| Description:
This Shivastalam is one of the 7 shrines associated with the Sapta Matas
(Abhirami); the other 7 being Pullamangai
(Chamundi), Thazhaimangai (Mahendri), Soolamangai (Kaumari), Arimangai (Maheswari),
Nandimangai (Vaishnavi), Pasupatimangai (Varahi). Chakrapalli is
considered to be the 17th in the series of Tevara Stalams in the Chola
kingdom located south of the river Kaveri. Legend has it that
Indra and his son Jayanta prayed to Shiva here ; Vishnu obtained his discus (Chakram)
after worshipping Shiva here, hence the name Chakrapalli. This legend is similar to that
at Tirumalper near Kanchipuram
and to that at Tiruveezhimizhalai near Tiruvirkudi
Veerattam. This is a
small temple associated with the Swamimalai temple. The main shrine
faces East and there are the customary niche images of Ganesha,
Dakshinamurthy, Lingodbhava, Bhrahma and Durga with additional shrines
to Surya, Chandra and Bhairava. There are inscriptions from the period
of Kulottunga III that bear testimony to the democratic norms of the
times. |
