Ayavandeeswarar Temple / Sri Ayavantheeswarar Temple / அயவந்தீஸ்வரர் திருக்கோயில், திருச்சாத்தமங்கை / Thiruchathamangai / Seeyathamangai, Nagapattinam, District, Tamil Nadu.

This is the 198^th Thevaram Paadal Petra Shiva Sthalam and the 81^st Sthalam on the south side of the river Kaveri in Chozha Nadu. This place, Seeyathamangai, was called Thiruchathamangai, and the temple was called Ayavanthi – அயவந்தி, during the 6^th to 7^th Century.

 

In the Periyapuranam, Sekkizhar records that Thirugnanasambandar came to this temple after worshiping Lord Shiva of Thirunallar. He further mentions that during his visit, along with Thiruneelakanda Yazhpanar and Thiruneelanakka Nayanar, after took food with Thiruneelanakka Nayanar and worshiped Lord Shiva of Ayavanthi (name of the temple).

நீடுதிரு நீலநக்கர் நெடுமனையில் விருந்து அமுது செய்து நீர்மைப்

பாடும் யாழ்ப் பெரும்பாண ரும்தங்க அங்கு இரவு பள்ளி மேவி

ஆடும் அவர் அயவந்தி பணிவதற்கு அன்பருடன் அணைந்து சென்று

நாடியநண் புடைநீல நக்கடிகள் உடன்நாதர் கழலில் தாழ்ந்து

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

திருமலர்க் கொன்றைமாலை திளைக்கும் மதி சென்னிவைத்தீர்

இருமலர்க் கண்ணி தன்னொடு உடனாவதும் ஏற்பதொன்றே

பெருமலர்ச் சோலைமேகம் உரிஞ்சும் பெருஞ் சாத்தமங்கை

அருமலர் ஆதிமூர்த்தி அயவந்தி அமர்ந்தவனே

....... திருஞானசம்பந்தர்

                                        -“திண்மைகொண்ட

மாத்தமங்கையுள்ள மருவிப்பிரியாத

சாத்தமங்கை கங்கைச் சடாமுடியோய்”

.... திரு அருட்பா

Moolavar  : Sri Ayavantheeswarar, Sri Brahmapureeswarar

Consort    : Sri Ubaya Pushpaviloshini, Sri Irumalarkkannammai.

Some of the salient features of this temple are….

The temple faces west with a 5-tier Rajagopuram, and the temple tank is in front. Balipeedam and Rishabam are in front of the sanctum sanctorum. In Koshtam Narthana Ganapathy, Dakshinamurthy, Lingothbavar, Brahma, Pichadanar, Durgai, Arthanareeswarar as Risabanthikar (One hand on Rishabam head), Alingana Moorthy, and Agasthiyar.

In the outer praharam, Chandran, Shaniswaran (keeping one leg on the crow vahanam), Saptamatrikas, Bhairavar, Navagrahas, Mahalingam, Viswanathar with Visalakshi, and Vinayagar.

In the inner praharam, Sri Valli Devasena Subramaniar, Gajalakshmi, Nalvar, Thiruneelanakka Nayanar, with his wife (Magaiarkarasi), Somaskandar, and Maha Ganapathy. Urchavars Thiruneelanakka Nayanar with his wife, Nadana Sundarar. In Natarajar sabha, Ambalakoothar Natarajar with Sivagami and Manickavasagar.

In the praharam, Mahavishnu, Mahaganapathy, Subramaniar, and Mahalakshmi. Saptamatrikas face north near the temple's outer praharam wall.

Ambal is in a separate temple with Suriyan, Vinayagar, and Subramaniar. Ambal is with four hands in a standing posture. She looks cute in a parrot green colour saree. Palliyarai is also in Ambal sannathi. Rishabam is on a little elevated level. Vinayagar on “moonchuru” and Dhandayuthapani as Dwara murtis with a flight of steps.

ARCHITECTURE

The temple consists of the sanctum sanctorum, antarala, and artha mandapam with a stucco arch at the entrance. A Mandapam was built around the sanctum during recent years by Nagarathars.

A Live Dakshinamurthy

Pranala

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

Since Thirugnanasambandar has sung hymns in praise of Lord Shiva of this temple, the original temple might have existed between the 6^th to 7^th centuries. Later, the same was reconstructed as a stone temple by Chozhas and further extended by Pandyas, Nayakas, and Nattukottai Nagarathars.

The Inscriptions recorded from this temple belong to Rajakesarivarmar Thiribhuvana Chakravarthi Kulothunga Chozha-I and Thirubhuvana Chakravarti. One of the inscriptions was in the form of a song/poem, which praises Lord Shiva and Ambal of this temple.

As per the inscriptions, this place was called Sathamangalam, Sathamangai, and the temple was called Ayavanthi, and Lord Shiva was called Ayavanthi Udayar - அயவந்தி உடையார்.

Thiribhuvana Chakravarti Rajaraja’s 13^th reign year inscription records the endowment of Thanneerpandal / free water point on the banks of the river Mudikonga Chozha Peraru through the donations made by Thiruvekamba Udayar of Kanichaipakkam. For the same. Since that was not functioning, the donation was transferred to Thiruchengattankudi Siruthondar Thirumadam, which was established by the same person by the Sathamangalam Village sabha.

Rajaraja’s period inscription records that an image of Siruthonda Nayanar, was existed in the temple.

LEGENDS

This place was called “Sathamangai” and the temple was called “Ayavantheesam”. Brahma worshiped Lord Shiva in this temple. 

As per the legend, Thiruneelanakka Nayanar was born in this place. He, along with his wife, used to worship Lord Shiva by offering Kondrai flowers. When his wife Mangayarkarasiyar happened to see a cobweb on the Shiva Linga, and blew through her mouth. Thiruneelanakka Nayanar thought the saliva of his wife spoiled the sanctity  of the Shiva Linga. So he got angry and left her at the temple itself and went home. She had spent the whole night in the temple praying to Lord Shiva. On that night, Lord Shiva came in his dream and showed his face with boils, and the place where his wife bled was not affected. Thiruneelanakka Nayanar rushed to the temple and realized that his wife had not done anything wrong and prayed to Lord Shiva. Through this, Lord Shiva had shown the devotion of his wife, Mangayarkarasiyar, to this world. The same was recorded by Thirugnanasambandar in his hymns on Lord Shiva of this temple.

During Thirugnanasambandar’s visit, Thiruneelanakka Nayanar decorated the Village, temple, and received him with full honours and served dinner. He arranged accommodation for Sambandar at his house. Thirugnanasambandar asked Thiruneela Nakka Nayanar to arrange accommodation for Thiruneelakanda Yazhpanar and his wife also. Since caste discrimination was high during that time, But gave accommodation at Shiva Pooja meda / Yaga sala / Homa Kundam place, which is considered a holy place rather than a house. 

நீடுதிருநீலநக்கர் நெடுமனையில் விருந்துஅமுது செய்து, நீர்மைப்
பாடும்யாழ்ப் பெரும்பாண ரும்தங்க அங்குஇரவு பள்ளி மேவி,
ஆடும்அவர் அயவந்தி பணிவதனுக்கு அன்பருடன் அணைந்து சென்று,
நாடியநண் புஉடைநீல நக்கடிகள் உடன்நாதர் கழலில்தாழ்ந்து.

Both went to the temple and worshiped Lord Shiva. After worship of Ayavantheeswara, Thiruneelanakka Nayanar also wanted to accompany him. But Thirugnanasambandar asked him to stay at this place itself and continue the service to Lord Shiva. Later, during the marriage of Thirugnanasambandar, at Achalpuram, Thiruneelanakka Nayanar was the chief priest to conduct the marriage. After the marriage, all the guests, priests merged with Lord Shiva and attained mukti.

POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS

Apart from regular poojas, special poojas are conducted on  Avani moolam and  Vinayagar Chathurthi in the month of Avani (Aug – Sept), Annabhishekam in the month of Aippasi (Oct – Nov), Thiruvathirai in the month of Margazhi (Dec – Jan), Maha Shivaratri in the month of Masi (Feb – March), and monthly pradoshams.

TEMPLE TIMINGS

The temple will be kept open from 08.00 hrs to 12.00 hrs, and from 17.30 hrs to 19.30 hrs.

CONTACT DETAILS

The landline number +91 4366 270 073 may be contacted for further details.

HOW TO REACH  

Seeyathamangai is 2 km from Thirumarugal on the Thirumarugal to Nagore bus route.

The temple is 3 km from Thirumarugal, 14.6 km from Nagore, 21 km from Nagapattinam, 28 km from Thiruvarur, 37 km from Mayiladuthurai, 48 km from Kumbakonam, and 295 km from Chennai.

The nearest Railway station is Nagapattinam.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE

Agathiyar

---OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---