Anbil Sathyavageeswarar Temple / Anbil Alanthurai Satyavageeswarar Temple / அன்பில் சத்தியவாகீசுவரர் கோயில், Anbil, Tiruchirappalli District, Tamil Nadu.

This is the 111^th Thevara Paadal Petra Shiva Sthalam and the 57^th  Sthalam on the northern side of the river Kaveri in Chozha Nadu. This place is called ANBIL (Anbil – has three parts: Mel – Middle – Keel, and this temple is in Keelanbil.) The temple Anbilanthurai is the combination of the names, the place Anbil and Alanthurai. Aniruddha Brahmarayar, the Prime Minister to Sundara Chozha, belongs to this place. The famous “Anbil cheppedu”, which gave the history of Chozhas, was discovered in this place.

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

அதன் மருங்கு கடந்து அருளால் திருக்கானூர் பணிந்து ஏத்தி ஆன்ற சைவ

முதல் மறையோர் அன்பில் ஆலந்துறையின் முன்னவனைத் தொழுது போற்றிப்

பதம் நிறை செந்தமிழ்பாடிச் சடைமுடியார் பயில்பதியும் பணிந்து பாடி

மதகரட வரை உரித்தார் வடகரை மாந் துறை அணைந்தார் மணிநூல் மார்பர்

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

கணைநீடு எரிமால் அரவம் வரைவில்லா

இணையா எயில்மூன் றும்எரித் தஇறைவர்

பிணைமா மயிலும் குயில்சேர் மட அன்னம்

அணையும் பொழிலஅன் பில்ஆலந் துறயாரே

........ திருஞானசம்பந்தர்

நுணங்கு நூலயன் மாலும் இருவரும்

பிணங்கி எங்கும் திரிந்தெய்த்தும் காண்கிலா

அணங்கன் எம்பிரான் அன்பில் ஆலந்துறை

வணங்கும் நும்வினை மாய்ந்தறும் வண்ணமே

.......திருநாவுக்கரசு சுவாமிகள்

                                                                                    --நானூறு

கோலந் துறைகொண்ட கோவயருள் கோவைமகிழ்

ஆலந்துறையின் அணி முத்தே

....... திரு அருட்பா

Moolavar  : Sri Sathyavageeswarar, Sri Bramapureeswarar,

                  Sri Alanthuraiyar

Consort    : Sri Soundara Nayaki

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

The temple faces east with a 5-tier Rajagopuram. Balipeedam, Dwajasthambam, and Rishabam are after the Rajagopuram. Moolavar is of Swayambhu on a square avudayar. The outer sanctum is of the moat/ akazhi type. In Koshtam, Vinayagar, Dakshinamurthy, Mahavishnu with Surya and Chandra on both sides, Brahma and Durgai.

In the praharam, Ambal is in a separate sannadhi. In the inner praharam, Chevi saitha Vinayagar, Sri Valli Devasena Subramaniar, Vishwanatha Linga & Visalakshi, Lingothbavar, Pichadanar, Bhairavar, Saneeswarar, Nalvar, Saptamatrikas, Nataraja Sabha, and Chandikeswarar. Navagrahas are in the outer prakaram. All the Navagrahas are facing the Sun.

ARCHITECTURE

The sanctum sanctorum consists of the sanctum, antarala, and Artha mandapam. A vesara vimana is over the sanctum. There are many sculptures on the front mandapa pillars, maybe Nagarathar thirupani. Some of them are two snakes worshiping Shiva, a Snake tail on one side and a head on the other side of the pillar, and Sarbamandalam, etc.

The walls of the artha mandapa have the bas-reliefs of Vishnu, Brahma, Parvati, Agni, Surya, and Chandra worshiping Lord Shiva.

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

The original temple was of a madakoil and may have been built by Kochengat Chozha, rebuilt during the Parantaka Chozha-I period with stone.

From the inscriptions, the middle entrance might have been built during the 10^th to 12^th centuries. The Temple might have been rebuilt at a later stage by, Hoysalas and Nattukottai Nagarathar.

This place, Anbil, was in Rajaraja Valanattu Kilarkootrathu (Kalarkootrathu), Vadakarai Rajaraja Valanattu Kilarkootrathu Anbil, and Lord Shiva was called Anbiludayar,  Thiruvalanthurai Udayanayanar.

The Pandya King Kobanmar Thiribhuvana Chakravarthi Kulasekara Thevar’s 3+1 reign inscription records that Housing plots are sold to this temple’s Devaradiyar Kaikolars by Thiripanezhi Mudaliyar. This inscription also mentions some of the exempted housing plots (the inscription was damaged in many portions).

The Pandya King Kobanmar Thiribhuvana Chakravarthi Kulasekara Thevar’s 11^th reign year inscription records the endowment of Naivedyam by Aachiraman Kulothunga Pallavarayar of the Kaikola Mudaliar caste, for which 3 ma land was gifted to the temple after purchase.

Rajendra Chozha-I’s 4^th reign year inscription records the endowment of poojas and Naivedyam for the newly established Adhi Chandigeswarar ( which was damaged...? ), by the Anbil Perunkuri sabhai. For the same land, 280 kalam (5 ma) was donated.

The Hoysala king Vira Ramanathan’s 8^th reign year inscription records the endowment of pooja, Naivedyam, and Suriyathevan nandhavanam by Vadavazhinattu Uthungathungavalanattu Kundrakootrathu Cheruvidai Mangalamudayan Periyan Thazhi Pandyarayan, for which land was bought and gifted to this temple after converting to cultivable land.

The Maha Kumbhabhishekam was conducted on 9^th May 2004.

Inscriptions

LEGENDS

“Sevi Saitha Vinayagar” – ( செவி சாய்த்த வினாயகர் )  is seen in a hearing posture with head turned to receive the hymns of Thirugnanasambandar, and he is also called ‘Samaveda Vinayagar’, since the Jaimini families, were migrated during the Rajaraja period, had done Sama Veda parayanam in front of Vinayagar. 

There is also another version that during Thirugnanasambandar’s visit, he sang hymns in praise of Lord Shiva from another bank of the River Kollidam. Since the sound was very low, Vinayagar leaned his head and ear to hear the hymns.

Brahma worshiped Lord Shiva of this temple, hence Lord Shiva is called Brahmapureeswarar. Since Sage Vageesar also worshiped Lord Shiva, this temple is called Sathyavageeswarar.

Angarahan and Brahma

Maha Vishnu and Suriyan

Hanuman

Budhan and Chandran

POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS

Apart from regular Poojas, special poojas are conducted on Pradosham, Maha Shivaratri in Masi (Feb – March), Margazhi Thiruvathirai (Dec – Jan), and Panguni Uthiram in the month Panguni (March – April).

TEMPLE TIMINGS

The temple will be kept open from 06.00 hrs to 11.00 hrs, and from 17.00 hrs to 20.00 hrs.

CONTACT DETAILS :

The landline number +91 431  254 4927 may be contacted for further details.

HOW TO REACH : 

Town buses are available from the Trichy Chatram bus stand and Lalgudi.   

The Temple is about 3 km from ThiruMandurai, 9 km from Lalgudi, 27 km from Thiruvaiyaru, 30 km from Tiruchirapalli, 39 km from Thanjavur, and 323 km from Chennai.

The nearest Railway Station is Lalgudi.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE:  CLICK HERE

Sarbamandalam 

Pillar relief - snake's tail on one side and head on the other side

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---