Puraveli Nadar Keezhakallur

Puraveli Nadar, Keezhakallur

Saivite Temples - Tirunelveli District

God

Purovari Nadar, facing east

Goddess

Azhagambikai, facing south

Other Deities

Suryan, Kanni Vinayakar, Lingam, Naagar, Muruga with consorts, Mangala Saneeswarar, Bhairava, Magizhanpoo Sastha, Chandran

Puraveli Nadar Keezhakallur is a small and beautiful east-facing temple situated in a single Prakaram filled with trees and flowering plants. The location is out of the village and is a lonely spot on the banks of an irrigation canal. The Tamiraparani river flows some way to the south of the temple. Outside the gate of the temple is an old and large idol of Dhalavai Maadan, considered a guardian deity. Inside the temple, compound is an ancient square-shaped weighing stage used to measure rice offerings to the temple. This was used to collect a tax in the form of the local Kodaga Samba Rice and was called Purovari (vari-tax). This is the reason for the name of the lord here. Over time Purovari Nadar has transformed to Puraveli Nadar. Opposite the Nataraja shrine, a stone grill is kept on the wall to see the deity from outside. A temple pond is outside the main gate which is completely destroyed. In the village, there is another old and little temple for Kasi Viswanathar and Visalakshi in a very dilapidated and neglected state. It has Vinayakar, Murugan, Saneeswarar, Bhairava, Surya, Chandran, Dakshinamurthy, and Chandikeswara.

Holy Water (Theertham) – Temple Pond

Sacred Tree (Sthala Vriksham) – No information

History

Puraveli Nadar Keezhakallur was renovated by Rajaraja Chola (947 – 1014 CE) and was given various gifts of land for its sustenance. The original ancient temple with the lord’s name as Chidambareswarar was lost in floods in the Tamiraparani river and buried in the earth. The temple was discovered by locals and the news was conveyed to Rajaraja Chola who ruled these lands and he took up the cause. This information has been recorded in stone inscriptions found here and also in copper plates preserved elsewhere. The Tamiraparani River itself was named by him as Rajaraja Chola Paeraru. Further in those days, there was a unique variety of paddy that was cultivated in this area called Kodaga Samba. This rice when cooked had a unique taste and lasted long without going bad. Rajaraja Chola made it a point that this rice only had to be used for the Lord as an offering in other temples in the area including Sankaran Kovil, Brahmadesam, Papanasam, Tiruchendur, Tirunelveli, Azhwar Tirunagari, and Srivaikuntam. To measure this rice a large square weighing stage was kept in the Puraveli Nadar Keezhakallur temple and is still seen today. The tax contributed by the farmers on their own was called Purovari. Inscriptions mentioning this fact are found in Sankaran Kovil and Brahmadesam Temples. Pandyas have also contributed to Puraveli Nadar Keezhakallur temple construction and maintenance.

Legend

A cow was seen shedding milk over a mound and the cowherd threw a stone in anger at the cow which dodged and ran away. Its hoof fell heavily on the ground and blood oozed out. The cowherd ran and reported this to the village elders and the information reached Rajaraja Chola who came down with his men and discovered the ancient lingam in a temple buried on earth. He then took up rebuilding the temple as a stone structure which is today’s Puraveli Nadar Keezhakallur.

Directions

Puraveli Nadar Keezhakallur is 17 kilometers west of Tirunelveli on the Mukkodal road. While going from Tirunelveli take a left at Keezhakallur, drive on to cross the canal, and take the immediate left to reach the temple which is outside the village.

Stay and Food

None locally. Closest is Tirunelveli.

Saivite Temples

Tamilnadu Temples