Sree Thoovainathar Temple / Thoovanayanar Thoovainathar Temple / ஸ்ரீ துவாய்நாதர் கோயில், Paravaiyunmandali / பரவையுண் மண்டளி, Thiruvarur, Thiruvarur District, Tamil Nadu.

This is the 206^th Thevaram Paadal Petra Shiva Sthalam and the 89^th Sthalam on the south side of river Kaveri of Chozha Nadu. Local people call this temple as Thoovanayanar or Thulanathar temple.

In Periyapuranam Sekkizhar records that Sundarar came to this temple after worshiping Lord Shiva of Thiruthuruthi. With the one (from Kanchipuram)  he couldn’t visualize the beauty of this place and temple. So he prayed to Lord Shiva Thoovainathar, to remove his hardship.

செல்வமலி திருவாரூர்த் தேவரொடு முனிவர்களும்

மல்குதிருக் கோபுரத்து வந்து இறைஞ்சி உள்புக்கு அங்கு

எல்லைஇலாக் காதல் மிகஎடுத்த மலர்க்கை குவித்துப்

பல்கு திருத்தொண்டருடன் பரமர் திருமுன் அணைந்தார்  

Sundarar and Vallalar have sung hymns in praise of lord Shiva of this temple. 

தூவாயா தொண்டுசெய் வார்படு துக்கங்கள்

காவாயா கண்டுகொண் டாரைவர் காக்கிலும்

நாவாயால் உன்னையே நல்லன சொல்லுவேற்(கு)

ஆவாஎன் பரவையுண் மண்டளி அம்மானே

........ சுந்தரர்

                                                                -தக்கநெடும்

தேரூர் அணிவீதிச் சீரூர் மணிமாட

ஆரூரில் எங்கள் அரு மருந்தே – நீரூர்ந்த

காரூர் பொழிலுங் கனியீந்திளைப்பகற்றும்

ஆரூர் அரனெறி வேளாண்மையே – ஏரார்ந்த

மண்மண்டலிகர் மருவும் ஆரூர்ப்பரவை

யுன்மண்டலியெம் உடைமையே

..... திருஅருட்பா

Moolavar  : Sri Thoovainathar

Consort    : Sri Alliangothai, Sri Panchinmelladiyal

Some of the salient features of this temple are...

This temple is on the Keezha veethi, near Thiru Thers/Chariots.  The temple faces east with a 3-tier dilapidated Rajagopuram. Rishabam and balipeedam are after the Rajagopuram. Moolavar is of swayambhu on a square avudayar. In koshtam, Vinayagar, Dakshinamurthy, Lingothbavar, Brahma and Durgai.

Ambal is in a separate Temple on the right immediately after the Rajagopuram facing south. Anjaneyar, Vinayagar, Sri Valli Devasena Subramaniar, Saneeswarar (facing South as Anugraha Murti), Chandikeswarar Sannathis are in the prakaram. It is believed that all sculptures/Vigrahas are sculpted by Vishwakarma.

The 15^th Century Saint Arunagirinathar has sung hymns in praise of Lord Muruga of this temple.

சூலாள் மாலாள் மலர்மகள் கலைமகள்

            ஓதார் சீராள் கதிர்மதி குலவிய

            தோடாள் கோடா ரிணைமுலை குமரிமுன்    அருள்பாலா

    தூயா ராயர் இதுசுக சிவபத

            வாழ்வாமீனே வதிவமெ நுணர்வொடு

            சூழ்சீ ராரூர் மருவிய இமையவர்                        பெருமாளே 

ARCHITECTURE

The main temple consists of the sanctum sanctorum, antarala, and artha mandapam. The adhistanam is of prati bandha adhistanam with Vrutha Kumudam. The Bhitti starts with Vedhika. The Pilasters are Vishnukantha pilasters with square base, Kalasam, Kudam, plain mandi palakai, Veerakandam, and Tharanga pothyal. The Prastaram consists of Valapi, kapotam, and Viyyalavari. Bhuta ganas are in the Valapi. A nagara - Dravida vimana is over the sanctum.

The temple is called as Dhurvasar temple. This is under the control of Thiruvarur's main temple. It seems that Kumbhabhishekam has been performed long back and both Rajagopuram and the outer walls are crying for attention.

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

Since Sundarar 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 during the Chozha period and further extended during the Nayakas period.

The inscriptions recorded from this temple belong to Chozhas. And the Inscriptions are found in damaged condition. Lord Shiva was called “Thirumandaliyudaya Mahadevar” during Kulothunga Chozha’s period.

LEGENDS

As per the legend, the sea threatened ( due to Varuna ) with high tide to submerge this temple and the Village ( The word Paravai denotes Sea ). Durvasa with Rishis and sages prayed to Lord Shiva, to save them from the sea's high tide. Lord Shiva advised them to excavate a well/temple tank inside the temple on the Southeast corner ie Agni Moola. The sea tide was absorbed by the well/tank and calmed down. Since Durvasa worshiped, Lord Shiva is praised as “Durvasa Nayanar”. It was learnt that sea sand was observed during excavation in the temple and as per sthala purana this temple was once inside the sea.   

The eyes can be seen on the Shiva Linga during abhishekam, which signifies that Sundarar’s right eyesight was restored in this temple. There is a legend associated with this. He lost his eyesight when he left Thiruvotriyur against the vow given to his second wife Sangili Nachiyar. His left eyesight was restored due to the grace of Ma Kamakshi of Kanchipuram. Sundarar came to this temple took a dip in the temple tank, worshiped Lord Shiva, and prayed for the right eyesight. Lord Shiva restored the eyesight at this temple. So it is believed that devotees worship Lord Shiva of this temple to get relief from eye ailments, offering sevvarali (Red Oleander) and abhishekam, especially on Sundays.         

It is believed that This temple was built by Paravai Nachiyar, the wife of Sundarar with mud for Lord Shiva and worshiped him.

POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS

Apart from regular poojas, Maha Shivaratri in the month Masi ( Feb – March), Thiruvathirai in the month Margazhi ( Dec – Jan ), and every month pradosam.

TEMPLE TIMINGS

The temple will be kept open between 06.00 hrs to 11.00 hrs and 17.00 hrs to 20.00 hrs.

CONTACT DETAILS 

The mobile number of Sridhar Gurukkal +91 99425 20479 may be contacted for further details. 

HOW TO REACH 

The temple is very near to Thyagaraja temple in east Rajagopuram on Raja Street or the Keela Ratha Veethi on Thanjavur Road. There are a lot of buses available from cities like Chennai, Tiruchirappalli,  Madurai, Thanjavur etc.  The temple is at the center of the city.

The temple is 26 KM from Nagapattinam, 28 KM from Mannargudi, 28 KM from Thiruthuraipoondi, 40 KM from Kumbakonam, 40 KM from Mayiladuthurai, 40 KM from Karaikal and 296 KM from Chennai.

Nearest Railway station is Thiruvarur.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE

Thiruvarur Chariot will take off from this place.

---OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---