Sri Iyravatheswarar Temple / Mela Thirumanancheri Iravatheswarar Temple / Airavateshwarar Temple / Arulmigu Sugandha Parimaleshwarar Temple / Parimaleshwarar Temple, மேலைத் திருமணஞ்சேரி ஐராவதேஸ்வரர் கோயில், Ethirkopadi - Melai Thirumanancheri. Mayiladuthurai District, Tamil Nadu.

This is the 78^th Thevaram Paadal Petra Shiva Sthalam and the 24^th sthalam on the north side of the Kaveri River in Chozha Nadu. The Place Ethirkolapadi was mentioned during the 6^th to 7^th Century and called Mela Thirumanancheri. Even though there are two Villages with the same name, to differentiate this one is called Keelai Thirumanancheri and the other one is called Melai Thirumanancheri, locally known as Mela Koil.  And this temple is not so popular. 

In Sekkizhar’s Periya Puranam, this temple is not particularly mentioned, but Sundarar went to this temple and sang hymns in praise of Lord Shiva. Also, in Thirugnanasambandar’s Purana, Sekkizhar mentions this place, but we couldn’t get the hymn. The verse of Periya Purana on Thirugnanasambandar is given below...

அப்பதி போற்றி அகல்வார் அரனார் திருமணஞ்சேரி

செப்பஅரும் சீர்தொண்ட ரோடும் சென்று தொழுது இசைபாடி

எப்பொருளும் தரும் ஈசர் எதிர்கொள் பாடிப் பதி எய்தி

ஒப்புஇல் பதிகங்கள் பாடி ஓங்கு வேள்விக்குடி

 

Sundarar and Vallalar have sung hymns in praise of Lord Shiva of this temple. 

மத்த யானையேறி மன்னர்சூழ வருவீர்காள்

செத்த போதிலாருமில்லை சிந்தையுள் வைம்மின்கள்

வைத்த வுள்ளமாற்ற வேண்டா வம்மின் மனத்தீரே

அத்தர் கோயில் எதிர்கொள்பாடி என்பது அடைவோமே

....... சுந்தரர்

                                                -“விண்ணெதிர்

கொண்டிந்திரன் போன்மேவி நெடுநாள்வாழப்

பண்எதிர்கொள் பாடிப் பரம் பொருளே

...... திரு அருட்பா

Moolavar  : Sri Iyravadheswarar, Sri Madhyaneswarar

Consort    : Sri Suguntha Gundhalambigai, Periya Nayaki

                 Sri Malar Kuzhal madhu.

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

The temple faces west with a three-tier Rajagopuram. Balipeedam and Rishabam are after the Rajagopuram. In the koshtam are Vinayagar, Dakshinamurthy, Lingothbavar, Brahma, and Jaya Durgai.  

In the praharam are Vinayagar, Saneeswarar, Suriyan, and Chandran. Sannidhi for Vinayagar, Murugan with his consorts Sr Valli Devasena, Natarajar, Mahalakshmi, Nalvar with Sekkizhar, Suryan, Chandran, Bala Saraswati, and Swarna Bhairavar. Ambal Periya Nayaki is in a separate sannadhi.

ARCHITECTURE

The temple consists of the sanctum sanctorum, antarala, and artha mandapam. The temple was built with stone from adhistam to prastaram. The sanctum sanctorum is on a pada bandha adhitanam with jagathy, three patta kumudam, and pattikai. The bhitti starts with vedikai. The pilasters are Vishnu kantha pilasters with square bases, kalasam, kudam, lotus petals mandi, palakai, and vettuu pothyal. The prastaram consists of valapi, kapotam with nasi kudus, and vyyalavari. The vimanam over the bhumi desam is of one tala, greevam, and vesara sigaram. The vimanam was built with bricks. Shiva, Dakshinamurthy, Maha Vishnu, and Brahma are in the greevam and tala koshtams. 

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

Since Sundarar has sung hymns in praise of Lord Shiva of this temple, the temple might have existed before the 7^th Century. Later reconstructed during the Chozha period. About 28 inscriptions are recorded from this temple, and all belong to the Chozha period between the 11^th and 12^th centuries. As per the inscriptions, this place, Virutharaja Bayangara Nattu Kurkkai Nadu Thirumananjeri, and Lord Shiva were called Thirukatrali Mahadevar Paramaswamy.

The inscriptions mainly speak about the endowments of Pooja materials like sandals, cloth, oil, burning of perpetual lamps, feeding of Yogis and Thabasis on Panguni month celebrations, Golden crowns, Murtis, and stones for the new constructions. To carry out the above endowments, goats, sheep, kasu/ money, Gold, and lands are gifted to the temple. For burning one lamp, 16 kalanju gold and 96 sheep for burning a perpetual lamp were gifted by the donors.

Mahavishnu, Manavala Perumal was called Karikala Chozha Vinnakaralwar, and Kanthadai Nambi Thirumananjeri Pichchan had done thirupani to this shrine and also donated a stone. The Kudamuzha player's name is also mentioned in the inscription.

Chembiayan Mahadevi created the accounting details of the temple. 

The last Maha Kumbabishekam was done on 03^rd Feb 2016 and previously on 22^nd August 2004.

LEGENDS : 

As per the legend, Ma Parvati was cursed to be born on earth. She came in the form of a Child from the Puthra Kameshti Yaga, performed by Sage Bharata. She was brought up by the sage. When Ma Parvati attained marriageable age, Sage Bharata prayed to Lord Shiva to help him find a suitable groom. Lord Shiva appeared before him and told him that his daughter was none other than Ma Parvati and also explained, as per his wish, to be born on the earth and marry him, i.e., Lord Shiva.  

Lord Shiva came in the form of a bridegroom and was welcomed by sage Bharata with Poorna Kumbha. Hence, this place obtained the name of Ethirkolpadi – ethirkol – welcoming someone coming towards the welcoming person – Padi means Village. Married couples visit this temple to get the blessings of Lord Shiva and Parvati to lead a life like them.

Iravatham worshiped Lord Shiva in many temples to get relief from the curse. Lord Shiva blessed Iravatham. Hence, Lord Shiva is praised as "Airavateswarar". It is also believed that Indra also worshiped Lord Shiva at this temple.

  

POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS

Apart from Regular poojas, special poojas are conducted on Pradosham, Maha Shivaratri in Masi (Feb – March), Masi Magam (Feb – March), Navaratri Vazhipadu (Oct – November), every month Ashtami Pooja, Karthigai Deepam in Karthigai, Tamil New Year day, Thai Pongal, Chitra Pournami (March – April), Vinayagar Chathurthi (August – Sep), Deepavali  (Oct November) Monthly Pournami (Full moon day) and Amavasai (New Moon day ) Pooja. 

TEMPLE TIMINGS

The temple will be open from 07.00 hrs to 11.00 hrs and 17.00 hrs to 20.00 hrs.

CONTACT DETAILS

D. Senthil Kumar Gurukkal may be contacted on his mobile at +91 80121 60621 or Ramamoorthy, caretaker, at +9196002 08708 for further details.

Temple website: http://thirumanancheritemple.tnhrce.in/history.html

HOW TO REACH : 

Bus from Mayiladuthurai is available via Kuthalam to Thirumanancheri.

The temple is 14 km from Mayiladuthurai, 29 km from Kumbakonam, 39 km from Sirkazhi, 54 km from Chidambaram, and 264 km from Chennai.

The nearest Railway Station is Mayiladuthurai.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---