Mulanur Choleeswarar Temple -Tiruppur

Address

Mulanur Choleeswarar Temple Vellakoil Main Road, Dharapuram Taluk, Mulanur – 638 106, Tiruppur District. Phone: +91 94437 89272 / 97884 64852

Diety

Mulanur Choleeswarar Temple Vellakoil Main Road, Dharapuram Taluk, Mulanur – 638 106, Tiruppur Distr

Introduction

Choleeswarar Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva located in Mulanur Village in Dharapuram Taluk in Tiruppur District of Tamil Nadu. Presiding Deity is called as Choleeswarar and Mother is called as Soundarya Nayaki. The Temple is believed to be 1500 years old. The Temple is considered as Thevara Vaippu Sthalam as Devaram hymns sung by Sundarar. This Temple is considered as Parihara Temple for Child Boon. This temple is believed to cure problems due to planetary position for people born in the Uthiram star.

Puranic Significance

Mulanur is a fertile region with agriculture as occupation of the residents here. A sage by name Moolan lived here about 1,200 years ago and the place is named after him as Moolan Nagar and Moolan Maanagar and finally Moolanur came to stay. Moolan had an ambitious plan to build a temple for Lord Shiva. Lord Choleeswarar temple came into being with the help of the chieftain of the place Poosa Kula Thondaiman. Chera and Chola kings had done renovations later. The temple is praised by Saint Sundarar in his Thevaram hymns. He worshipped Lord Shiva while on his way to Palani.

Beliefs

Special pujas are dedicated to Kambathalwar in the temple on Thai Poosam day (JanuaryFebruary),VaikasiVisakam (May-June) and Panguni Uthiram (March-April) days and on Kruthika star days and full moon Sashti days. Pradosha (13th day of new moon or full moon fortnights), new moon day, monthly Shivrathri days and Aipasi Annabishekam in October-November are also observed with special pujas. Four-time puja is observed on Maha Shivrathri day occurring in February-March – Masi month according to Tamil calendar. A great Maha Deepa is lit on a 60 feet tall light post brightening the entire surroundings on Karthika Day in November-December. This Deepa burning would last a week bringing all prosperity to the residents, it is believed.

Special Features

The east facing temple has a long compound wall on all sides with aesthetic workmanship with a beautiful entrance. There are front and Maha and Artha Mandapas and the sanctum sanctorum. Nandhi the bull vehicle of Lord Shiva and the Balipeedam adore the mandapams. Presiding Deity is called as Choleeswarar and is facing east. He is housed in the sanctum in the form of Lingam. Dakshinamurthy, Brahma, Vishnu and Durga are the Koshta idols located around the sanctum walls. Chandikeswarar Shrine can be found in his usual location. Mother is called as Soundarya Nayaki. She is housed in a separate shrine. In between the sanctum and Mother’s shrines, there is a shrine for Lord Muruga with his consorts Valli and Deivanai. There is a 60 feet tall lighting post – Deepastambam – before the temple praised as Kambathu Andavar meaning lord of the pole. Lord Muruga adores the post. It is also adored with Sri Anjaneya on one side and an elephant on the other There are also shrines for Vinayaka, Kasi Viswanatha, Nataraja, Kala Bhairava, Durga, Kasi Visalakshi, Sivagamasundari, Sani Bhagawan, Moon, Sun and Navagrahas in the Temple premises. Sthala Vriksham is Vilwa tree. There is also a neem and Arasu tree embracing each other.Vinayaka, Nagas and Nandhi are under this tree.