Pillayarpatti Karpaga Vinayagar Temple

Introduction to the Pillayarpatti Karpaga Vinayagar Temple

Pillayarpatti Karpaga Vinayagar Temple is an ancient rock-cut cave temple located in the Sivagangai district, Tamilnadu. This is the only temple in Tamil Nadu with a 6-foot rock-cut Pillayar. Pillayarpatti is named after 'Pillayar,' the Tamil name for Ganesha. The temple is famous for its architectural beauty and rock-cut idols carved from a single stone.

History of the Pillayarpatti Karpaga Vinayagar Temple

Pillayarpatti Karpaga Vinayagar Temple was built during the reign of the Pandya dynasty in the 5th century AD. The temple's inscriptions reveal that Vikrama Pandya Thevar, Sundara Pandya Thevar, Kulasekhara Thevar, and Kuluthunga Chola III made endowments to the temple. In the 13th Century AD, the Nattukottai Chettiars contributed lands and jewels and made several structural additions to the temple.

According to Agama's inscriptions on the temple's stones, it might have been built between 1091 and 1238. However, different Pillayarpatti Karpaga Vinayagar Temple inscriptions date back to the 4th century AD, so there is no exact date of construction.

The Architecture of the Pillayarpatti Karpaga Vinayagar Temple

The ancient rock-cut Pillayarpatti Karpaga Vinayagar Temple is a magnificent testament to early Pandyan architecture. It is said to have undergone three stages of growth throughout its history. This temple has two Raja Gopurams and a grand Vimana.

This Pillayarpatti Karpaga Vinayagar Temple is dedicated to Karpaga Vinayagar, seen here in bas-relief. He faces north, the direction of Kubera, with a trunk turned to the right, Valampuri position. The main deity, Karpaga Vinayagar, a form of Ganesha, is 6 feet tall and 5 feet wide and carved out of rock inside the cave. Karpaga Vinayagar appears with two arms, unlike in other places where he is seen with four arms. Also, he sits without Angusapasam, with his legs folded without touching his stomach in the form of Ardha Padmasana. There is a rock-cut Shiva Lingam and a bas-relief of Ardhanarishvara.

The special feature of the Pillayarpatti Karpaga Vinayagar Temple is the unique idol of Ganesha, which Adi Shankaracharya installed.

The Pillayarpatti Karpaga Vinayagar Temple also enshrines a Shiva Lingam called Tiruveesar carved into the cave wall, and Marudankudi Eesar with his consort Vaadaamalar Mangai. Devotees can see a five-headed snake wearing a Lingam on its neck, a unique carving here.

The sculpture of Pasupatheeswarar - a cow worshipping Shiva by offering milk, is another unique feature of this Pillayarpatti Karpaga Vinayagar Temple. Kubera, the demi-god of wealth, is also worshipped here. Lakshmi, Saraswathi, and Durga grace together at the same shrine. Nagalingam and Katyayani have separate shrines. Sabda Madhar has a separate shrine called Shakthi Sannidhi. The presence of over 15 inscriptions within the temple helps establish its age.

The Nagarathar (Chettiar) community manages the Pillayarpatti Karpaga Vinayagar Temple. Vinayagar satisfies his devotees' wishes like a Karpagam tree, so he is called "Karpaga Vinayagar." A renowned artist, Ekkattur Koon Peruparanan, sculpted the sanctum. The principles of the ancient Hindu text of Agama Shastra are implemented in the Pillayarpatti Karpaga Vinayagar Temple. The text specifies the temple construction, meditative practices, and deity worship.

The Pillayarpatti Karpaga Vinayagar Temple is one of the four main Arjuna Kshetras in South India; others are Thirupudai Maruthur -Tirunelveli, Thiruvudai Maruthur -Thanjavur, and Srisailam- Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh.

Festivals in the Pillayarpatti Karpaga Vinayagar Temple

A 10-day Vinayagar Chaturthi festival is grandly celebrated in the Pillayarpatti Karpaga Vinayagar Temple between August and September every year. On the 9th day of Vinayaka Chaturthi, Karpaga Vinayagar is covered with 80 kg of sandalwood paste (Santhana Kappu).

The Pillayarpatti Karpaga Vinayagar Temple conducts another ten-day festival between May and June to honor the village deity Kongu Nachiyamman, whose processional idol is housed in the temple.

The Margazhi Tiruvadhirai festival is also held here between December and January to honor Nataraja and Sivakami.

Benefits of Worshipping at the Pillayarpatti Karpaga Vinayagar Temple

Women with Sevvai Dosham believe that worshipping Katyayani Amman in the Pillayarpatti Karpaga Vinayagar Temple can bring relief from their Dosha.