Temples in Ilambayangottur

Ilambayangottur village is only 2 km. south-west of Kuvam (i.e., Tiruvirkkolam), which is 72 km. by road, west of Madras city. It is 10 km. south of Kadambattur railway station. This village is on the western bank of the Kuvam lake. There is no proper road leading to the village; the lake embankment serves the purpose.

Devanayakasvamin temple

Tradition has it that Rambhai worshipped the Lord here. The main deity is known by the name of Chandrasekharar and the Amman Kodendumulaiammai. The sacred tank to the south of the temple is called Chandra-tirtham. Sambandar has sung the praise of the Lord here and the present name of the village finds mention in his verses. But the temple here does not have any early inscriptions.

On the south side of the base of this temple, there is a record dated in the 12th year of Rajadhirajadeva who should be identified with Rajadhiraja II. This record mentions that the stone temple was built by Pandari Siva Charanalayan alias Sivapadasekhara Muvendavelan (ARE 321 of 1911). On the west side of the base of this temple is a record of the 38th year of ‘Tribhuvana-vira deva, who was pleased to perform the virabhishekam and the vijayabhishekam’. It refers to a former gift of land by Sengeni Ammaiappan Vanniyanayan Sambuvarayan to the temple of Ilambayangottur Udaiya Nayanar at Kottur alias Solavichchadira chaturvedimangalam (ARE 234 of 1911). Another, of his 34th year, on the north side of the base of the central shrine mentions a gift of money for a lamp by a temple woman (ARE 235 of 1910). According to an inscription dated in his fourth year, Madurantaka-Pottapich-Cholan Vira Gandagopalan makes a gift of land at Kiliyanallur in Tiruvelur nadu to this temple (ARE 233 of 1910). Kulottunga Sambuvarayan alias Alagiya Cholan makes a gift of five cows for a lamp in the 19th year of Vijaya Gandagopala (ARE 236 of 1910). The only Pandyan record found here relates to Konerinmaikondan, viz., Jatavarman Sundara Pandya and is dated in his 13th year (ARE 232 of 1910); it is inscribed on the south side of the base of the temple; it refers to a gift of money for a lamp to the temple, by a native of Vallam in Puliyur kottam alias Kulottungasola valanadu. The temple is said to be in Ilambayangottur in Kanrur nadu, a subdivision of Manavir kottam, in Jayangondasola mandalam.