| Description:
This is a vast and well maintained temple with a beautiful tank, several gopurams
and mandapams in the town of Mayiladuturai (Mayuram). This is a temple of great religious
significance, and is a hub in the temple belt of Tamilnadu. Several Shivastalams are
located in the vicinity of Mayiladuturai which is considered to be the
39th in the series of Tevara Stalams in the Chola kingdom located
south of the river Kaveri. Legend has it that Dakshayani
(Parvati) took the form of a peacock after her father's Daksha Yagnam, worshipped Shiva
here; Shiva is said to have taken a peacock form, performed the Gowri Tandavam and united
with her here. Mayuranathar is believed to have quelled the Kaveri floods to make way for
Sambandar and 4 of the Vallalar shrines in the vicinity are said to be manifestations of
Mayuranathar. Interestingly, the Tiruppariyalur Veerattam
where the Dakshayagnam is believed to have been performed, is located at a distance from 8
km from this temple.
Mayiladuturai is in the midst of several shrines with puranic significance. The Sapta
Matas are said to have worshipped Shiva at 7 of the temples in the vicinity including
Vallalaar Kovil. Dakshinamurthy's shrine in the nearby Vallalaar (Gurumoorthy -
Vadhaanyeswarar) Koyil is of great significance. On the banks of the Kaveri, near the
bathing ghats is the Kasi Viswanathar temple with vimanams along the lines of those at
Benares.
This temple spread over 350000 sq feet has 5 prakarams, a 9
tiered 165 feet high Raja Gopuram, pillared halls with interesting sculptural work as well
as 14 vimanams withseveral stucco images. Inscriptions from the Imperial Chola period are
found here. The temple is managed by the Tiruvavaduturai Adhinam, while the Vallalar Koyil
and Kaasi Viswanathar temple are managed by the Dharumapura Adhinam.
This temple was reconstructed with stone, during the period of Sembiyan Mahadevi (10th
century); however renovations from the 19th century have destroyed the older structures
and the inscriptions. Thankfully fine stone sculptures of Vinayakar, Natarajar,
Siva-Uma-Alinganamurthy, Dakshimamurthy, Lingodbhavar, Bhrama, Ganga Visarjanamurthi,
Durga and Bhikshatanar from the period of Sembiyan Mahadevi have been well preserved in
their niches. From available inscriptions it is inferred that the Avayambal shrine came
into existence during the period of Rajaraja Chola III (13th century). Till then, there
must only have been a Bhogasakthi bronze image in the sanctum of Mayuranathar, as was the
practice till separate Ambal shrines were introduced during the reign of Kulottunga Chola
I (1075-1120).
Festivals: Thousands of pilgrims converge here during the Thulaa
(Libra) festival. A noteworthy feature of the Mayuranathar temple is the daily
processional ritual to the banks of the Kaveri throughout the monsoon month of Libra.
Shiva's dance is enacted at the Aadi Sabhai on the 7th day of the grand festival in the
month of Libra. The annual festival Bhrammotsavam is observed in the Tamil month of
Vaikasi. |
