Aivar Kovil, Kodumbalur
God
Shiva
Goddess
None
Other Deities
None
Aivar Koil or Aintali in Tamil means ‘five temples’ comprising of five shrines, one placed in the center and one each at corners. Only the base of the structure has survived. The central shrine was provided with a circumambulation path around its sanctum. All the five shrines were originally found having a Shivalinga inside. The temple was extended with an ardha-mandapa and a maha-mandapa in later periods. Both were provided with a flight of steps for entrances, ardha-mandapa with two entrances, one on north and one in south, and maha-mandapa with an entrance on the west. A Nandi-mandapa was added to the complex later. In the excavations are found an image of four-armed Durga, an image of four-armed Vishnu and six images of Dvarapalas.
Holy Water – No information
Holy Tree – No information
History
Experts date the temple to the first quarter of ninth-century CE, the period of Cattan (Sattan) Maravan, father of Bhuti Vikramakesari. It is suggested by experts that Aivar Koil is perhaps the first important monument of the Irukkuvels at their capital belonging to a time when they had direct matrimonial ties with the Mutharaiyars. It is thought that the Brahma image in the Chicago Art Institute is probably from this temple site.
Inscriptions –
On the east tier of the mandapa of Aivar temple refers to the sixth regnal year of the Chola King Parakesarivarman and records a gift of a perpetual lamp by a certain individual for the welfare of his wife, in the temple of Tiru Aindali- Mahadeva at Kodumbalur in Urattur-kurram.
At the same place, refers to the fifteenth regnal year of the Chola king Rajakesarivarman (Aditya I, 870-907 CE?) – the available portion only provides a name of a lady, Nangayar Anantan Paliyili of Urattur-kurram (Paliyili Siriyanangai, wife of Mallan Anantan and daughter of Sattan Paliyili of Narthamalai inscription of Paliyilisvaram cave temple?).
On the south tier of the same mandapa, refers to the eighteenth regnal year of the Chola king Rajakesarivarman – registers a gift for a perpetual lamp by a certain individual, in the temple of Tiru Aindali Mahadeva at Kodumbalur.
On the south tier of the mandapa of the Aivar temple, refers to fourteenth regnal year of the Chola King Rajaraja I, corresponding 999 CE and refers to a donation for a perpetual lamp by a certain individual
Information source – https://puratattva.in/kodumbalur-glory-of-the-irukkuvels/
Legend
None
Directions
Aivar Kovil, Kodumbalur is about 40 kilometers northwest of Pudukottai close to Viralimalai where the road joins the National Highway between Thiruchirapalli and Madurai. Aivar Kovil, Kodumbalur is about 35 kilometers from Thiruchirapalli on the highway going to Madurai and after Viralimalai.
Food and Stay
None locally. Closest is Thiruchirapalli.