Sri Neiyyadiappar Temple / அருள்மிகு நெய்யாடியப்பர் திருக்கோவில், தில்லைஸ்தானம் / Thiru Neithanam / Thillaisthanam, Thanjavur District, Tamil Nadu.

This is the 106^th Thevara Paadal Petra Shiva Sthalam and the 52^nd Shiva Sthalam on the north side of the River Kaveri. The temple is on the banks of the River Kaveri. In Thevaram, the place name was mentioned as Thiruneithanam, and is now called Thillaisthanam. This is one of the Sapthasthana Temples around Thiruvaiyaru.

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

குடதிசைமேல் போவதற்குக் கும்பிட்டு அங்கு அருள்பெற்றுக் குறிப்பினோடும்

பிடரும்நெறிமேல் அணைவார் பரமர் திரு நெய்தானப் பதியில் நண்ணி

அடையும்மனம் உறவணங்கி அரும்தமிழ்மா லைகள்பாடி அங்கு நின்றும்

புடைவளர்மென் கரும்பினொடு பூகம்மிடை மழபாடி போற்றச் சென்றார்

Thirugnanasambandar, Thirunavukkarasu Swamigal, and Vallalar have sung hymns in praise of Lord Shiva of this temple. 

மையாடிய கண்டன்மலை மகள்பாகமது உடையான்

கையாடிய கேடில்கரி உரிமூடிய ஒருவன்

செய்யாடிய குவளைம் மலர் நயனத்தவ ளோடும்

நெய்யாடிய பெருமான்இடம் நெய்தானம்எ னீரே

....... திருஞானசம்பந்தர்

காலனை வீழச் செற்ற கழலடி இரண்டும் வந்தென்

மேலவா இருக்கப் பெற்றேன் மேதகத் தோன்று கின்ற

கோலநெய்த் தானம் என்னும் குளிர்பொழிற் கோயில் மேய

நீலம்வைத் தனய கண்ட நினைக்குமா நினைக்கின் றேனே

.......... திருநாவுக்கரசு சுவாமிகள்

                                                                --மெய்யகற்றி

மெய்த்தான நின்றோர் வெளித்தானமேவு திரு

நெய்தானத் துள்ளமர்ந்த நித்தியமே

........... திருஅருட்பா

Moolavar  : Sri Neiyyadiappar, Sri Kiruthapureeswarar

Consort    : Sri Balambigai.

Some of the important features of  this temple are :

The temple faces east with the 5-tier Rajagopuram. In koshtam Dakshinamurthy, Lingothbavar, Brahma, and Ashtabhuja Durga. In Dakshinamurthy’s Koshtam, one murti is in a standing Posture. As per the iconography, this Shiva murti may belong to the Pallava period, and the right hand is in abhaya hastham, and the other hand is in kadi hastham. In front of the Standing Shiva, Dakshinamurthy is installed in the same niche.

In the inner praharam, Kanni Vinayagar, Sri Valli Devasena Subramaniar, Saneeswarar, Naga Kannikas, Saraswati, Mahalakshmi, Chandikeswarar, and Durgai. Navagrahas are in the mandapam. In the corridor, Shiva Lingas of other Saptha Sthana temples, ie, Thirupazhanam, Thiru Neithanam, Thiru Kandiyur, Thiruchotruthurai, Thiruvedhikudi, Thirupoonthuruthi, and Thiruvaiyaru,

There is no sannadhi in the outer praharam.  Ambal sannadhi faces south. Ambal is in a standing posture, holding the shankha  (Conch)  and chakra.  

The adhisthana is a simple padabandha adhisthana. The prastaram is of the kapota style with bhuta ganas in valabi. The ekathala vimana is of stone up to greevam, and the sigaram is of stucco.

The 15th-century Saint Arunagirinathar has sung Hymns in praise of Lord Muruga of this temple.

செகசெச் சேசெச் செகவென முரசொலி

            திகழச் சூழத் திருநட மிடுபவர்

            செறிகட் காளப் பணியணி யிறையவர்        தருசேயே

    சிகரப் பாரக் கிரியுறை குறமகள்’

            கலசத் தாமத் தனகிரி தழுவிய

            திருநெய்த் தானத் துறைபவ சுரபதி               பெருமாளே

ARCHITECTURE

The temple was built with stone from adhistanam to greevam. The temple consists of sanctum sanctorum, antarala,ardha mandapam, and a maha mandapam. The sanctum sanctorum is ona pada bandha adhistanam with jagathy, three patta kumudam and pattikai. The bhitti starts from pattikai. The pilasters are of Vishnu kantha pilasters with square bases, kalasam, kudam, palakai, and vettu pothyal. The prastram consists of valapi, kapotam with nasi kudus, and viyyalavari. The vimanam over the bhumidesam is with one tala and greevam and nagara vimanam. Shiva, Dakshinamurthy, Maha Vishnu and Brahma are in the tala and greeva koshtams. Images are also found in the karna kudus.

 

Ambal temple

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

Since Thirugnanasambandar has sung hymns in praise of Lord Shiva of this temple, the original temple (Maybe in bricks) existed before the 7^th century. Later, the temple was reconstructed in stone by the Chozhas, Pandyas, and Vijayanagaras. As per the inscriptions, this place was in Rajarajavalanattu Painganattu Thiru Neithanam, and Lord Shiva was called Neithanamudayar. 

About 51 inscriptions are recorded from this temple. As per the inscriptions, this place was in Rajarajavalanattu Painganattur Thiru Neithanam during the Rajathirajan Period.

The Pallava King Nandivarman III’s 10^th reign year 856 CE inscription, on the left side at the entrance into the central shrine in the Ghritastānēśvara temple, records the gift of 90 kalañcu of pure gold (ttyppōkku-sempon) by the king to god Mahādēva at Tirunettānam, for a sacred lamp. States that the annual interest thereon was 60 kalam of paddy. Registers an agreement by the sabhaiyar of Perumpuliyür that they would supply for this (as interest) one uri of ghee daily to the temple priest (tirukköyiludaiyan) and burn the perpetual lamp.

Vikrama Chozha period inscription records the endowment of burning a perpetual lamp by Chembiyan Eekkattu Velan Parisai Kizhaan Maravan Nakkan, and he donated 13 Kalanju Gold.

Nangai Varaguna Peruman bought land for 25 Kalanju gold from Koothan Arulmozhi alias Vanavan Perayan and handed it over to this temple for burning perpetual lamps.

Chozha Perumanadigal’s Kamakizhaththi Nangai Kooththapperumanaar gifted 30 Kalanju gold to light a perpetual lamp. But the Neithana sabhai utilized that amount for constructing a  Snabana mandapa. Instead of that, the sabhai had arranged through Temple land.

Valavarkon Perarayan, Chembiyan Thamizhavelan Vikkanan’s wife  Kadambama Devi, Thennavan Pirathimarajan alias Katti Otriyuraan Prantakan, and Ilangovenman’s wife Varagunaperumanar gifted gold and land towards the burning of a perpetual lamp.

Parantaka I's period inscription records the endowment of naivedyam by  Mundangatti Udayan alias Kannangudi Narayanan, for which Paddy was gifted.

In addition to this, Thavil / Melam players, Devadasis, and Merchants also gave donations to this temple in terms of Gold, Money, Land, and Ewes/ Sheep/Goat,  mainly for the Lighting of perpetual lamps. 

References:

1. ARE, 1895, no. 52;

2. South Indian Inscriptions Volume V.

3. Inscriptions of the Pallavas by T V Mahalingam. 

Maha kumbhabhishekam was conducted on 19^th April 2001.

Inscriptions on the jala too

LEGENDS

Kamadhenu and Saraswathi worshiped Lord Shiva of this temple. 

As per the legend, the divine cow, Kamadhenu, was pouring milk at a particular place, and the milk turned to ghee due to the hot sun. The shepherd informed the local people of this miracle. The Locals dug that particular place and found a Shiva Linga. When the King was informed about this, the King constructed a temple and ordered an abhishekam with ghee. Kamadhenu worships Lord Shiva, and pouring milk on the Shiva Linga is in the form of a bas relief in the temple. Hence, Lord Shiva is called "Neiyyadiyappar," and the place was called Neithanam.     

It is believed that a Sri Lankan King Kayavahu with his family worshiped Lord Shiva of this temple, considered as their Kula Deivam. He also arranged many festivals to be celebrated in this temple.

POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS

Apart from regular poojas, special poojas are conducted on Ezhur Thiruvizha (Urchavar participates in Thirumazhapadi Nadhikeswarar’s marriage festival), Masi Maham Brahmotsavam in the month Masi (Feb – March) with Theerthavari in river Kaveri, Vinayagar Chathurthi in the month Avani (Aug- Sep), Navaratri in the month Purattasi (Sep-Oct), Skanda Sashti and Annabhishekam in the month Aippasi (Oct – Nov), Thirukarthigai in the month Karthigai (Nov – Dec), Thiruvathirai in the month Margazhi (Dec – Jan), Shivaratri in the month Masi (Feb – March) and every monthly pradosam.

THE TEMPLE TIMINGS :

The temple will be kept open from 09.00 hrs to 11.30 hrs and from 17.00 hrs to 19.00 hrs.

CONTACT DETAILS :

The Gurukkal Sankar can be contacted on the landline 04362 – 260553

HOW TO REACH :

Town buses are available from Kandiyur. The route numbers are 23, 13, and 5.

The Temple is 2.1 km from Thiruvaiyaru, 14.0 km from Thanjavur, 36 km from Kumbakonam, 50 km from Tiruchirappalli, and 331 km from Chennai.

The nearest railway station is Thanjavur.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE:  CLICK HERE

Mani (Bell) and Manickavasagar

Kaveri River 

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---