthi Idols. There are two Nandi’s facing the lord and the Goddess.The temple compound also has shrines for Lord Vinayaka, Subramaniar with his consorts, Chandikeshwarar , Hanuman and Mahalakshmi & Kala Bhairava.
The temple also has Saneeshwarar in the form of a lingam. Since Saneeshwarar is facing West, the Pindika or Avudayar is facing towards the Left.
Except for the Garbha Grihas of the Lord and the Goddess, and the Nandi’s, everything including the mukhamandapam, the compound, Vimanas are all new constuction. There is no Rajagopuram.
The Sthala Vriksham is Vilwam.

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