Sri Karumbeswarar Temple /Sri Karumbeeshwarar Temple / Semmeninathar Temple /திருக்கானூர் செம்மேனிநாதர் திருக்கோவில், கரும்பேஸ்வரர் / Thirukkanur, Thanjavur District, Tamil Nadu.

This is the 110^th Thevara Paadal Petra Shiva Sthalam and 56^th  Sthalam on the north side of the Kaveri River in Chozha Nadu. The temple is on the banks of the river Kollidam. The temple stands alone, surrounded by paddy fields. No settlement has been found around the temple called “Manal Medu” near Vishnampettai.

     

In Periya Puranam, Sekkizhar records that Thirugnanasambandar, after staying for some days at Thirumazhapadi, came to this temple.

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

வானார்சோதி மன்னுசென்னி வன்னி புனங் கொன்றைத்

தேனார் போது தானார் கங்கை திங்களொடு சூடி

மானோர் நோக்கி கண்டங்கு உவப்ப மாலை ஆடுவார்

கானூர் மேய கண்ணார் நெற்றி யானூர் செல்வாரே

....... திருஞானசம்பந்தர்

திருவின் நாதனும் செம்மலர் மேலுறை

உருவானயுலகத்தின் உயிர்க் கெலாம்

கருவனாகி முளைத்தவன் கானூரில்

பரமனாய பரஞ்சுடர் காண்மினே

........ திருநாவுக்கரசு சுவாமிகள்

                                                -- தேய்க்களங்கில்

வானூர் மதிபோன் மணியாற் குமுதமலர்

கானூர் உயர் தங்கக் கட்டியே

........ திரு அருட்பா   

Moolavar  : Sri Karumbeswarar, Sri Semmeninathar

Consort    : Sri Sivaloka Nayaki / Shivayoga Nayaki

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

The temple faces east with a two-tier Rajagopuram. Solar and lunar eclipse reliefs are carved in the form of the Sun, Moon, and Snake on the ceiling of Rajagopuram. Balipeedam and Rishabam are in front of the sanctum. In the sanctum, Moolavar is swayambhu. In koshtam Pichadanar, Kalabhairava, Dakshinamurthy, Brahma, and Durgai.   

Nagar, Vishnu, Dharmasastha, Nalvar, Chandran, and Suriyan are in the ardha mandapam. In the praharam, Sri Valli Devasena Subramaniar, Vinayagar, and Chandikeswarar.

Ambal is of the salagrama vigraha. Ambal is in a separate temple facing south with a vesara Vimana. There are no murtis in the koshtam.

ARCHITECTURE

The temple consists of the sanctum sanctorum, antarala, and ardha mandapam. A vesara vimana is in the sanctum sanctorum.

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

Once the temple was completely covered with sand, and sugar cane was grown on the top of the sand heap. The temple was discovered after removing the heap of sand, and hence, the Lord Shiva is called Karumbeswarar. The original temple might have existed before the 7^th Century. As per the inscriptions, this place was in Rajaraja Valanattu Poikayurnattu Panipathi Mangalam, Karikala Chozha Chaturvedi Mangalam Thirukkanur.

The outer prakara of the temple inscription mentions Lord Shiva as Ikshuvaneswara of this Village. Though the inscription seems to be a continuous one, in the palm leaf it appears to comprise two fragments. One Part of the inscription starts with Vira Rajendran’s meikeerthi; the year is not known.

The other piece records the donation of land to this temple and also mentions a Vishnu temple’s name, Tirumerur Koil, probably Manavala Alwar Temple. Whether both fragments belong to a single inscription or not.

Another Palm leaf inscription and written on the Gopuram, belongs to Adhirajendra’s 3^rd reign year, records the sale of land and house by the sabha/assembly, Alaiyur, a Brahmadeya in Poigainadu, which was a sub-division of Vadakarai Rajendrasinga Valanadu, to the Vishnu temple,  and the land was near the Veerarajendradeva Vaikkal.

Another Veerarajendras’ 6^th reign year records the conversion of land into Tax-free after getting 60 Kasu.

In the Pandya period, 1355 CE, the inscription of Maravarman alias Tribhuvana Chakravarthi Kulasekara Deva’s 41^st reign year is damaged in the middle portion. Mentions the temple of Panipattimangalam alias Karikala Chozha Chaturvedi Mangalam, in Poikai Nadu, a sub-division of Vadakarai Rajaraja Valanadu. The endowment and donation are not known.    

During the 1924 flood,  the temple was completely covered with sand dunes, and sugar cane was grown on the top. The temple was brought back to worship with an appreciable effort of N Subramania Iyer. Hence called Karumbeswarar.

Maha kumbhabhishekam was conducted on 24^th August 1980.

LEGENDS

It is believed that Karikala Chozhan, as a young boy, stayed here with his mother when the Chozha country was under the rule of the Pandyas. After Chozhas recaptured Chozha country, an elephant was sent to pick him up from the capital, Uraiyur. Later, he was made King, and he was instrumental in constructing the Kallanai.  

Ma Parvati had chosen this place to do penance on Lord Shiva. Pleased by the penance, Lord Shiva appeared in the form of red fire and was praised as “Semmeni Nathar,” and Ambal is called Shiva Yoga Nayaki. 

It is believed that Surya worshiped Lord Shiva in this temple. Sun rays fall on moolavar from the 2^nd to the 4^th of April every year.

POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS

Apart from Regular Poojas, special poojas are conducted on Avani Moola Star Day in August – September, Thai Pournami Day/Full Moon Day, and in the month Panguni, ie, April 2^nd to 4^th, when sun rays fall on moolavar. No Special Poojas or festivals are celebrated in this temple.

TEMPLE TIMINGS

The temple kept open from 10.00 hrs to 11.30 hrs and from 15.30 hrs to 17.00 hrs.

CONTACT DETAILS : 

Before going to this temple, it is necessary to go along with Gurukkal, who has the key. Thirukkattupalli (Market area) Murugan Temple Gurukkal temple is looking after this Thirukkanur Shiva Temple also (Residence is very near the Murugan temple). Landline and mobile numbers  +91 4362 320067 and  +91 93450 09344 may be contacted for further details.

HOW TO REACH : 

The temple is about 5 km from Thirukattupalli. There is no proper transport to reach this temple.  The nearest village is Vishnampettai. 

From Thirukattupalli, one can reach the temple by rented cycle. From Thirukattupalli, hire an auto to go to the temple.

The temple is 5 km from Thirukattupalli, 18.5 km from Thiruvaiyaru, 30 km from Thanjavur, 41 km from Tiruchirappalli, 51 km from Ariyalur, and 332 km from Chennai.

The nearest Railway Station is Thanjavur.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE

Rishabanthigar

The place in front of the temple

Approach the road to the temple.

Ceiling - eclipse reliefs

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---