Tiruvirundeeswarar, Radhanur, Ramanathapuram

Basic information about the temple

Moolavar:	Tiruvirundeeswarar	Ambal / Thayar:	Soundara Nayaki
Deity:	Siva	Historical name:
Vriksham:		Teertham:
Agamam:		Age (years):
Timing:	to & to	Parikaram:
Temple group:		–
Sung by:		Temple set:
Navagraham:		Nakshatram:
City / town:	Radhanur	District:	Ramanathapuram
Maps from (click):	Current location	Karaikudi (43 km)	Ramanathapuram (57 km)
	Pudukkottai (84 km)	Sivaganga (91 km)

Location

Sthala puranam and temple information

We were made aware of this temple by the priest of the nearby Thillaivaneswarar temple, who undertakes the daily pujas at this temple as well, and also the Tirumeninathar temple in nearby Anandur. He also brought us here, had the shrine opened by the caretaker, for us to worship.

There is no sthala puranam that is known about this temple. Even the village elders did not know of it. What compounds the situation is the poor state of maintenance of this temple. The only heartening thing is the devotion of the priest, caretaker and villagers who, despite their limited means, get at least one puja conducted every day here.

From the looks of it, the temple seems to be from the early- to mid- medieval Chola period, as evidenced by the design of the temple interiors, the design of pillars, and exterior walls of the ardha mandapam and koshtam.

While there is no dhwajasthambam, at the entrance to the temple is a pole with a bell, followed by a Nandi mandapam that is missing its intended occupant. However, on the east-facing side of the front two pillars are bas relief images of Vinayakar and Murugan – such a depiction is almost unique, as far as I have seen.

The temple’s interior is quite simple, comprising of the antarala followed by the garbhagriham for the moolavar, and a separate south-facing shrine for Amman. However, Amman’s shrine is empty, though Amman’s vigraham is kept in the antarala itself. Also in this passage is a Nandi.

Viewed from the outside, the main temple – comprising the ardha mandapam and antarala – are made of red sandstone, which appears to be original to the temple. The a brick roof ceiling may well be a later addition. However, much of the exterior (including the vimanam) of what is the garbhagriham today, is a more modern brick and mortar construction.

Virtually throughout the entire perimeter of the temple, on bottom two layers of the adishtanam, there are inscriptions, which we were told had been taken for analysis by government epigraphists.

There are no koshtams, except the Dakshinamurti shrine which is also clearly a later addition. In the prakaram (if one can call it that, in the absence of any temple walls or other boundary markers), is a lone shrine for Vinayakar in the southwest corner. On the northern side is an empty and dilapidated shrine for Chandikeswarar.

We urge interested readers who may hail from this region, or indeed anyone else, to visit both the temples in this village, and support the cause of refurbishing these temples, in any way you can.