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 the river Kaveri in Chozha Nadu. Now this place is called THIRUNARIYUR. 

In Periya Puranam, 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 have 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 faces 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 praharam Vinayagar, Sri Valli Devasena Subramaniyar, and Chandikeswarar. Sri Mahalakshmi (Sri Vanjula Devi)  in a 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, faces south. The face of  Ambal looks childish.

ARCHITECTURE

The temple consists of the sanctum sanctorum, antarala, and artha mandapam. The mandapas are of Vavval nethi and are added at a later stage, maybe during the 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 the 7^th Century. The same was reconstructed as a stone temple during the Chozha Period and extended during the Thanjavur Nayaks / Marathas.

The inscriptions recorded from this temple belong 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 top 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 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 by its original name, “Arumozhtheva Eswaram”. This order was directly issued by Rajaraja.

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

The inscriptions record 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 and 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 the Nachiyar Koil Maha Vishnu Temple. 

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

As per the Stala Purana, sage Durvasa visited this temple and worshiped Lord Shiva to get relief from 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 a proper reception by the Maharishi. Angered, Durvasa cursed both to become birds (Naarai). Both sages worshiped Lord Shiva to get relief from Durvasa’s curse. Lord Shiva was relieved from the curse and restored to his old form. There is a bas-relief on the wall depicting this legend. Hence, this place was called 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–g), 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 pradosam days.

TEMPLE TIMINGS

The temple will be kept open from 06.00 hrs to 12.30 hrs, and from 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).

This 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.

The nearest Railway Station is Kumbakonam.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE

---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---