Perur

Perur is located about seven kilometers from Coimbatore city. Even today this is a simple village where the famous Siva Temple, Patteeswarar is situated. Predominantly this is an agricultural village, where sugar cane, coconut, and banana are grown. If one travels from Coimbatore to Perur through these groves one will wonder as we are in a beautiful paradise.

Although this seems to be a village, this place got the name Perur in Tamil ‘Per+oor’ makes Perur. ‘Per’ [periya] means huge, and ‘orr’ means town or settlement. Therefore it goes without telling this place has a long history and was a big town once.

As was the practice human settlements were made on the banks of some rivers, so also this settlement at Perur. Perur is on the banks of Noyyal River, hence there is no wonder that this place must have been rich in agricultural products and bustling with activities. Originally the name of the River was ‘Kanchinadi’, today it has taken the name of the place [Noyyal in Karur District] where she joins River Kaveri.

There is historical evidence to suggest that this was a place of worship since the Neolithic Age. About a few years back, a hand-axe belonging to that period was excavated during a surface-collection expedition by The Department of Archaeology of Tamilnadu.

Noyyal, Perur and Coimbatore

The township of Coimbatore once was surrounded by the Noyyal River and its canals, tanks, and rivulets. The Noyyal River and its interconnected tank and canal system, believed to have been originally built by the Chalukya Cholas kings, was then an efficient system that provided water transport, and storage, and maintained stable groundwater levels. Surplus water from the Noyyal River spilled into the canals and was channeled to the tanks, preventing unwanted flooding. The tanks were a major factor in replenishing the groundwater through the percolation of the subsoil water.

The places on the banks of Noyyal near Coimbatore had been a part of the Roman spice route and trading with Rome in the east and Middle East was in vogue during 1st century itself. This is evident from the fact that large quantities of Roman coins were excavated in Vellalore near Coimbatore on the banks of Noyyal.

Perur and its temples

The temple for Lord Siva had been built by Karikala Cholan who belongs to the Sangam period. Therefore it is seen that worship of Pateeswarar was in existence at Perur and a temple for Pateeswarar was built by this great Chola Raja.

Perur was the capital of Coimbatore from the 12th to 17th Century AD. Literary evidence shows that Sundarar sang in praise of Pateeswarar when he came to visit his friend Cheramaan Perumal, a king who ruled Kerala. The inscriptions on the walls of the temple are a record of the lives of the people who lived in the region from the 10th to the 17th Century A.D. Any temple acts as a nodal point for a hospital, a bank, an education centre, a court, and a military camp and this temple is no exception.

Perur and Rayas

This place was under the rule of Vijayanagara emperors initially. They and then the Madurai Nayaks contributed immense art treasure by adding mandapam with artistic pillars. Today these art sculptured pillars are seen as a monumental work of the Vijayanagara and Nayak periods.

Sri Achudhadeva raya had given charities to the temples and Mutts of this region which were propagating the value of dharma. It is no secret that Rayas, Nayaks, and Mysore rulers were ardent devotees of Sri Hanuman and during their time many temples had come up for Sri Hanuman in this region. Perur also had its share and an exceptionally good temple for Sri Anjaneya on the banks of the Noyyal River near Patteswarar temple.

Hanuman temple on the banks of Noyyal in Perur

On the bank of the river Noyyal and very adjacent to the Patteswarar temple, there is a temple for Sri Hanuman. This temple is in existence from rayas time onwards. People used to offer prayers to Sri Hanuman after taking a bath in the river. This practice of having a temple for Sri Ganesha and Sri Hanuman on the banks of the river or a huge water tank [kulam] has been in vogue for many years. The temple is east-facing and spacious. Earlier pujas were conducted in this temple as per the Madva sampradaya. The temple is known by the name ‘Sri Hanumantharayan Kovil’.

Sri Hanumantharaya

The murtham is seven feet in height. Both murtham and the tiruvachi had been carved out of a single granite stone.

Lord is seen in a standing posture and facing east. The beauty of the standing posture and the elegance of the Lord is a feast to the eyes of devotees. The devotee will not like to take his eyes off the deity, such a grace in the pose. It is beyond description.

Lord’s lotus feet adorning hollow anklets are seen firmly rooted to the ground. The left leg is graciously bent and the right leg is straight and firm, these make the Lord’s lower hip move rightward adding beauty to the posture. In His hands, He is wearing kangan on the wrist and keyuram on the arm. His left hand is seen resting on the graciously bent left thigh and at the same time holding the stem of the saugandhika flower. His right hand is seen raised with abhaya mudra, assuring the devotee of fearlessness. His tail is raised on the back of His right hand and takes a bend above the head. And at the end of the tail is a neatly tied small bell. Lord is wearing three malas on His neck, one of which has a pendant in his bosom. Lord's face is elegant and draws the attention of the devotees. His ‘kora pal’ assures the devotees of His determination to eradicate ‘adharma’. He is wearing an earring which is long and touching the shoulders. Neatly combed kesam of the Lord a small portion of which flows on the sides of the head adds beauty to the deity. The Lord is facing straight and the eyes of the Lord directly shower the blessing on the devotee.

 

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SRI HANUMAN THINKS DIFFERENTLY, THINKS FAST
THINKS AHEAD AND ACTS FOR SURE

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Ed [August 2018]
Updates: [Jan 2025]

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