Parvatheeswarar Temple / Sri Paarvatheeswarar Temple/ பார்வதீஸ்வரர் கோயில் / திருத்தெளிச்சேரி, Thiruthelicheri /Tiruttelicheri, Karaikal, Puducherry U T.

This is the 167^th Thevara Paadal Petra Shiva Sthalam and 50^th sthalam on the south side of river Kaveri in Chozha Nadu. This place was called Thiruthelicheri during the 6^th to 7^th Century and is now locally called Kaarai Kil Pathu, apart on the north side of Karaikal, near a bus stand.

In Periyapuranam Sekkizhar records that Thirugnanasambandar came to this temple after worshiping Lord Shiva of Thirunallar. In this Sekkizhar records that he crossed the place Bhodhimangai where Buddhists lived. In a debate, he won against Buddhists, which is described in the Legend.    

சீர்நிலவு திருத்தெளிச் சேரியினைச் சேர்ந்து

        சிவபெருமான் தனைப்பரவிச் செல்லும் போது

சார்வுஅறியாச் சாக்கியர்தம் போதிமங்கை

        சார்தலும் மற்றுஅது அறிந்த சைவர் எல்லாம்

ஆர்கலியின் கிளர்ச்சிஎனச் சங்கு தாரை

        அளவு இறந்த பல்இயங்கள் மூழ்கி ஆர்த்துப்

பார்குலவு தனிக்கானம் சின்னம் எல்லாம்

        பரசமயகோளரி வந்தான் என்று ஊத.

Thirugnanasambandar has sung hymns in praise of Lord Shiva of this temple.

திக்குலாம் பொழில் சூழ் தெளிச்சேரி யெஞ்செல்வனை

மிக்க காழியுள் ஞானசம்பந்தன் விளம்பிய

தக்க பாடல்கள் பத்தும் வல்லார்கள் தடமுடித்

தொக்க வானவர் சூழ இருப்பவர் சொல்லிலே

...... திருஞானசம்பந்தர்

முறையாக ஆய்தலும் நீதிதவ றாதநன்

        முடிவு தரு நற்கு ணங்கள்

மூடனேற் கென்றென்றும் அமைய அருள்புரிகுவாய்

        முடிவிலா ஆற்ற லுடையாய்

செறிதருங் கன்னலது கமுகென வளர்ந்திடும்

        தெளிச்சேரி தனில்வி ளங்கும்

செப்பரிய பார்வதீச் சுரரிடப் பாலமர்

        சிவசக்தி யம்மை யுமையே

........ சுயம்வர தபஸ்வினி விருத்தம்

                                                            -“நாட்டமுற்ற

வாக்குந் தெளிச்சேரி மாதவத்தர்க் கின்பநல

மாக்குந் தெளிச்சேரியங் கணனே

....... திரு அருட்பா

Moolavar  : Sri Paarvatheeswarar, Sri Sameevaneswarar

Consort    : Sri Parvathyammai, Sri Sakthyammai,

                  Sri Suyamvarathabasvini.

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

The temple faces west with an entrance arch and a 5-tier Rajagopuram. Dwajasthambam, balipeedam, and Rishabam are immediately after the Rajagopuram. Moolavar is under a silver mandapam and looks cute. Dwarapalakas legs are on the singamugasurar’s head. In koshtam, Vinayagar, Dakshinamurthy, Lingothbavar, Brahma, and Durgai.

In praharam Siva Subramaniar, Maha Lakshmi, Durgai, Suryan, Shaniswarar, Bhairavar, Vanni Lingam, Dakshinamurthy, Narthana Ganapathy, 63var, Lingothbavar, Natarajar, Ambal worshiping Lord Shiva, Nalvar, Suriyan with Renuka Devi, Navagrahas, Chandran, Kasi Viswanathar with Visalakshi and Chandikeswarar. Urchavars in Sri Veda Roopam, Pidari Amman, Giratha Murti & Ambal,  Somaskandar. Pradosha Vinayagar with Ambal are special in this temple.

Moolavar is called by different names such as Mahalingam/ Brahma Lingam since worshiped by Brahma, Rajalingam, since worshiped by Amaresan, and Baskaralingam, since worshiped by Suriyan.

There is a separate Temple for Karaikkal Ammaiyar in the same city.

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

Since Thirugnanasambandar has sung hymns in praise of Lord Shiva of this temple, the original temple might have existed before the 7^th Century. Later the temple was reconstructed during the Chozha period. The temple was completely reconstructed by the Nattukottai Nagarathars.

Maha Kumbhabhishekam was conducted after renovation works on 09^th May 1971 and 07^th June 2004.

LEGENDS

It is believed that Ma Parvati, Brahma, Indra, Saint Markandeya, Arjuna, and Suriyan worshiped Lord Shiva in this temple.

As per the sthala purana, this place was existed in 4 yugas and called different names such as Brahma Vanam, in Krita yuga, Sameevanam in Treta yuga, Anandavanam in Dwapara yuga, and Mukti Vanam in this Kali yuga. Also called Mukthi sthalam, Suriya Sthalam, Guhasthalam, and Gauristhalam.

Suriyan also known as Baskaran and Suriyan worshiped Lord Shiva. hence Lord Shiva is called Baskara Lingam and the place is Baskara Sthalam. Every year Sun worships Lord Shiva in the form of Sunlight falling on Moolavar, 10 days starting from the 13^th to the 22^nd in the month of Panguni ( March April ). 

In another legend, without rain, this place was under heavy draught, and people starved without food. So the Chozha King worshiped Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva in the form of a farmer came to this place, sowed paddy seeds, and made it to good yield. The people were relieved from starvation. Since Lord Shiva, himself came and sowed the seeds, the place obtained the name as, Thiru + Theri + Cheri – Thiruthelicheri (theli in Tamil means sowing).

After worshiping Lord Shiva Dharbaranyeswarar of Thirunallar, Thirugnanasambandar on his way to this temple,  didn’t notice this temple. Seeing this Vinayagar is called 10 times hence Vinayagar is called “Koovi Azhaiththa Pillaiyar”. ( koovi – கூவி- called loudly ).

When he was traveling, other religions (Buddhists of Village Bhodhimangai) people started harassing him and his disciples. When he prayed, Lord Shiva sent thunder/lightning on the other religious leaders’ heads. Then they asked to come for a debate, about which religion is great. Thirugnanasambandar accepted the challenge, sent one of his disciples, and won the debate. (This was recorded by Sekkizhar) The other religious people accepted their defeat and embraced Saivism.

POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS

Apart from Regular poojas, special poojas are conducted on Paddy sowing festival in the month Avani (August-Sept) is celebrated in a grand manner, Maha Shivaratri in the month Masi ( Feb – March ), Navaratri in the month Purattasi (Sept-Oct), Thiruvathirai in the month Margazhi (Dec – Jan), Panguni Uthiram in the month Panguni (March – April) and every month pradosham.

TEMPLE TIMINGS

The temple will be kept open between 07.00 hrs to 12.00 hrs and 16.00 hrs to 20.30 hrs.

CONTACT DETAILS

The temple's landline number  Venkatesan +91 +91 8754461225 and Nagajothi +91 6379317940 may be contacted for further details.

HOW TO REACH :

This place Koil Pathu is a part of Karaikkal City, about half a Km from the bus stand on the Thirunallar bus route.

The temple is 21 km from Nagapattinam, 35 km from Mayiladuthurai, 42 km from Sirkazhi,  54 km from Kumbakonam, 63 km from Chidambaram, and 281 km from Chennai.

The nearest Railway station is Karaikal.  

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---