Neelakandeswarar Temple / Sree Swethaarkavaneswarar Temple / Swedaranyeswarar Temple / திருநீலகண்டேஸ்வரர் கோவில் - Rajendra Pattinam – Erukkathampuliyur, Cuddalore District, Tamil Nadu.

This place Rajendrapattinam, was called Erukkathampuliyur during the 6^th to 7^th Century, Thevara periods. How this name was changed to Rajendra Pattinam is not known.

 

This is the 36^th Thevara Paadal Petra Shiva Sthalam and 4^th  Sthalam in Nadu Naadu. Erukkathampuliyur is on the banks of River Neeva, now called Vellar.  This is the birthplace of Thiruneelakanda Yazhpanar, one of the 63 Nayanmar. Sekkizhar mentions that Thirugnanasambandar worshiped Lord Shiva along with his father Sivapatha Iruthayar, Thiruneelakanda Yazhpanar & his wife, Mathanga Soolamani.

    இருந்தடங்களும் பழனமும்

        கடந்துபோய் எருக்கத்தம் புலியூரின்

    மருங்கு சென்று உறநீலகண்

        டப்பெரும் பாணனார் வணங்கிக் கார்

    நெருங்கு சோலை சூழ் இப்பதி

        அடியேனேன் பதிஎன நெடிது இன்புற்று

    அருங்கலைச் சிறுமழ இளங்

        களிறு அனார் அங்கி அணைந்து அருள் செய்வார்

Thiruneelakanda Yazhpanar requested Thirugnanasambandar, to come to his birthplace Shiva Temple and sing hymns in praise of Lord Shiva of this temple. Sekkizhar mentions that Thirugnanasambandar was very happy and fortunate to visit his birthplace temple.

    படையார் தருபூதப் பகடார் உரிபோர்வை

    உடையான் உமையோடும் உடனாய் இடுகங்கைச்

    சடையான் எருக்கத்தம் புலியூர்தகு கோயில்

    விடையான் அடியேத்த மேவா வினைதானே

Moolavar  : Sri Neelakandeswarar, Sri Swethaaranyeswarar,

                  Sri Kumaraswamy

Consort    : Sri Abeethakuja Nayagi, Sri Neelamalar kanni, 

                  Sri Neelorbalambal.

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

The temple faces east with a 5-tier Rajagopuram and Temple tank is in front.  Balipeedam, Rishabam, and Dwajasthambam are before the Rajagopuram. Moolavar in the sanctum looks cute. In koshtam, Vinayagar, Dakshinamurthy, Lingothbavar, Brahma and Durgai.

In praharam Kodi Vinayagar, Murugan with his consorts Valli and Devasena, Kasi Viswanathar and Visalakshi, Maha Vishnu as Srinivasa Perumal, Mahalakshmi, Anjaneyar, Naalvar, Thiruneelakanda Yazhpanar and his wife Madhanga Soolamani, Sekkizhar, Navagrahas, Chandikeswarar, Suryan, Chandran, Saniswara, Balaganapathy, Balamurugan, and Rudrasanmar

Ambal sannathi is on the left side, (parallel) both Lord Shiva & Ambal are facing the same east direction. A Vesara Vimana is over the sanctum.

A lot of white Erukku (calotropis gigantea - Sthala vruksham) plants are grown on the back side of the temple. The temple is not maintained properly. A lot of weeds and plants are grown on the Vimana and around the Temple and found it difficult to circumambulate during my visit.

HISTORY & INSCRIPTIONS

Maha kumbhabhishekam was conducted in 1996. The Temple might have existed before the 6^th to 7^th Century and may have been constructed during the Pallava period and reconstructed with stone during the Chozha Period. Lord Shiva Might have obtained the name of Sri Neelakandeswarar, since Thiruneelakanda Yazhpanar, one of the 63 Nayanmar belongs to this place.

The Pallava period inscription reads as ...

LEGENDS

Munivar  Viyakrapathar (Legs are Tigers leg shape) worshiped Lord Shiva of this temple. This is one of the 5 Paadal Petra sthalas, with the name ending with Puliyur. As per the legend, knowing the specialty of the temple, Devas and Rishis worshiped Lord Shiva of this Temple in the form of birds. On seeing this, some hunters, start hunting the birds. On seeing this Lord Shiva Cursed the hunters to become the Erukku plant- not useful to anybody. Hence this place was called Erukkathampuliyur.  

When Lord Shiva explains the meaning of the Vedas, Parvati is not very much attentive. So Lord Shiva Cursed Parvati to be born in a fishermen's community. Angered Murugan, throws the 4 Vedas into the sea. Lord Shiva also cursed Murugan to be born as dumb as Rudrasanmar to Thalapathy and Gunasalini, of a trader community at Madurai. Murugan worshiped Lord Shiva and got relieved from dumbness. There is an idol of Rudrasanmar and lord Shiva is also called Sri Kumaraswamy   

It is believed that Rajendra Chozha was born to the Chozha King Rajaraja, after worshiping Lord Shiva of this Temple. Hence this place is called Rajendra Pattinam.

Devotees worship Lord Shiva for Child boon  and to get relief from dumbness and stammering.

POOJAS & CELEBRATIONS

Apart from regular poojas, special poojas are conducted on Pradosham, Mahashivaratri,

TEMPLE TIMINGS

The temple will be kept open between 06.00 hrs to 12.00 Hrs and 17.00 hrs to 20.00 hrs.

CONTACT DETAILS :

The landline and mobile numbers are: +91 4143 243 533 and +91 93606 37784

HOW TO REACH :

This place is, on the way to Virudhachalam to Srimushnam route via Karuveppilai Kurichi. The Village is on the main road and the temple is about a KM from the main road.

This temple is 13 Km from Virudhachalam On Virudhachalam to Jayankondam Bus route ), 25 KM from Jayankondam, 44 KM from Chidambaram, 32 KM from Ulundurpet and 238 KM from Chennai.

The nearest Railway Station is Virudhachalam.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---