| Description:
This Shivastalam is located in the vicinity of Ambar
and Ambar Maakaalam at a distance of 2.5 km from
Peralam. Tirumeeyachur Ilamkoyil is another
Shivastalam here. Tirumeeyachur is considered to be the 56th in the
series of Tevara Stalams in the Chola kingdom located south of the
river Kaveri. Legend has it that Surya placed Shiva and
Parvati on an elephant and prayed here.
This temple occupies an area of about 2 acres ; the Vimanam here is of
the Gajaprishta style, a rarity in the Chola kingdom (the other one of this type being the
Pennagadam temple in Nadu Naadu). Gajaprishta Vimanams, or Tunganai Madam - apsidal
temples are more common in Tondai Naadu. Yet another exception is the vimanam at the
Ezhuttarinatheswarar temple at Innambar, in the Chola Kingdom.
Seen next is to this temple is the Sakala Bhuvaneswarar temple, referred to as Meeyachur Ilamkoyil (Balalayam) housing the image
preliminarily consecrated before the temple came to function. It is common practice to
demolish the Ilamkoyil after the consecration. Only in rare cases is the Ilamkoyil is
preserved, a suitable structure built. At Tirumeeyachur, both these shrines are preserved
and worship is carried out at both. Appar refers to Meeyachur Ilamkoyil as Totrum
Koyil or the main temple to be, and Tonriya Koyil, or the Ilamkoyil already
in existence.
The niche images here are Vinayakar, Ganga Visarjanamurthy, Dakshinamurthy,
Lingodbhavar, Bhrama, Uma-Alinganamurthy, Durga and Rishabantikar. There are fine toranas
over the niches. On the outer walls of the sanctum are panels of miniature sculptures.
Ganapatis are the Dwarapalakas to the sanctum here. The sun's rays illuminate the sanctum
for a period of 7 days from the 21st day of the month of Aries.
Festivals: Five worship services are offered each day here. Festivals
celebrated include Aadipperukku, Kartikai Deepam, Arudra Darisanam, Rathasaptami in Thai,
Vinayaka Chaturthi, Navaratri & Skanda Sashti. |
