Ayiloor - 100 Agraharams Project

Описание: Ayiloor - 100 Agraharams Project

The place Ayilur derived its name from the abundance of the Cedar trees. In Tamil அகில் means a fragrant Agar tree which is used in incense.

Thirugnana sambandhar says
"கலையுடை விரிதுகில் கமழ்குழல் அகில்புகை
மலையுடை மடமகள் தனையிடம் உடையோன்.."

Sambandha peruman mentions the fragrant tresses of Parvati devi which smells like Akhil incense. So I wonder which Akil helped the place with its name.
The structure reminds me of the great Shiva temples in Kerala.

"Datable to very ancient period, the temple has an idol believed to have been consecrated by Sree Khara, along with the other temples at Pallävoor and Trppaloor. As in the case of Pallavoor it is also believed that the jurisdiction of Pallava kingdom extended over this region also. The place got the name Akiloor as it had a large number of Akil (Cedar) trees and the temple got the name Akileswaran which was later corrupted as Akhileswaran meaning God of the Universe."

"The temple has some peculiarity with regard to the position of the Pratishtha of Sree Nandikeswaran. Generally Sree Nandikeswaran, the vähana of the Lord is installed at the namaskära-mandapam facing the deity. But in this temple Sree Nandikeswaran is installed at the southern side. 

For the last few centuries the temple was owned by the Cochin Royal family. When the Cochin Dēvaswam Board was formed in 1951 the temple was taken over by the Board. Earlier the temple had paddy fields which fetched 20,000 paras of paddy and four acres of dry land which constitute the temple complex. 

The structures thereon are sreekovil, namaskara-mandapam, chuttambalam with attached mandapams, balikkal-pura, pradakshina-vazhi, sub-shrines, deepa-stambham, valiya-balikkall, naga-tara, chariot-shed, well and tank. The square garbha-gha has thick circular walls. In addition there are two pradakshina pathas within the sreekovil, a feature of great architectural importance."

Radhe Krishna

Sriram(Hari)
100-Agraharams Project
Rama Bhagavathar Charitable Trust
August 7, 2024