Thuyartheertha Nathar Temple / Sri Pranava Viyakrapureeswarar Temple / அருள்மிகு பிரணவ வியாக்ரபுரீஸ்வரர் திருக்கோயில் ஓமாம்புலியூர், Omampuliyur, Cuddalore District, Tamil Nadu.

This is the 85^th Thevara Paadal Petra Shiva Sthalam and 31^st Sthalam on the north side of river Kaveri in Chozha Nadu. The temple was referred in Thevara Hymns as Vadathali during 6^th to 7^th Century, Omampuliyur and Omamampuliyur ( In Sambandar Thevaram ).

In Periya Puranam Sekkizhar mentions that Thirugnanasambandar visits this temple after worshiping Lord Shiva of Pandanai Nallur. This temple was also Called as Vada Thali

மற்று நல்பதி வடதளியில் மேவிய

அற்புதர் அடிபணிந்து அலர்ந்த செந்தமிழ்ச்

சொல்தொடை பாடி அங்கு அகன்று சூழ்மதில்

பொன்பதி வாழ்கொளி புத்தூர் புக்கனர்

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

பூங்கொடி மடவாள் உமையொரு பாகம் புரிதரு சடைமுடி யடிகள்

வீங்கிருள் நட்டம் ஆடும்எம் விகிர்தர் விருப்பொடும் உறைவிடம் வினவில்

தேங்கமழ் பொழிலில் செழுமலர் கோதிச் செறிதரு வண்டிசை பாடும்

ஓங்கிய புகழார் ஓமமாம் புலியூர் உடையவர் வடதளி யதுவே

....... திருஞானசம்பந்தர்

ஆராரும் மூவிலைவேல் அங்கை யானை

        அலைகடல்நஞ் சயின்றானை அமர ரேத்தும்

ஏராரும் மதிபொதியுஞ் சடையி னானை

        எழுபிறப்பும் எனையாளா வுடையான் தன்னை

ஊராரும் படநாகம் ஆட்டு வானை

        உயர்புகழ் சேர் தரும் ஓமாம் புலியூர் மன்னுஞ்

சீராரும் வடதளியெஞ் செல்வன் தன்னைச்

        சேராதே திகைத்துநாள் செலுத்தி னேனே

....... திருநாவுக்கரசு சுவாமிகள்

                                                            -“விண்ணிடை

வாமாம் புலியூர் மலர்ச்சோலை சூழ்ந்திலங்கும்,

ஓமாம் புலியூர் வாழ் உத்தமமே”

.....,... திரு அருட்பா

Moolavar  : Sri Pranava  Vyagrapureeswarar,

                 Sri Thuyartheertha Nathar, Sri Pranavapureeswarar.

Consort    : Sri Pushpa Lalithambigai, Sri Poongodinayagi.

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

The temple is facing east with 3 tier Rajagopuram. An entrance arch is on the road side with stucco images of Lord Shiva with Parvati as Rishabaroodar, Vinayagar and Murugan. Rishabam and balipeedam are in front of the Rajagopuram. A Vavvalnethi mandapa is on the right side of Balipeedam and Rishabam. Vinayagar and Murugan are on both sides of the Rajagopuram. Moolavar is  little taller on a square avudayar. Nataraja Sabha is in the arthamanadapa.  

In koshtam Vinayagar, Dakshinamurthy, Annamalaiyar / Lingothbavar, Brahma, Vishnu Durgai. Natarajar and Dakshinamurthy are found inter changed in the niches. Lingas with all five Puliyur’s bas-reliefs are on the sanctum walls. There is a separate sannadhi for Dakshinamurthy in the maha mandapam between Moolavar and ambal sannadhi.

In prakaram Vinayagar, Pathralingeswarar with Parvati,  Subramaniyar, Natarajar ( made of stone ), Aiyappan, Anjaneyar, Gajalakshmi, Saraswati, Chandikeswarar. Shaniswara, Nalvar, Suryan, Nagars, Vyagrapadar and Hanuman.  Sthala vruksham- Ilanthai- tree with Parvati is in the prakaram.

There is a small Shiva Sannadhi on the bank of Gowri theertham. The sanctum sanctorum consists of sanctum, antarala, artha mandapam and a maha mandapam.

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

Since Thirugnanasambandar and Appar has sung in praise of Lord Shiva of this temple the might have existed before 7^th Century. The temple was reconstructed and expanded during Chozhas and Vijayanagaras. The inscriptions belongs to Kulothunga Chozha-III, .

The Inscriptions recorded are belongs to Kulothunga Chozha-III and latter Pallava King Koperunchinga. From the inscriptions Lord Shiva is called as "Vadathali Udayar",  "Vadathali Udaya nayanar" and "Vadathali Udayar varum Thuyar Theertha nayanar". This place Omampuliyur was under Vadakarai Viruthurajabayangara Valanattu Merkanattu Brahmadeyam Omampuliyur. As Per Sekkizhar Thirunalaipovar one of the 63 Nayanmar belongs to Adhanur in Merkanadu. 

Pallava King Koperunchingan’s 14^th reign year ( 1257 CE ) inscription records the gift of Land as Thirunamaththukani by Thiruvalanchuzhi Udayar IchichipeRRayar of Alisupakkam after purchasing from a Brahmin lady of Alappirandalsaani, wife of Balasriyan of Thirumaliruncholai, and daughter of Karunakara Nambi of Perumarudur in Ulakalantha Chozha Chathurvedimangalam, a brahmadeya land in Merka Nadu of Viruthurajapayangara Valanadu.

Pallava King Koperunchingan’s 14^th reign year ( 1257 CE ) inscription records the gift of Land for offerings and maintenance to Lord Shiva of this temple. Most of the inscriptions are damaged.

Pallava King Koperunchingan’s ( 13^th Century ) inscription records that Merka Nadu of Ulakalantha chozha Chathurvedimangalam ( Omampuliyur ) in Viruthurajapayangara Valanadu, Brahmins had stood surety for some tenants who went away without paying the dues of their land. When the brahmins were pressed to make the payment they tried to transfer the land to somebody. But nobody came forward to buy the land. Finally  they requested to Trustees to extend advance and purchase at-least a portion of the land, to pay the surety amount. The trustees sold some of the unused jewellery of the temple and assisted the Brahmins to purchase a portion of land.

Maha Kumbhabhishekam was conducted on 25^th June 1992 and in 2011.

LEGENDS:

There is a separate sannadhi for Dakshinamurthy, in maha mandapa, in addition to koshtam. This temple is a Guru Parihara sthalam. As per the legend. Once Ma Parvati requested Lord Shiva to teach the meaning of Pranava mantra  “OM”. While Lord Shiva was teaching the meaning of Pranava mantra, Ma Parvati was not attentive. So Lord Shiva asked her to learn the balance on the earth. Ma Parvati came to this temple, worshiped Lord Shiva and learned the balance of the Pranava mantra. Hence Lord Shiva is praised as “Sri Pranava Pureeswarar”. Hence abhishekam is done first to Dakshinamurthy and then to the Moolavar. This place is also called as "Gurumurthy sthalam". Students and children also worships Guru to excel in studies. 

This place is also one of the Temple connected to Vyagrapadar, which ends with “Puliyur”. The other places are PerumpaRRapuliyur ( Chidambaram ), Thirupathiripuliyur, Erukathapuliyur ( Rajendra Pattinam ) and Perumpuliyur.  Vyagrapada Rishi was an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva, who pluck the flowers during early hours before the bees suck the nectar from the flowers, by climbing the tree through his tiger legs. In this place Vyagrapadar worshiped Lord Shiva and requested him to give dance darshan like Thillai / Chidambaram. Hence Lord Shiva is called as Viyagrapureeswarar.   

The place obtained name  is with Pranava mantra “Om”- is like Omam- Velvi in Tamil ( OM + aam + Puliyur = Omampuliyur). 

Shiva gave Chakrayutham to Vishnu after Jalandharan samhara. ( Thirugnanasambandar Thevaram ).

 

5 Puliyur Temples 

POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS

Apart from Regular poojas, special poojas are conducted on Pradosham, Vinayagar Chathurthi in Avani ( Aug – September ), Navaratri in Puratasi ( Sep – Oct ), Skanda Sashti and Annabhishekam in Aippasi ( Oct- Nov ), Thirukarthigai in the month Karthigai ( Nov- Dec), Thiruvaட்hirai in the month Margazhi ( Jan- Feb ), Masi Maham and Maha Shivaratri in Masi ( Feb – March ).

TEMPLE TIMINGS:

The temple will be kept opened between 07.00 hrs to 10.00 hrs and 17.00 hrs to 19.30 hrs

CONTACT DETAILS:

Jagadeesa Gurukkal may be contacted on Landline number +91 4144 264845 and mobile number +91 99426 34949 for further details.

HOW TO REACH :

Bus facility is available  from Chidambaram and Kattumannarkoil.

The temple is 7.8 KM from Kattumannarkoil, 10.6 KM from Melakadambur, 14 KM from Thirunaraiyur,  33 KM from Chidambaram, 40 KM from Kumbakonam and 248 KM from Chennai.

Nearest Railway Station is Chidambaram

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE : CLICK HERE

Nalvar with Viyagrapadar

---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---