Sri Chayavanaeswarar Temple / Chaya Vaneswarar / Sri Rathna Chaayavaneswarar Temple / சாயாவனம் சாயாவனேஸ்வரர் திருக்கோயில் / Sayavaneswarar Temple / Chayavanam ( Tiruchaikadu )/ Sayavanam, Mayiladuthurai District. Tamil Nadu.

This is the 63^rd Thevara Paadal Petra Shiva Sthalam and the 9^th Sthalam on the north side of river Kaveri. This place was called Chaikadu during the 7^th Century, now called Chayavanam. It is believed that this is one of the Pancha Vana Temples and the others are Chidambaram, Then Thirumullaivasal, Pallavaneecharam, and Thiruvenkadu.

As per Sekkizhar’s, Periya Puranam, Thirugnanasambandar visited this temple after worshiping Lord Shiva of Pallavaneecharam.

பன்னகப் பூணி னாரைப் பல்லவ னீச்ச ரத்துச்

சென்னியால் வணங்கி ஏத்தித் திருந்து இசைப் பதிகம் பாடிப்

பொன்னி சூழ்புகாரில் நீடு னிதர் திருச்சாய்க்காட்டு

மன்னுசீர்த்தொண்டர் எல்லாம் மகிழ்ந்து எதிர்கொள்ளப் புக்கார்

Thirugnanasambandar, Appar Aiadigal Kadavarkon, and Vallalar  have sung hymns in praise of lord Shiva of this temple.

மண்புகார் வான்புகுவர் மனம் இளையார் பசியாலும்

கண்புகார் பிணியறியார் கற்றாரும் கேட்டாரும்

விண்புகார் என வேண்டா வெண்மாட நெடுவீதித்

தண்புகார்ச் சாய்காட்டெந் தலைவன்தாள் சார்ந்தாரே

....... திருஞானசம்பந்தர்

தோடுலா மலர்கள் தூவித் தொடுதெழு மார்க்கண் டேயன்

வீடுநாள் அணுகிற் றென்று மெய்கொள்வான் வந்த காலன்

பாடுதான் செல்லும் அஞ்சிப் பாதமே சரணம் என்னச்

சாடினார் காலன் மாளச் சாய்க்காடு மேவி னாரே

........ திருநாவுக்கரசு சுவாமிகள்

அஞ்சனஞ்சேர் கண்ணார் அருவருக்கும் அற்புதமாய்க்

குஞ்சி வெளுத்துடலங் கோடாமுன் – நெஞ்சமே

போய்க்காடு கூடப் புலம்பாது பூம்புகார்ச்

சாய்க்காடு கைதொதொழு நீ சார்ந்து

...........ஐயடிகள் காடவர்கோன்

சீர்பூத்த வெண்ணிலாவைத் திரைபூத்த

    வரநதியைச் செந்தேனூற்று

மார்பூத்த மலரதனைக் கடுக்கைதனைச்

    செஞ்சடிலத் தணியுங் கோவைக்

கார்பூத்த மேனியனும் மறைபூத்த

    நாவினனும்காணா தோங்கும்

ஏர்பூத்த சின்மயச்சா யாவனத்தெம்

    மிறையவனை இறைஞ்சல் செய்வாம்

......... சாயாவனப் புராணம் – தல புராணம் கவிரஜநாயகம் பிள்ளை

                                                -“வலிக்காலில்

பாய்க்காடு கின்ற வொரு பச்சைமுகில் பரவுஞ்

சாய்க்காடு மேவுந் தடங்கடலே

......... திரு அருட்பா

Moolavar  : Sri Chayavaneswarar, Sri Rathna Chayavaneswarar

Consort    : Sri Kosahambal, Sri Kuyilinum Nanmozhiyaal.

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

The temple faces east with a three-tier Rajagopuram and an arch on the south side. Rishabam is on an elevated level and Balipeedam is in front. A small Entrance to the artha mandapa is from east side. Moolavar is of swayambhu a little shorter on a square avudayar. There is a scar on the Linga. In koshtam Vinayagar, Dakshinamurthy, Lingothbavar, Brahma, and Vishnu Durgai.  

In the outer praharam Suryan, Indran, Iyarpagai Nayanar with his wife and Moovar (without Manickavasagar). In the praharam ( inner ) Vinayagar, Murugan with his consorts Valli Devasena, Gajalakshmi, Kala Bhairava, Navagrahas, Murugan as Velavar, is with a bow instead of vel/spear, Natarajar Sabha, Palliyarai and Ambal shrine. The utsavars, include Iyarpagai Nayanar and his wife.

ARCHITECTURE

This is one of the maada temples/kovil built by Ko Chengat Chozhan, who was a spider in his previous birth. He built Shiva temples with steps so that an elephant could not climb.  It is one of the 6 temples equivalent to Kasi. The sanctum sanctorum consists of sanctum, antarala, and artha mandapam. An octagonal – Dravida - vimana is over the sanctum. The prastaram is with Kapotha, Bhutavari, and Yazhivari above the kabotam on Bhumidesam. 

All the prakara mandapa and Vavval Nethi mandapas are built during Maratha period.

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

This place has existed since the Sangam age, mentioned in Agananooru as Chaikadu.

செந்நெலஞ்செற்வின் அன்னந்துஞ்சும்

பூக்கெழு படப்பைச் சாய்க்காட்டன்ன ... அகநானூறு 73.

This temple is believed to have been built by Ko-Chengat Chozha as a brick temple. Almost all the Maada temples are on the banks of river Kaveri and they were under the threat of flood in the river. This was reconstructed as stone temples during the medieval/early Chozha period and latter renovated and extended during the Marathas.

There are 13 inscriptions recorded from this temple. The inscriptions belong to Chozha Kings, Vikrama Chozha, Rajaraja, Kulothunga-III and Rajendran, and Panya King Sundara Pandyan, As per the inscriptions the place was in Rajathiraja Valanattu Nangoor Nattu, Kaviripoompattinaththu Thiruchaikadu. 

Kulothunga Chozha-III, period inscriptions record the endowment of Naivedyam, Milaku, burning Perpetual lamps, feeding to 50 Brahmins for which Paddy as an income from the lands gifted, land was leased for supplying Milaku/Pepper. An order was issued to hand over the lands, of which taxes are not paid. 

Maravarman Sundara Pandyan Period inscription records the gift of land to this temple. For Kunakaran Temple a gift given was recorded in the form of a song.

Another inscription dated Saka 1679 ( 1757 CE) records the endowment of service, Worship, celebrations of festivals, and Maintenance by Rayaravutha Pindan for which land was donated.

Rajarajan-II / III period inscription records that the lands gifted to this temple were used by unauthorized miscreants. The Land was recovered and a Nandhavan was created in his name as Rarajaja nandhavanam. The Chozha King Kulothunga Chozha-III’s, 35^th year reign inscription records the endowment of naivedyam, maintenance and gift of how much paddy has to be given for each,  the income from the temple Lands. The order was issued by one Pillai Ambar Udayar Kalaingarayan’s

Rajaraja-II (III) inscription records the endowment of burning ½ perpetual lamp by one Vanavan Vizhuparayan belongs to Rajathiraja Valanattu Thiruvinthalur nattu Marudhamangalathu malai mel Marunthanavan. This is a ½ lamp, in addition to the ½ Lamps which were already gifted by the same person.

Chozha King’s Minister Thiruchitrambalavan constructed a Mutt and a land was gifted for the feeding of 50 Brahmins. Another inscription records the endowment of celebration and maintenance to the Shiva temple at Kaveripoompattinam Pallavaneswara by Nayaravutha Mundan.     

Maha Kumbhabhishekam was conducted on 19^th August 1956 and 24^th May 2010.

Kulothunga Chozha's inscription

LEGENDS

Upamanyu, Indran, Iravatham, Iyarpakai Nayanar with his wife worshiped the lord of this temple. Iraipakai Nayanar attained moksha in this place. The Silapathikaram mentioned that Sambapthi Amman temple is close to this temple.

As per the legend, Iyarpagai Nayanar, one of the 63 Nayanmars, was from this place. He was an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva and lived along with his wife. To show his bhakti and devotion Lord Shiva in the form of a Shiva devotee came to his house and asked to give his wife. Without hesitation, he gave his wife and his wife also didn’t show any restriction. The Devotee also asked Iyarpagai Nayanar, as a guard to accompany him till the Village’s limit so that his relatives would not object to him. Iyarpagai Nayanar is also accompanied by Lord Shiva with a sword in his hand. At the Limit of the Village the Devotee, disappeared. Lord Shiva with Parvati appeared and blessed both and gave mukti to both of them.

This is one of 6 Temples on the banks of river Kaveri equivalent to Kasi ( The other temples as Thiruvaiyaru, Mayiladuthurai, Thiruvenkadu, Thiruvidaimaruthur and Thiruvanchiyam ).

It is believed that the Murugan as Villenthiya Velan belongs to Thiruchendur Temple. In 1648 The Dutch smuggled the idol and taken through the ship. Their ship got stuck up in the middle of the sea and they dropped the Murugan idol in the sea, near Poompuhar. At the base, it is written as “Senthil Andavar”. Anklet is also shown on his leg, hence called Veera Kandamani.    

வில்லேந்திய வேலவர் துதி

வினைசேரா சேர்ந்தனவும் மெல்ல விலகும்

நினைவுகள் தூயதாம் நெஞ்சில் – இனையன

எல்லாம் அருள்வான் எழில்முகு சாய்க்காட்டு

வில்லேந்தி என்றே விளம்பு

POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS

Apart from regular poojas, special poojas are conducted on, 21 day Indra Vizha in Chithirai vizha, which starts from Chithirai Pournami ( April – May ), Thanneer Pandal – offering buttermilk in the name of Iyarpakai Nayanar in April – June, Public feeding ie Annadhanam in July – August, Saint Kumara Guruparar’s Guru Pooja in May – June, 5 Days Iyarpagai Nayanar’s festival with Lord Shiva’s darshan on 4^th day in Margazhi ( December – January ).  

TEMPLE TIMINGS

The temple will be kept open between 07.00 hrs to 12.00 hrs and 16.00 hrs to 19.30 hrs.

CONTACT DETAILS :

The landline number 04364 - 260 151 may be contacted for further details.

HOW TO REACH:

This temple is on the bus route from Sirkazhi to Poompuhar.

3 Km from Thiruvengadu.

Also on the bus route from Mayiladuthurai to Poompuhar.

The temple is 17 KM from Sirkazhi, 20 KM from Mayiladuthurai, 39 KM from Chidambaram, and 257 Km from Chennai.

Nearest Railway station is Sirkazhi.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA---