Sri Siddhanatheswarar Temple / Sri Siddha Natheswarar Temple / சித்தநாதேஸ்வரர் கோயில், திருநரையூர் / Thirunaraiyur / Thirunariyur / Thirunariyurchitheecharam, Thanjavur District, Tamil Nadu.

This is the 182^nd Thevara Paadal Petra Shiva Sthalam and 65^th sthalam on the south side of river Kaveri in Chozha Nadu. Now this place is called as THIRUNARIYUR. 

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

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

ஊர்உ லாவு பலிகொண்டு உலகேத்த

நீர்உ லாவு நிமிர்புன் சடை அண்ணல்

சீர்உ லாவு மறையோர் நறையூரில்

சேரும் சித்தீச் சரம்சென்று அடை நெஞ்சே

........ திருஞானசம்பந்தர்

நீரும் மலரும் நிலவும் சடைமேல்

ஊரும் அரவும் உடையான் இடமாம்

வாரும் அருவி மணிபொன் கொழித்துச்

சேரும் நறையூர்ச் சித்தீச் சரமே

........ சுந்தரர்

                                                           -“ஏணுடன்கா

ஈட்டும் பெருநறையா றென்ன வயலோடி

நாட்டும் பெருநரையூர் நம்பனே”

....... திருஅருட்பா

Moolavar  : Sri Siddha Natheswarar

Consort    : Sri Soundaranayaki

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 after the Rajagopuram. Moolavar is of swayambhu. In Koshtam Vinayagar, Dakshinamurthy, Lingothbavar, Brahma and Durgai. In addition to this the bas reliefs of Gorakkar, Sri Medhavi Maharishi and "Sri Naranarayana Pakshi" worshiping Lord Shiva are on the sanctum sanctorum wall.

In Parkaram Vinayagar, Sri Valli Devasena Subramaniyar and Chandikeswarar. Sri Mahalakshmi ( Sri Vanjula Devi )  in stucco image. Sri Mahalakshmi’s avathara sthalam. Valampuri Vinayagar, Kasi Viswanathar with Visalakshi, Siddha Lingam, Rina Lingam, Vayu Lingam, Tejas Lingam, Jyothi  Lingam, Nagammal, Suriyan, kala Bhairavar, Veera Bhairavar, Nalvar with Karaikal Ammaiyar and Shaniswarar are in the maha mandapam and prakaram.

Ambal is in a separate temple like sannadhi. The face of  Ambal looks like childish.

The sanctum sanctorum consists of sanctum, antarala and artha mandapam. The mandapas are of Vavval nethi, are added at a latter stage, may be during Thanjavur Nayaks.

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

Since Thirugnanasambandar has sung hymns in  praise of Lord Shiva of this temple, the original temple might have existed before 7^th Century. The same was reconstructed as stone temple during Chozha Period and extended during Thanjavur Nayaks / Marathas.

The inscriptions recorded  from this temple belongs to Chozhas starting from Rajaraja-I to Kulothunga Chozha-III ( Rajaraja-I, Veerarajendran-II, Kulothunga Chozha- I,II,III, Vikrama Chozha, Rajarajan-II, Rajathirajan-II ).  Of these Vikrama Chozha’s inscriptions tops in the list. As per the inscriptions this place was under Kshatriya Sigamani Valanattu Thirunaraiyur Nattu Thirunaraiyur and Kulothunga Chozha Vaalanattu Thirunaraiyur and Panchavan Mahadevi alias Chathurvedimangalam Thirunaraiyur. Lord Shiva was called as Siddheeswaramudayar.

Rajaraja-I’s period inscription starts with his meikeerthi records the endowment of Naivedyam at  Manalinga Devar and Anavadiya Devar sannathis, for the same 52 veli land was gifted by the King Rajaraja. The temple was also called in his original name as “Arumozhtheva Eswaram”. This order was directly issued by Rajaraja.

Rajaraja-I’s 2^nd reign year inscription records the gift of a silver plate Plate, Pot and a Chowry with golden handle by Udaiyapirattiyar Sembiyan Mahadeviyar alias Pirantakam Mahadevadigalar to this temple Siddheeswaramaudaya Mahadevar at Thirunaraiyur in Thirunaraiyur nadu. 

The inscriptions records the endowment of Naivedyam to Pichadanar for which gold was gifted, A  land was gifted by Manni Nattu Karuppur Udayan for feeding Sivayogiyar daily and lands were gifted for burning lamps at this temple and a Pidari Amman Temple.

LEGENDS

As per the legend Mahalakshmi as a small girl came from Sage Medhavi's Yagna was brought up by him at Thirunaraiyur. She was married to Maha Vishnu of Nachiyar Koil. To Commemorate this marriage, every  year on Pongal and Deepavali days  the tradition of sending gifts is followed from the parental home ie from Thirunaraiyur to Nachiyar Koil. On Vaikunta Ekadasi day Urchavars of Lord Shiva and Parvati will be carried in procession to Nachiyar Koil Maha Vishnu Temple. 

As per another legend, siddhar Korakkar one of 18 Siddhars worshiped Lord Shiva of this temple to get relieved from the curse. Hence Lord Shiva is called as "Sri Siddheeswarar" and the place is being called as Siddheecharam. There is a bas relief depicts this legend on the sanctum wall.

As per the sthala purana, sage Durvasa visited this temple worshiped Lord Shiva to get relieved from the sin. Lord Shiva gave darshan and relieved him from the sin. He also attained mukti at this place.

In another sthala purana, the sages named Naran and Narayanan, worshiped Lord Shiva of this temple. When the maharishi Durvasa came to this temple he was not given proper  reception to the maharishi. Angered Durvasa cursed both to become birds / Naarai. Both sages worshiped Lord Shiva to get relieved from the Durvasa’s curse. Lord Shiva relieved from the curse and restored both to the old form. There is a bas relief on the wall depicting this legend. Hence, this place was called as Thirunaraiyur.

It is believed that Murugan, Brahma, Maha Vishnu, Kuberan, the sage Markandeya, Arjunan, Gandharvas, Siddhars, Saint Sundarar and Thirugnanasambandar worshiped Lord Shiva of this temple. 

   

POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS

Apart from regular Poojas, special poojas are conducted on 10 days brahmotsavam in the month Margazhi ( Dec – Jan ), Aani Thirumanjanam in the month Aani ( June – July ), 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 ) and monthly pradosham days.

TEMPLE TIMINGS

The temple will be kept opened between 06.00 hrs to 12.30 hrs and 16.30 hrs to 20.00 Hrs.

CONTACT DETAILS :

The phone numbers +91 435 2467343 & 2467219 may be contacted for further details.

HOW TO REACH :

The place is on the Kumbakonam to Nachiyar Koil ( Front of Nachiyarkoil is Thirunariyur ).

The Place Thirunariyur is 1 KM from Nachiyarkoil, 3 KM from Tirupandurai, 9 KM from Kumbakonam, 37 KM from Thiruvarur, 37 KM from Mayiladuthurai and 303 KM from Chennai.

Nearest Railway station is Kumbakonam.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE : CLICK HERE

---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---