Padikasu Nathar Temple / Sri Swarnapureeswarar Temple / படிக்காசுநாதர் திருக்கோயில், அழகாபுத்தூர், Alagaputhur / Arichirkaraipputthur, Thanjavur District, Tamil Nadu.

This is the 183^rd Thevara Paadal Petra Shiva Sthalam on the south side of river Kaveri and 66^th sthalam of Chozha Nadu. This place was called as Then Thiruputhur, Arichirkaraiputhur, Arichil Thenkarai Alagar Thiruputhur during Thevra period and Alagar Thiruputhur during 10th to 12th Century. Now called as ALAGAPUTHUR, before Nachiyar Koil. 

In Periyapuranam Sekkizhar records that Thirugnanasambandar came to this temple after worshiping Lord Shiva of Thirunaraiyur.

பாடும் அரதைப் பெரும் பாழியே முதல் ஆகச்

சேடர் பயில் திருச்சேறை திருநாலூர் குடவாயில்

நாடியசீர் நறையூர்தென் திருப்புத்தூர் நயந்து இறைஞ்சி

நீடுதமிழ்த்தொடை புனைந்து அந் நெடுநகரில் இனிது அமர்ந்தார்

...... திருஞானசம்பந்தர் புராணம்

Thirugnanasambandar, Thirunavukkarasu Swamigal, Sundarar and Vallalar has sung hymns in praise of Lord Shiva of this temple. Thirunavukkarasu Swamigal has mentioned this place as “Kadivaikkarai Thenputhur” and he was fortunate for having the darshan of Lord Shiva.

மின்னும் சடைமேல் இளவெண் திங்கள் விளங்கவே

துன்னும் கடல்நஞ்சு இருள்தோய் கண்டர்தொல்மூதூர்

அன்னம் படியும் புனலார் அரிசில் அலை கொண்டு

பொன்னும் மணியும் பொருதென் கரைமேல் புத்தூரே

....... திருஞானசம்பந்தர்

முத்தூ ரும்புனல் மொய்யரி சிற்கரைப்

புத்தூ ரன்அடி போற்றி என் பார்எலாம்

பொய்த்தூ ரும்புலன் ஐந்தொடு புல்கிய

மைத்தூ ரும்வினை மாற்றவும் வல்லரே

...... திருநாவுக்கரசு சுவாமிகள்

மலைக்கும்மகள் அஞ்ச மதகரியை உரித்தீர் எரித்தீர் வருமுப் புரங்கள்

சிலைக்குங் கொலைச் சேவுகந்து ஏறுஒழியீர் சில்பலிக் கில்கள்தோறும் செலவுஒழியீர்

கலைக்கொம்பும் கரி மருப்பும் இடறிக் கலவம் மயிற்பீலியுங் கார் அகிலும்

அலைக்கும் புனல்சேர் அரிசில் தென்கரை அழகார் திருப்புத்தூர் அழகனீரே

....... சுந்தரர்

                                                  -“காட்டும்

பரிசிற்கரைப்புற்றோர் பாங்குபெற ஓங்கும்

அரிசிற்கரைப் புத்தூரானே”

...... திரு அருட்பா

Moolavar  : Sri Swarnapureeswarar, Sri Padikasu Nathar.

Consort    : Sri Soundaryanayagi, Sri Azhakambigai.

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

The temple is facing west with a 5 tier Rajagopuram. Kambathadi Vinayagar, Dwajasthambam and balipeedam are immediately after the Rajagopuram in side a newly constructed mandapam. Stucco image of Rishabaroodar is on the top of the front mandapam. Moolavar is taller on  a square avudayar, under rudraksha mandapa. In koshtam Vinayagar, Dakshinamurthy, Pichadanar, Lingothbavar Brahma and Durgai.

In Prakaram and mandapam, Vinayagar, Gajalakshmi, Sri Valli Devasena Arumugar ( Arumugar is with 12 hands with mayil / peacock vahana, holding sanghu  is worth to see ), Navagrahas, Sundarar with Paravai Nachiyar, Chandikeswarar, Siddhi Vinayagar, Swarna Vinayagar, Kumbhakarna Vinayagar, Natarajar, Chandran, Musukunda Chakravarthi, Roma Rishi, Sunda Devar Nalvar, Sekkizhar, Dakshina Kailasanathar, Uthira Kailasanathar, Arunachaleswarar, Kasi Viswanathar with Visalakshi, Saraswati, Suryan, Shaniswarar and Bhairavar.  Ambal is in a separate sannadhi facing south.

Nalvar - Sundarar with Paravai Nachiyar

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

Since Thirugnanasambandar and Thirunavukkarasu Swamigal has sung in praise of Lord Shiva of this temple, the original temple might have been existed before 7^th Century. The same was reconstructed as a stone temple during Chozha period. The present structure belongs to nattukottai Nagarathar thirupani.

It is believed that the temple was constructed by Ko Chenkat Chozhan and latter expanded by Chozhas, Thanjavur nayaks and Nattukottai Nagarathars. One of the inscription records this  place as Kulothunga Chozha Valanattu Azhagar Thiruputhur.

Rajaraja-I’s 7^th reign year inscription records that 1300 kuzhi land was gifted to Paramaswami for worship by Thiruputhur Udayar. The sanctum was reconstructed as a stone temple. This place was mentioned as Thirunaraiyur nattu Brahmadeyam Parathayakudi. 22^nd reign year inscription records the gift of 3 ma land for burning a perpetual lamp. Again 28^th reign year inscription records the endowment of a Lamp. The Same king’s period inscription records that a shrine was constructed for Suriyan. For the same 6 ma land and 30 kasu was gifted  for worship, by Melvembaa Nattu Nallarkudiyinan.

Kulothunga Chozha-I’s period inscription records the gift of Land for worship. Vikrama Chozha’s period inscription records the gift of money for burning a lamp at Thiruputhur Azhagiya Devar.

LEGENDS

As per the legend, Lord Shiva and ma Parvati stayed here. Ma Parvati brought the Ganga to this place and worshiped Lord Shiva with Ganga water and Gold. Hence Lord Shiva is praised as "Sri Swarnapureeswarar" or "Sri Sempon Nathar".

In another legend The a Chozha King was constructing a temple for Thyagesar at Thiruvarur.  One of his minister, an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva was assigned the task of procuring materials required for the temple. It was dusk, when he reached this place. He used to worship Lord Shiva before taking the dinner. Since he couldn't find any Shiva Temple near by, with the hunger and tired, he started sleeping under a tree. So Lord Shiva gave darshan in the form of a Shiva Linga.

 

The Minister wanted to built a temple for this Shiva Linga. He diverted some of the materials meant for Thiruvarur Temple. The King happened to see and admired the the beauty of the temple, asked the minister to give him the “Good Karma”, that he earned by building this temple. Since the Minister didn't accepted the same, the King beheaded the Minister. The Last word uttered by the minister was “Andavare”. Hence this place was called as “Andavankoil”. A bas relief is on one the pillars depicting this legend.      

It is believed that, sage kashyapa, Roma maharishi, Musukunda chakravarthi His minister and Thirugnanasambandar worshiped Lord Shiva of this temple. Pukazhal thunai Nayanar attained mukti in this place. This is a Parihara sthalam for poisonous bites.

Bhairavars

POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS

Apart from regular poojas special poojas are conducted Aadi pooram in the month Aadi ( July – Aug ), Vinayagar Chathurthi in the month Aavani ( Aug – Sept ), Navaratri in the month of Purattasi ( Sept – Oct ), Skanda Sashti and Annabhishekam in the month Aippasi ( Oct – Nov ), Thiru Karthigai in the month of Karthigai ( Nov – Dec ), Thiruvathirai in the month Margazhi ( Dec – Jan ), Maha Shivaratri in the month Masi ( Feb – March ), Panguni Uthiram in the month Panguni ( March – April ) and monthly pradosham days.

TEMPLE TIMINGS

The temple will be kept opened between 08.00 hrs to 12.00 hrs and 17.00 Hrs to 19.30 hrs.

CONTACT DETAILS 

The phone numbers 0435 2466939 & 9943178294 may be contacted for darshan. Alternatively Durai Gurukkal +914374  265130 may be contacted for further details.

HOW TO REACH 

On Kumbakonam to Nachiyar Koil ( Natchiyarkoil ) bus route, Thirunariyur before Nachiyar Koil.

The Place Alagaputhur is 2 KM from Thirunariyur, 2.7 KM from Nachiyarkoil, 5 KM from Thiruppandurai, 7 KM from Kumbakonam, 35 KM from Thiruvarur, 41 KM from Mayiladuthurai and 301 KM from Chennai.

Nearest Railway station is Kumbakonam.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE : CLICK HERE

Thanks to my friend Madhan of Kumbakonam, who had given the day light photographs

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA---