Adhi Rathneswarar Temple / Aadaanainathar Temple / திருவாடானை ஆதிரத்னேசுவரர் கோயில், Thiruvadanai, Ramanathapuram District, Tamil Nadu.

This is the 253^rd  Thevaram Padal Petra Shiva Sthalam and 9^th  Sthalam of Pandiya Nadu. This place was called as Aadaanai during 7th Century and now called as Thiruvadanai. This place was called in 12 different names and some of them are Parijatha Vanam, Vannivanam, Vilvavanam, Adhirathneswaram, Markandeya puram, Gomuktheesam and Vijayecharam.

As per Sekkizhar's Periya Puranam, after worshiping Lord Shiva of Rameswaram, Thirugnanasambandar has sung hymns in praise of Lord Shiva of Thiriconamalee and Thiruketheecharam, without going there. Then he came to this Thiruvadanai temple.

    அப்பதியைத் தொழுது வடதிசை மேல்செல்வார்

        அங்கை அனல்தரித்த பிரான் அமரும் கோயில்

    புக்குஇறைஞ்சிப் பலபதியும் தொழுது போற்றிப்

        புணரிபொருது அலைகரைவாய் ஒழியப் போந்தே

    செப்புஅரிய புகழ்த் திருவாடானை சேர்ந்து

        செந்தமிழ் மாலைகள் சாத்திச் சிவனார் மன்னும்

    ஒப்புஅரிய புனவாயில் போற்றி செய்து

        வணங்கினார் உலகு உய்ய ஞானம் உண்டார்

Thirugnanasambandar and Vallalar has sung hymns in praise of lord Shiva of this temple.

    மாதோர் கூறுகந்து ஏறதுஏறிய

    ஆதி யானுறை ஆடானை

    போதி னாற்புனைந்து ஏத்துவார்தமை

    வாதி யாவினை மாயுமே.

......... திருஞானசம்பந்தர்

                                                -“பூமீது

    நீடானைகுழு நிலமன்னர் வாழ்த் துதிரு

    வாடானைமேவு கருணாகரமே

......... திரு அருட்பா

Moolavar  : Sri Aadhi Rathneswarar, Sri Ajagajeswarar

Consort    : Sri Snehavalli, Sri Ambayeravalli.

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

The temple is spread over 10 acres, facing east with a 9 tier, 130 feet high, Rajagopuram. Balipeedam Dwajasthambam and Rishabam are after the Rajagopuram. In Koshtam Vinayagar, Dakshinamurthy, Lingothbavar, Brahma and Durgai.

In prakaram Vinayagar, 5 feet tall Murugan with his consorts ( Peacock is facing south ), Somaskandar, 63 var, Suryan Varuna Lingam, Viswanathar, Chandikeswarar, Nalvar, Bhairavar, Chandran with his consorts Karthikai & Rohini, Saneeswarar, Maha Vishnu as Varadharajar with his consorts Bhoodevi & Sridevi, Maha Lakshmi, Saptamatrikas and Sabha mandapam.

Ambal is in a separate sannadhi in chaturbhuja posture facing east. Corridor is beautifully constructed  with many sculptures of various deities on the pillars. 

The 15^th Century Saint Arunagirinathar also sung hymns in praise of Muruga of this temple.

    மானாக துத்திமுடி மீதே நிருத்தமிடு

            மாயோனு மட்டொழுகு                                மலர்மீதே

            வாழ்வா யிருக்குமொரு வேதாவு மெட்டிசையும்

        வானேரு மட்டகுல                                          கிரியாவும்

            ஆனா வரக்கருடன் வானார் பிழைக்கவரு

            மாலால முற்றவமு                                      தயில்வோன்முன்

        ஆசார பத்தியுடன் ஞானாக மத்தையரு

            ளாடானை நித்தமுறை                                   பெருமாளே

ARCHITECTURE

The temple consists of sanctum sanctorum, sanctum, antarala and artha mandapam. Moolavar Lingam is made out of Blue Stone, Rathinam. 

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

The temple existed before 7^th Century and latter renovated by the Pandyas and Vijayanagaras. As per the inscriptions Lord Shiva was called as Aadaanai Nayanar.

There are 4 inscriptions recorded in this temple and they belongs to Pandya king Thirubhuvana chakravarthy Konerimai Kondan’s 17^th year reign, Maravarman Sundara Pandya’s 16^th year reign, Saka 1557 ie 1635 CE inscription of Vijayanagara and another without  year and King’s name. The inscriptions are recorded in ARE of 1914 nos 433 – 436 of Ramnad district  ). The inscriptions  mainly speaks about the Land gifted to the temple for pooja.

Now the temple is under the control of Ramanathapuram Rajah’s family.

Inscriptions

LEGENDS

As per the sthala purana, a drop of Amrita fell down from Devaloka and formed as this place. This place is being called as Mukthipuram since Lord Shiva gives Mukthi to those worshiped, Adhirathneswaram, since Suryan worshiped and Aadaanai since Vaaruni got rid of Cure.

Kamadhenu, Vasishtar, Manu, Markaneyar, Agasthiyar, Arjunanan ( Learnt the use of Pasupata astra, which Lord Shiva gave to him in this temple ) and Arunagirinathar worshiped Lord Shiva of this temple. A Sukra parihara sthalam.

As per the legend, due to curse of Durvasa muni, Varunan’s son Vaaruni has got the Elephant body with goat's head ( ஆடு  + ஆனை = ஆடானை ). He got rid of the curse and turned to original form. Hence this place is called as Thiruaadanai and now called as Thiruvadanai.

As advised by Brahma, Surya ( Sun ) came to this place created a Theertham and worshiped Lord Shiva in the form of blue Rathnam / Sapphire and done abhishekam.  It was told that Shiva Linga will appear in blue colour during Uchi kala Milk Abhishekam.  It is observed that Masi Month Sun Rays falls on Moolavar and Ambal. 

  

Sthala Purana

Sthala purana

POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS

Apart from regular poojas, special poojas are conducted on, Pournami, New moon days, Pradosham, Maha shivaratri, 10 days Vaikasi Visakam Vasantha utsavam ( May – June ), 15 days Aadi pooram festival ( July – August ), Navaratri ( September – Oct ), Karthikai in Nov – December and Vinayaka Chaturthi ( August – September )

TEMPLE TIMINGS

The temple will be kept opened between 06.00 hrs to 12.00 hrs and 16.00 hrs to 20.00 hrs.

CONTACT DETAILS:

The land line number +91 4561 254 533 may be contacted for further details.

HOW TO REACH : 

Buses from Trichy, Madurai, Karaikudi  and Devakottai   to Thondi passes through this place Thiruvadanai. 

The temple is 10 KM from Devakottai, 20 KM from Karaikudi, 97 KM from Madurai, 131 KM from Trichy and 456 KM from Chennai.

Nearest Railway station is Devakottai. 

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE : CLICK HERE

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA---