Vazhutheeswarar Perungulam

Vazhutheeswarar, Perungulam

Saivite Temples - Thoothukudi

God

Vazhutheeswarar, facing east

Goddess

Gomathi Amman, facing east

Other Deities

Maha Ganapathi, Murugan, Adhikara Nandi, Surya, Juradevar, Saptha Maadhar, Kanni Vinayaka, Chokkanadar, Meenakshi, Subramanya with consorts, Saneeswara, Bhairava, Chandran. sanctum niches – Dakshinamurthy, Vishnu Durgai, Chandikeswara, Chandikeswari in goddess shrine.

Vazhutheeswarar Perungulam is a large east-facing temple with an entrance mandapam in the east. The outer Prakaram is huge and filled with mango and other trees. There is a temple tank on the southeast side in front of the goddess shrine. The sanctum of the main deity and that of the goddess are separate. The goddess is shrine has a Mahamandapam and Ardha Mandapam. In between the two sanctums is a well used for the ablution of the deities. The second Prakaram is around the Sanctum Sanctorum of the main deity. The sanctum is large and the entire structure is on an elevated platform. A Maha Mandapam and Ardha Mandapam precede the main deity. The Vimaanam is very large and has three tiers.

Holy Water (Theertham) – Temple, Tank and Well inside

Sacred Tree (Sthala Vriksham) – No information

History

Vazhutheeswarar Perungulam is an ancient temple with a lot of inscriptions all around the outer wall of the sanctum sanctorum. The information about some of them are as follows:

* An inscription of Pandyan Maran Sadyan (Rajasimha Pandyan c.900 – 918 CE, son of Parantaka Pandyan c.880 – 900 CE) of his 16th regnal year is found on the southern side of the Arthamandapa
* An inscription of Virapandya (regnal years 946 – 966 CE, son of Rajasimha Pandyan regnal years c.900 – 918 CE) of his 15th regnal year 961 CE, found on the south wall of the sanctum sanctorum
* Inscriptions of Raja Raja Chola I (regnal years 985 – 1014 CE) belonging to his first regnal year 996 CE, 13th regnal year 998 CE, the 15th regnal year 1000 CE, and 19th regnal 1004 CE., are found on the north wall of the sanctum sanctorum
* An inscription of Sundara Chola Pandyan’s third regnal year 1024 CE., found on the north side of the Ardha Mandapa
* An inscription of Kulotunga Chola I (regnal years 1070 – 1122 CE) of his 31st regnal year 1101 CE, found on the north side of the entrance to the Ardhamandapa of the Sanctum Sanctorum
* Some inscriptions belonging to Kulotunga Chola I (regnal years 1070 – 1122 CE) during his 37th regnal year 1107 CE and 40th regnal year 1110 CE on the north wall of the sanctum sanctorum
* Inscriptions of Jatavarman Kulasekhara Pandyan I (regnal years 1190 – 1218 CE) during his 19th regnal year 1209 CE, and 25th regnal year 1215 CE, found on the west wall
* Inscriptions of Maravarman Sundara Pandya I (regnal years 1216 – 1238 CE) first regnal year 1216 CE, the 4th regnal year 1220 CE, the 9th regnal year 1225 CE, the 11th regnal year 1228 CE, the 12th regnal year 1295 CE, 15th regnal 1231 CE found on the west wall of the kitchen, north wall of the Sanctum Sanctorum and third Pillar of the Ardha Mandapam.

The details of these inscriptions are awaited. Some of the ancient names of this place were Uttamacholanallur in Tiruvaluthivalanadu and Nittavinadavalanadu.

Legend

No information

Directions

Vazhutheeswarar Perungulam is 12 kilometers east of Srivaikuntam after crossing the Thiruvaragunamangai, Thirupuliankudi and Thirukulandhai temples.

Stay and Food

None locally. The closest for stay and food is Tirunelveli.

Saivite Temples

Tamilnadu Temples