Arappaleeswarar Temple, Padal Petra Temple — Attraction in Tamil Nadu

Arapaleeswarar temple is an ancient Siva temple on the banks of the Aiyaru or Panchanadhi river in the village of Periya koviloor in Valapur nadu of the Kolli hills. Since ancient times it has been an important pilgrimage site of Tamil Nadu. The temple was built during the reign of King Kulothunga Cholan 1400 years ago, but its history dates back to a much earlier period more than 2000 years ago.

The village of Periya kovilur in the Kolli Hills

History of the Temple

Long ago, a part of the Kolli hills was known by the name Araipalli or Arapalli. Arapalli literally means residense/house of dharma. Lord Siva who was worshipped in this region of Arapalli was called Arapally Iswarar or Arapaleeswarar, The Lord of the house of dharma.The Sanskrit name is Dharma Gosheeswarar. He was also known as Araipally Mahadevan and Araipally Udayar. The name of Parvati is Aram valarthanayagi also called as Thayammai.

It is said that the place where the temple is built was once farmland. When the land was ploughed the plough hit something and blood gushed out. The people dug around the spot to find a suyambu sivalingam and began to worship it. The scar made by the plough can be seen on the lingam even today.

Arapaleeswarar was worshipped by Valvil Ori, the Mazhavar king who ruled the Kolli hills  It is believed that a secret path exists from the Arapaleeswarar temple to the Kailasanathar temple in Rasipuram which was also a part of the kingdom of Ori.

After Valvil Ori, the kingdom came under the Chera and Chola kings.

Vaippu Sthalam

The temple is a Thevara vaippu sthalam.The 7thcentury Thevaram hymns of Tirunavukarasar and Tirugnanasambandar speak of this temple. In the hymns Appar speaks of this sthalam as Kolli kulir arai palli and as kallal kamazh Kolli arai palli. Tirugnanasambandar refers to Arai palli in his Tiruthala kovai pathigam.

The Temple



A medium sized temple it is built in very beautiful natural surroundings of the Kolli hills. Hills and valleys stretch into the distance all around. There is no gopuram at the entrance. The top of the outer madhil (high surrounding wall) has the images of siddars at intervals.

Inscriptions

The outer stone walls of the garba-graham (sanctum santorum) are covered with inscriptions detailing various grants and endowments. Sembian Mahadevi, the dowager queen of Sivagnana Kandaraditya Chola devar and great-aunt of King Rajaraja Chola has visited the Arapaleeswarar temple.She rebuilt and restored many temples in the Chola kingdom and was actively involved in the maintenance of Siva temples. In the Arapaleeswarar temple there is an inscription that speaks of 100 “kalanju” gold donated by her. It is also said that she donated many jewels to the temple. Interestingly Sembian Mahadevi was a Mazhava princess, the daughter of Mazhavarayar.

Land grants were made by other Chola kings.

That they have made the arduous journey when the region was virtually inaccessible speaks a lot about the greatness of this temple.

Nandi

Nandi the divine bull of lord Siva is seen seated in front of the kodi maram (flag staff) and bali peetam and facing the Lingam inside the garpagriha in all Siva temples. In the Arapaleeswarar temple the image of Nandi has only three legs. The right hind leg is mutilated and the culprits are two men whose images are seen facing the temple, across the road outside the main entrance.

The Story of Nandi

The story is told that Nandi, the divine bull grazed on the farmland belonging to the two men, who, not knowing that that it was Nandi devar, tried to drive it away. But the bull continued to wreak havoc in their fields. Enraged, they chased the bull with a sword. To save itself the bull entered the Arapaleeswarar temple and sought refuge in lord Siva even as one of the men flung his sword on the bull from outside the temple. The right hind leg was...

Arapaleeswarar Temple is largely believed to have been constructed in the 1st or 2nd century AD by Valvil Ori during his rule, and it is dedicated to Lord Shiva. Located at Periakoviloor, it is in the vicinity of the splendid Akasa Gangai waterfall. Inscriptions dating back to the Chola period have been found at the temple according to experts in the field. Another important historical monument unearthed here is a megalithic burial site. A secret path to the Lord Shiva temple at Rasipuram is thought to exist at Arapaleeswarar Temple. The Shivalinga in the temple was found by a farmer, according to legend. While ploughing, the farmer accidently hit the Shivalinga, and the structure started to bleed. The temple is 17 kms from Solakkadu junction. This temple hosts main deity as Lord Shiva . The temple is quite old with some history attached to it. The temple is said to be built by King Valvil Ori. The temple timings are 7 AM to 1 PM and 2:30 PM to 7 PM. There are lot of eateries around the premises of the temple and all are pure vegetarian. Vegetarians, please ensure you have some food here, without which there are no pure veg restaurants in anywhere in Kollimalai. The place has lot of parking around the temple and shops to buy forest agro products like honey, pepper and lots of condiments Old Temple with Shiva and Parvathi as main deities , all Sidhars sculpture are affixed on the walls of Temple . Nice temple , it has a big bell which children try to pull and its fun for them . Lot of shops are available near the temple which sells local agriculture products . Aagaya Gangai falls and Mini Falls are adjacent to this temple . Government Buses wait here and board passengers . Those who cant go down to Aagaya gangai can try Mini falls which is situated behind the temple , its actually a stream...

Peaceful Ancient Temple with Spacious Parking

Visited Arapaleeswarar Temple in Kolli Hills — a truly serene and spiritual experience.

🚗 Vehicle Entry & Parking: You need to pay a small fee for vehicle entry, but after that there is a large dedicated parking area. It was easy to park, even on weekends.

🛕 Temple Experience: This is a legacy temple with deep history and cultural significance. Dedicated to Lord Shiva, it is believed to be built during the Chola dynasty and has a unique charm with its simple yet powerful architecture. The inner sanctum feels very peaceful, and the temple atmosphere is calm and divine.

👥 Crowd & Atmosphere: The temple was not crowded during my visit, which allowed for an unhurried darshan. The priests were respectful, and the overall experience was very soulful compared to more commercialized temples.

🍲 Food Options Nearby: Around the temple, there are a few small village-side hotels/restaurants — more like simple sheds — where you can get lunch or basic meals. The food was okay, but don’t expect too much since it’s prepared in a simple village style. Still, it adds to the authentic rural experience.

🌄 Location: Surrounded by the hills and greenery, the temple has a refreshing climate. The approach roads are scenic, and the temple itself adds to the heritage vibe of Kolli Hills.

✅ Overall: A must-visit when you are in Kolli Hills. Easy access, well-managed parking, less crowded, with a spiritually...