திருபுஷ்பவனேசுவரர் திருக்கோயில் திருப்பூவனம்
Not to be confused with the Kampaheswarar at Thirubhuvanam, the Chola temple on the Kaveri, this Sivan temple is located 20 km or a 30 minute drive east of Madurai on the banks of the Vaigai River.
As it is mentioned in the Thevaram, it has to have existed in some form in the early 7th century. The pretty rajagopuram looks like it has been built in the last 200 years. The Pandian, Chola, Vijayanagar and Nayakkar dynasties have all contributed to the construction of this temple over the ages. The granite inner core is believed to to have been built by Aditya Chola I, in the early 10th century. It was renovated by Chempiyan Mahadevi. The muhamandapam has a statue of King Thirumalai Nayakkar. It was built or rebuilt in his reign in the 17th century. The earliest inscription dates to the period of Sadayan Maran an early Pandian King. There are inscriptions describing Adityan's contribution as well as those by Chempiyan Mahadevi, Rajarajan I, Rajendran, Jatavarman Kulasekara Pandian, Maravarman Sundara Pandian I, Maravarman Sundara Pandian II, Rajasimha Pandian and others.
This is the 10th of the 14 Paadal Petra Sthalams in the Pandya Nadu and has pathikams from Gnasampanthar, Thirunaauvukkarasar and Sundarar. Lots of divine stories about this temple. The 36th Thiruvilaiyaadal, that of the dancing girl Ponnaiyal is supposed to have occurred here. Although not architecturally as impressive as some of the other temples we have visited, it has a lot of history and legends. It is an immensely important temp[e. Only a few temples have been praised in song by all three of the Moovar. There is an interesting story about Thirugnanasampanthar's visit to this temple. He was standing on the other side of the Vaigai River and saw the sun reflecting on the grains of sand on the river bank by the temple. They looked like thousands of Sivalingams and he did not want to step on them. So the Nandi moved for him to see the Lord. To this day the Nandi is off to a side.
We visited in Aug 2019. We were based in Madurai.
Credits: Google Maps
Opmerkingen