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"SAVE A TEMPLE" SCHEME - II -- SRI VANNIAPPAR TEMPLE, AZHVARKURICHI, THIRUNELVELI, Tamil Nadu

EARNEST APPEAL TO ALL SHIVA BHAKTAS - SAVE A TEMPLE SCHEME...........
We will cover in this section details of Shiva Temples in ruins, which need immediate assistance to renovate.

Click here to read another " Save A Temple" scheme - SRI MARAGATHAVALLI SAMETHA GOWREESHWARAR TEMPLE - Requires renovation 

Azhvarkurucchi a small, but vibrant Panchayat town near Ambasamudram, Thirunelveli District of Southern Tamil Nadu. The temple of Sri Sivakami Samethe Sri Vanniappar temple exists away from the town, in a serene atmosphere surrounded by lush paddy fields. A five tier Raja Gopuram majestically stand and welcomes us.  A look at the entrance and Gopuram receives instant sympathy and make us emotional seeing the pathetic condition. However, the grandeur and structured creative work are just awesome and says aloud "I am still alive and kicking".

Tons of men and material must have been put to use by great Sculptors and Kings, it is a pity that we are unable to live up to the expectations of time to even maintain such historical temples.  The sculptures carved in the Gopuram, pillars, inner roof, side-floors are all telling different stories and exhibits true feelings while dilapidated carvings wants to stay more on the structure.  Some of them are broken, damaged, lost limbs. Plants have sprouted on the Gopuram due to lack of maintenance and continued worship.

It is learnt that several years there was no regular worship of the Lord and no devotee entered the sanctum or performed Pooja until a few years back.  There are lot of places inside the temple, which calls for immediate renovation, and might fall apart if remedial measures are not initiated, according to people living there.  They have also put up a warning board indicating the places where it might be danger to walk.

The the last Kumbabishekam, which was supposedly performed about 100 years back, they started renovation work during 1966, but was stopped due to unknown reasons.  Thieves have not left even the temple of Lord Shiva, in many places, beautiful carved wooden frame sculptures have been stolen from the doors, one or two here and there is left out, may be out of sympathy.  Nandikeshwara's ear is broken and now they tried to re-fix the same.

This temple was built by Pandya King Maravarman Sundarapandyan 1200 years ago, built at the banks of Rama Nadhi. The temple is built with stones and historians recall that once upon a time, there was a Silver Chariot running outside the corridors.  This temple was the third largest after Papanasam (Thirunelveli) and Thenkasi Kasi Vishwanathar temple (Thenkasi) and spread out in one acre.  The flag staff is in bad shape and miscreants tried their best to remove the staff in search of gold/gems underneath, unable to find any, they dug up a pit, laid the staff nearby and ran away.  In most of the places, there is a beautiful carving of Hanuman or His face carved and sculpted; elders of the village could not explain the reasons behind it.  There is separate shrines to Lord Vanniappar and Sivakami.  We understand from scriptures that there are five Panchakrosham (Five Eshwaras governing the city of Kasi wherein people do not naturally possess evil thoghts and ruled by five Eshwaras) in Varanasi city.  Giving alms in these shrines removes obstacles in life, poverty and expiates sins.  Similarly, there are five Panchakroshams in Thirunelveli district namely Shivasaileswarar (Shivasailam), Rameshwarar (Paappaankulam), Sri Vanniappar (Azhvarkuricchi), Papanaseshwarar (Papanasam) Thiruvaaleeswarar (Kaakkanalloor) - all these Five Eshwaras shower Blessings in abundance; therefore, it is called Dakshina Panchakrosham. Lord Agni, the power of energy, expiated His sins here by meditating on the Lord under the tree Vanni.  Sthala Vruksham here is Vanni Tree.

Inside the hall, shrines for Saptha Kannikas, Vigneshwar, Dakshnamoorthy, Nagar, Pooranai, Pushakalai sametha Azhakiya Nambi Sastha, Valli - Deyvanai sametha Subramanya, Chandikeshwar, Saneeshwara Bhavwan, Shankaranarayanar aliaise Isanya Lingam, Kala Bharavar, small Nandi in front of Goddess sanctum adorns the premises.  Sivakamai Ambal blesses Her devotees with Her utmost benign posture.  Unlike other temples, there is no Navagraha Gods, on the contrary, there is a Navagraha Yantram carved on top of the front side Mandapam of Lord Shiva's sanctum. Such carving is found in Dhanumalayan temple in Suchindram, Kanyakumari.  Karoor Siddhar's small iconography is found holding a dog in the pillar, sitting posture of a pregnant woman chiseled in the pillar.    

Such a marvelous temple should not be allowed to decrepit and it is our responsibility to uphold our Dharma by keeping alive the torch of Lord Shiva's glories.  We request like minded personalities, philanthropists, devotees, religious seers, learned elders, spiritually inclined people, true devout to contribute as far as possible within their permissible limits to the cause of renovating this ancient temples.

Contributions may please be sent to :-

Shri. S. Ramaraj
Head - Temple Renovation Committee
35, Kalyani Street,
Azhvarkurichi : 627412
Ambasamudram Taluk
Thirunelveli District, Tamil Nadu, India

Telephone: 04634 283058

Temple priest

Shri. R. Narayanan
T.M. Kozhunthu Street
Azhavarkurichi

Coordinator

Shri. M.Venkatachalam
Telephone: 00971505728356
email: muthvenkat@yahoo.com

Pradosham supports renovation of temples, reviving art, ancient Sanatana Dharmic culture and traditions enshrined in Vedas.

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