Ambalavananadar, Manur

Ambalavananadar Manur is an east-facing temple with 2 Prakarams. The outer Prakaram is entered through a gateway in the south and has a shrine for Ganesha. The temple is a Madakovil – on a raised platform. The inner Prakaram is inside the temple which is entered through a door in the south. This Prakaram is covered all around and on top. On the eastern side of the temple are a sealed entrance, Balipeedam, Flagstaff, Nandi, Mahamandapam, and smaller Mandapams. Both main deity and goddess face east in separate shrines. After the entrance from the south and facing the sanctum of the main deity are several small, beautiful pieces of wooden carvings including Shiva and Pravati on the bull mount, Narasimha killing Hiranyakashipu, Veerabadhra and others. These look out of place in their location and is evident that they have been moved in from some other location, probably an ancient wooden door or a temple car. The ceiling in this corridor has old and beautiful ornamental patterns painted on it. East of the temple outside the sealed entrance is a pond that is in a state of neglect. The temple is considered a Sabha where the lord performed his cosmic dance and does not have a Theertham or a Sthala Vriksham. There are carvings of a Tortoise and a Swan in the northeast corner of the Ambalavananadar Manur temple. A 6 feet tall pillar-like structure is installed before the entrance in the south and is called ‘Thiruvadi Pothi’. This is mentioned by HR Bates in the Tirunelveli Gazetteer as brought by a Pandya King from Mecca and is believed to contain Mohameddan strengths. The inscriptions on it are of a mixed script and it has not been possible to decipher them as of date.