Subramaniya Swami Temple, Mailam – The Temple

Subramaniya Swami Temple, Mailam – The Temple

The Temple is located on a small hillock. The Temple is having 5 tier Rajagopuram. This small hill can be either climbed by steps or can drive up to the main Rajagopuram. The entrance is how ever through the south side via a small gopuram. The temple is fairly of recent origin with records from 1750’s. Though, this is a Shiva temple with Viswanathar and Visalakshi in the sanctum, but the importance is given to Subramanya Swamy. Lord Subramanya is present in the sanctum with four arms in a standing marriage posture with Valli & Deivanai facing East.

Majestic Vel and Peacock can be seen in front of the sanctum. There are three Utsava Idols in the Temple. Chief Utsava idol is Lord Bala Subramanya along with his consorts Valli & Deivanai. Others are Muthu Kumara Swamy along with his consorts Valli & Deivanai and Six faced Shanmuga Peruman. Utsava Idol of Veerabhagu can also be found. There is a Vinayagar shrine situated very near to the Murugan Shrine. Jeeva Samadhi of Bala Siddhar is situated between these two shrines. There is a separate Navagraha Shrine in the temple.

Theertham associated with this Temple is Varaha River. The temple tank, Bala Siddhar Agni Theertham Kulam, is situated one the way to the main temple nearby a small temple of Lord Ganesha. Nearby the tank, a separate place has been allocated for the devotees for undergoing Tonsure for the children or the elders. Sthala Vriksham is Punnai Tree.

The temple possesses two processional chariots, used for the Brahmotsavam in Panguni. They are decorated with sculpted panels representing diverse forms of Siva: Bikshadana, Gaja Samhara Murti, Kalantaka, Sarasvati, Manmathan, Krishna and other deities of the Hindu pantheon. The other panels, linked with local history, are of two types. First panels connected with both Murugan & the mutt and second panels relating solely to the mutt.

Two panels represent episodes of Sankhakannar fighting against Siva, and then against Murugan. In the first scene involving Siva, the representation deviates singularly from the story. Siva, bearded and wearing a turban, is in the process of copulating with his consort, while Sankhakannar, the guardian's club in his hand, reaches up to save the latter and pulls her by her hair. The second scene is more allusive and the wives of Murugan do not appear: only Murugan seizes the guardian who joins issue, his arm raised as a sign of combat.

It is certainly because Sankhakannar is reincarnated as a young child that the birth of Murugan is represented. This is a rare scene, with the exception of Darasuram where amidst reeds; his place of birth, the baby god is taken by Siva, who returns him to Parvati. In the next scene, she is giving him her breast. In Mailam, the Krittika-s holds six small Murugan’s in their arms, seated on lotuses. On a third panel, between Parvati and Nandikeswara as worshippers, Siva is standing, bearded and armed with his trident, the kettle-drum and fire, and holds the child Murugan on his arm.

Another type of representation, also quite rare, is Murugan teaching, a form of the god related to his activities as well as those of the head of a mutt. One scene is on Ganapati chariot and another on that of Murugan. In one case, Murugan is seated on a pedestal with a book in his hand, giving a lesson to Siva, who is standing with joined hands. In the other, Subrahmanya, again on a pedestal, is making the gesture of teaching in front of Siva, who stands in respectful attitude of listening, one hand before his mouth.

A third representation is the illustration of a passage from the Tamil Skanda Purana recounting the incarceration of Brahma as a consequence of his inability to recite the Vedas. The prison is a frame spiked with thorns in which Brahma is held, kept watch over by a moustached guard, dagger in hand. Next to this, a walking Subrahmanya is in the process of imprisoning Brahma. Five panels bear Veera Saiva figures. On the first panel, the identity of one of them, who is wearing a tiara and seated on a throne beneath a canopy, is engraved in Tamil on a step of throne: Alamma Prabhu. The latter was a spiritual master from the twelfth century known for his ascetic rigour and was contemporaneous with Basava.

On the adjacent panel, three men standing with joined hands are certainly worshippers of Alamma Prabhu. The inscription, Prakasa Pravesa Valaya, must be the name of the central personage, who is larger than the two others. On the third panel, a sage is seated on a throne beneath a canopy. He has a beard and moustache and long hair scattered on his shoulders and wears around his neck a necklace of Rudraksha and a Linga. One hand is in abhaya-mudra and the other holds the Linga of the Veera Saivas. Beneath is an inscription: Bala Siddha Sankhakannar, confirming the assimilation of the two personages. It is dated to 4245 of the Kali era, i.e. 143 A.D, this is obviously a mythical date suitable for a founder.

On the fourth panel, a Siddha, flanked by two worshippers, is seated with crossed legs on a throne in the form of recumbent lion. He has the chignon of an ascetic, a moustache and beard and wears a Linga around his neck. The inscription gives his name: Pavala Swami and the date are 3245 of the Kali era, or 1143 AD, which is more or less the period of Basava and of Alamma Prabhu.

On the last panel, a figure is standing, dressed in a dhoti, shoulders covered by a large scarf. He has Rudrakshas and a Linga around his neck and is wearing the sandals of an ascetic. He is holding the staff of the pontiffs and near to him are offerings placed on a low table. The inscription indicates that it is matter of the installation (Makuta Abhisheka) of the eighteenth Balaya Swami. The date in Arabic numerals is 25.2.28, quite obviously 1928, as it is known from the documents of the mutt that he died in 1965 and that he was succeeded by the present pontiff, the nineteenth, who was installed in 1965.

The temple at top the hill was built by Bomayapalaiyam Madam and managed by a trustee known as ‘Mailam Sivagnana Balaya Swamigal’ whose house is situated just nearby the temple on the hill. The Mutt established at the foot of the hill is looking after the temple administration.