Perur Pateeswarar Temple is a
Hindu
Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism.Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...
temple dedicated to Lord
Shiva
Shiva (; sa, शिव, lit=The Auspicious One, Śiva ), also known as Mahadeva (; ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐ, or Hara, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions within Hindu ...
located at
Perur
Perur is a major residential neighbourhood and cultural hub of the city of Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu, India. It is located on the banks of Noyyal River, which divides the settlement into equal halves.
History
Perur had been a prominent trading ...
, in western part of
Coimbatore
Coimbatore, also spelt as Koyamputhur (), sometimes shortened as Kovai (), is one of the major metropolitan cities in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is located on the banks of the Noyyal River and surrounded by the Western Ghats. Coimbato ...
in state of
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is a States and union territories of India, state in southern India. It is the List of states and union territories of India by area, tenth largest Indian state by area and the List of states and union territories of India ...
in
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
. The temple was built by
Karikala chola
Karikala ( ta, கரிகால சோழன்) was a Tamils, Tamil Chola dynasty, Chola Emperor who ruled southern India. He is credited with the construction of the flood banks of the Kaveri, river Kaveri. He is recognised as the greates ...
in 2nd century CE. The temple is located on the bank of the
Noyyal River
The Noyyal River is a small river in Western Tamil Nadu, and a tributary of Kaveri River. It rises from the Vellingiri hills in the Western Ghats in Tamil Nadu, very close to Kerala border, and flows through many villages and the cities of ...
and has been patronized by poets like
Arunagirinathar
Arunagirinaadhar (Aruna-giri-naadhar, ', ) was a Tamil Saiva saint-poet who lived during the 15th century in Tamil Nadu, India. In his treatise ''A History of Indian Literature'' (1974), Czech Indologist Kamil Zvelebil places Arunagirinathar's ...
and Kachiappa Munivar. Lord Shiva, known as ‘Patteeswarar’, is the presiding deity of this temple together with his consort
Parvati
Parvati ( sa, पार्वती, ), Uma ( sa, उमा, ) or Gauri ( sa, गौरी, ) is the Hindu goddess of power, energy, nourishment, harmony, love, beauty, devotion, and motherhood. She is a physical representation of Mahadevi i ...
, who is known as ‘Pachainayaki’. The deity is believed to be ‘Swayambu Lingam’ (self-emerged).
Various names for this temple have been used over the years, including, Kamadenupuri, pattipuri, Adhipuri, Daksha Kailasham, Thavasiddhapuram, Gnanapuram, Kalyanapuram, Pirava Neri Thalam, Pasupathipuram, and Melai Chidambaram.
History
The temple was built by king
Karikala Chola
Karikala ( ta, கரிகால சோழன்) was a Tamils, Tamil Chola dynasty, Chola Emperor who ruled southern India. He is credited with the construction of the flood banks of the Kaveri, river Kaveri. He is recognised as the greates ...
in 2nd century CE, thus making this one of the oldest temple in the state and even
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
. During the rule of
Raja Raja Chola I
Rajaraja I (947 CE – 1014 CE), born Arunmozhi Varman or Arulmozhi Varman and often described as Raja Raja the Great or Raja Raja Chozhan was a Chola emperor who reigned from 985 CE to 1014 CE. He was the most powerful Tamil king in South ...
, 'Artha Mahal' and 'Maha Mahal' were constructed.Additional offerings from the
Chola
The Chola dynasty was a Tamils, Tamil thalassocratic Tamil Dynasties, empire of southern India and one of the longest-ruling dynasties in the history of the world. The earliest datable references to the Chola are from inscriptions dated ...
king were made on a regular basis and were noted on the walls of the temple.
History reveals that the great poet
Sundarar
Sundarar (Tamil: சுந்தரர்), also referred to as Chuntarar, Chuntaramurtti, Nampi Aruran or Tampiran Tolan, was an eighth-century poet-saint of Tamil Shaiva Siddhanta tradition of Hinduism. He is among the Tevaram trio, and one o ...
sung the devotional 'Devaram' song in this temple by the 7th century CE. But oddly, while having seven of the 276 temples, Perur Pateeswarar Temple does not appear on the list of Kongu Nadu Padal petra sthalams.
From the 14th to 17th centuries, the kings from different dynasties like
Hosala dynasty,
Vijanagara Empire,
Nayakkar
The Nayak is a historic Indian title conferred on Sardars, who were governors of feudal states in the Middle Ages. Today it is also a surname. Nayaks are mostly Hindu and few Sikhs, who follow Hinduism and Sikhism respectively.
As a surname
Tod ...
Kings have contributed immense donations for the maintenance of this temple. The famous 'Kanaga Sabhai' was built around the 17th century, by Azhagathiri Nayakkar of
Madurai
Madurai ( , also , ) is a major city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is the cultural capital of Tamil Nadu and the administrative headquarters of Madurai District. As of the 2011 census, it was the third largest Urban agglomeration in ...
.
By 18th century CE, the primary deities were renovated and also a Mahal for the 63 Nayanmaars were raised. By the 20th century, the Kalyana Mahal and the front Mahal were constructed, and the tower was renovated as well.
Architecture
This temple has several
gopuram
A ''gopuram'' or ''gopura'' ( Tamil: கோபுரம், Malayalam: ഗോപുരം, Kannada: ಗೋಪುರ, Telugu: గోపురం) is a monumental entrance tower, usually ornate, at the entrance of a Hindu temple, in the South I ...
s and halls, famous of which is, 'Kanaka Sabha', the one with the golden statue of
Nataraja
Nataraja () also known as Adalvallaan () is a depiction of the Hindu god Shiva as the divine cosmic dancer. His dance is called Tandava.''Encyclopædia Britannica'' (2015) The pose and artwork are described in many Hindu texts such as the ''T ...
. The ceiling is covered in a network of stone chains, and the pillars are decorated with carvings of Shiva in his different forms.
There is a Patti Vinayagar
shrine
A shrine ( la, scrinium "case or chest for books or papers"; Old French: ''escrin'' "box or case") is a sacred or holy sacred space, space dedicated to a specific deity, ancestor worship, ancestor, hero, martyr, saint, Daemon (mythology), daem ...
, dedicated to
Ganesha
Ganesha ( sa, गणेश, ), also known as Ganapati, Vinayaka, and Pillaiyar, is one of the best-known and most worshipped deities in the Hindu pantheon and is the Supreme God in Ganapatya sect. His image is found throughout India. Hindu d ...
. The Arasambalavanar Shrine dedicated to
Shiva
Shiva (; sa, शिव, lit=The Auspicious One, Śiva ), also known as Mahadeva (; ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐ, or Hara, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions within Hindu ...
at the spot where Shiva is believed to have performed his
Thandav under a peepul tree. There are also statues of
Gajasamhara,
Virabhadra
Virabhadra (), also rendered Veerabhadra, Veerabathira, and Veerabathiran, is a fierce form of the Hindu god Shiva. He is created by the wrath of Shiva, when the deity hurls a lock of his matted hair upon the ground, upon hearing of the self- ...
,
Bikshadana, Oordhva Thandava,
Saraswati
Saraswati ( sa, सरस्वती, ) is the Hindu goddess of knowledge, music, art, speech, wisdom, and learning. She is one of the Tridevi, along with the goddesses Lakshmi and Parvati.
The earliest known mention of Saraswati as a go ...
with Veena. The sacred trees associated with temple are the palm and tamarind trees, called Irava Panai and Pirava Puli.
Culture
Every year the temple celebrates a classical dance week, typically
Bharata Natyam
Bharatanatyam () is a major form of Indian classical dance that originated in Tamil Nadu. It is one of the eight widely recognized Indian classical dance forms, and expresses South Indian religious themes and spiritual ideas, particularly of ...
. Dance schools from all across the city, including those from foreign cities, perform in front of the audience, each wowing them with their prowess and talent. The temple is believed to be one of the places where Shiva is believed to have performed
Ananda Thandavam.
Temple Car Festival
Every year in the month of
Panguni,
Panguni Uthiram
Panguni Uthiram (Tamil:பங்குனி உத்திரம்) is a South Indian Hindu festival and day of importance to Tamils. Panguni Uthiram is a famous festival and special to Murugan, Ayyappa, Shiva and Vishnu devotees. It falls ...
is celebrated. A lavishly constructed temple chariot is paraded through the neighbourhood as part of the celebration.
Seedling Planting Festival
The festival is celebrated by the farming community,
Devendrakula Velalar
Devendrakula Velalar is an agricultural community native to the southern, central and western districts of Tamil Nadu, India. The seven subcastes of Devendrakula Velalar are Devendra Kulathar, Kudumbar, Kadaiyar, Kaladi, Pallar, Panna ...
from ancient times in the banks of
Noyyal River
The Noyyal River is a small river in Western Tamil Nadu, and a tributary of Kaveri River. It rises from the Vellingiri hills in the Western Ghats in Tamil Nadu, very close to Kerala border, and flows through many villages and the cities of ...
. The festival is conducted in the month of
Aani
In ancient Egyptian religion, Aani is the dog-headed ape sacred to the Egyptian god Thoth. "One of the Egyptian names of the Cynocephalus Baboon, which was sacred to the god Thoth."
The Egyptian hieroglyphic word for "baboon" is '' jꜥnꜥ'' i ...
. The ritual forms a part of
Indra festival from ancient times.
Temple Pond
The Pond is situated opposite of the temple and it used for important rituals such as Panguni Uthiratam.
Temple Lake
Perur Padithurai is 200 meters North from temple and it is situated on the Southern bank of
Noyyal River
The Noyyal River is a small river in Western Tamil Nadu, and a tributary of Kaveri River. It rises from the Vellingiri hills in the Western Ghats in Tamil Nadu, very close to Kerala border, and flows through many villages and the cities of ...
.
Darshan timings
The temple is open on all days. The darshan timings are as below
* Morning : 06:15 to 13:00 IST
* Evening : 16:00 to 20:00 IST
References
External links
Official WebsiteTemple's Speciality Dinamalar
{{Coimbatore district
Tourist attractions in Coimbatore
Buildings and structures in Coimbatore
Shiva temples in Coimbatore district
Chola architecture
Dravidian architecture
Hindu temples in Coimbatore district