About 25 km from Karaikudi on the Pillaiyarpatti road near Keelasivalpatti is the Iraniyur temple. Stone inscriptions of the 16th century are found in the temple and trace the king who ruled the area. The main deity here is Arulmigu Atkondanathar and his consort is Sivapurandevi. The temple, it is said,was nurtured by a Nagarathar belonging to what was once a subset of the Ilayathangudi temple, the Thiruvetpurkudiyar.His younger brother agreed to a take care of the Pillaiyarpatti temple. As a result of the fraternal relationship, no marriage is permitted between members of Iranikovil and the Pillaiyarpatti temple. 

 

The Rajagopuram towers 75 feet and its embellishments date to the first renovation, 1875 - 1925.The last Kumbhabhishekam was in 1990. Two groups of beatuiful paintings grace the Lakshmi mandapam. Opposite the rajagopuram is one set done in Vijayanagar style during the first restoration and another in the 1940s during the second restoration. the latter displays the Ravi Varma influence. Two of the temple's several vahanama are coverd with silverplate. There are three copper plate inscriptions dating to the 19th Century and 13 stone inscriptions in the temple. The temple was granted to the chettiars in 714 A.D. 

 

Below you will find some details on the Iranikovil and the pictures of Gods and Goddesses in the temple.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Article Source - Dinamalar Newspaper