Cheranmadevi
Cheranmahadevi is a panchayat town in Tirunelveli district in the state of Tamil Nadu, India.
The name "Cheranmahadevi" is combination of Three words "Cheran" + "Maha" + "Devi". It is located on the right side bank of the river Thamirabarani.
Temples
Cheranmahadevi has numerous temples located in it. The Ammanatha Swamy temple is one of the Nava Kailasam temples. This is an ancient Shiva temple. Bhairava in this temple doesn't have dog with him.Vaidhyanatha swamy temple of Cheranmadevi is another ancient Shiva temple. This temple's Maha mandabam was built by Sadaavarma Thiripuvana Chakravarthy Kulasekaran in 1322.
It has a central government controlled archaeological temple named Bakthavachala vishnu temple which is considered to be a monument for its medieval carvings referring to the period of Chola and Pandiya kings.The temple was built in the year 1012-1044 A.D and devotees are allowed to worship on the day called Vidhivadha.
Also, it has Murugan Temple in Kolunthara Malai. It is said when Hanuman was taking the Sanjeevani to Sri Lanka. The small piece of the mountain fell in Cheranmahadevi. Hence, the mountain name has been derived as Kolunthara Malai, where "Kolunthu" means 'a plucked twig'. Today also, this mountain has lot of medicinal plants that are used in various Ayurvedic treatments.
History
Sathurvethimangalam is the historical name of cheranmahadevi in that mangalam means "a place donated by a king to a priest". The proof of this name was located on 4 kalvettu and then in another says "சேரவன்மாதேவி இராசராச பாண்டிய நாட்டு உத்தம சோழ வளநாட்டு முள்ளி நாட்டு பிரம்மநேயம் நிலகரி சோழ சதுர்வேதிமங்கலம்"This is known after "பிராந்தக வீரநாராயணனின்" wife "வானமன்மதேவி "who ruled from the year a.c 885- 903. This information was provided by "neelakanda shastri". Cheranmahadevi was under the ruling of kings like pandiyas, cherans, cholans, vijayanagra, chola pandiya, chera pandiya, veenadu kings we have the proof for their ruling of the city. Cheranmahadevi was known as King Cheran's gift to her daughter.
We can see the history of the Christian church which is located in heart of the city on the cheranmahadevi and Ambai road on the right side St. Emmanuel church opened on the year 8-4-1925 by Norman Hendry and the front mandapam was opened by father Jason dharamaraj. There are about 12 sub churches are under the direct control of the church located around cheranmahadevi. In that kuniyoor, melaputhukudi and veeravanallur kellakkullam, c.samathanapuram primary schools are under the control of the church missionary. The church was started on the year 1889 and the 100th year celebrations were done on 1989. The bell was installed in the year 1994 by
And then in the year A.C 1870 Anthony muthu started st.soosaiyapar primary school. The school was on its 140th year now.
Chola kings has a god bonding with cheranmahadevi in 1009-1012 period "first raja raja cholan" and then from 1070 to 1112 "first kulothunga cholan" was in link with the cheranmahadevi temples. In 1304 in pandiyas "sadayavarman kulasekrapandiyan, sadayavarman sundrapandiyan" has a link with cheranmahadevi. And then Madurai nayak king muthukrishna verapa nayakanar in 16th century has a link with the city. And then venad cheran king puthala veera marthanda varma in 1437 has a bonding with cheranmahadevi. In cheranmahadevi most old temples like "மூலக்கோவில், அப்பன் வெங்கடாசலபதி கிருஷ்ணன் கோவில், ராமசாமி கோவில், நடூவூரளப்பர் கோவில், பத்மவச்சல்ர் கோவில், அம்மைநாத சுவாமி கோவில்" in that temples it contains about 150 and more "கல்வெட்டு ". These are about 600 years old and it contains about the history of people, social network, and culture, hereditary etc.
Cheranmahadevi has an important part in freedom fight v.o.c iyer was one of the biggest freedom fighter who lost his life while trying to save his daughter supatra on kalyana theertham. The bharatwaja ashramam was founded by him to produce lot of freedom fighters from this area. Cheranmahadevi has another specialty once in this ashramam congress meeting was conducted on that time for those who attended the meeting food and water were provided. It was provided separately for certain people than others E. Vae. Ramasamy left the congress because of this act. And founded dravida kalakam here in cheranmahadevi the event was mentioned in his autobiography. The ashramam was given to gandhiji in the year 1935 then it was known as “அரிசன் சேவக்சமாஜ்”.and then ashramam was taken under the control of assembly member of Ambaimr.gomathi shankara dechidhar then it was upgraded to student hostel and now it was under the control of divyananda swamy it has thirupiraidurai next to trichy as head office.
In the congress period Mr. Gomati shakara dechidhar made sufficient efforts for a roadway bridge over the Thamirabarani River in 1965 the bridge was opened by jeyakamaraj udaiyar who was the governor of Tamil Nadu that time that paves a new way to Cheranmahadevi
Temples in Cheranmahadevi
In cheranmahadevi a millagu pillayar temple is situated in their every time if there is a drought situation without rain in Cheranmahadevi “மிளகை அரைத்து பிள்ளையார் உடல் முமுவதும் புசுவர்” then water will be filled until he gets drowned if this event happens people believe that rain will come. When we inquired a local man mr.kanagavel owner of an agency named Arul said that not only from Cheranmahadevi from Kerala also if there is a scarcity of rain people used to come with about 5 kg of millaga for performing the ritual. They use coconut water instead of water for drowning him.
Appan Kovil: The temple near the Thamirabarani River in the junction Cheranmahadevi road known as snake temple also. Since the priest in temple was well-versed in handling the snakes and he also treated them as pets. He raised snakes he caught on the city. Many people feared entering the temple because many pictures of snakes lined its walls. By seeing the architecture here, we can come to conclusion that it dates to the 13th century. And from A.C 1590 the temple was under the direct control of the government.
Saraswathi Pandram : In this temple Saraswathi Pandaram has been established. Saraswathi means books or written material pandaram means Storage area i.e. library. Saraswathi pandaram was established in the period A.C 1251- 1284 by Seithai sundara pandiyan.
Anna Thana sathiram : the person responsible for the construction of the Canadian canal opened an annathana sathiram namely “Canadian Sathiram”. And then for it in pollikari, karukurichi and in the canal flowing lands 30 acres was given for it free of cost. The poor priest where given food daily here. And this Canadian sathiram was under the control of the people who spoke Kannada. Now they are in various places like Bangalore, Indore, Delhi, and Chennai. Now due to the income shortage from rice has resulted in the anna thanam has been closed.