{{Short description|Hindu temple in Tamil Nadu, India}} {{Infobox religious building | name = Penneshvarar Temple | building_name = Penneshvaramadam Temple | religious_affiliation = [[Hinduism]] | image = | caption = Part of [[Great Living Chola Temples]] | map_type = India#Tamil Nadu | coordinates = {{Coord|12.39344|78.24570|format=dms|type:landmark_region:IN|display=inline,title}} | map_caption = Location in Tamil Nadu, India | location = [[Krishnagiri]] | deity = [[Shiva]] | district = [[Krishnagiri District]] | state = [[Tamil Nadu]] | country = [[India]] | architecture_style = [[Chola architecture]] | creator = [[Kulothunga Chola III]] | year_completed = 1188 AD | inscriptions = [[Tamil language|Tamil]] | footnotes = }}
'''Penneshvarar Temple,''' also known as Penneshvaramadam Shiva Temple, is a [[Hindu temple]] of [[Shiva]] in the Krishnagiri district in Tamilnadu. It was built by [[Kulothunga Chola III]] in the year 1188 CE in the 12th Century CE, after defeating the [[Hoysala dynasty]] of present-day [[Karnataka]] region. It is located in Penneshvaramadam, [[Kaveripattinam, Krishnagiri|Kaveripattinam Town]] near Talihalli, [[Krishnagiri district|Krishnagiri District]]. The temple is straight next to [[Thenpennai River]] which flows from Nandi Hills. This Temple exists as the origin for [[Bharadvaja]] [[Gotra]], an ethnic group of [[Brahmana]]s in [[Tamil Nadu]] who are royal descendants of later [[Pallavas]] ([[Pallava dynasty]]) had capital as present day [[Kanchipuram]] on [[Palar River]] in [[Tamilnadu]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Seshadri |first=Sudha |date=2019-09-25 |title=Pallavas & the Tale of Two Cities |url=https://www.livehistoryindia.com/story/eras/pallavas-tale-of-two-cities |access-date=2022-11-18 |website=www.livehistoryindia.com |language=en}}</ref> They got migrated to western part of Tamilnadu ([[Kongu Nadu]]) and towards some parts of Karnataka. The Temple has the highest number of sculptures of Navakandam within the state of Tamil Nadu.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Heritager |first=A. Wandering |date=2019-09-11 |title=A Wandering Heritager: NADUKARKAL – NAVAKANDAM, HERO & SATI STONES ( VEERAKALLU ) OF PENNESWARAMADAM NEAR KAVERIPATTINAM IN KRISHNAGIRI DISTRICT, TAMIL NADU. |url=http://wanderingheritager.blogspot.com/2019/09/nadukarkal-navakandam-hero-sati-stones.html |access-date=2022-11-18 |website=A Wandering Heritager}}</ref>
The 7-tiered [[Rajagopuram]], which is the largest in the Krishnagiri District of Tamilnadu, is told to be built by the [[Athiyaman]]. The temple has the inscriptions regarding the port of [[Chennai]] ([[Chennai city|Chennapattinam]]), as well as information regarding digging canal in Chennapattinam during the time of Kampanna II.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2014-08-21 |title=Madras is not alien |language=en-IN |work=The Hindu |url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/history-and-culture/madras-is-not-alien/article6338551.ece |access-date=2022-11-18 |issn=0971-751X}}</ref> It has the statue of Kulothunga Chola III as a proof and tribute to the constructor of the temple. It is [[Parashurama]] who prays to [[Shiva]] in Penneshvaramadam after killing evil Kshatriyas 21 times.
== History == The Temple has various inscriptions of different periods by different kings and queens and kingdoms and empires who ruled Krishnagiri district of Tamilnadu. It's been identified that around 42 inscription stones been found and many Navakandam sculptures also found. There is another interesting inscription of Vira Ramanathan the [[Hoysala dynasty]] king of 13th century CE, which tells that the person who begs in the jurisdiction of the king will be killed. This also represents that the king was conscious on availability of food for every people in his empire also the fact written in the inscription is that it was written in 41 years of the king Ramanatha. In 12th Century CE, there was a [[Thevaram]] Palli (Thevaram School) which still has sites and space remains of the school which is identified through the inscriptions available in the temple. This temple has the inscription which details about the name of the Queen of [[Rajaraja Chola III|Raja Raja Chola III]] as "Vanakovar [[Iyer|Ayyar]] Mahalala Koothadum Devanachiyar" who has lighted a lamp in the temple which also has the special inscription of Cholas has been found in this temple with their symbol, the Chola tiger emblem.
== Nomenclature == [[File:Kulothunga Chola III statchu in penneswaraar temple, peneswara madam villege krishnagiri district.jpg|thumb|[[Kulothunga Chola III]] statue in Penneswaraar Temple.]] [[Kulothunga Chola III|Kulothunga chola III]] is believed to be the first person to commission the temple and call it Penneswaraar temple. Later, it became the [[Penneswaramadam]] Shiva Temple due to past presence of [[Cheraman Perumal Nayanar|Cheraman Perumal]] [[Matha|Madam]] in 13th century. The 18th century inscription in the temple tells that the mandapam ceiling was by vellapa Nadan Mecheri Kandan Kanda chetty.
== See also == * [[Pallava dynasty]] * [[Bodhidharma]] * [[Bharadvaja]]
== References == {{Reflist}}
[[Category:Shiva temples in Krishnagiri district]]