Mukteeswarar, Kodukizhi, Thanjavur

Basic information about the temple

Moolavar:	Mukteeswarar	Ambal / Thayar:	–
Deity:	Siva	Historical name:
Vriksham:		Teertham:
Agamam:		Age (years):
Timing:	to & to	Parikaram:
Temple group:		–
Sung by:		Temple set:
Navagraham:		Nakshatram:
City / town:	Kodukizhi	District:	Thanjavur
Maps from (click):	Current location	Thanjavur (20 km)	Kumbakonam (22 km)
	Ariyalur (43 km)	Tiruvarur (52 km)

Location

Sthala puranam and temple information

The interesting name of this village is also connected to the etymology of the nearby village of Ponman Meindha Nallur. Both villages are connected with the Ramayanam, and according to one local retelling, when Rama, Lakshmana and Sita were in the forest, Maricha took the form of the golden deer and grazed about in Ponman Meindha Nallur. Later, when Rama went after the golden deer and Sita urged Lakshmana to help out Rama, he drew a line in the sand (popularly, the Lakshman Rekha) that She was not to cross. The village of Kodukizhi (literally, to draw a line) derives its name from this!

Several other villages in the vicinity are also named for incidents from the above episode of the Ramayanam. These include Mattiyanthidal (Man-thangiya-thidal), Mathagaram (Man-thangiya-agaram), Mannallur, Mathangarai (Man-thangiya-karai), Valathamangalam (Maanai-valaitha-mangalam), Mangudi, Vadakkumangudi, Semmangudi, and Pullamangudi, among others.

The temple itself as it stands today, is a dilapidated brick structure, of unknown provenance and age. The structure lies on the side of the road, on the northern bank of the Vettaru river. Inside the temple – if one were to call it that – is a single Siva Lingam.

No further information about this temple is known. Even the name of the moolavar – Mukteeswarar – is given by the local villagers, and has no established history to it.

A small businessman from Coimbatore, who is also involved in aiding and assisting the renovation efforts at some other temples, has taken up the task of rebuilding this temple.