Sirkazhi Chitrambala Nadikal Temple, Sitharkadu, Muvalur / Moovalur near Mayiladuthurai, Mayiladuthurai District, Tamil Nadu. NEAR MAYILADUTHURAI, ஸ்ரீகாழி சிற்றம்பல நாடிகள் திருகோயில், சித்தர்காடு, மூவலூர், மயிலாடுதுறை. TAMIL NADU.

15^th September 2019.

ஆணவம்போம் மாயைபோம் ஆனஇருவினைபோம்

நாணவரும் மாமாயை நாணமும்போம் – வேணுபுரத்

தேசிகர்கோன் சிற்றம் பலநாடி சேவடியை

பூசைசெய யாம்பூண்ட போது.. 

……………….ஸ்ரீ சிற்றம்பல நாடிகள் வெண்பா

The visit to this  Sri Siva Yoga Nayagi Udanurai Sirkazhi Chitrambala Nadikal Temple was a part of the Temples Visit in and around Sirkazhi on 14^th and 15^th September 2019. After the Darshan of Sri Vanamutti Perumal / Sri Srinivasa Perumal, on the way to Sirkazhi, I visited this temple at Sitharkadu, a part of Muvalur near Mayiladuthurai.

Moolavar : Shiva Linga on Sri Chitrambala Nadikal jeeva Samadhi.

Ambal     : Sri Sivayoga Nayaki.

Some of the important features of this temple are…

This temple faces west with an entrance arch on the banks of the River Kaveri after crossing the Muvalur regulator gates on the Kaveri River. Vinayagar, Shiva with Parvati as Rishabaroodar, and Sri Valli Devasena Sametha Subramaniar stucco images are on the entrance arch. In the sanctum sanctorum, a Shiva Linga is installed on the Jeeva Samadhi of Sirkazhi Chitrambala Nadikal. In the ardha mandapam, Nalvar, Urchavar Chitrambala Nadikal,  Pradosha Nayagar, Shiva, and Parvati. An Ekathala vesara vimana is over the sanctum sanctorum.

In koshtam Dakshinamurthy and Maha Vishnu. Around the sanctum sanctorum, 63 Shiva linga reliefs are there around the wall of the sanctum sanctorum, to signify the 63 disciples of Sirkazhi Chitrambala Nadikal. In praharam Vinayagar, Nagarajan, Kasi Viswanathar, Yoga Siddhar, Ayyanar, with his consorts Poorna & Puskala. Dhyana mandapam, Saptha Vidanga, Gajalakshmi, Shani Bhagwan, Bhairavar, suryan and Navagrahas.

Ambal Sivayoga Nayaki is in a separate temple, like a sannadhi facing east. There is a meta-color sheet mandapa in front of the Ambal temple. On the front wall, paintings of Samaya Kuravas, Appar, Thirugnanasambandar, Sundarar, and Manickavasagar are on the left side, and santhana Kuravars Meikandar, Arul Nandhi Sivam, Marai Gnanasambandar, and Umapathy Sivam are on the right side.

ARCHITECTURE

The temple consists of the sanctum, antarala, and Artha mandapam. The temple was built with stone from adhistanam to prastaram. An ekatala vesara vimanam is over the sanctum sanctorum. Shiva, Dakshinamurthy, Maha Vishnu, and Brahma are in the greeva koshtams. 

THE STHALA PURANA

As per Sthala Purana Saiva Samaya flourished through Samachariyars and Santhanachariyar. First Upadesa was given from Lord Shiva to Nandi Devar to Sanakar to Sananthar to Sanathanar to Sanathkumarar to SathyaGnanadharshinis to  Paranjothi Mamuni. When Paranjothi was traveling in the sky from Kailash to Pothigai Hill to see  Agathiyar, he happened to see a Child playing at Thiruvennainallur and gave upadesam and called him Meikandar. Meikandar gave upadesam to Arunandhi Sivam to Maraignanasambandar to Umapathy Sivam.  From Umapathy Sivam to one of his disciples, Arul Namashivaya, also called Machu Chettiar.  From him, upadesam was given to Kazhi Gangai Meikandar to 14th-century Sirkazhi Chitrambala Nadikal. He used to spend most of his time at Thillai Chitrambalam. Hence called Sirkazhi Chitrambala Nadikal. He had many disciples. One day, a husband and his wife served food. The lady inadvertently used the neem oil. Except for one disciple, Kannappar, Sirkazhi Chitrambalam Nadikal, and the disciples ate without saying anything.  By seeing this, Sirkazhi Chitrambalam Nadikal asked, how can a person without maturity be with them, and further said “அவிச்சுவை அறிவான் தவச்சுவை அறியான்”. This hurts Kannappar and leaves the place.

After some period,  Sirkazhi Chitrambalam Nadikal wishes to go on Jeeva Samadhi with his disciples at a time on a Chithirai Thiruvonam Nakshatra Day. This was informed to the Chozha King and asked him to excavate the pits for all. First Sirkazhi Chitrambalam Nadikal sat in nishta after singing 3 venbas. The 63 disciples followed him in their respective pits after singing a venba. The Kannappar, who went north, came back and was disappointed for not excavating a separate pit for him. Kannappar wept and sang a venba. Sirkazhi Chitrambalam Nadikal’s Samadhi opened, and he gave darshan.

ஆண்டகுரு சிற்றம் பலவா அடியேற்கா

மீண்டும் எழுந்தருள வேண்டாவோ – நீண்டமால்

ஆரணனும் காணாத ஆனந்த வாரிதியைப்
பூரணமாய் வையாத போது.

Nadikal took Kannappar and kept him on his lap, and merged both. This happened in the mid-14th Century. Keeping a Shiva Linga at the center, the rest of the 63 Shiva Lingas are in the form of bas-reliefs kept around the sanctum sanctorum wall.

HISTORY

The temple was constructed in the mid-14th century during the Chozha period. After that, it went into ruins. The same was reconstructed, and Kumbhabhishekam was performed on 23^rd August 1992.  Again, after 22 years of attending the maintenance works  kumbhabhishekam was performed on 07^th June 2015. 

one of the old inscriptions

TEMPLE TIMINGS

The temple will be kept open from 07.00 hrs to 11.00 hrs, and from 17.00 hrs to 19.00 hrs.

HOW TO REACH:

Sitharkadu is a part of Muvalur. The temple is about 5 km from Mayiladuthurai and 33 km from Kumbakonam.

Can also be reached from Kozhi Kuthi Vanamutti Perumal temple Junction HP Petrol bunk on Kollidam to Poompuhar Road, after crossing the Muvalur regulator gate installed on River Kaveri.

The nearest Railway station is Mayiladuthurai.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE

Ambal sannadhi with paintings on the wall

  

 63 Shiva Lingas signify the 63 disciples of Sirkazhi Chidambara Nadikal around the sanctum sanctorum

---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---