STRUCTURE OF SRI SOWMIYA NARAYANA PERUMAL TEMPLE - THIRUKOSHTIYUR IN SIVAGANGAI DISTRICT OF TAMIL NADU

Mrs. R.S. SANTHI

Volume : VII, Issue : II, February - 2018

STRUCTURE OF SRI SOWMIYA NARAYANA PERUMAL TEMPLE - THIRUKOSHTIYUR IN SIVAGANGAI DISTRICT OF TAMIL NADU

Mrs. R. S. Santhi

Abstract :

Thirukoshtiyur, the village is notable for the great temple, Thirukoshtiyur is known for its great temple, Sri Sowmya Narayana Perumal Thirukovil ( Thirukovil means temple ). which is one of the 108 divya desams.The holy shrines for the Vaisnavites. It comes under Pandya Naatu Thiruthalangal. Sri Sowmya Narayana Perumal Thirukovil, surrounded by a high walls on its four sides, with a Raja Gopuram (Main tower) at the entrance which shows the gigantism. The inner infrastructure, mainly sanathis( separate shrines) are unlike other temples. Inside the temple complex, The shrine for narayana is constructed in form of three stages, similar to that of three floors in a building. This interprets as Boologam (earth), Thiruparkadal, Vaikundham. Narayana appears in three stages in three forms. In Ground floor as Krishna in dancing posture. Next level he is sayana thirukolam (sayana = sliding, thirukolam = posture), a posture resting on Athisesha. And top most level in standing posture as Sri Sowmya Narayana Perumal. This form of appearances of Narayana is been poetically described as Nindran (means Standing posture), Kidanthan (means sleeping posture), Aadinan (means dancing posture) by Alwars.