5/5 Shankar R. 1 year ago on Google
This
is
a
famous
temple
located
in
Perur
to
the
west
of
Coimbatore.
It
is
dedicated
to
Lord
Shiva
and
was
built
by
Karikaala
Chozhan,
a
famous
Chola
king.
The
history
of
the
temple
can
be
dated
back
to
1,500
years
and
the
presiding
deity
is
said
to
have
self-emerged.
The
temple
has
a
beautiful
architecture
with
many
spirals
and
halls.
The
main
draw
is
the
golden
statue
of
Lord
Nataraja
(a
form
of
Lord
Shiva).
Several
pillars
boast
intricate
carvings
depicting
the
manifestations
of
the
god.
The
ceiling
is
equally
arresting
and
has
been
ornamented
with
carvings
of
a
series
of
chain
links
with
a
lotus
at
the
centre.
The
temple
has
also
been
patronised
by
poets
like
Kachiappa
Munivar
and
Arunagiri
Nathar.
The
temple
was
built
by
king
Karikala
Chola
in
2nd
century
CE,
thus
making
this
one
of
the
oldest
temple
in
the
state
and
even
India.
During
the
rule
of
Raja
Raja
Chola
I,
'Artha
Mahal'
and
'Maha
Mahal'
were
constructed.Additional
offerings
from
the
Chola
king
were
made
on
a
regular
basis
and
were
noted
on
the
walls
of
the
temple.
History
reveals
that
the
great
poet
Sundarar
sung
the
devotional
'Devaram'
song
in
this
temple
by
the
7th
century
CE.
But
oddly,
while
having
seven
of
the
276
temples,
Perur
Pateeswarar
Temple
does
not
appear
on
the
list
of
Kongu
Nadu
Padal
petra
sthalams.
From
the
14th
to
17th
centuries,
the
kings
from
different
dynasties
like
Hosala
dynasty,
Vijanagara
Empire,
Nayakkar
Kings
have
contributed
immense
donations
for
the
maintenance
of
this
temple.
The
famous
'Kanaga
Sabhai'
was
built
around
the
17th
century,
by
Azhagathiri
Nayakkar
of
Madurai.
By
18th
century
CE,
the
primary
deities
were
renovated
and
also
a
Mahal
for
the
63
Nayanmaars
were
raised.
By
the
20th
century,
the
Kalyana
Mahal
and
the
front
Mahal
were
constructed,
and
the
tower
was
renovated
as
well.
This
temple
has
several
gopurams
and
halls,
famous
of
which
is,
'Kanaka
Sabha',
the
one
with
the
golden
statue
of
Nataraja.
The
ceiling
is
covered
in
a
network
of
stone
chains,
and
the
pillars
are
decorated
with
carvings
of
Shiva
in
his
different
forms.
There
is
a
Patti
Vinayagar
shrine,
dedicated
to
Ganesha.
The
Arasambalavanar
Shrine
dedicated
to
Shiva
at
the
spot
where
Shiva
is
believed
to
have
performed
his
Thandav
under
a
peepul
tree.
There
are
also
statues
of
Gajasamhara,
Virabhadra,
Bikshadana,
Oordhva
Thandava,
Saraswati
with
Veena.
The
sacred
trees
associated
with
temple
are
the
palm
and
tamarind
trees,
called
Irava
Panai
and
Pirava
Puli.
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