Narthana Vallabeswarar Temple / Sri Narthana Vallabeswarar Aalayam / Vallabeswarar Temple. நர்த்தன வல்லபேஸ்வரர் - Koodalaiyatroor / Thirukoodalayathoor, Cuddalore District District, Tamil Nadu.

This is the 35^th  Thevaram Padal Petra Shiva Sthalam on the confluence of rivers Vellar and Manimukharu and the 3^rd  Sthalam in Nadu Naadu. Since this place is situated at the confluence of two rivers, obtained the name Koodalaiyatroor also called Dakshina Prayag. Sekkizhar mentions in his Periyapuranam, that Sundarar on his way to Thirumudukundram had the darshan of Lord Shiva of this Temple. 

 

When Sundarar, was on his way to Thirumudhukunram (Viruthagirishwarar Temple at Virudhachalam), crossed this place without worshiping Lord Shiva of this place. Sundarar asked Lord Shiva in the form of an andhanar / a Brahmin, who walks before him, on the way to Thirumudhukundram. Lord Shiva replied “This is the way to  Koodalaiyatroor” and disappeared. This was narrated by Sekkizhar in his Periya Puranam.

    நின்றவர் தம்மை நோக்கி நெகிழ்ந்த்த சிந்தையராய்த் தாழ்வார்

    இன்றுயாம் முதுகுன்று எய்த வழிஎமக்கு இயம்பும் என்னக்

    குன்ற வில்லாளி யாரும் கூடலையாற்றூர் ஏறச்

    சென்றது இவ்வழிதான் என்று செல்வழித் துணைவாய்ச் செல்ல

    கண்டு அவர் கைகள் கூப்பித் தொழுதுபின் தொடர்வளர்க் காணார்

    வண்டு அலர் கொன்றையாரை வடிவுடை மழு என்று ஏத்தி

    அண்டர்தம் பெருமான் போந்த அதிசயம் அறியேன் என்று

    கொண்டு எழும் விருப்பினோடும் கூடலையாற்றூர் புக்கார்

Sundarar realized that the Brahmin who showed the path is none other than Lord Shiva. Sundarar worshiped Lord Shiva of this has sung hymns. Vallalar also mentions the Lord Shiva in Thiruarutpa.

    வடிவுடை மழுஏந்தி மதகரி உரிபோர்த்துப்

    பொடியணி திருமேனிப் புரிகுழல் உமையோடும்

    கொடியணி நெடுமாடக் கூடலை யாற்றூரில்

    அடிகள்இவ் வழிபோந்த அதிசயம் அறியேனே

... சுந்தரர் தேவாரம்.

                                                                        “நீங்காது

    நீடலையாற்றூர் நிழல்மணிக் குன்றோங்குதிருக்

    கூடலை யாற்றூர்க் குணநிதியே”

.... திருஅருட்பா

Moolavar  : Sri Narthana Vallabeswarar, Sri Nerikkattu Nathar

Consort    : Sri Parasakthi ( Purikuzhal Nayagi ), Sri Gnanasakthi.

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

The temple faces east with a 3 tier Rajagopuram. Balipedam and Rishabam are after the Rajagopuram.  On the top of the entrance stucco images of Lord Shiva and Parvati as Rishabaroodar and Sundarar. Stucco Dwarapalakas are at the entrance of the sanctum sanctorum. Moolavar Shiva Linga is little tall and looks cute in Alangaram/Decoration.  In Urchavars, there is a Chithragupta image with Palm leaf in his hand, which was donated by a devotee. In koshtam Dakshinamurthy, Lingothbavar, Brahma, and Ashta Bhuja Durga. In Prakaram Dwara Ganapathy, Shaniswarar, Chandran, Suryan, Two Bhairavas, Natarajar & Sivakami ( in stone ) and Chandikeswarar.

There are two Ambal Sannathis in this temple. Vibuthi is given in Sri Parasakthi Ambal Sannadhi and Kungum is given in Sri Ganasakthi Ambal Sannadhi.

Lord Muruga is here with Vali Devasena. The 15^th Century Arunagirinathar has sung hymns in praise of Lord Muruga on this temple.

    வாடியெனைச் சூழ்ந்தவினை யாசைமு வாசையனல்

        மூட்டியுலைக் காய்ந்தமழு வாமெனவி காசமொடு

        மாட்டியெனைப் பாய்ந்துகட வோடடமொ டாடிவிடு           விஞ்சையாலே

    வாய்த்தமலர்ச் சாந்துபுழு கானபனி நீர்களொடு

        காற்றுவரத் தாங்குவன மார்பிலணி யாரமொடு

        வாய்க்குமெனப் பூண்டழக தாகபவி சோடுமகிழ்                வன்புகூரத்

    .............

    கூட்டுநதித் தேங்கியவெ ளாறுதர ளாறுதிகழ்

        நாட்டிலுறை சேந்தமயி லாவளிதெய் வானையொடெ

        கூற்றுவிழத் தாண்டியென தாகமதில் வாழ்குமர                  தம்பிரானே

ARCHITECTURE

The entrance 3-tier Rajagopuram doesn’t have any stucco images. The sanctum sanctorum consists of sanctum, antarala, and arthamandapam. Moolavar Vimana is of two tiers vesara style. Dakshinamurthy, Maha Vishnu, and Brahma are in the giriva koshtam. This is a reconstructed temple after it was washed away by the flood in Manimukharu during the Nayak period. There is a Bas-relief of Shiva Linga, Lord Shiva with Parvati as Rishabaroodar and the donor (maybe Nayaks) at the left side of the sanctum entrance. Small mandapams are built in front of Dakshinamurthy and Durga.

HISTORY & INSCRIPTION

The original temple might have been existed before the 7^th Century and reconstructed in stone by Chozhas. The temple was washed away due to flood in the Manimukharu River and reconstructed during Vijayanagara Nayak’s period. The temple is under renovation and preparing for the Kumbhabhishekam during my Visit in 2013. 

A 12^th Century fragment stone inscription without the King’s name records the endowment of Naivedyam to Lord Shiva of this temple for which land was donated as Iraiyili after exempting all the taxes. In that Tamil Nadu Govt Archaeological Dept mentioned the Lord's name as Navaneetha Vallabeswarar. ( Tamil Nadu kalvettukal - Cuddalaore  )

LEGEND

Since Lord Shiva Danced for Brahma  & Saraswati in this place, hence Lord Shiva is called Narthana Vallabeswarar.

When Sundarar, was on his way to Thirumudhukunram ( Viruthagirishwarar Temple at Virudhachalam ), crossed this place without worshiping Lord Shiva of this place. Sundarar asked Lord Shiva in the form of an andhanar / a Brahmin, who walks before him, on the way to Thirumudhukundram. Lord Shiva replied “This is the way to  Koodalaiyatroor” and disappeared. Sundarar realized that the Brahmin who showed the path was none other than Lord Shiva. Sundarar worshiped Lord Shiva of this has sung hymns.   

Sunrays fall on Moolavar on the first three days in Panguni month ( March – April )

Sage Agasthya wished to have a daughter. He prayed to lord Shiva and found a girl child floating on a lotus leaf in the Manimukharu River. The sage took her and named her as Ambujavalli. When he took the Varaha avathara he married Ambujavalli, who was in the name of Ambujavalli.

Students pray to Both Ambal’s to excel in their studies and Sundarar mentions Ambal Prasakthi as Purikuzhal Nayagi in his Thevara hymns. 

   

POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS

Apart from regular poojas, special poojas are conducted on pradosam, Maha Shivaratri, 13 days Masimaham annual Brahmotsavam during Masi month ( Feb – March ).

TEMPLE TIMINGS

The Temple will be kept open between 06.00 hrs to 10.00 hrs and 18.00 hrs to 20.00 hrs.

CONTACT DETAILS : 

Landline number, +91 4144 208 704 may be contacted for further details.

HOW TO REACH : 

The town bus from Chidambaram to Kavalagudi passes through this village

The temple is about 10 KM from Srimushnam A Vishnu Sthalam,  10 KM from Sethiathoppu, 25 KM from Virudhachalam, 25 KM from Chidambaram, 50 KM from Ulundurpet and  229 KM from Chennai.

Nearest Railway Station is Virudhachalam.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE

( PC: Google Maps for after Kumbhabhishekam Photos )

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA---