Sri Sangaranyeswarar Temple / Sri Sankaaranyeswarar Temple /ஸ்ரீ சங்காரன்யேஸ்வரர் கோயில், Thiru Thalachangadu / தலைச்சங்காடு / Mayiladuthurai District, Tamil Nadu.

This is the 162^nd Thevara Paadal Petra Shiva Sthalam and the 45^th sthalam on the south side of the river Cauvery in Chozha Nadu. This place maintains the same name as Thalachangadu from the 6^th to the 7^th Century. 

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

கறைஅணி கண்டர் கோயில் காதலால் பணிந்து பாடி
மறையவர் போற்ற வந்து திருவலம் புரத்து மன்னும்
இறைவரைத் தொழுது பாடும் கொடியுடை ஏத்திப் போந்து
நிறைபுனல் திருச்சாய்காடு தொழுதற்கு நினைந்து செல்வார்

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

நலச்சங்க வெண்குழையும் தோடும் பெய்தோர் நால்வேதம்
சொலச் சங்கை யில்லாதீர் சுடுகா டல்லாற் கருதீர்
குலைச் செங்காய்ப் பைங்கமுகின் குளிர்கொள் சோலைக் குயிலாலும்
தலைச் சங்கைக் கோயிலே கோயிலாகத் தாழ்ந்தீரே

........ திருஞானசம்பந்தர்

 -தூயகொடி
அங்காடு கோபுரம் வானாற்றாடு கின்றதலைச்
சங்காடு மேவுஞ்சயம் புவே

......... திரு அருட்பா

Moolavar  : Sri Sangaranyeswarar, Sri Sangavaneswarar,
                  Sri Sangarunadeswarar.
Consort    : Sri Soundaranayaki.

Some of the important features of this temple are as follows.
The temple faces east with an entrance arch and a temple tank, Sangu Theertham. Balipeedam and Vinayagar are after the arch. Dwarapalakas are in front of the sanctum sanctorum. Moolavar is a little tall on a Sanghu / conch / square-shaped avudayar. In Koshtam, Narthana Vinayagar, Dakshinamurthy, Lingothbavar, Brahma, Durgai.  

In the ardha mandapam image of Nalvar and Chenkot Chozhan with his wife. In the praharam at the lower level, Sridevi, Bhudevi sametha Maha Vishnu with his consorts Sridevi and Bhudevi, Sri Valli Devasena Subramaniar, Natarajar, Somaskandar, Nalvar, Maha Vishnu, Ramar with Sita, Jurahareswarar, Kaveri, Pattinathar, Jyeshta Devi, Chandikeswarar, Akarshana Lingam, and Agasthiyar.

Ambal is in a separate Temple with sanctum, antarala, and artha mandapam. Ambal is in a standing posture with abhaya varada hastam.

ARCHITECTURE
The sanctum sanctorum consists of the sanctum, antarala, and ardha mandapam. The sanctum is a little large with a narrow entrance. A vesara Vimanam is over the sanctum. This is one of the Mada temples believed to have been built by Ko Changat Chozhan.  The details are given below.

The veRRu thalam is 2.26 meters tall on a padma bandha adhistanam with padma jagathy, vrutha kumuda, and pattikai. The bhitti is supported with Brahma kantha pilasters with the usual features of kalasam, kudam, lotus petals, mandi palakai, and poomottu pothyal. The prastram is with valapi (lotus petals), kapotam (nasis), and prathivari / vyyalavari. Koshtas are in the bhitti with only two images.

The sanctum sanctorum is on this veRRu thalam. Maha mandapam is built with the same features as VeRRu thalam. The sanctum sanctorum is on a prati banda adhistanam with padma jagathy, vrutha kumuda, kapotam, and vyyalavari. The bhitti starts with vedikai, Vishnu kantha pilasters with square base, Indrakantha pilasters with kalasam, kudam, lotus petals mandi, palakai, and poo mottu pothyal. An eka tala brick vesara Vimanam is on the prastram. 4 maha nasis and 4 alpha nasis are on the sigaram. Dakshinamurthy, Maha Vishnu, and Brahma are in the greeva koshtam along with tala vahana.

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS
Since Thirugnanasambandar has sung hymns in praise of Lord Shiva of this temple, the original Mada Temple might have existed before the 7^th Century. It is believed that the original Mada-style temple was built by Ko Chengat Chozha and later rebuilt as a stone temple by Chozhas and further extended by Vijayanagaras.

There are 10 inscriptions recorded from this temple. The inscriptions belong to Chozhas, which include Uthama Chozha and his mother, Sembiyan Mahadevi. As per the inscription, this place was mentioned as Rajaraja Valanattu Nangoor nattu Thalachangadu and Thalaiyudayavar Koil pathu.

A Chozha period inscription records that silver utensils were gifted by Sembiyan Mahadevi, mother of Utama Chozha and wife of Gandaratita Chozha.

A Land was gifted from this Village to Thiruvelvikudi. Jayangonda Nallur sabha/ Village assembly gifted 3 veli lands to three Shiva temples with some conditions. Meikavalars were given 4 Veli land for constructing houses. The lands that are not paid taxes with arrears are converted from Devadhana land to Thirunamaththukani. The Sabha members were changed every year without permanent posting.

Kovi Rajakesarivarmar’s 12^th reign year inscription records the endowment of a burning perpetual lamp at the temple of Sri Madhurai Adivarahar shrine at Thalachangadu by Ayyan Kesavan of Kollam in Malai Nadu.

Another Kovi Rajakesari Varmar’s 16^th reign year inscription records the endowment of land gifted to the temple of Adi Varahar by Narayanan Saththi. (The inscription is damaged in many portions.)

Maha kumbhabhishekam was conducted after renovation on 27^th Jan 2003 and 26^th May 2010

LEGENDS
This place was called Sanguvanam, Sankaaranyam, and Thalansanganam during ancient times. This is the birthplace of Madala Marayavan, a character of the Sangam period epic Silapathikaram.

Maha Vishnu worshiped Lord Shiva and got the Paanchanya Sangu /conch. Hence, this place was called Sanguvanam, Sangaranyam, and Thalaichenganam during ancient times.

The main deity / moolavar is a little tall with hair. This can be seen during the oil abhishekam. The Location of the sannathis is in the form of Somaskandar since Murugan's sannidhi is between Moolavar and Ambal's sannadhi.

POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS
Apart from regular poojas, special poojas are conducted on Vinayagar Chathurthi in the month Avani (Aug–Sept), Skanda Sashti and Annabhishekam in the month Aippasi (Oct–Nov), Thirukarthigai in the month Karthigai (Nov–Dec), Maha Shivaratri in the month Masi (Feb–March), 5 days Vaikasi Visakam in the month Vaikasi (May–June), and monthly Pradosham days.

TEMPLE TIMINGS
The temple will be kept open from 07.00 hrs to 11.00 hrs, and from 17.00 hrs to 19.30 Hrs.

CONTACT DETAILS 
The Temple landline number is +91 4364 280757, and R Balachandran’s mobile number is +91 9443401060, who may be contacted for further details.

HOW TO REACH
This place, Thalachangadu, is on the way from Mayiladuthurai to Poompuhar via Akkur, and on the bus route from Sirkazhi to Akkur.
The temple is 5 km from Akkur, 6 km from Poompuhar, 16 km from Sirkazhi, 19 km from Mayiladuthurai, 55 km from Kumbakonam, 95 km from Thanjavur, and 254 km from Chennai. 
The nearest Railway Station is Sirkazhi, and the Junction is Mayiladuthurai.   

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE

Durga

Maha Vishnu with Sridevi and Bhudevi

--- Nandi

Bhairavar

Dwarapalakas

Dakshinamurthy - Brahma

Jyeshta Devi / Thavvai

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---

The  Heritage visit to this Sri Sangaranyeswarar Temple at Thalachangadu was a part of the “Mada Temples Heritage Walk in Nagapattinam and Mayiladuthurai Districts”, organized by “Chozha Mandala Varalatru Thedal Kuzhu – GCHRG, on 05^th and 6^th March 2022.   Thanks to V Ramachandran, Thasildar of Nagapattinam, who took us to all these Temples. This is the second visit to this temple.