Papanasanathar Temple - Papanasam பாபநாசநாதர் திருக்கோயில் - பாபநாசம்

Many consider this ancient temple to be the first Navakailasa temple and dedicated to the sun. It is the closest big temple to the headwaters of the Thamirabarani and is surrounded by lush green hills. Initially built by the Pandian kings, the current architecture is mostly from the Nayakkan era. It has a tall 7 tier Rajagopuram that is visible from the hills far away. Smaller than the temple that we saw in Ambasamudram, it is still a fairly large temple that is surrounded by a high granite wall. Today it is by the side of a busy arterial road and was full of people when we visited in the evening. There is another town named Papanasam near Kumbakonam in the Kaveri delta, which is home to another great Sivan temple and should not be confused with this one on the banks of the Thamirabarani. It is located about 60 km to the west of Thirunelveli and close to Ambasamudram.

Papanasam literally means the destruction of sins. There are many unique characteristics to this temple. In front of the Amman Sannidhi there is a large pounding stone and women who visit this temple pound turmeric and offer the powder to the Goddess. An ancient custom. Nice temple.

Brahmadesam Kailasanathar Temple - Ambasamudram பிரம்மதேசம் கைலாசநாதர் திருக்கோயில் - அம்பாசமுத்திரம்

This massive, beautiful and ancient temple is located in a small and verdant village called Ambasamudram on the banks of the Thamirabarani about 40 kms or 1 hour west of Thirunelveli. Although not a Paadal Petra Sthalam, it is mentioned in the 6th Thirumurai in passing and is thus classified as a Paadal Vaippu Thalam. It was called Ayaneeswaram (Ayan is Brahma) in the Thevaram. Some believe it is the first of the Navakailasa temples and is dedicated to the Sun. Some believe that the ancient temple in Papanasam close by is the real first Navakailasam.

Many dynasties have contributed to the construction of this vast and grand temple. The great emperor Raja Raja Cholan was very fond of this temple and made many contributions. With 3 tall gopurams and 7 vimanams and innumerable sculptures, it is an architectural masterpiece and hidden treasure. The Nandi here is the largest in the region and has an animated and beautiful appearance. The solid massive doorway is intricately carved by artisans from Kerala and fortified. Much of the structure that we see today is from the Nayakkar renovation in the late 1500s. There is a spot in the outer prakaram (the locals will show you) from where you can see all the towers.

The temple has a bit of a forlorn look. It is very much an active temple but needs some repair soon. Since 2017 renovation work in most old temples have been frozen due to a court order. There is an ongoing battle between those who favour renovation (which is repair with modern techniques and material) and those who insist on restoration (which is careful repair that sticks to the original design and materials). There are merits to both arguments. Restoration is time-consuming and very expensive. Difficult for large temples. Local people will object to the ASI ( Archeological Survey of India) taking over these temples. The single Kurukkal family who manages this temple does not have the political clout to expedite things. The temple is solid. A fresh coat of paint will make it shine. The Kumbabishekam or Kudamulukku (the 12 yearly renewal of temples) is 4 years overdue at this temple due to this controversy.

Ammainathar Temple - Cheranmahadevi அம்மைநாதர் திருக்கோயில் - சேரன்மகாதேவி

Another important temple in Cheranmahadevi is the ancient and elegant Ammainathar temple on the banks of the Thamirabarani. It is one the Navakailasa temples - the nine ancient Sivan temples along the Thamirabarani where the Moolavar is named Kailasanathar and each is dedicated to one of the Navagrahams. This is the second most important. We already saw one in Srivaikuntham. This temple is dedicated to Chandran or Thingal, the Moon God. 

Legend says that this temple is 1100 years old. That dating appears to be correct, as you find both Vatteluthu (வட்டெழுத்து) and Tamil inscriptions here. I hope you know the difference. The Cholans hardly ever wrote in Vatteluthu. They preferred the script that we today call Tamil script. The Pandians before the Chola conquest preferred the Vatteluthu. So this temple must have been built around the time of the Chola conquest in the mid 10th century. This temple is covered with inscriptions. It looks like the Pandians built this temple in the early 10th century before the Chola invasion and the Cholans expanded it. There is evidence that Kulothungan I renovated it in the late 11th century. Although the later dynasties did make minor contributions they appear to be subtle. Look at the figure of the goddess on the Vimanam of the Amman Sannidhi. It is definitely from the 15th or 16th centuries but it is incorporated into the overall structure very tastefully. 

Beautiful temple. We loved the subtle elegance of the pre Nayakkan era. Although I love and admire what the Nayakkans did with their animated sculptures and colourful and crowded gopurams, I also admire the softness of the Pandian and Chola styles that we see in abundance here.

There are other ancient temples in Cheranmahadevi which we did not have the time to visit.

Visited August 2019 - Base Thirunelveli

Bhakthavathsala Perumal Temple - Cheranmahadevi பக்தவத்சல பெருமாள் கோயில் - சேரன்மகாதேவி

Cheranmahadevi or Cheranmadevi is a small town about 1/2 an hour or 25 km west of Thirunelveli on the southern bank of the Thamirabarani river. It is a historical town with many ancient temples. In the two centuries that followed the Chola conquest of this region in the mid 10th century and after the Pandian resurgence in the 12th century, this town appears to have been an important cultural centre. In the following, Vijayanagar and Nayakkan periods, it seems to have lost its relevance. The temples here retain the Chola and Pandian influence.

The Bhakthvatsala Perumal Koil belongs to that period and was first built in the mid 11th century and renovated in the 12th. It is one of the finest examples of the architecture of the period and is in a pristine state of preservation. It is a nationally important monument protected by the ASI (The Archeological Survey of India). We have seen stone inscriptions previously in museums. Here you see them in their real settings. This is a true hidden gem not known to many.

Visited August 2019

Nellaiappar Temple - Thirunelveli நெல்லையப்பர் திருக்கோயில் - திருநெல்வேலி

Situated in the heart of Thirunelveli town on the north bank of the Thamirabarani river, is the vast and majestic Nellaiappar temple. At 14.5 acres this twin temple complex is slightly larger in area than the Meenakshi - Sundareswarar in Madurai. It lacks the tall gopurams of Madurai but has many of the same features like the massive sculptures that you see there. It also has the famed musical columns. It is a Paadal Petra Sthalam and has been praised in song by all three of the Moovar, Gnanasampanthar, Appar and Suntharar. It has been in existence since the 7th century at least and the two temples were joined together by the impressive Sankili Mandapam in 1647 and the entire complex is enclosed by a wall. Although the Saivite Pandian king Arikesari Nindraseer Nedumaran is credited with the initial construction in the 7th century, many dynasties including Chola and later Pandian kings contributed to it. Much of the architecture that we see today is from the Nayakkan era.

Legend says that a poor farmer prayed to Sivan to protect his ready-to-harvest rice paddy from an impending storm and Sivan himself came to his aid and built a fence. That is why it is called Thirunelveli. The Lord here is also called Venunathar because they say this used to be a bamboo forest.

It is one the five Pancha Sabas (பஞ்ச சபைகள்) of Lord Nataraja. The Ponnambalam (பொன்னம்பலம்) or Golden Hall is in Chidambaram. The Velliambalam (வெள்ளியம்பலம்) or Hall of Silver is in Madurai. The Rathina Sabai (இரத்தின சபை) or the Hall of Rubies is in Thiruvalankadu where he performed the Rudrathaandavam. The Chitra Sabai (சித்திர சபை) or Hall of Paintings is in Kutralam and the Thaamira Sabai (தாமிர சபை) or Hall of Copper is here in Tirunelveli. The Thaamira Sabai is found in one of the inner precincts.

We went on a Friday evening and the temple was busy but in a pleasant way. Groups of people were moving along the precincts singing the Thevarams of our childhood and clapping on their cymbals. In the outer precincts old men and women were telling stories from the Puranas to eager young kids who were enthralled. This is a scene that has played out in these halls for a thousand years or more without a break. We were so wrapt in the atmosphere that I forgot to take a lot of pictures.