Poovalur Moolanathar Temple

Poovalur, a quaint village situated near Lalgudi town in the Tamil Nadu state of India, holds within its bounds a lesser-known gem from the Chola period: the Moolanathar Temple. In this article, we will delve into the captivating history and features of this ancient temple.

Highlights:

• Arunagirinathar has revered Subramanya of this temple in his verses in Tiruppugazh.
• God - Moolanathar a.k.a. Gnanapureeswarar 
• Goddess - Kunkuma Soundara Nayaki
• Teerth (Holy water) - Panguni Teerth
• Sthala Vruksha (Holy tree) - Bilva

Legend:

According to legend, the Devas sought the aid of Manmatha (Kamadeva) to awaken Lord Shiva from his deep meditation. They sought his protection against the Asuras  and persuaded Manmatha to rouse Shiva. Manmatha shot flower arrows from his bow at Shiva, which incited Shiva's anger. In response, Shiva opened his third eye, reducing Manmatha to ashes. This village, where Manmatha released his flower arrows, became known as Poovalur, with "Poo" signifying flower in Tamil.

Manmatha's consort, Rathi, worshiped Shiva here and revived him, earning the village the name Manmathapuram. The Sapta Rishis (Seven Sages) also attained knowledge by worshiping Lord Shiva at this site, leading to Shiva being revered as Gnanapureeswarar.

Legend holds that Brahma, Manmatha, Indra, Chandra, and Agni also paid homage to Lord Shiva at this temple.

Temple Layout:

Entrance:

Facing east, the temple boasts a three-tiered tower. The complex is sizable, featuring captivating Gopuras, Vimanas of various shrines, and an alluring sanctum. The architectural style suggests its Chola period origins, although historical inscriptions remain elusive.

Presiding Deity:

The eastern-facing sanctum houses an elegantly crafted vimana, enshrining the moderate-sized Shiva Linga, Moolanathar.

At the entrance to the Ardha Mandapa (half-hall), icons of Ganesha and Subramanya greet visitors. Nandi is found in the Maha Mandapa (great hall), with another Nandi near the flagstaff.

Dhwajastambha Ganapati, a small sculpture, stands near the flagstaff.

Goddess:

Within the south-facing shrine, adorned with a spacious Maha Mandapa, stands the exquisite image of Goddess Kunkuma Soundara Nayaki.

In the Maha Mandapa of the Amman shrine, a small image of Shanmukha with twelve arms, seated on a peacock, captures attention.

Notably, Nandi serves as the vehicle (vaahan) of Amman in this temple, differing from temples in Northern Tamil Nadu where Nandi is associated with Lord Shiva.

Koshta Murtis:

Koshta Murtis, including Nardana Ganapati, Dakshinamurti, Lingodbhava, Brahma, and Durga, grace the temple. Dakshinamurti and Ganesha emanate an ancient aura, while others appear to have been crafted more recently.

Other Shrines:

The big prakara around the two main shrines have many pillars with interesting sculptures. Also, there are many sub-shrines and images located in this prakara. They are:

• Maha Lingam shrine
• Ganesha, Shiv Linga and 63 Nayanmars
• Vellaivarana Vinayakar shrine (there are two Ganapatis in this shrine)
• Shanmukha with twelve arms seated on peacock along with his two consorts - in a separate shrine - he was revered by Arunagirinathar
• Durga in a separate shrine
• Gaja Lakshmi and Jyeshtha Devi in adjacent shrines
• Nataraja-Shivakami shrine
• Dandayudhapani shrine
• Bhairava, Shaneeswara icons
• Navagraha - Surya alone is found with his consorts
• Chandikeshwara near the Koshta of Brahma
• Chandikeshwari, the female form of Chandikeshwara, in the prakara of Amman
• Vaakkuvaalamman, a small temple for the village deity of the village, at the entrance of the main temple

Happy travelling.