Sri Deva Pureeswarar Temple / தேவபுரீஸ்வரர் கோயில், தேவூர் / Thevur, Thiruvarur District ( Nagapattinam District ), Tamil Nadu.

This is the 202^nd Thevaram Paadal Petra Shiva Sthalam and 85^th sthalam on the south side of river Kaveri of Chozha Nadu. This is one of the Mada style temple believed to be constructed by the Chozha King Ko Chengat Chozha.

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

நம்பர்மகிழ் திருஆரூர் வணங்கிப் போந்து
நலம்கொள் திருக்காறாயில் நண்ணி ஏத்திப்
பைம்புனல்மென் பணைத்தேவூர் அணைந்து போற்றிப்
பரமர் திருநெல்லிக்காப் பணிந்து பாடி

உம்பர்பிரான் கைச்சினமும் பரவித் தெங்கூர்
ஓங்கு புகழ்த் திருக்கொள்ளிக் காடும் போற்றிச்
செம்பொன்மதில் கோட்டூரும் வணங்கி ஏத்தித்
திருமலி வெண்துறை தொழுவான் சென்று சேர்ந்தார்

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

பண்ணிலாவிய மொழியுமை பங்கன்எம் பெருமான்
விண்ணில் வானவர் கோன்விம லன்விடை யூர்தி
தெண்ணி லாமதி தவழ்தரு மாளிகைத் தேவூர்
அண்ணல் சேவடி யடைந்தனம் அல்லல்ஒன் றிலமே

...... திருஞானசம்பந்தர்

தேவூர்த் தென்பால் திகழ் தருதீவில்
கோவார் கோலம் கொண்ட கொள்கையும்

....... மாணிக்கவாசகர்

 -“நீளுவகைப்
பாவூரிசையிற் பயன் சுவையிற் பாங்குடைய
தேவூர் வளர்தேவ தேவனே

...... திரு அருட்பா

Moolavar  : Sri Devapureeswarar, Sri Kathali vaneswarar,
                  Sri Devagurunathar.
Consort    : Sri Mathurapashini, Sri Thenmozhiammai 

Some of the salient features of this temple are………
It is one of the Maada koil built by Ko Chenkat Chozhan facing east with a 3 tier Rajagopuram. Moolavar is on a big square avudayar. Balipeedam, Dwajasthambam and Rishabam are on the ground level after the Rajagopuram. Rishabam is on the left side of Rajagopuram entrance. In koshtam, Vinayagar, Dakshinamurthy, Maha Vishnu, Brahma and Durgai.

In ground level prakaram 63var, Valampuri Vinayagar, Subramaniar, Agalya worshiped Lingam, Mahalakshmi, Gauthamar worshiped Shiva Lingam and Navagrahas. On the base Indran, Murugan and Vinayagar. On the upper level Natarajar sabha,  Somaskandar and Moolavar. Under Dakshinamurthy there is no Muyalakan. Ambal is in separate temple in standing posture.

ARCHITECTURE
The temple complex was built as mada Temple, consists of Sanctum Sanctorum, antarala, ardha mandapam and a mukha mandapam.  The Vetru level / empty level is on a prati bandha adhisthana with Padma jagathy, vrudha kumuda and viyyalavari. The Bhitti starts with Vedigai and Brahmakantha pilasters with kalasam, kudam, mandai, palagai and poo mottu pothyal. The prastaram with vith valapi ( Bhuta ganas ) and kapotham. The Kapotham has the Nasikoods with Lord Shiva's various forms, and kodipalai karukku. Salas are as padra salas protruding out side. Kumbha/ Kuda panjaras are in aharai / saleelantharam ie the space between karnapathi and salaipathi.  Koshtams are with makara thorana. Only Dakshinamurthy is in the koshtam.

The upper level is on the vetru floor / empty floor leaving some space about 2 feet. The upper level is on a prati bandha adhisthana with jagathy, Virtha kumudam and Viyyalavari. The Bhitti starts with vedikai, and Vishnu kantha pilasters and virutha pilasters with malaithongal, kalasam, thadi, kudam, lotus petals mandi, palagai, veera kandam and poo mottu pothyal. Kumbha panjaras are in aharai / saleelantharam ie the space between karnapathi and salaipathi.  The prastaram is of kapotha style with Valapi, Kapotam and Viyyalavari. Vinayagar, Dakshinamurthy, Maha Vishnu, Brahma and Durgai are in the upper level koshtams. The Koshtas are of padra koshtas, like salai type. A Jala is provided between sanctum sanctorum and ardha mandapam.

The super structure above the upper level prastaram was built with bricks.  In Greeva koshtam, Dakshinamurthy, Maha Vishnu on adhiseshan and Brahma. The sigaram is of Vesara style with 4 maha nasis and 4 alpha nasis.  

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS
This mada temple is believed to be constructed by the Chozha King Ko Chengat Chozha. Latter the same was reconstructed as a stone temple by the early Chozhas and further extended during Vijayanagara / Thanjavur Nayakas and Nattukottai Nagarathars.

The inscriptions recorded from this temple belongs to Latter Pandyas and Vijayanagaras. As per the inscriptions this place was called as “Arunmozhideva Valanattu Thevur”. And Lord Shiva was called as “Adhithechuramudayar”

Jadavarman Sundara Pandyan’s 11^th reign year ( 1287 CE ) inscription records the grant of land after purchase from the temple for 150 panam, to Adittiswaram Udayar in Thevur, Thevur nadu in Arumozhideva Valanadu, as a capital for Atkondanayakan sandhi  named after the donor, just after the early morning pooja, by Azhakiyamanavalan Atkondanayakan, of Tenkudi a lease holder in Menilappadi alias Veerarajendrapuram in Thiruvarur kootram, in Geyamanickavalanadu. The temple authorities undertook even during drought and flood. The money received as a price for the land was utilized by the temple authorities to reconstruct as stone temple above Kumudaga-ppadai and Kovalam in the Thiru-agara-mandapam. 

The Vijayanagara King Devaraya-II, 1426 CE inscription records that settlement made by Periya Sirupparasai fixing the amount of levey called magamai, payable by those to whom the taxes on the classes of Villages such as Pandaravadai, irai-ilipparru, Amaram and Likitajeevitham were leased out. It appears that the taxes collected are without reference to the prevailing prices. Some settlement have been made previously, Devarkalnayan alias Bukkana Udayar. It also mentions that one Annappayyan,  who seems to have come to Thiruvarur to conduct an enquiry, and Kanimandanayan, who bid a high rate for being given the right to collect these taxes. It is also stated that the Chikka devar, laid down that the members of the Valangai and idangai could collect one panam per mavan ( son ), in each community.

An inscription believed to be 12^th century witout king’s name and year records that one of the temple authority Nayakan Udayan of Arasambadi wife Uyyavanthal established kshetrapala Pillayar. For worship and naivedyam of Arisicheru, a land was handed over to Andhanar .

Maha Kumbhabhishekam was conducted on 06^th September 1999 after renovations.

LEGENDS
Since Devars worshiped Lord Shiva, the place is called as Thevur.  Gouthamar, Viyala Bhagavan, Indran, Kuberan, Suriyan, Viruthiran with his daughter Uthirai worshiped Lord Shiva and Ambal of this Temple. On Sunday in the month Karthigai Sun rays falls on moolavar. This is a Guru parihara sthalam.
A song inscribed on Ambal temple entrance reads as..

தீமருவு செங்கையான் திருத்தேவூர்வாழ் நாதன் தேவபுரீசுரரை வளரும்
காமருவு கதலியின்பால் கருத்தர்தமைக் கௌதமரும் குபேரனோடிந்திரன் தானும்
நாமருவு குருவுடனே சூரியனும் போற்றிச்செயச் சம்பந்தர் பதிகமோத
மாமதுர பாஷணி மலர்க்கழாலை மறுமையொடு இம்மைக்கும் மறவேன் நானே.

....மூ.அ. அருணாசலமுதலியார்

POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS
Apart from regular poojas, special poojas are conducted on Brahmotsavam in the month Vaikasi – Vaikasi Peru Vizha – in the month Vaikasi ( May – June ), Thirukarthigai in the month Karthigai ( Nov – Dec ), Thiruvathirai in the month Margazhi ( Dec – Jan ), Makara Sankranti   in the month Thai ( Jan – Feb ), Maha Shivaratri in the month Masi ( Feb – March )  and monthly pradoshams.

TEMPLE TIMINGS
The temple will be kept opened between 07.00 hrs to 12.00 hrs and 16.00 hrs to 20.00 hrs.

CONTACT DETAILS  
The mobile and Land line numbers +91 94862 78810 and +91 4366 276 113, may be contacted for further details.

HOW TO REACH  
On the way from Kilvelur to Thiruthuraipoondi route.
Town bus from Thiruvarur to Valivalam passes through this place. Or On Thiruvarur to Nagapattinam bus route, get down at Kilvelur and from there proceedon Thiruthuraipoondi road.
This Place Thevur is 6 KM from Kilveur, 18.2 KM from Nagapattinam, 25 KM from Thiruthuraipoondi, 20 KM from Thiruvarur, 60 KM from Kumbakonam and 312 KM from Chennai.
The nearest Railway station is Nagapattinam and Thiruvarur, since this place is midway between them.   

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE : CLICK HERE

May be a King who constructed this temple

---OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---

The  second Heritage visit to this Sri Deva Pureeswarar Temple at Thevur was a part of “Mada Temples Heritage Walk in Nagapattinam and Mayiladuthurai Districts”, organised by “Chozha Mandala Varalatru Thedal Kuzhu – GCHRG, on 05^th and 6^th March 2022.   Thanks to V Ramachandran, Tahsildar of Nagapattinam, who took us to all these Temples.