Kandeeswarar Temple / Brahmasirakanteeswarar Temple / Sri Brahma Sira Kandeeswarar Temple, பிரம்ம சிரகண்டீஸ்வரர் கோவில், திருகண்டியூர், Kandiyur, Thanjavur District, Tamil Nadu.

This is the 129^th Thevara Paadal Petra Shiva Sthalam and the 12^{th Sthalam} on the south side of River Kaveri in Chozha Nadu. This place maintains the same name as Kandiyur from the 7^th Century. This is one of the eight Veeratta Sthalam and fifth in Saptasthana sthalams of Thiruvaiyaru. Lord Shiva plucked ( கொய்தது ) the fifth head of Brahma with his Thirisoolam ( திரி சூலம் ) at this place. 

In Periyapuranam Sekkizhar records that Thirugnanasambandar visited this temple after worshiping Lord Shiva of Thirupoonthuruthi.  Nn Thirunavukkarasu Swamigal Puranam Sekkizhar didn’t mention this temple in particular but as other Shiva Temples on the way.

கண்டியூர் வீரட்டர் கோயில் எய்திக் கலந்து அடியாருடன் காதல் பொங்கக்

கொண்ட விருப்புடன் தாழ்ந்து இறைஞ்சி குலவு மகிழ்ச்சியின் கொள்கையினால்

தொண்டர் குழாத்தினை நோக்கி நின்று தொடுத்த இசைத்தமிழ் மாலை தன்னில்

அண்டர்பிரான் தன் அருளின் வண்ணம்’அடியார் பெருமையின் கேட்டருளி

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

வினவினேன்அறி யாமையில் உரை செய்ம்மினீர் அருள் வேண்டுவீர்

கனைவிலார்புனல் காவிரிக்கரை மேய கண்டியூர் வீரட்டன்

தனமுனே தனக்கு இன்மையோதமர் ஆயினர் அண்டம் ஆளத்தான்

வனனில் வாழ்க்கைகொண்டு ஆடிப்பாடி இவ் வையமாப்பலி தேர்ந்தே

…. திருஞானசம்பந்தர்

அட்டது காலனை ஆய்ந்தது வேதம்ஆறு அங்கம்அன்று

சுட்டது காமனைக் கண்ணதனாலே தொடர்ந்துஎரியக்

கட்டவை மூன்றும் எரித்த பிரானகண்டி யூர்இருந்த

குட்டமுன் வேதப்படையானை யாம்அண்டர் கூறுவதே

……. திருநாவுக்கரசு சுவாமிகள்

                                                -“காந்தருவத்

தண்டியூர் போற்றுந் தகைகாசிக்கட் செய்து

கண்டியூர் வாழும் களைகண்ணணே

……. திரு அருட்பா  

Moolavar  : Sri Brahmasirakanteeswarar, Sri Veerateswarar,

                  Sri Brahmanathar, Sri Aathivilvanathar

Consort    : Sri Mangalambigai

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

The temple faces west with the 5-tier Rajagopuram. Kodimara Vinayagar, Dwajasthambam, balipeedam and Rishabam are after the Rajagopuram. A stucco entrance arch is in front of the sanctum sanctorum. Moolavar is of Swayambhu and Dwarapalakas are at the entrance of artha mandapam. In Koshtam Brahma, Dakshinamurthy, Lingothbavar, and Pichadanar.

In the inner praharam Navagrahas, Sadhadhapa maharishi, SaptaSthana Lingas, Kalathi Nathar who gave pradosha darshan to  Sadhadhapa maharishi, Brahma, Saraswati and Lord Shiva as Vaduga Bhairavar. 

In the outer prakaram, Dhandapani temple with Vavvalnethi mandapa, Brahma & Saraswati, Durgai and 5 lingas. Sri Mangalambigai is in a separate temple facing south after the west side of Rajagopuram. Vinayagar, Sri Valli Devasena Subramaniar, Mahalakshmi, Natarajar Sabha, Vishnu Durgai, Bhairavar, Different style Vinayagars, Surya and Arthanareeswarar in Sitting posture are also in the prakaram.

The temple is at a lower level than the road. The sanctum sanctorum consists of sanctum, antarala, and artha mandapam. Mandapam are of Vavval nethi type.

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

Since Thirugnanasambandar and Thirunavukkarasu Swamigal have sung hymns in praise of Lord Shiva, the original temple existed before the 7^th Century, and was built by Pallavas. The same was reconstructed during the Chozha period.

The inscriptions belong to Pallava King Nirupathunga Varman, Chozha Kings Parantaka Chozha, Kopparakesai Varman, Aditha Karikalan,  Uthama Chozha, and Rajaraja Chozha-I. Rajendra Chozha, ( See the Annual Reports on South Indian Epigraphy for the year 1895 13 - 23. See also the South Indian Inscriptions, Volume III Number 134, and Volume V 568 - 579.). As per the inscriptions Lord Shiva was called Thiru Veerattanathu Mahadevar, Thiru Kandiyur udaya Mahadevar. During the Pallava period, this place was Arcot Kootram. Nirupathunga Varman's inscription records that there was Kalapidari Temple exists.  

Out of 5 inscriptions of Uthamaseeli, the last son of Parantaka Chozha, recorded so far, this temple has one inscription. In that, it records the endowment of burning a day lamp.

Rajendra Chozha-I's inscription on the Ambal temple records two temple names Parantaka eswaram and Vanavanmadeveeswaram. Experts are of the opinion that this temple may be Pallipadai temple and now its existence is not traceable. There is a place called Irattai Koil near Thirukandiyur and experts are of the opinion that the above temples might have existed in this place. 

Most of the inscriptions record the endowment of burning Perpetual Lamps, Day lamps, Naivedyam, ( Kariyamuthu, Paruppamuthu, Neiyamuthu, etc ), Poojas,  for the same Gold, Land, and money gifted to this temple.

Pallava King Nirupathungavarman ( 890 CE ), 21^st reign year inscription records the sale of 11 ma land at Thirukadaiyur which was assigned to two other temples and received gold of 110 Kalanju ( weighed in Sambirani Palankasu – pure gold ), by Visaiyanallulan Marankali.   

Madurai Konda Koparakesari’s 21^st reign year inscription records the endowment of burning perpetual lamp and Naivedyam for which gold of 30 Kalanju for lamp and 15 Kalanju for Naivedyam by Thanjavur Kootrathu Thanjavur KazhaRan Umaiyapidari.

Madurai Konda Koparakesari Varmar’s 26^th reign year records the endowment of burning a perpetual lamp by Pillayar Parantakan Uthamaseeli for which land was gifted to the temple after sale.

Rajendran-I’s period inscription records the endowment of Burning perpetual lamps, Naivedyam on 3 Kala Poojas ( Parupamuthu, Thayiramuthu, Adaikayamuthu, Ilayamuthu, ) Sandhi lamps 4 nos, Ghee, oil, Curd, Vegetables and firewood required for the same, poojas on Dakshinayanam Aippasi Vishu, Uttarayanam Chithirai Vishu, Sankranti, Sandal paste, Kungiliyam for the holy smoke,  Clothes and the salary for the Poojari, Karnam ( accountant – Administrative officer ), Cleaning staff and the required amount of paddy was  595 kalam, to get from a land measuring 5.75 ma was gifted to this temple.

In addition to the above land was also gifted to dancers, Dance teachers, and musicians.

Pallava / Early Chozha period Pillars

LEGENDS

Lord Shiva gave his pradosha darshan of Kalahasti at Kandiyur itself to "Sadhaadhapa" Munivar.

In Chithirai month, on Ezhur Thiruvizha – Sapthasthana Thiruvizha, Urachavar will start from this temple in a decorated palanquin. Aiyarappar will come to this temple and take a rest. Since Sadhadhapa Munivar is the brother of Silatha Munivar and also the elder father-in-law of Nadhikeswara, the tradition of giving “Kattu Choru – கட்டு சோறு” ( like Tamarind rice and curd rice ) during their departure, is followed still.

Brahma with 5 heads felt that he is more powerful than Lord Shiva. In addition to that Ma Parvati also got confused many times and requested Lord Shiva to give a solution for the same. Lord Shiva took the form of Vadugu Bhairava and plucked one of the 5 heads. Brahma realized his mistake and prayed to Lord Shiva to pardon him. Lord Shiva pardoned him and blessed him with 4 heads. Since Lord Shiva plucked one head of Brahma, Lord Shiva is called Brahmasirakanteeswarar and BrahmaPureeswarar. 

This temple is a Brahmahathi dosha nivarthi sthalam. Suryans worshiped Lord Shiva in this temple. On the 13 to 15^th evenings of Tamil month Masi Sun rays used to fall on the Moolavar between 5.45 hrs to 06.00 hrs.  

POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS

Apart from regular poojas, special poojas are conducted on Chithirai Ezhur festival, Thiruvathirai, 13 days Brahmotsavam in the month Vaikasi, Navaratri and Annabishekam in the month Aippasi (Sept- October), Thirukarthigai in the month Karthigai (Nov – December), Maha Shivaratri in the month Masi ( Feb – March ), and pradosam.  

TEMPLE TIMINGS

The temple will be kept open between 07.00 hrs to 12.00 hrs and 16.30 hrs to 20.00 hrs.

CONTACT DETAILS :

Landline numbers: +91 4362  261 100, and +91 4362 262 222 may be contacted for further details.

HOW TO REACH :  

The temple is on the way to Thanjavur from Thiruvaiyaru and all the buses to Thanjavur through Thiruvaiyaru pass through this Temple /place and the temple is on the Main road.

The temple is 3 Km from Thiruvaiyaru, 11 KM from Thanjavur,  37 Km from Kumbakonam, 60 KM from Tiruchirappalli, and 331 KM from Chennai.  

Nearest Railway Station is Thanjavur.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE

---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---