Sri Pancha Varneswarar Temple / Sri Kalyanasundaresar Temple, Nallur ( Thirunallur ), Thanjavur District, Tamil Nadu,

27^th July 2019.

The second time visit to this Sri Sri Pancha Varneswarar Temple was a part of the Kumbakonam Heritage Walk organized by "Yaaooyaakay" - யாஊயாகே” and "Celebrate Kanchi" on 27^th and 28^th July 2019. This post has additional details of History and inscriptions. The details of my previous visit to Sri Panchavarneswarar Temple/Sri Kalyanasundaresar Temple were recorded in this same blog.

 

This is the 137^th Devaram Paadal Petra Shiva Sthalam and 120^th Sthalam on the north side of river Kaveri in Chozha Nadu. Thirugnanasambandar and Appar have sung hymns in praise of Lord Shiva of this temple.

Moolavar    : Sri Pancha Varneswarar, Sri Kalyanasundaresar,

                   Sri Periyandeswarar

Consort      : Sri Girisundari, Sri Parva sundari, Sri Kalyanasundari

Some of the important features of this temple are......

The temple faces east with a 5-tier Rajagopuram. Dwajasthambam, Balipeedam, and Rishabam are immediately after the Rajagopuram and before the 2^nd level 3 tier Rajagopuram. 

The material of the Lord Shiva Idol was not known. But a lot of holes made by bees/Vandukal are seen. The Moolavar will change his colour to 5 times during the day, via, Thamiram, Light red, Molten gold, Navarathna green, and lastly, the colour will not be able to predict. Hence The lord is called Panchavarneswarar. (During my earlier darshan the colour was golden colour).  Stucco's image of Lord Shiva and Sri Parvati’s marriage can be on the back side wall of the Moolavar.

In koshtam, Uchishta Ganapathy, Dakshinamurthy, Gnana Dakshinamurthy, and Kailaya Ganapathy. 

In praharam Stucco images of Lord Shiva’s Leelas, Kunthi worshipping Lord Shiva, Amar Neethi Nayanar, Mangayarkarasi, Musukuntha Lingam, Sri Sumathi Lingam, Kasi Viswanathar, Ananda Natarajar, Bhairavar, Shaniswar, Mahalakshmi,  Suryan, Chandran, Mahalingam, Bana Lingam, Jurahareswarar, Jurahareswari, Pancha Lingas, Nalvar, 63var.

ARCHITECTURE

The Temple is a mada style of construction consisting of sanctum, antarala and artha mandapam. The temple is under renovation and preparing for the kumbhabhishekam during my earlier visit.

Upper sanctum there are no koshta niches. The upper sanctum sanctorum was built with brick.

HISTORY & INSCRIPTIONS

This is one of the 78 mada Koils believed to be built by Ko-Chengat Chozha, in the 5th Century on the banks of river Kaveri. During his period the temple was built with bricks and later reconstructed with stone during the Chozha period.

The temple has the inscriptions of Sundara Chozhan, Uthama Chozhan, and Kulothunga-III. As per the inscriptions, this place was called Nallur and Panchavan Madevi Chaturvedi Mangalam. The inscriptions mainly speak about the donation of Land and gold towards the burning of perpetual lamps and the functioning of poojas.

After renovations, Kumbhabhishekams were conducted during the years 1981, 1991 ( Rajagopuram ) and 2013.

Chozha inscriptions

LEGENDS

Shiva gave Thiruvadi Deeksha in this temple for Appar. Hence Thiruvadi is kept on each devotee (Like Sadari in Perumal temples). Amar Neethi Nayanar attained mukti in this place.

Vayu and Aadhisheshan fought in this place. Thiruvarur moolavar was kept for 3 days in the temple and worshipped before installation at Thiruvarur by Musukuntha Chakravarthy, which he got from Indran. The Moolavar Valam should be in the Somasundara method since it is believed that Lord Shiva’s head and hair are at the back side of the moolavar. Hence nobody should cross the back side of the moolavar.

TEMPLE TIMINGS:

The temple will be kept open between 07.00 hrs to 12.00 hrs and 17.00 hrs to 20.30 hrs.

CONTACT DETAILS :

My mobile number is +91 93631 41676.

HOW TO REACH : 

Thirunallur / Nallur is  2 km from Kumbakonam to Thanjavur, Papanasam junction on Valangaiman road.

LOCATION: CLICK HERE

 Stucco images of Lord Shiva as Maha Sadashiva Murthy and Ekapatha Thirumurthy

Uchishta Ganapathy

 Stucco images of Various forms of Lord Shiva 

 Stucco images of Various forms of Lord Shiva 

Stucco images of Various forms of Lord Shiva 

---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---

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