Mahalakshmeeswarar Temple / Mahalakshmiswarar Temple / Sri Lashmipureeswarar Temple / Thirunandriyur / Thirunanriyur / Thirunintriyur / Mayiladuthurai District, Tamil Nadu.

This is the 73^rd Thevara Paadal Petra Shiva Sthalam and the 19^th Sthalam on the north side of river Kaveri in Chozha Nadu. During the 6^th to 7^th Century Thirugnanasambandar, Appar, and Sundarar periods this place was called Anniyur and Nintriyur, now called Thirunanriyur, Ponnur, and Annur.

 

In PeriyaPuranam Sekkizhar mentions that Thirugnanasambandar came to this temple after worshiping Lord Shiva of Thirumannipadikarai and Thirukurukkai.

திருக்குறுக்கைப்பதி மன்னித் திருவீரட்டானத்து அமர்ந்த

பொருப்பு வில்லாளரை ஏத்திப் போந்து அன்னியூர் சென்று போற்றிப்

பருக்கைவரை உரித்தார் தம் பந்தணை நல்லூர் பணிந்து

விருப்புடன் பாடல் இசைத்தார் வேதம் தமிழால் விரித்தார்

Thirugnanasambandar, Appar, Sundarar, and Ramalinga Adigalar have sung hymns in praise of Lord Shiva of this temple. 

சூலம்படை சுண்ணப் பொடி சாந்தம்சுடு நீறு

பாலம் மதி பவளச் சடைமுடிமேலது பண்டைக்

காலன்வலி காலின்னொடுபோக்கிக்கடி கமலும்

நீலம்மலர்ப் பொய்கை நின்றி யூரின் நிலை யோர்க்கே

...... திருஞானசம்பந்தர்

பாற லைத்த படு வெண் தலையினன்

நீற லைத்தசெம் மேனியன் நேரிழை

கூற லைத்தமெய் கோளர வாட்டிய

ஆற லைத்த சடையன்னி யூரனே

....... திருநாவுக்கரசு சுவாமிகள்

திருவும் வண்மையும் திண்திறல் அரசும் சிலந்தியார் செய்த செய்பணி கண்டு

மருவுகோச்செங்க ணான்தனக்(கு) அளித்த வார்த்தை கேட்டுநுண் மலரடி அடைந்தேன்

பெருகு பொன்னிவந் துஉந்துபன் மணியைப் பிள்ளைப் பல்கணம் பண்ணையுள் நண்ணித்

தெருவும் தெற்றியும் முற்றமும் பற்றித் திரட்டும் தென்திரு நின்றியூ ரானே

...... சுந்தரர்

                                              -“பீடுகொண்டு

மன்னியூரெல்லாம் வணங்க வளங்கொண்ட

வன்னியூர் மேவும் அதிபதியே.

....... திருவருட்பா

Moolavar  : Sri Mahalakshmeesar, Sri Lakshmipureeswarar.

Consort    : Sri Loganayagi.

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

The temple faces east with a temple tank surrounded on all three sides. A 3 Tier Rajagopuram is in front. Balipeedam and Rishabam are after the Rajagopuram. The Sanctum’s entrance is very narrow. Moolavar is a little taller and there is a shallow / ‘kuzhi’ on the top. In Koshtam, Narthana Vinayagar, Dakshinamurthy ( Muyalagan the symbol of ignorance is on the left side of Dakshinamurthy holding a snake in his hand ), Lingothbavar, Brahma, and Durgai.   

In praharam Selva Vinayagar, Subramaniyar, Nalvar, Parasurama Lingam,  Parikeswarar Linga, Jamathkini worshiped Linga, Maha Vishnu, Mahalakshmi, Subramaniyar,  Navagrahas, Chandikeswarar, Bhairavar, Suryan and Chandran ( Facing each other ).

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

The original temple was believed to be built by Ko Chenkat Chozhan as mada Koil. But as per iconography, the temple might have been built by Pallavas and later reconstructed during Chozhas and maintained by Marathas and Nattukottai Chettiars.

The temple has only one inscription starting with Thirubhuvana Chakravarty. Thiribhuvana Chakravarthi Rajaraja’s 15th-year reign inscription  ( 538 of 1921 ) starts with Kumparavi, Ashtami Sunday, moola nakshatra ... an incomplete inscription. The temple is under the administration of Dharumapura adheenam.

 

LEGENDS

As per the legend Maha Vishnu and Mahalakshmi worshiped Lord Shiva of this temple and Lord Shiva obtained the name of Sri Lakshmipureeswarar. Since Mahalakshmi worshiped Lord Shiva in this temple ( Mahalakshmi is known as Thiru-), this place has got Thiru Nintra Oor.

In another legend, Jamathkini used to do pooja with a pot made out of river sand by her wife Renukadevi, every day. One day She  happened to see a Gandharva flying on a flying chariot and admired his beauty. So She couldn’t do the pot. Knowing all the facts, Jamathkini  asked his son to chop off his mother’s head and later Jamathkini brought her back to life as requested by Parasuramar. Since Parasuramar killed his mother, he has got the brahmahathi dosha and worshiped Lord Shiva of this temple, to get relief from sin. Parasuramar worshiped Lord Shiva of this temple and was blessed with Thiruvadi Deeksha.

Sage Agasthiyar, Jamathkini,  Indra, and Iravatham also worshiped Lord Shiva of this temple.  It is believed that those who pray to Lord Shiva will be freed from all ailments, have peace of mind, and get relief from Brahmahathi and pitru dosha. This is also an Anusham Nakshatra Temple.

POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS

Apart from Regular poojas, special poojas are conducted on Pradosham, Maha Shivaratri in Masi ( Feb – March ), Thirukarthigai in Karthigai Month ( Nov – Dec ), Skanda Sashti and Annabhishekam in Aipsi ( Oct – Nov ), Vinayagar Chathurthi in Avani ( Aug – Sep ) and Aani Thirumanjanam in Aani ( June – July ).

TEMPLE TIMINGS

The temple will be kept open between 07.00 hrs to 12.00 hrs and 16.00 hrs to 20.00 hrs.

CONTACT DETAILS :

The landline and Mobile numbers, +91 4364 279423  +91 4364  320 520, and +91 94861 41430, may be contacted for further details.

HOW TO REACH : 

The temple is on the bus route from Vaitheeswaran Koil to Mayiladuthurai and 8 Km from  Vaitheeswaran Koil.

The temple is 6.5 KM from Vaitheeswaran Koil, 13 KM from Sirkazhi, 33 KM from Chidambaram, 9.00 KM from Mayiladuthurai, 44 KM from Kumbakonam and 250 KM from Chennai.

The nearest Railway station is Vaitheeswaran Koil.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE

---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---