The place was called Thiruthinai
Nagar during Thevara Period ie 7th to 8th Century and is now called Theerthanagiri. This place is on the
banks of Perumal Lake, which receives the water from River Paravanaaru River.
This
is the 37th Thevara Paadal Petra Shiva Sthalam and the 5th Shiva Sthalam in
Nadu Naadu. Sekkizhar in his
Periyapuranam mentions that Thirugnanasambandar worshipped Lord Shiva of this
temple, but the hymns were not traceable.
செல்வம் மலிகிய தில்லைமூ திரினில் திருநடம் பணிந்து ஏத்திப் பல் பெருந் தொண்டர் எதிர்கொளப் பரமர் தம் திருத்தினை நகர்பாடி அல்கு தொண்டர்கள் தம்முடன் திருமாணி குழியினை அணைந்து ஏத்தி மல்குவார் சடையார் திருப் பாதிரிப் புலியூரை வந்துற்றார்
Sundarar has sung hymns in praise of Lord Shiva of
this temple.
நீறு தாங்கிய திருநுத லானை நெற்றிக் கண்ணனை நிரைவளை மடந்தை கூறு தாங்கிய கொள்கையி னானைக் குற்றம் இல்லியைக் கற்றையம் சடைமேல் ஆறு தாங்கிய அழகனை அமரர்க்கு அரிய சோதியை வரிவரால் உகளும் சேறு தாங்கிய திருத்தினை நகருள் சிவக்கொ ழுந்தினைச் சென்றடை மனனே.... சுந்தரர் தேவாரம்
Moolavar :
Sri Sivakkozhuntheswarar, Sri ShivalingeswararConsort :
Sri Neelathakshi, Sri Oppila Nayagi, Sri Karuthadanayagi.
Some of the important features of this temple
are.....The Temple faces east with a 3-Tier
Rajagopuram. Balipedam, Rishabam, and dwajasthambam are before the Rajagopuram. Moolavar
is believed to be of Swayambhu who appeared under the Kondrai Tree. In koshtam
Narthana Vinayagar, Yoga Dakshinamurthy,
Lingothbavar (Brahma & Maha Vishnu are on both sides), and Durgai.
In praharam, Natarajar Sabha, Valampuri Vinayagar,
Dhandapani, Murugan with his consorts Sri Valli Devasena, Thirugnanasambandar,
Naalvar, Agasthiyar Lingam, Suryan, Navagrahas, King Veerasenan and
Chandikeswarar.
Ambal is in a separate temple on the right side
immediately after the entrance Gate and before Rajagopuram (outside the main
temple). The Shiva Linga in the Ambal was worshipped by Jambavan.
HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONSThe original might have existed before the 7th Century and reconstructed/extended during Chozhas and Vijayanagaras. The
present name of "Theerthanagiri" is a changed name from
the ancient name of "THIRUTHINAI NAGAR". This information is registered in the
British manual, a book of Madras's presidency.
As per the Chozha period inscription, This place was
under Virutharaja Bhayangara Nattu Merka Nattu Jayankonda Chozha Charthurvedi Mangalathu Pidagai Thiruthinai Nagar. Lord Shiva was called Thiruthinainagaridaya Mahadevar.
Svathi Sri Thirubhuvana Chakravarthy Konerimai
Kondan’s 3rd year reign (Sundara Pandyan) inscription records endowment of (some) nivantham, to this temple for which 50 veli land with its periphery
limits, after exempting all taxes. The
land was at Thiruthinai Nagar Pidagai Bhubalasundara Nallur. This was signed by
the tax collectors and accountants of that Village.
Koperunchinga’s 9th year 219th day of the Thai month
reign inscription records the gift of 5 veli land to this temple. The
inscription is incomplete...
Koperunchinga’s 22nd-year reign inscription
records the endowment of Naivedyam/Amudhupadi, Sathupadi, Thirumerapoochu,
Thiruppari chattam and Parikala parisu for which gift of land/Village
Chennatha Nallur village as iraiyili.
The Atkolli Kadavarayan’s
reign inscription records the endowment of Naivedyam and the burning perpetual lamp. For the
same, land was gifted after exempting the taxes. The inscription is in the form
of a poem.
கூடாத
வன்புகழ்க் கூடல்மன் ஆட்கொள்ளிக் காடவர் கோன்
சேடார்
பொழிற்றினை மாநகர் ஈசரைச் சிந்தை செய்து
பீடார்
நிலத்துப் பெரும்பாடி காவல்வெட்டி தவிர்த்து
நாடார
முதுக்கும் நுந்தா விளக்குக்கும் நாட்டினனே
The other inscriptions belong to Kulothunga
Chozha-I, Pandiya King Jadavarman Sundara Pandyan, Maravarman Veera Pandyan,
Sundara Pandiyan, Vijayanagara Period Veeraprathaba Krishna Devaraya and
Pallava period Koperunchingan.( SII X11-262, 115 /1904).
Ref:1. South Indian Inscriptions Volume XII2. See the Annual Reports on South
Indian Epigraphy for the year 1904 No. 115-127.)
LEGENDSAs per the legend Periyan, a farmer and his wife
are ardent devotees of Lord Shiva. They used to have their food only after feeding
to a Shiva devotee. One day they couldn’t find any Devotees and asked his friend to
send one of his servants. Unfortunately, nobody had turned up on that day. In
the evening they found an old man. When Periyan asks the old man to have food,
the old man declines and says that he has the habit of getting food only after
his manual labour.
Periyan, the farmer asked the old man to plough his
field. When the old man started
ploughing, Periyan and his wife went home to bring for him. On return with food, to their astonishment found the
field was ploughed, “Thinai” a type of millet was sowed and grown to the harvesting stage. Periyan and his wife offered
food, to the old man who was sitting under a Kondrai tree. After eating the old
man disappeared and Lord Shiva on his Vahana Rishabam, said that was he who
came as an old man. Lord Shiva blessed them and stayed here at the request of
Periyan and his wife. Since Lord Shiva, ploughed, sowed and grown the millet
Thinai, this place obtained the name of “Thirthinai Nagar”. This sthala purana, in the form of bas-relief, is on the wall of the temple.
In another legend, a King called Veerasenan was suffering from Leukoderma- white patches on his body and his dog also
suffering from a skin disease. When they came to this place, his dog fell into
the temple tank and came out without the skin disease. Realizing the sanctity of
the temple and the Tank, the King took a bath, came out cured of
leukoderma and worshipped Lord Shiva of
this temple. Later this temple.
It is believed that Natarajar of this temple is to
be worshipped to excel in the field of Music and Dance. It is believed that
Surya worships Lord Shiva from the 20th to the 22nd of Panguni month ( March – April ),
in the form of sun rays.
The Atkolli Kadavarayan’s
reign inscription records the endowment of Naivedyam and the burning perpetual lamp. For the
same, land was gifted after exempting the taxes. The inscription is in the form
of a poem.
கூடாத
வன்புகழ்க் கூடல்மன் ஆட்கொள்ளிக் காடவர் கோன்
சேடார்
பொழிற்றினை மாநகர் ஈசரைச் சிந்தை செய்து
பீடார்
நிலத்துப் பெரும்பாடி காவல்வெட்டி தவிர்த்து
நாடார
முதுக்கும் நுந்தா விளக்குக்கும் நாட்டினனே
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