Chozheeswarar, Aralikottai, Sivaganga

Basic information about the temple

Moolavar:	Chozheeswarar	Ambal / Thayar:	Thampiratti
Deity:	Siva	Historical name:	Mullaiyur
Vriksham:		Teertham:
Agamam:		Age (years):
Timing:	to & to	Parikaram:
Temple group:		–
Sung by:		Temple set:
Navagraham:		Nakshatram:
City / town:	Aralikottai	District:	Sivaganga
Maps from (click):	Current location	Karaikudi (34 km)	Pudukkottai (60 km)
	Madurai (60 km)	Sivaganga (64 km)

Location

Sthala puranam and temple information

As is the case with many smaller temples in this region, not much – if anything – is known about the history of this temple.

Worse still is the fact that the designated priest who is supposed to perform puja once a day, does not arrive on time, or at all.

The temple is managed by a poor but pious caretaker and his family, who showed us around.

This temple had a kumbhabhishekam in 2011, but soon went to seed. During the time of our visit (December 2021), the temple was undergoing a complete renovation and makeover, undertaken by the Sivaganga Samasthanam Devasthanam.

Going by the inscriptions belonging to the temple, and according to the Devasthanam’s information, this temple was built around 1020 CE, ie in the reign of Rajendra Chola I, and was in active use till about 1190 CE, during which time the Cholas ruled over the region. Later, the temple was renovated under the Pandya rule in the region.

Lord Siva gets His name here as a result of the Chola rule in this region, when the temple was first established.

The new raja gopuram is under construction. There is no dhwajasthambam or bali peetham here. A lone Nandi without a mandapam stands just outside the maha mandapam, facing Choleeswarar. Beyond the maha mandapam is the ardha madapam, where to the right is the south-facing shrine of Thampiratti Amman – an unusual name, which means one’s friend!

In the koshtam are Vinayakar, Dakshinamurti, Lingodhbhavar, Brahma and Durga. In the prakaram, there are shrines for Vinayakar, Krishna, Murugan, Chandikeswarar and Bhairavar. There is a separate Navagraham shrine, and one for Raja Ganapati.

The architecture of the pillars, vimanam and the parivara devata shrines are not new, but are not extremely old either. They are possibly about 100-200 years in age.

Most, if not all, of the murtis are new, though in one corner of the ardha mandapam, some of the older murtis are kept. These are damaged, and would need to undergo the proper process of burying them in the ground.

Opposite the temple, on the east, is a moderate-sized temple tank filled with lotuses.