https://youtu.be/lGxNmkrHKwg The uniqueness of the temple is carved out of rock see 2nd minute video. Also octagonal pond KR IRS 91125
On Sat, 8 Nov 2025 at 19:30, 'gopala krishnan' via Thatha_Patty < [email protected]> wrote: > *SATHYAMURTHI PERUMAL TEMPLE, THIRUMAYAM , PUDUKKOTTAI DISTRICT-TAMILNADU* > > Introduction > > Sathyamurthi Perumal Temple in Thirumayam, a panchayat town in the South > Indian state of Tamil Nadu, is dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu. > Constructed in the Dravidian style of architecture, the temple is glorified > in the Nalayira Divya Prabandham, the early medieval Tamil canon of the > Alvar saints from the 6th–9th centuries CE. *It is one of the 108 Divya > Desams dedicated to Vishnu*, who is worshipped as *Sathyamurthi Perumal* > and his consort Lakshmi as Ujeevana Thayar. > > The temple is believed to have been built during the *9th century by the > Pallavas*. A granite wall surrounds the temple, enclosing all its > shrines. The temple has a five-tiered Rajagopuram, the gateway tower and > is behind a fort built during the 15th century. The temple tank is located > inside the premises. > > *The temple is maintained and administered by the Archaeological Survey of > India* as a protected monument. > > The temple follows the Tenkalai tradition of worship. Four daily rituals > and many yearly festivals are held at the temple, of which the car > festival during the Tamil month of Vaikasi (April - May), Krishna Jayanti > during Avani (August - September) and *Adi Puram* during July - August > being the most prominent. > > Legend > > *The Brahmanda Purana mentions the legend about this temple*. > > Once, Adishesha, the serpent-mount of Vishnu, wanted to convert his guna > (quality) from tamas (darkness) to satvik (purity). He performed a > penance at this place via the netherworld in a path, which went on to > become the *river Pamapar. Vishnu appeared to him in the form of > Hayagriva and granted him a boon.* Chandra also performed penance at this > place. Vishnu was pleased by his devotion and appeared to him in the form > of Vamana. > > *Another legend about the temple is that a sage named* Satya performed > penance at this place. Pleased by his devotion, Vishnu granted him a boon > that he would appear to the sage whenever he wished. The sage had no wish > to move away from river where he was performing the penance. *Vishnu > converted the river to a Pushkarani,* the rock to Meyyam hill and banyan > tree to Asvatta tree. The sage performed penance again and wished > salvation. *Vishnu told him that he would attain salvation at the same > time as king Pururava*. > > Vishnu appeared in the form of a boar and created havoc in the kingdom of > Pururava. The king chased the boar to the forest where the sage was > performing penance. The sage was disturbed and opened the eyes, while the > king saw the boar disappeared. *Vishnu appeared to grant a vision to both > of them.* He granted salvation to the sage and *directed the king to > build a temple at this place, which went on to become the Satyamurthi > Perumal temple*. > > History > > Historians believe that the temple was built during the *9th century CE* > by the Pallavas. Another view is that the temple to have been built by a > *vassal > of Pallavas following the Rock-cut architecture of Group of Monuments at > Mahabalipuram* built by Mahendravarman I *(590-630 CE)* and his son > Narasimhavarman I. > > An inscription in the temple indicates contributions to the temple by > Perumbidugu Perumdevi, mother of Sattan Maran, a contemporary and vassal of > Pallava king Nandivarman II (731-796 CE). > > *The fort, the Shiva and Vishnu temples are the tourist attractions*. The > fort played an important role in the history of Thondaiman rulers of > Pudukottai and the British. The 40-acre fort was built by Vijaya Ragunatha > Sethupathi of Ramanathapuram in 1687 CE. > > *On the hill, there is a rock-cut Shiva temple with inscriptions on music*. > There are relics of another fort. > > *At the foot of the hill are the Shiva and Vishnu temples.* It was in > this fort that the brother of Kattabomman, *Oomathurai was ensnared and > imprisoned*. An old armour used by him is exhibited here. > > Architecture > > The temple is located in Thirumayam, a village in the Madurai - Pudukottai > road, 15 km from Pudukkotai. *The temple is adjacent to the > Sathyagiriswara Sivan temple, located in the same complex*. The temple is > believed to have been built during the 9th century by the Pandyas. A > granite wall surrounds the temple, enclosing all its shrines. The temple > has a five-tiered rajagopuram, the gateway tower and is behind a fort built > during the 15th century. The temple tank is located inside the premises. > There are lot of stone sculptures in the temples as in Mahabalipuram.The > idol of Thirumeyyar is probably the largest one in sleeping posture in India > > Just next to the temple is that of Sathyagirishwarar- Lord Shiva and the > *girivalam > is possible only if the two temples are combined.* > > The hall preceding the sanctum, the Ardha mandapa is rectangular in shape, > similar to the sanctum. The wall behind the presiding deity has images of > Garuda, Chitragupta, Markandeya, Brahma, the Devas, Vasus, and the Kinnaras. > > We can see the well stretched and huge Raja Gopuram, which is found at the > entrance of the temple. This sthalam is also called as “Aadhi Ragam” and > the perumal is older and bigger than that of the perumal found in > SriRangam. After entering through the Raja Gopuram, we can find a big > Mandapam where lots of stone carved pillars are found with beautiful > paintings. Separate sannadhi for Sri Kannan, Sri Aandal, Chakrathalwar and > Narasimhar are found. > > After crossing this Mandapam another big mandapam named “Maha Mandapam '' > is found in which the Garudan facing along the Moolavar Sannadhi is found. > > Moolavar Sathya giri nathan in Nindra thirukkolam and next to this > sannadhis, separate sannadhi for Uyya Vandha Naachiyaar is found. > > On the western side inside the mountain, as Bogha Sayana Moorthy in > Anantha Sayanam, the perumal in another thirukkolam is giving his seva and > this perumal is big in structure then SriRangam Ranganathar. Having > Adhiseshan as the bed, the perumal gives his Kidantha Kola seva with two > Thirukkaram (hands) as same as the Ranganathar found in SriRangam. > > Around this perumal, Chitraguptan, Markandeya Maharishi, Brahma devan and > Garudan are found. Chitraguptan who assist along with Yamen, the king of > Naragham (the hell) and the Maarkandeya maharishi who has got the > “Sirangeevi” throne are found around the perumal to show the courts of > people along with their good and evil actions performed by them. On the > thiruvadi (feet) of the perumal, Bhoomi piratti and Madhu Kaidapars are > found. > > This temple is almost the same as that of the temple in Mahabalipuram. We > can find lots of stone carved Sculptures and paintings and the Perumal is > found inside the mountain and it serves as the umbrella for him. Another > temple named “Keeyai Kovil” is found where a temple for Lord Shiva is > found. The name of him is “Sathya gireeswarar”. It is said that Mahendra > pallavan had constructed this temple for both Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva > without having any racism between Saivism and Vaishnavism. > > About the temple > > This beautiful rock cut temple is among the 108 divyadesams of Sri > Vaishnavas and comes under *Pandiya naatu divyadesams*. The temple is > inside a huge fort and *adjoining is the Sathyagiriswarar temple of Lord > Shiva.* The presiding deity is Sathyagiri nathan/Sathyamoorthy perumal > with prayoga chakra and shanku in his hands and is swayambu moorthy. > Adjoining it is the sannadhi for Meyyappar perumal who is lying on > Adiseshan and gives darshan in sayana kolam. Meyyappar perumal is similar > to Lord Ranganatha at Srirangam but is really huge in comparison. Also in > the sannadhi are chitragupta, Dharmaraj, Brahma, several devas, rishis and > asuras. Bhoomi Devi thayar appears close to his feet. There is a separate > sannadhi for Ujjeevana thayar. > > Deities > > The presiding deity is called *Sathyamurthi Perumal*. The temple is old > and large, and striking in appearance. The main statue of Sathyamurthi > Perumal approximately *seven feet in height is standing on a rock*, along > with his wives in the first sanctum. > > In the next sanctum, Mahavishnu's sculpture is in *sleeping position*, > sleeping > with a sense of knowing what is going on at present. Sculptures of > Mahavishnu in this position can be viewed in many temples, although this > is one of the largest examples. > > There are many other sanctums in the temple. All the statues are > sculptured beautifully. It is this, the reclining form of Vishnu christened > Azhagiya Neyyar (the Deity who enchants all his devotees with his beauty), > that is also *the largest sculpture of Anantasayi (Vishnu in reclining > pose*) in India. It is a natural cavern which has been rock cut to have > various images. *The wall behind the presiding deity has images of > Garuda, Chitragupta, Markandeya, Brahma, the devas, the vasus, and the > kinnaras.* > > The temple is maintained and administered by the Archaeological Survey of > India as a ticketed monument. > > Sannadhis > > Sathyamoorthy perumal .Meyyappar perumal > > Ujjeevana thayar,Chakratazhwar > > Lakshmi Narasimhar,Ramar, Sita, Lakshmana > > Andal,Krishna,Anjaneya,Garuda,*Vishwaksenar* > > Idols > > Alwars, Acharyas, Lot of nagars > > Religious significance, Religious practices and festival > > Sathyamurthi Perumal temple is revered in Nalayira Divya Prabhandam, the > 7th–9th century Vaishnava canon, by Thirumangai Alvar. The temple is > classified as a Divya Desam, one of the 108 Vishnu temples that are > mentioned in the book. During the 18th and 19th centuries, the temple finds > mention in several works like 108 Tirupathi Anthathi by Divya Kavi Pillai > Perumal Aiyangar. > > The image of the reclining deity is bigger than the Ranganatha image in > Srirangam temple. The Adishesha in the temple is believed to as a > protecting force. Once it emanated fumes on the attacking asuras who wanted > to destroy it. Following the legend, the image is sculpted in such a way > showing flames emanating from it. > > The temple follows the traditions of the Tenkalai sect of the Vaishnava > tradition and follows vaikhānasāgama. In modern times, the temple priests > perform the pooja (rituals) during festivals and on a daily basis. As at > other Vishnu temples of Tamil Nadu, the priests belong to the Vaishnavaite > community, from the Brahmin class. *Four daily rituals are performed at > various times of the day and many yearly festivals are held at the temple*, > of > > Festivals > > Many yearly festivals are held at the temple, of which the car festival > during the Tamil month of Vaikasi (April - May), Krishna Jayanti during > Aaavani (August - September) and Aadi Pooram during July - August being the > most prominent. > > Krishna Jayanti is celebrated in large scale. There are weekly, monthly > and fortnightly rituals performed in the temple > > How to reach > > Thirumayam is around 20 KMs from Tirupattur and 15 KMs from Pudukottai. > The temple is about a KM from the main Tirupattur - Pudukottai state > highway. One can get down at Thirumayam bus stand and either walk down from > there or take an auto. The nearest station is Thirumayam on the > Karaikudi-Pudukottai route. Nearest airport is Madurai around 90 KMs away. > > Specialty of the temple > > Adiseshan is said to have let off poisonous gas against the asuras and > hence appears here in the same form. > > Temple timings > > The temple is open from 8 am to 12.30 noon and from 4.30 pm to 8 pm in the > evenings. > > Administration > > The temple is maintained and administered by the Archaeological Survey of > India as a protected monument. > > Sthala Vruksham: (Tree) and Vimanam > > Jackfruit tree-Vimanam:Sathya giri Vimaanam. > > *Compiled and posted by R. Gopalakrishnan Dated 08-11-2025* > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "Thatha_Patty" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [email protected]. > To view this discussion visit > https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/thatha_patty/1498160642.3607559.1762610326288%40mail.yahoo.com > <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/thatha_patty/1498160642.3607559.1762610326288%40mail.yahoo.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> > . > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Thatha_Patty" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/thatha_patty/CAL5XZoq5GNue6r9vx%3DhLosER9jRissVgrM1xB5bsy%3DdTYr%2B4hA%40mail.gmail.com.
