Visalur Margapurisvarar Temple, Pudukottai

Address

Keeranur – Puliyur – Killukkottai Rd,

Visalur, Pudukkottai district,

Tamil Nadu 622504

Moolavar

Margapurisvarar

Introduction

Margapurisvarar Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva, located in Visalur Village in Kulathur Taluk in Pudukottai District of Tamil Nadu, India. Presiding Deity is called as Margasahayesvarar / Margapurisvarar / Vasukisvaramudaiya Mahadevar / Varadukasuramudaiya Nayanar. The Temple is one of the protected monuments in Tamil Nadu declared by Archaeological Survey of India.

Puranic Significance

The Temple is believed to be built by Vijayalaya Chola (848-871 CE) but the earliest inscription is dated to the reign of Parantaka Chola I (907 – 954 CE). Lord Shiva of this temple was called as Vasukisvaramudaiya Mahadevar and Varadukasuramudaiya Nayanar in the inscriptions. The place was called as Visalur, even in ancient times as evidenced from inscriptions of the Cholas and Pandyas found in the temple. Visalur would have held a strategic position during Cholas and Pandyas rule. Inscriptions of Parantaka Chola I, Rajaraja Chola I, Rajendra Chola II, Kulothunga Chola I, Kulothunga Chola III, Jadavarman Veera Pandya and few local chieftains can be seen in the temple. These inscriptions record mostly the grant of lands and gifts made to this temple. The inscription of Kulothunga III, dated in 1222 CE, mentions installation of idols of the king and his queen in the temple by a local chief, Adhitan Thenkarai Nadalvan

Special Features

This temple is facing towards east with an entrance arch. The entrance arch has stucco images of Lord Shiva Parvathy flanked by Murugan & Vinayaga. An idol of Nayaka King and Vinayaga can be seen on the right side of the entrance arch on the inner side. A Mandapam can be seen immediately after the entrance arch. There is a second level two tiered gopuram can be seen at the entrance of the inner prakaram.

Nandi, Balipeedam and Dhwaja Sthambam can be seen in front of the second level gopuram, facing towards the sanctum. The sanctum sanctorum consists of sanctum, ardha mandapam, maha mandapam and mukha mandapam. Nandi can be found in the maha mandapam facing towards the sanctum. Presiding Deity is called as Margasahayesvarar / Margapurisvarar / Vasukisvaramudaiya Mahadevar / Varadukasuramudaiya Nayanar.

There are no niches on external walls of the sanctum except the southern niche enshrining an image Dakshinamoorthy. This niche seems to be of later addition. The vimana over the sanctum is of single tier and is square in plan. The shikhara has big arches in middle on all four sides. Niches are carved below these arches on the only tier of the vimana. These niches enshrines Dakshinamurti on south, Vishnu on west and Brahma on north.

An image of Nandi is placed on all the four corners on this tier. Chandikeswarar shrine can be seen in his usual location. A cloistered mandapa runs around the external walls of the inner prakaram. Shrines & Idols of Vinayaga, Lakshmi, Murugan, Vishnu, Durga, Lingams, Jyestha Devi, Goddess Parvathy, Surya, Sapta Matrikas, Chandran and Bhairava can be seen in the temple premises. Navagrahas shrines can be seen in the Mukha Mandapam.