Sri Karkadeswarar Temple / Nandaankoil / திருத்தேவங்குடி கற்கடகேசுவரர் கோயில். Tirundudevankudi / Thirudevankudi / near Thiruvisanallur, Thanjavur District, Tamil Nadu.

This is the 96^th Thevara Paadal Petra Shiva Sthalam and 42^nd Sthalam on the north side of river Kaveri in Chozha Nadu. This place was once called as Tirundudevankudi / Thirudevankudi  and now there is no Village around the temple and it is a part of  Thiruvisanallur. Paddy fields are around the temple and the temple is also called as Nandaankoil / Nandu koil, by the local people.

In Periya Puranam, Sekkizhar records that Thirugnanasambandar came to this temple after worshiping Lord Shiva of Thiruvisanallur.

திருந்துதேவன்குடி மன்னும் சிவபெருமான் கோயில் எய்திப்

பொருந்திய காதலின் புக்குப் போற்றி வணங்கிப் புரிவார்

மருந்தொடு மந்திரம் ஆகி மற்றும் இவர் வேடமாம் என்று

அருந்தமிழ் மாலை புனைந்தார் அளவுஇல் ஞானத்து அமுதுஉண்டார்

Thirugnanasambandar and Ramalinga Adigalar has sung hymns in praise of Lord Shiva of this temple.

மருந்துவேண் டில்இவை மந்திரங் கள்இவை

புரிந்துகேட் கப்படும் புண்ணியங் கள் இவை

திருந்துதே வன்குடித் தேவர்தே வெய்திய

அருந்தவத் தோர்தொழும் அடிகள் வேடங்களே

......... திருஞானசம்பந்தர்

                                    --“வாஞ்சையும்யுறும்

சீவன் குடியுறவிச்சீர் நகரொன்றே யெனுஞ்சீர்த்

தேவன் குடி மகிழ்ந்த தெள்ளமுதே

........ திரு அருட்பா

Moolavar  : Sri Karkadakeswarar, Arumarunthudayar  

Consort    : Sri Arumarunthammai, and Sri Apoorvanayagi.

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

The temple is facing east with an entrance arch. Stucco image of Lord Shiva and Parvati is on the arch. A three tier Rajagopuram with a open mandapa is after the entrance arch. Rishabam and Balipeedam are under the mandapa. Moolavar is of swayambhu In Koshtam, Narthana Vinayagar, Dakshinamurthy, Lingothbavar, Brahma, and Durgai. Dwarapalakas are in stucco at the entrance of maha mandapam of the sanctum sanctorum.

There are two Ambal sannadhis. Sri Arumarunthammai/Arumarunthu Nayagi and Sri Apoorva Nayagi. Ambal Arumarunthammai was installed by the King of that area after he was cured  from a decease.

In the inner prakaram Chandikeswarar, Dhanvantari, Agasthiyar, Kala Bhairavar, Suriyan, Yoga Chandran in sitting posture, Nalvar, Ganapathy, Subramaniyar and Gajalakshmi. Natarajar with Sivakami images are in Stucco. 

Dakshinamurthy- Brahma

Chandikeswarar - Maha Vishnu

ARCHITECTURE

The sanctum sanctorum consists of sanctum, Antarala and Artha mandapam.  Ashtamangala bas-relief at the top of the artha mandapam. Due to increase of ground level there is a Moat Agali formation around the sanctum sanctorum. The eka thala Vimana is a suthdha vimana completely built with stone from Adhistanam to Stupi.

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

Since Thirugnanasambandar has sung in praise of Lord Shiva of this temple, the original temple may be existed before 7^th Century. The same was reconstructed completely with stone during Chozha period.  The inscriptions recorded from this temple belongs to Rajarajan, Sembiyan Mahadevi, Kulothunga Chozha-I, and Vikrama Chozha. This place was in Kulothunga Chozha Valanadu, and Lord Shiva was called as Arumarunthudayar.

The 12^th Century inscription without kings name records the endowment of burning a perpetual lamp by Chenni mangalamudayan Arayan seerala Devan alias Rajara..... donated a two tier Standing Lamp (Kuththu vilakku). This was received by the Muppathu vattaththu Kaniyudaiya Siva Brahmins and agreed to burn the lamp. 

Vikrama Chozha period inscription records the endowment of burning 2 perpetual lamps for which 2 kasu was gifted. The Thirumanjana well at Thirumadaipalli was dug by Maruthurudayan Velan kaakku....... Another inscription of the same King’s period records the donation of 1 Kasu, for what purpose this donation was made is not known.

Another Inscription of Vikrama Chozha’s period records the gift of 12 Kasu by Virutharaja bayangara Valanattu manni nattu, Chozha marthanda Chaturvedi mangalam Mel Pidagai Vellalan GudaluradayanSivaroki... mandai..... In another inscription, the same person also gifted 4 kasus.

Anther Vikrama Chozha’s inscription records the endowment of burning a perpetual lamp for which 10 kasu was deposited in the treasury. The receipt of the gift also acknowledged and recorded. 

An inscription without King’s name records the Gurukkal name as Panchanathi Gurukkal. Another Kulothunga Chozha’s inscription mentions the name of a mandapam called Kulothunga Chozhan mandapam. The Summaries of the fifteen inscriptions of the Thirunthudevankudi Karkadeswarar Temple are given here. All the inscriptions are in Tamil language and Script, few words are written in Grantha scripts. Kings name, Regnal year and Historical year are given. The inscriptions are recorded in Tamilnadu Kalvettukal- VI, Kumbakonam Vattam. Most of the inscriptions mentions the endowment of burning Lamps and the donations are made in terms of Money, Land, Gold, etc,. Only important inscription details are given below.

4/2014. King name and regnal year lost 12^th  century CE. Records an agreement made by the Sivabrahmanas, who had the Kani right in the temple to burn a perpetual lamp after receiving the gift made by certain Araiyan Sirala devan alias Rajaraja...... a native of Sennimangalam, in the temple of Arumarunthudaiyar at Thirunthu- devankudi.

5/2014. Fragment Vikkiramachōla regnal year lost – 12^th century CE. Records the gift of money for burning a twi-light lamp in the temple and a well in the kitchen called Thirumañjanakkinaru, by an individual named Vēlän käkku.... native of Marudur.

6/2014. Vikkiramachōla- regnal year lost – 12^th century CE. Badly damaged. Seems to be the gift of money for burning a lamp in the temple of Arumarunthudaiyar in the village Thirunthudevankudi.

7/2014. Vikkiramachōla - regnal year lost 12^th century CE. Records the gift of 12 Kasu to the temple of Arumarunthudaiyar in Thirunthu- devankudi by a Saiva saint called. Mandai, a Vellala of Cuddalore residing in the Western hamlet of Chōlamarttanda-chaturvedimangalam of Mangi-nadu, a sub-division of Virudhara bhayankara-valanādu.

8/2014. Vikkirama Chola regnal year lost 12^th century CE. Badly damaged. Registers an agreement made by some persons with the acceptance to burn a perpetual lamp in the temple after receiving the money which was deposited in the temple treasury earlier in the temple of Arumarunthudaiyär.

9/2014. Fragment. 12^th  century CE. Seems to be a gift made by certain Arumbakkilig... to the Arumarunthudaiyar temple in Thirunthudevankudi.

10/2014. A fragment inscription records of 12^th  century CE, records the gift of 4 Kasu deposited in the temple treasury to the deity of Arumarunthar in Tirunthudevankudi, by a Saiva saint called Mandaiyan, a Vellala of Innanbar-nadu, who was residing in the Western hamlet called Pakkankudi [The same Saiva saint mentions in inscription No. 7]

11/2014. Damaged. Mentions a person Pañchanadi kurukkal, doing daily service in the temple.

12/2014. Köpparakesarivarman 10^th  century CE. Damaged two fragment inscription. 1^st record belongs to the period of Köpparakesarivarman and the 2^nd  one states that the Sivabrahmanas of the temple accepted to pay the paddy, as per the payment to be paid by the village assembly.

13/2014. A single line inscription of 11, 12^th  century CE. States that the name of this Thirumandapam was Kulottungachōlan.

14/2014. Fragment. 12^th  century CE. Seems to the acceptance made by a Sivabrahmana of the temple to pay the interest. Mentions Virudharaja bhayankara-valanādu, Tiraimur-näḍu etc.,

15/2014. Kulottunga Chōla I - 47^th regnal year - 1117 CE. States that some lands were given to the temple of Thirunthudevankudi instead of some devadāna iraiyili lands of the temple, on the request of an officer Madurantaka Brahmadhirajan, separated it in the name of Gangaikondachōla-nallur to be given to the temple of Gangaikonda chölisvaramudaiyar.

Ref:
Tamilnadu Kalvettukal- VI, Kumbakonam Vattam.

06^th February ( July ...?) 2003, Maha Kumbhabhishekam was conducted.

"Thirunthuthevankudi"- temple inscriptions

LEGENDS

As per sthala purana Indra worshiped Shiva to get rid of the sin with 1008 Sengazhuneer flowers /after taking a dip in the theertham. Every day Indra found that one number was short to 1008. Since it happened every day, Indra wanted to check personally. When he was watching a flower was moving through pranalika / komukha in to the sanctum and a crab was offering the flower to Lord Shiva. Since crab ( Karkadam in Sanskrit is Nandu in Tamil ) worshiped Lord Shiva, Lord Shiva of this temple is called as "Karkadeswarar". Indra worshipped Shiva after realised his sin of damaging the Shiva Linga, this place is being called as Thirunthudevankudi

It is believed that Arumarunthammai was installed by a King who was suffering from a decease. Later the original Ambal statue was found and installed as Apoorva Nayagi.

This is a parihara sthalam for the Kataka Rasi and Chandra dosha people. It is believed that Lord Shiva and Ambal will cure many ailments. Also believed that the, oil from Ambal Arumarunthu Nayagi's abhishekam will cure many deceases. The Oil will also be consumed as a medicine for getting cure from many ailments.

POOJAS & CELEBRATIONS

Apart from regular poojas, special poojas are conducted on Pradosham, Vinayaka Chathurthi in the month Avani ( Aug – Sep ), Annabhishekam in the month Aippasi ( Oct – Nov ), Thirukarthigai in the month Karthigai ( Nov – Dec ) and Maha Shivaratri in the month Masi (Feb – March ). 

Parihara poojas are done on Sundays and many devotees throng this temple. 

TEMPLE TIMINGS

The temple will be kept opened between 09.00 hrs to 13.00hrs and 16.00 hrs to 19.00 hrs.

CONTACT DETAILS :

Mobile and land line numbers  +91 99940 15871 and +91 435 200 0240 may be contacted for further details..

HOW TO REACH :

Buses from Mayiladuthurai and Kumbakonam up to Thiruvisanallur and a km has to walk to reach this temple.

This place Tirundudevankudi /Thirudevankudi, is not a separate place and the temple is a part of Thiruvisanallur.

The temple is 9.7 KM from Kumbakonam, 32 KM from Mayiladuthurai, 49 KM from Thanjavur, 70 KM from Chidambaram and 300 KM from Chennai.

Nearest Railway station is Kumbakonam.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE : CLICK HERE

Shri Shiva and Parvati in the nasi Koodu

What they are talking- Do you hear any thing...?

 Stucco Natarajar and Sivakami

Ashta mangala Symbols - Gajalakshmi, Mirror, Lamp, Kalasa, Umbrella, Poorna Kumbha,  at the entrance of the Sanctum Sanctorum

The Gandharva in the form of Nandu / Crab worships Lord Shiva

The King is giving Thithi to his ancestors

The King and Queen worships Lord Shiva

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA---