Mettu Mahadanapuram Araamuthiswarar Shiva Temple, Karur

Address

Mettu Mahadanapuram Araamuthiswarar Shiva Temple, Mettu Mahadanapuram, near Kulithalai, Karur District – 639102.

Diety

Araamuthiswarar Amman: Maragathavalli

Introduction

This Shiva Temple, also known as the Araamudiswarar Temple at Mettumarthur near Kulithalai in Karur District, is over 1000 years old. The temple has been built during the reign of Rajaraja I.The oldest temple is located on the south bank of the Marudur Cauvery near Kulithalai. The people of the area complain that the temple is 90 per cent dilapidated as it has been abandoned by the Hindu Temple Department without being rebuilt.The preservation of the ancient sculptures and the renovation of the temple have been funded under the Urban Reconstruction Fund for more than two years, so far no maintenance work has been carried out.

Puranic Significance

This temple was built by the Chola king Rajaraja I (AD 985-1014). The temple was recently excavated by the Archaeological Survey of India. The plane is only made of bricks. The sanctum sanctorum has three pillars and 22 pillars, which are arranged in such a way that the moths are lined up in a procession.The further human face of each pillar is sculpted and embellished. The construction of the aircraft is so distorted that their details are not fully known. Inscriptions are found on the outside of the sanctuary. Inside the sanctum sanctorum, a large number of devotees and lingams have been consecrated.In the Arthamandapam with 10 pillars, there are various sculptures. In front of the temple, there is a sculpture of Nandi, Cheshtadevi and Ganesha. The Shiva temple, which was built during the reign of Rajaraja I, is now in a state of complete disrepair. The inscription of Rajaraja I on the south footpath at the entrance is in 21 lines.