Sri Mayuranathar Temple / மயூரநாதர் கோவில், மயிலாடுதுறை, Mayiladuthurai, Mayiladuthurai District, Tamil Nadu.

This is the 156^th Thevara Paadal Petra Shiva Sthalam and the 39^th sthalam on the south side of the river Kaveri in Chozha Nadu. This is one of the 6 Shiva equivalents of Kashi. Since Ambal, in the form of a peacock (மயில்), worshiped Lord Shiva of this temple, the place is called Mayuram, which turned into Mayiladuthurai Lake, Mylapore in Chennai.

 

Thirugnanasambandar came to this temple after worshiping Lord Shiva of Thiruvaduthurai; then he went to Thiru Vila Nagar. When Appar came along with Thirugnanasambandar up to Kolakka, Thirunavukkarasu Swamigal came to this temple after worshiping Lord Shiva of Thiruchemponpalli.

மல்குதண்டலை மயிலாடுதுறையினில் மருவும்

செல்வவேதியர் தொண்டரோடு எதிர்கொளச் சென்று

கொல்லை மான்மறிக் கையரைக் கோயில்புக்கு இறைஞ்சி

எல்லை இல்லதோர் இன்பம் முனபெருகிட எழுந்தார்

...... திருஞானசம்பந்தர் புராணம்

மேவுபுனல் பொன்னி இரு கரையும் சார்ந்து

        விடை உயர்ந்தார் திருச்செம்பொன் பள்ளி பாடிக்

காஉயரும் மயிலாடுதுறை நீள் பொன்னிக்

        கரைத்துருத்தி வேள்விக்குடி எதிர்கொள்பாடி

பாஉறு செந்தமிழ்மாலை பாடிப் போற்றிப்

        பரமர் திருப்பதி பலவும் பணிந்து போந்தே

ஆஉறும் அஞ்சு ஆடுவார் கோடிக்காவில்

....... திருநாவுக்கரசு சுவாமிகள் புராணம்

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

ஊனத்திருள் நீங்கிட வேண்டில்

ஞானப்பொருள் கொண்டடியேனும்

தேனொத்தினியான மருஞ்சேர்

வானம் மயிலாடுதுறையே

....... திருஞானசம்பந்தர்

குறைவிலோம் கொடு மானுட வாழ்க்கையால்

கறைநிலாவிய கண்டன் எண்தோளினன்

மறைவலான் மயிலாடுதுறை யுறை

இறைவன் நீள்கழல் ஏத்தியிருக்கிலே

........ திருநாவுக்கரசு சுவாமிகள்

                                                        -“வேளிமையோர்

வாயூரத்தேமா மலர்சொரிந்து வாழ்த்துகின்ற

மாயுரத் தன்பர் மனோரதமே

........ திரு அருட்பா

அபயாம்பிகை சதகம்

நித்யா னந்தப் பழம் பொருளே நிமலி அமலை புகழ்விமலி

அவனைந்த சடலத் தொழில்உனது அடிக்கே இதமாய் அருள்புரிவாய்

மயிலாபுரியில் வளரீசன் வாழ்வே அபயாம் பிகைத்தாயே

.... நல்லத்துக்குடி கிருஷ்ணசாமி ஐயர்

Moolavar  : Sri Mayuranathar

Consort    : Sri Abayambigai

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

The temple faces east with a 9-tier Rajagopuram, and there is an entrance on the north side too. There are two Dwajasthambas. (Three temporary Dwajasthambas are also seen on the three sides of the outer praharam). The second-level Rajagopuram is of 3 tiers. In koshtam, Narthana Vinayagar, Natarajar, Aalinganamurthy, Mouna Dakshinamurthy (Dakshinamurthy is Medha Dakshinamurthy/mouna (மௌன) and gave upadesam to Rishaba Devar in yoga posture), Lingothbavar, Brahma, Durgai, Gangavijarsanar / Gangadhara, and Pichadanar.

In the praharam, Chandran & Suryan worshiped Lingas, Mayilammai, Pathanjali, Viyakrapadar, Sekkizhar, Nalvar, Saptamatrikas, Subramaniar, Kuthambai Siddhar, Vinayagar, Sahasra Linga, Pancha Lingas (Indran, Agni, Vayu, Varuna, Yaman worshiped Lingas), Mahavishnu, Mahalakshmi, Gajalakshmi, Arunachaleswarar, Natarajar sabha, Navagrahas, Saneeswarar, Bhairavar, and  Suriyan.

Temples for Sundareswarar, Maha Ganapathy are too big in the mandapam, Natha Sharma, Abayambigai, and Aadhi Mayuranathar. A saree  is wrapped around the Linga in the Anavidhyambigai sannadhi. Ambal is in a standing posture. Aadi Poora Amman is also in the Praharam

Chidambaram Swamigal has sung hymns in praise of Lord Muruga of this temple as Mayura Vahanan in his Kshethra Kovai Pillai Thamizh-ஷேத்திரக் கோவை பிள்ளைத்தமிழ்

எந்தையே வருகஎனை ஈன்றதா யேவருக

        என்கண்மணி வருகவருக

எண்ணனந் தங்கோடி மன்மதா காரமாம்

        என்றுமிளை யோன்வருகவே

மைந்தனே வருகமணி யேவருக வள்ளலே

        வருகவைப் பேவருகவே

மாயூர நகர்மேவு கேயூர மணிபுய

        மயூரவா கனன் வருகவே

....... சிதம்பரநாத முனிவர்

The 15th-century Saint Arunagirinathar has sung hymns in praise of Lord Muruga of this temple and mentions Mayiladuthurai as Sikandiyur.

எமதும லத்தைக் களைந்து பாடென

            அருளஅ தற்குப் புகழ்ந்து பாடிய

            இயல்கவி மெச்சிட் டுயர்ந்த பேறருள்         முருகோனே

    எழில்வளை மிக்கத் தவழ்ந்து லாவிய

            பொனிநதி தெற்கிற் றிகழ்ந்து மேவிய

            இணையிலி ரத்னச் சிகண்டி யூருறை          பெருமாளே

........ அருணகிரிநாதர்

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

Since Thirugnanasambandar has sung in praise of Lord Shiva of this temple, the original temple might have existed before the 7^th Century. Later, the same was reconstructed as a stone temple/KaRRali during the Cholas and later extended during the Vijayanagaras.

There are 16 inscriptions recorded from this temple. The inscriptions belong to Kulothunga I, Rajathirajan-II, Kulothunga-III, Rajaraja-III, and Jadavarman Sundara Pandyan. As per the inscriptions, Lord Shiva was called Mayiladuthurai Udayar.

Except for 5, the rest of the inscriptions record the Temple of Ayyarappar, which is southwest of the Mayuranathar temple. This temple was under Jayankonda Chozhavalanattu Thiruvazhunthur Nattu Kulothunga Chozhan Kuthalam, alias Thiruvaiyarudayar. The inscriptions also record the Ayyarappar installation; Kulothunga Chozhan exempted the Taxes (Chunkam Thavirtha Chozhan), and a Vikrama Chozha Thirumadam existed.

Rajaraja III’s year of reign 2[9]+1+1, 1245-46 C.E., inscription on the south wall of the first prākāra, registers a gift of 2000 kāśu deposited with the Sthanattar of the temple of Tirumayiladuturai-Udaiyar in Tiruvelundür-nādu to meet the expenses of daily worship, bath, apparel and offerings to the image of the goddess Bhuvanāpati-Nāchchiyar consecrated (by the donor) in the tirunadai-māļigai (circuit) of the temple by Ambalańkōyil-koņdān Arrapōdaikkudavinän of Sambangudi.

Rajaraja III’s year of reign 14, 1229 C.E., inscription on one of the shrines on the northern side records an endowment of 500 kuli of land named Añjolān-viļāgam for rice offering to the goddess Tiruppalli-agai Nachchiyar during the early morning service in the temple, by Araiyan Tiruvēgambam-udaiyān of Porōśaikkuļi in Uyyakkondar-valanādu, who had also consecrated the goddess. The land was exempted from taxes like antarāyam and pattam by the adaippu-mudalis (?) and the mahasabha of the village (Nallōr-Pudukkudi) in which the land was situated. After offerings, the rice was to be distributed among the members of the temple establishment. During the service, the name of the donor was to be announced in the words "Porōśaikkudaiyān-Tambiran has come".

(The details of the date are given as Tula, ba. 3, Sunday, Rõhiņi, which would correspond to C.E. 1229, October 7).

This is a damaged and fragmentary inscription on a stone built into the floor in front of the central shrine, in characters of about the 11th century C.E. It seems to record a gift of land to the temple with an annual yield of 300 kalam of paddy, and with exemption from taxes.

This temple is under the administrative control of Thiruvaduthurai Adheenam. Murugan Sannadhi Kumara Kattalai was carried out through this adheenam.

Reference 

1. South Indian Inscriptions Volume 23

2. Annual Report on South Indian Epigraphy, Year 1907.

LEGENDS

Indran, Brahman, Guru, Agasthiyar, Saptamatrikas, and Umadevi worshiped Shiva at this temple.

Ambal worshipped Shiva at this temple in the form of a Peahen; hence this place is called Mayuram, which turned into the present name of Mayiladuthurai. Also, Ambal’s dance was called Gowri Thandavam; hence, this place is also called Gowri Mayuram. This place was also called Soothavanam, Sikandipuram, Brahmapuram, Thenmayilai, etc.

It is believed that it is auspicious to take a bath, ie, Thula Snanam, in the river Kaveri in the month of Aippasi. Kashi Viswanathar with Visalakshi temple is at the Thula Snana place on the banks of the river Kaveri. On Kadai muzhukku day (the last day of Aippasi month), all the temple Urchavars of Mayiladuthurai will join Mayuranathar at Kaveri for Theerthavari.

As per another legend, Daksha, father of Ma Parvati, conducted a yagna in which all the celestial deities were invited, but Lord Shiva and Ma Parvati were not invited. Angered, Ma Parvati went to the Yagna and argued with Daksha for the Lord’s Share. But Daksha didn’t give respect to Ma Parvati. Lord Shiva sent Veerabhadra to destroy the yagna and killed Daksha too. Since Ma Parvati went there without Lord Shiva’s permission, she was cursed to become a Peahen. Ma Parvati came to Mayiladuthurai and did penance. Satisfied with the penance of Ma Parvati, Lord Shiva also took the form of a Peacock and danced Mayura thandavam before her. Ma Parvati was restored to her original form. Hence, Lord Shiva is praised as "Mayuranathar",

 

   

POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS

The special celebration will be the Mayilammai worship during Aippasi Peruvizha, Kandar Sashti in the month of Vaikasi.

Brahmotsavam in the month of Vaikasi (May–June), Thula Snanam in the month of Aippasi (Oct–Nov), Laksha deepam on the last Friday in the month of Aadi (July–Aug), and all Hindu Festivals like Navaratri in the month of Purattasi (Aug–Sept), Maha Sivaratri in Masi (Feb–March), Annabhishekam in the month of Aippasi (Oct–Nov), and monthly pradoshams.   

TEMPLE TIMINGS

The temple will be open from 06.30 hrs to 12.00 hrs, and from 16.00 hrs to 20.00 hrs.

CONTACT DETAILS

The landline numbers +91 4364 222 345, +91 4364 223 779,  +91 4364223 207, and mobile number +91 93451 49412 may be contacted for further details.

HOW TO REACH :

Bus facilities are available from all the cities in Tamil Nadu.

The temple is  1.4 km from the Bus stand, 3.5 km from Mayiladuthurai Junction, 11.5 km from Kuthalam, 17.1 km from Thiruvaduthurai, 35 km from Kumbakonam, 77 km from Thanjavur, and 271 km from Chennai.

The nearest Railway Station is Mayiladuthurai.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE

---OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---