Interest on Mannar Kurunthankulam Pillaiar Temple is on the increase
The Mannar Kurunthankulam Pillaiyar Temple which is claimed to belonging to 13 Century AD is drawing much interest in recent days. Devotees from Mannar Thiruketheeswaram Nanattan, Manthai undertook a pilgrimage to this temple recently.
To reach this temple one hast to travel around 10 Kilometers through pathless terrain from Kalliyady Thethavady. Small dried tanks are found on the way.
In front of the Pillaiyar Temple the Kurunthan Kulam is found with a wide bund. Construction is similar to Allirani Fort in Arrippu and Rasamadu Kali temple. A Sivalingam had been sculptured in between two Cobras looking at each other, sculptured in granite.
Tamils have a tradition of living near water sources and worshiped deities placed under trees near the water sources. But temple being built here in granite give rise to possibility of people with much power living in these areas.
The current care taker of the temple and adjacent lands, Kumarasamy Thirunavukkarasu said, As far as I could remember our fore fathers had lived here. They had been bestowed with title of “Udayar”
Prof. Pusparatnam said that this land had been given by foreigners to the ancestors of Thirunavukkarasu. The present occupants are their 7th generation.
