Sathyavageeswarar Temple, Anbil Alanthurai

01The listening Vinayaka

When Sambandar came to Anbil, the Kollidam was in flood and he could not cross. He sang the Lord’s praise from the far bank. The temple’s Vinayaka, the katha says, turned his head and bent his ear to catch the song across the water, and he is worshipped as Sevi Saitha Vinayagar, the Vinayaka who lent his ear. Sambandar’s hymn on Anbil Alanthurai is in the Tevaram. Brahma is said to have worshipped here, and the Lord’s name, Sathyavageeswarar, means the Lord of the true word.

02The Anbil plates

In this village were found the Anbil copper plates of Sundara Chola, Parantaka II, issued in the tenth century, granting land to his minister Aniruddha Brahmadhiraja of Anbil. They give a long genealogy of the Chola line and are one of the chief sources for the dynasty’s early history. The temple’s sanctum is Chola work of the ninth century; a five-tiered gopuram and three prakarams came later. Across the river is the Vaishnava Divya Desam of Anbil Vadivazhagiya Nambi.