Hero Stones, Hero Sthambas, Memorial Stones, Sati Stones in Kadathur area near Udumalpet.

10^th September 2017.

A hero stone is erected  for a brave man who fought with enemies or  to save his cattle  against Tiger, Lions, pig etc and died in the process of fight.  This 17^th century Hero sthambam / stone is  erected in a village called Kottamangalam. This stambam is of 8 feet high, 2 feet width and 1.5 feet thickness. There are nine stages with hundreds of reliefs of men and women on all the 4 sides of the sthambam exquisite carving. 

The top is made like a temple vimana with Natarajar relief  in dancing posture.  From  top to bottom the reliefs are  Viyakrapadar worshiping Lord Shiva, Gajalakshmi, Kannan with flute, A cow milking on  Shiva Linga, Heroes are carried in a palanquin, Soldiers fighting  against the enemies sitting on Horses, elephants, Women ( Sati ), etc.,  are carved nicely. From the reliefs we may conclude that this hero sthambam was erected for the heroes who are died in a war and the ladies who undertook sati after their husband’s death.

சீறிமுக வருடம் ஆடி மாதம் 8தேதி ஏகாதெசி

பெற்ற திங்கள் கிளமை நாள் பாலவரில் காம

நாயக்கர் மகன் வல்லைக் கொண்டம நாயக்கர்

உண்டாக்கின வீர கம்பம்

From the inscription the hero sthambam/ kambam was erected during the year 1693 by  Vallaikondama Nayakar ( During this periods Kammavaru & Kollavaru Nayakars ruled this area under Madurai Thirumalai Nayakar. )

 

This hero sthambam is under worship by the Balavaru community a section of Raja kambala Nayakars. Regular poojas are conducted on Monday and Friday. And annual festival is being conducted during Masi month Shivaratri day after VallaKonda Amman thiru kalyana urchavam.

In addition to this there are  two  panels  with the reliefs of Man and women in worshipping posture. They might be Palaya Pattu Nayakas with their wives who ruled in this area.   

Nadukal on the left side of Hero sthambam

Nadukal on the right side of Hero sthambam

A nadu kal at Kottamangalam 

Thanks Sundaram Sir, and for further reading Kongukalvettuaayvu blog may be referred.

HERO STHAMBAM ( WOOD) AT METRATHI, NEAR UDUMALPET.

This 17^th century wooden hero sthambam is open to sky erected  in the midst of field in  a small Village  Metrathi, This is very much similar to that one at Kottamangalam except the material. The difference is, this stambam or the kambam is made out of wood. It was told that this was also erected and worshipped by Palayakarar Nayakkars.

This sthambam consists of 12 tiers with hundreds of reliefs on all the four sides. In the top tier Kannan and Shiva Linga, sun,  moon etc... Sthambam top is made like temple vimana. The Thamba must be of 10 feet high, 1.5 feet width and 10 inches thickness. There must be two sthambas erected and  one might have damaged due to age.

SATI STONE AT KADATHUR.

This hero stone was erected abutting the compound wall of Marutha Kaliamman Temple. The Lady who undertook sati is holding a large pot ( may contain toddy or arrack ). The top of the stone was chopped to mark the ritual followed. By the side of this hero stone there is a panel with man and a women in worshipping posture. This may be a memory stone of a donors for some social cause.

NADUKAL AT KURUVAN VALASU, KADATHUR, NEAR UDUMALPET.

This memory stone or a nadukal is erected along with a amman statue. On the back of the Nadukal there are inscription, which are not legible. This consists of Various symbols.

The upper portion consists of mangala symbols like, lamp, Venkotrakudai ( umbrella ), Samaram, Damru, etc,.  The lower portion consists of weapons used  like Knife, Sword, drager,  and some of the symbols are not known. It was believed that this belongs to a group of business people and the weapons are for the groups also called as Nattars,  who saves the business people from any danger.

It is claimed this as Vanikar kal and exact name and purpose of installation is not known. If any body, who come across such stones are requested to explain.

---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---

Ayirai Malai / Ivar Malai / Gugaikoil Chinna Ivar Malai, The remains of Jainism in Kongu Mandalam, near Udumalpet, Dindigul District, Tamil Nadu.

10^th September 2017.

This Ayirai malai is about 1400 feet above mean sea level without vegetation. Now the hill is called a Ivar malai. There is a pond with sweet water at the middle of the hill.  As per the legend the Panchapandavar stayed here during their vanavasam, hence called as Ivar Malai. The hill was praised by many poets in sangam literature Pathitrupathu. Once this place was busy with activities of the Jain monks and students.

 

The Ayirai malai has a longest cave of 140 feet lengths and 15 feet high. It was told that there were many beds for the Jain monks. At the entrance of the cave top there are 16 jain Tirthankaras reliefs with Tamil vatteluttu inscriptions with names of the person who was responsible for making these reliefs. The inscriptions belongs to 09^th to 10^th century. Some of the tirthankaras are Achanandhi, Indrasenar, Mallisena of Veerasangam and Avvanandhi. It is worth to note there is a lady also. It was understood that a big educational institution was functioning here between 08^th to 10^th century. Some of the students from Pandiya Nadu also took training at Ayirai malai Jain’s institution.

The Tamil vatteluttu inscriptions also helped the historians to arrive the year of Varaguna Pandian's 8^th year rule as 870 CE and his starting of rule as 862 CE.

THE PRESENT CONDITION

The beds used by the jain monks were concreted in the name of renovation, and there is no bed now. The Iyaki (might be ) is being worshiped as Draupadi Amman and new statues like Nagars, Hanuman, Man & Women in worshiping posture were also installed. There must be some rock arts one the ceiling of the cave, But the ceiling was completely covered with ash and soot of the fire used for cooking pongal  for the Throwpathi Amman.

The Ayirai malai is under the control of Tamil Nadu Archaeological Department.

LOCATION OF THE CAVE :CLICK HERE

 Varaguna Pandiyan’s inscription - The Tamil vatteluttu inscriptions helped the historians to arrive the year of Varaguna Pandian's 8^th year rule as 870 CE and his starting of rule as 862 CE.

 Jain's beds completely concreted 

 Jains beds completely concreted 

a  sweet water pond on the middle of the hill

recent additions - Hanuman

recent additions 

recent additions 

recent additions

Installed in recent years 

Installed in recent years ( a replica of the above at the base of the hill ) 

Installed during recent years

 View of the cave from a long distance

---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---     

Sri Arjuneswarar Temple / ஸ்ரீ அர்ஜுனேஸ்வரர் கோவில்/ ஸ்ரீதிருமருதுடையார் கோயில், Kadathur near Udumalpet, Tiruppur District, Tamil Nadu.

10^th September 2017.

This 12th to13^th  century  Shiva temple is also one of the Shiva & Vishnu Temples constructed by Kongu Vikrama Chozhas  on the banks of river Amaravati.

Moolavar    : Sri Arjuneswarar or Sri Thirumaruthudayar 

Consort      : Sri Gomathi Amman  

Some of the important features of this temple are...

This temple is facing east with 3 tier  rajagopuram on east and south. Balipeedam, dwajasthambam and Rishanam are in front.

In the prakaram sannadhi for Gomathi Amman, valampuri Vinayagar, Subramaniyar, Chandikeswarar, Bhairavar, Shanieswarar.  Ambal is in a temple like sannadhi facing the same east direction of moolavar. An ant hill of about 8 feet high is in front of Amman Sannadhi. 

ARCHITECTURE

The Sanctum Sanctorum consists of a Sanctum, antarala, artha mandapam and Muka mandapam. In Koshtam Dakshinamurthy ( made out of marble stone during recent years ), Maha Vishnu and Durga. Moolavar is of swayambhu. The base  ( Rudhra part ) is about 2.5 feet, Avudayar ( Vishnu part ) is about 3 feet high and  16 feet (some body claims as 11 feet ) circumference.   Moolavar vimanam is of 45 feet high with 5 tiers. The vimanam has full of stucco images of deities. The entrance to the temple was constructed in such a way that sun rays will fall on moolavar after reflecting the Amaravati river water on Maha ShivaRatri and Chitra Pournami days.

 

HISTORY & INSCRIPTIONS

There were 43  inscriptions in the temple. As per the inscriptions Kongu Chohas, Veera Choha, Veera Narayanan, Veera Rajendran and Vikrama Chohan had done various contributions to this temple.  The Place was called as Kadathur Rajaraja Nallur. 

From one of the  1302 CE inscription, it was learnt that Third Vikrama Choha Tribhuvana Singan was affected by the “piramekam” decease – sugar complaint - and the same was cured due to the grace Lord Shiva of this temple.   

மூன்றாம் விக்கிரம சோழன் திரிபுவன சிங்கன் பொயு 1305 (2) ல் ஓர் கல்வெட்டு உள்ளது. அதில் கொங்கு குலோத்துங்க சோழனின் தீராத பிரமேகம் என்கிற நோய்க்கு வழிபாடு செய்து சர்க்கரை நோயில் இருந்து விடுபட்டான் என்கிற குறிப்பும் உள்ளது. சமஸ்கிருத APTE dictionary ஐ புரட்டிப் பார்த்தால் प्रमेह: என்பது சர்க்கரை நோய், ஆறாத புண், சிறுநீர் நோய் போன்ற குறிப்புகள் உள்ளன. இன்றும் சர்க்கரை நோய் தீர இப்பெருமானை வழிபாடு செய்கின்றனர்.

Another Kulothunga-III's period inscription records that his daughter had a Mangalya dosha and she got relieved from Marriage obstacles after worshipping Shiva of this temple.  

மற்றோர் கல்வெட்டு குறிப்பில் இதே தலத்தில் மாங்கல்ய தோஷம் இருந்ததால் குலோத்துங்க சோழனின் மகளுக்குத் திருமணத்தடை இருந்ததாகவும் இப்பெருமாணை வழிபட்டு தீர்ந்த கல்வெட்டு செய்திகளும் உள்ளன.

கடத்தூர் பெருமான் அர்ஜூனேசர், மருதீஸ்வரர், மருதீசர் என்று தல விருக்ஷம் நீர் மருது மரத்தை சார்ந்தே உள்ளது. இன்னும் ஒரு பிடி மேலே தகவல் சேகரித்தால் குடல் தொடர்பான எல்லா நோய்களுக்கும் இது சிறந்த மருந்து என்று சொல்லலாம். மருதம் பட்டை குடிநீர் பயன்படுத்தினால் உடலில் ரத்தக்கொதிப்பு, இதய படபடப்பு, தூக்கமின்மை, நீரிழிவு பிரச்னை, கல்லீரல் பிரச்னை போன்றவைகள் கட்டுக்குள் வரும். ஆன்டி ஆக்சிடென்ட் என்ற புத்துணர்வு தரும் சக்தி மருதம்பட்டையில் அதிகமாக இருக்கிறது.

திரு சாய்குமார் அவர்களுக்கு நன்றி. 

 

The other inscriptions mainly speaks about the donations given to the temple for burning of perpetual lamp and poojas.

  

LEGEND

As per the legend the pancha pandavas stayed here during their vanavasam, hence Shiva is called as Arjunewarar. 

TEMPLE TIMINGS:

The temple will be kept opened between 06.30 hrs to 12.30 hrs and 16.30 hrs to 19.00 hrs.

CONTACT DETAILS.
The mobile number 9715134275 may be contacted for further details.

HOW TO REACH:

Kadathur is about 21 KM from Udumalpet and bus is available from Udumalpet and the temple is about a KM from Kadathur.

Nearest Railway Station is Udumalpet.

LOCATION:CLICK HERE

---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---