Tiru Aappanoor Temple

Madurai city is famous for its magnificent Meenakshi Sundareswara temple, a well-known fact. Sundareswara temple is the first Devara Paadal Petra Sthalam of the Pandya region. (The important temples of Lord Shiva that were revered in the verses of Shaivite saints are called Devara Paadal Petra Sthalams). The second Paadal Petra Sthalam in the Pandya region is the Tiru Aappanoor temple. It is located in the Sellur locality in Madurai. Even though it is an ancient and prominent temple of the city, it remains less popular.  

Highlights:

• Sambandhar revered the temple in his verses in Devaram.
• God - Aappudaiyaar
• Goddess - Kuravankamazhum Kuzhali
• Other names of God - Annavinodhan, Rishabhapuresar, Idapuresar
• Other names of Goddess - Sunganda Kundalambal
• Teerth (Holy water) - Idaba Teerth
• Sthala Vruksha (Holy tree) - Bilva
• Second Devara Paadal Petra Sthalam in Pandya region

Legend:

As per the legend, a Pandya King, Cholantaka Pandya by name, fainted when he was on a hunting expedition. The situation forced him to stay in the forest on that day. As he had the habit of not having food without praying to Lord Shiva, his minister fixed a wooden wedge and made the King believe it was a Shiva Linga. After some time, when the King realized the truth, he worried a lot about worshiping a wedge instead of Shiva. Pleased by the King's devotion, Lord Shiva changed that wedge into a Shiva Linga. Hence, people called the newly formed Shiva Linga Aappudaiyaar, as the word "Aappu" means wedge in Tamil.

Suganda Pandya, a descendant of Cholantaka Pandya, built the shrine of the Goddess. Hence, she is named Suganda Kundalambal.

During his reign, the city was affected by extreme famine. The temple priest somehow managed to get some grains to offer the deity. The people who were starving got angered by this act of the priest. To help the troubled priest, Lord Shiva sat on his Rishabha (Nandi), took the priest along with him, left the original place, and reached the current site. Hence, the site is also called Idabapuram (Idabam = Nandi), and Shiva Linga has another name, Idapureesar.

It should be noted that the legends mentioned above are not recorded in Tiruvilaiyadal Puranam, which talks about the tales and legends related to Madurai. They are mentioned only in this temple's Sthalapuranam.

History:

Sambandhar, who lived in the 7th century CE, revered this site in his hymns. Hence, this temple was in some form even before Sambandhar's period. Madurai, being the Pandya region, the original temple might have been built by the early Pandyas. 

The current structure of the temple is partly Nayakkas and partly renovated in the modern days. Some sculptures belong to the later Pandyas' period, and the remaining sculptures belong to a much later period.

There is no inscription found in the temple. To my knowledge, no authentic historical record about this temple is found anywhere else.

The Sthala Puranam mentions about two Pandyas - Cholantaka Pandya and Suganda Pandya. Vira Pandya, the contemporary of Sundara Chola, was probably called Cholantaka Pandya. His period was the 10th century CE. If Shiva Linga had been found during his period, Sambandhar, who had lived 300 years earlier, could not have sung about this temple. So, who was this Pandya? We don't know. Also, purely based on the Sthala Puranam, we cannot conclude anything. 

The other Pandya King, Suganda Pandya? This is the first time I have heard this name in any historical record.

Temple Layout, Architecture and Iconography:

The temple is moderately big and is east facing. There is no Raja Gopuram (tower). There are two east-facing sanctums, one for Shiva and another for Goddess. 

Aappudaiyaar

The sanctum on the proper right side enshrines the presiding deity, Aappudaiyaar. He is in the form of about 2 to 2.5 feet tall Shiva Linga. 

At the entrance of Ardha Mandapa, a pair of Dwarapalas are found. Both are Pandya-period sculptures. However, the one on the proper right side is taller and fatter than the other one. It is clear that one of the sculptures does not belong to this shrine. 

The icons of Ganesha and Subramanya seated on peacock are also found on either side of the Ardha Mandapa entrance. The icon of Subramaya appears to be from the Pandya period. It has a Prabhamandala (halo beneath the head).

The external walls of the sanctum have three Koshta (niche) icons - Dakshinamurit facing south, Lingodbhava facing west, and Vishnu Durga facing north. None of these three sculptures seem to be very old. In the Lingodbhava niche, apart from Brahma as the bird trying to reach the head of Shiva and Vishnu as Varaha trying to reach the feet of Shiva, which are regular representations, Vishnu and Brahma in Anjali mudra are depicted near the feet of Shiva.

A later Pandya period beautiful Bhikshatana icon is found in the inner prakara. It faces the east direction and is opposite Lingodbhava. This must have been found in the temple premises and was probably installed here recently. 

Chandikeshwara, which seems to be an ancient sculpture, is found in a small south-facing sub-shrine near Durga.

Nandi is found in Maha Mandapa, and a bigger one is located in the outside corridor along with bali peetha and the tall flagstaff. 

Maha mandapa has many old and beautiful pillars. There is an external Mukha mandapa where a few Yazhi pillars are located. Anugnai Vinayaka and Subramanya-Valli-Devasena are found on either side of the entrance here. Subramanya has Prabhavali, and it is an ancient sculpture.

All these mandapas are located on an elevated platform.

Suganda Kundalambal

Unlike most of the other Shiva temples of Tamil Nadu, where the Goddess shrine is not as prominent as that of Shiva, here, the Goddess, Suganda Kundalambikai, has equal importance. Her sanctum is found on the true left side of Aappudaiyaar. It is as big as the sanctum of Shiva, except for the Mukha mandapa.

Suganda Kundalambikai is found in the standing posture. She has two arms and holds a flower in her right arm. The height of the idol is about 3 feet.

Ichcha Shakti, Kriya Shakti, and Gnana Shakti (all are new icons) are found as the Koshta deities on the external wall of the sanctum. 

In Ardha Mandapa, two ancient sculptures of dwarapalas are found. It should be noted that they are not Dwarapalikas (female guardians).

In Maha Mandapa, there is Nandi. In the outer corridor, another Nandi is found along with the bali peetha and the flagstaff.

In Maha Mandapa, the sculptures of Ganesha and Subramanya are also found. Subramanya has Prabhamandala, and it is an old sculpture.

Nataraja

Nataraja is found in the form of bronze image in most of the temples. However, one unique feature of the temple is the stone image of Nataraja. In fact, there are two big stone images of Nataraja in this temple.

In the inner prakara of Aappudaiyaar, a separate shrine enshrines the big stone icons of Nataraja and Sivakami. Unlike the other temples, where Sivakami faces Nataraja, in this shrine, she also faces towards us, similar to that of Nataraja. The four Shaivite devotees, popularly called Nalvar, are also found in the same shrine. 

In the outer corridor (outer prakara), there is another shrine with big idols of Nataraja and Sivakami. They are new idols. On the left side of Nataraja, Sivakami is found. On the right side, Nandi is found playing mridangam. Karaikkal Ammaiyar is seen near the right foot of Nataraja. Muyalaka, the Asura, is lying down under the feet of the dancing Lord. Two sages are found on either side, with five hooded serpents above their head, with their hands folded in Anjali Mudra. Nataraja and Sivakami have prabhamandala beneath their heads.

Other Shrines

In the outer prakara, the sub-shrines of Kailasanatha Linga, along with his consort, Bhairava, Dandayudhapani, Sundara Vinayaka, Kasi Viswanatha Linga, along with Vishalakshi and Navagraha are found.

There is a sub-shrine for Shanmukha seated on a peacock. He is flanked by his two consorts; he has six heads and twelve arms. It is a beautiful later Pandya period sculpture.

The Pancha bhoota Lingas, namely, Prithvi Linga, Vayu Linga, Agni Linga, Jambu Linga and Akasha Linga, are located on the backside of the sanctum in the outer prakara. In place of Akasha Linga, an ancient sculpture of Lingodbhava is found now. I presume that the original Linga is missing. Apart from the representation of Vishnu and Brahma as Varaha and Anna Pakshi, respectively, they are also represented in their own forms in Anjali mudra near the feet of Lord Shiva. Near these five Shiva Lingas, the idol of Chandikeswara and an old Pandya-period sculpture of Chandikeswara are located. 

The sthala vruksham of the temple is also found nearby.

Happy travelling. 

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