Sri Gnanaparameswarar Temple / Sri Gnanaparameswarar Swamy Temple, திருமெய்ஞானம், ஞானபரமேஸ்வரர் கோயில் / Naalurmayanam / Thirumeignanam, Thiruvarur District District, Tamil Nadu.

This is the 213^th Thevaram Paadal Petra Shiva Sthalam and 96^th Sthalam on the south side of river Cauvery in Chozha Nadu. Now this place is called as Thiru Meignanam or Naalur Mayanam.

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

பாடும் அரதைப் பெரும் பாழியே முதல் ஆகச்

சேடர் பயில் திருச்சேறை திருநாலூர் குடவாயில்

நாடியசீர் நறையூர்தென் திருப்புத்தூர் நயந்து இறைஞ்சி

நீட்தமிழ்த்தொடை புனைந்து. அந் நெடுநகரில் இனிது அமர்ந்தார்

........ திருஞானசம்பந்தர் புராணம்

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

பாலூரு மலைப்பாம்பும் பனிமதியும் மத்தமும்

மேலூரும் செஞ்சடையான் வெண்ணூல் சேர் மார்பினான்

நாலூர் மயானத்து நம்பான்றன் அடிநினைந்து

மாலூரும் சிந்தையர்பால் வந்தூரா மறுபிறப்பே

...... திருஞானசம்பந்தர்

                                                              -:வேறுபடாப்

பாலூர் நிலவிற் பணிலங்கள் தன்கதிர்செய்

நாலூரில் அன்பர் பெறு நன்னயமே”

........ திரு அருட்பா

Moolavar  : Sri Gnanaparameswarar, Sri Mayanathu

                  Paramasivasamy, Palaasavana nathar

Consort    : Sri Gnanambikai, Periya Nayaki.

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

The temple is facing east with an entrance arch on a mottai gopuram. The temple tank Gnana Theertham is opposite to the temple. The Moolavar is of swayambhu, small in size, and the entrance to the sanctum is also small. In Koshtam Narthana Vinayagar, Dakshinamurthy, Lingothbavar, Brahma and Dugai. Reliefs of a person worshiping Lord Shiva (maybe a King ) and Natarajar are on the sanctum wall.

In prakaram Somaskandar, Utsava murthis, Dakshina Kailashar, Kumbhakarna Pillayar, Valli Devasena Subramaniar, Mahalakshmi, Uthira Kailashahar, Arunachaleswar, Chandikeswarar, Viswanathar, Visalakshi, Dakshinamurthy, Musukuntha Chakravarthy, Chandikeswarar, Uromasa Maharishi, Nalvar, Bhairavar, Navagrahas, Suriyan and Chandran.

In the front Mandapam Subramaniar, Swarna Vinayagar and Chandikeswarar. Ambal is in a separate temple and Chandikeswari.

ARCHITECTURE

The main temple consists of the sanctum sanctorum, antarala, and artha mandapam. The adhistanam is of simple pada bandha adhistanam with vrutha kumudam. The sanctum is in square shape and vimana is in the form of a Globe ( உருண்டை) / Vesara vimana. The Vimanam is ekathala. Ashta dik palakas are in the Greevam along with Koshta murtis. The Pillars and Pothyals are beautifully chiseled. 

 

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 believed to be constructed as a mada koil by Ko Chengart Chozha. It is believed to have been reconstructed as a stone temple during Adita Chozha-I. The inscriptions are recorded in Thaminattu Kalvettukkal - VI, Kumbakonam Vattam

As per the inscriptions this place was called as “CheRRur kooRRathu Brahmadeya” and Lord Shiva was called as “Mayanathu Paramaswamy”. 

About  23 Chozha period from 10^th to 13^th century inscriptions were recorded from this temple. As per the inscriptions this place was called as CheRRur Kootrathu Naalur. Vanamahadevi Chaturvedi mangalam,

A Mandapa in the name of Rajarajan was existed in front of the temple. The Village sabha used to transact the business after assembling in that mandapa.

Rajaraja Chozha-I's 23rd regnal year inscription records the gift of lamp to light to the deity Vennaik Kuttadi Arulukinra Alwar ( Krishna ), of the temple Tirunarayana Vinnagar of Nalur, a brahmadeya of SeRRurk KuRRam, which was subdivision of Kshatriya Sikhamani Valanadu, by the assembly of the Village after taking the decision which had not at the hall called Gandaradittan. 

Rajakesarivarman's 15th regnal year records the gift of 12 Ilakkasu to burn 12 lamps in the temple of Thirumeygnanamudaiyar by a merchant of this Village named Naranan Soladigal alias Tirunavukkaraiyan. Some persons who belonged to the Sirkoil of Nalur Brahmadeya in SeRRurk KuRRam received the donation and accepted to burn without fail. Also gave the assurance to pay manchadi pon as a fine in every day if they would have failed to do so. 

Rajakesarivarman's 7th regnal year inscription records the gift of land as tax-free for the food offerings to the deity at the mid-night service of the temple in this Village by the assembly of Palaiya Chembianmahadevi  Chathurvedi mangalam, a brahmadeya on the southern banks of River Kaveri. 

Kudavayil alias Alampozhil, a lady gifted 2 Lamps.

A Rajarajan-III, period inscription records that the Village people assembled under a Tamarind tree and declared “Kirama Throkikal” to those who acted against the temple and bared them from touching Lord Shiva of this temple.

Summaries of twenty-four inscriptions of Gñanaparameshwarar temple at Thirumeyalinam in Kumbakonam taluk and Tañjävar District are given here. All the records are in Tamil language and script, few words are written with Grantha words. Kings name. Regnal year and Historical year are given with it. Tamil Nadu Kalvettikkal –Vi, Kumbakonam Vattam. Most of the inscriptions record the endowment of bruning Lamps and Naivedyam / offerings for which money and lands are gifted to the temple.

81 / 2014. On the same wall. Rajakēsarivarman (Aditya Chola 1), 2^nd regnal year - 873 CE Records that the assembly of Nälür sold the right of collecting the tax called Ankadik-küli from the shops, opened in the market to the temple of Srimülattānattu Mahadeva of Tirumeyñanam. The list of the things which had been sold in the market is also given [ie.. weighing, measuring, metered, and betel leaves and arrecanut]. 

83/ 2014. On the North wall of the central shrine – Rajarajachōla-I’s, the 24^th regnal year 1004 CE. - Incomplete. Records a gift of land for the food offerings to the deity Sri Raghavadeva in the Tirunarayana Vinnagar Temple and to the food offerings, and oil bath on Saturdays. and a flower garden to the deity of Tirumayanamudaiya Mahadeva temple of this village. The assembly of that village which had met at the Rajarajan mandapa in front of Samparishvarattu Mahadeva in this village demarkated the boundaries of the donated lands Mentioning Sri Simhavishnu Vathi, Süriyadevan Vathi, Rajarajan Väykkäl, etc., in this record.

89/2014. On the same wall Köpparakesarivarman’s [Uttama chola] 15^th regnal year 985 CE. This record is damaged and the portion at the end is lost. It records the sale of land as tax-free to the temple Chandrasekara Perumal at Thirumayanam to provide food-offerings to the deity of the temple by the Peruňkuri Mahasabhä inclusive of the Nambis of Nalür, a brahmadeya in Serrürk-kürram. The original owners of the land had not been consequently paying the taxes for many years to several kings. Due to the non payment of the taxes, the assembly took the charge and paid regularly. Then the assembly take the decision about the sale of land to the temple when the meeting held in the Sattimurram of the Sambaresvara temple at Nälür.

94/2014. On the West and South wall of the central shrine of the same temple. Parakesarivarman [Parantakachōla] – 6^th regnal year - 913 CE. Registers a sale of land as tax-free by the assembly of this village to the Karkadisvarattu Perumal temple of the same village. Mentions Mahämattirar land and Chittirakudattu dēvar land as the boundaries of the above said land.

99/2014. On the North wall of the central shrine in the same temple. Badly damaged. States that the assembly of Nälür made tax-free on a temple land, instead of receiving some Ilakkäsu from the authorities of Samparisvarattup-perumänadigal temple at Nälür.

100/2014. On the same wall – Rajakēsarivarman’s – 15^th regnal year. Registers a gift of 12 Ilakkāsu to burn 12 lamps in the temple of Tirumayanamudaiyar by a merchant of this village named Naranan Soladigal alias Tirunavukkaraiyan. Some persons who belonged to the Srikoil of Nälür a brahmadēya in Serrürk-kürram received the donation and accepted to burn without fail. Also gave the assurance to pay mañchāḍi pon [gold] as a fine in every day if they would have failed to do so.

102/2014: On the North of the same place. Parakesarivarman [Uttama Chōlan] 16 regnal year 987 CE. Damaged and built-in at the end. It records the sale with the exemption of taxes of an Areca-garden for 40 Kalaju of gold and of a wetland for 13 Kalanju by the Mahasabha of Arürchcheri, a brahmadeya in Tirunaraiyur-nādu to the temple of Tirumayänattu Devar at Nälür. Among the boundaries of this Areca garden, was mentioned another Areca-garden belonging to the temple of Samparèsvarar of this village.

103/2014. On the West wall of the central shrine in the same temple. Köpparakesarivarman [Parantaka chōla] - regnal year lost – 10^th  century CE. A few lines at the end are buried under the ground. Registers a sale of 521 Kuli of land with tax-free by the members of Mahasabha including the Battapperumakkal of Nälür. a brahmadeya in Serrürk-kürram. for five Kalanju of gold to a merchant of this village called Naranan Taththan, who endowed the same after purchase to the temple of Tirumayana deva. Among the boundaries of the land are mentioned those belonging to the temple of Tirupparkaḍal Devar and Bhitariyar.

LEGENDS

It is believed that Maha Vishnu, Brahma, Suriyan, 4 Vedas, and Apastamba Rishi worshiped Lord Shiva of this temple.

This place was once a Chaturvedi Mangalam gifted to the Brahmins who are experts of 4 Vedas. As per the experts, this place was called “Nalvediyur – நால்வேதியூர்” which was corrupted to the present name of Naalur. There are 4 Temples which are called Mayanam. This place is called Naalur Mayanam and others are Kachi Mayanam, Kadavur Mayanam, and Keezh Mayanam.

Thirugnanasambandar records that this place was called as Palur and snakes worshiped Lord Shiva of this temple. It is told that worshiping of snakes was happened many times during recent years.

பாலூரு மலைப்பாம்பும் பனிமதியும் மத்தமும்

மேலூரும், செஞ்சடையான் வெண்ணூல்சேர் மார்பினான்

நாலூர் மயானத்து நம்பான்றன் அடிநினைந்து

மாலூரும் சிந்தையர்பால் வந்தூரா மறுபிறப்பே

It is believed that Apastamba Rishi worshiped Lord Shiva of this temple, is believed to have authored the dharma sutra in Sanskrit which deals with Dharma in Hinduism mainly with Krishna Yajurveda

It is believed that Suriyan worshiped Lord Shiva of this temple. The sun's rays fall on Moolavar from the 3^rd to the 5^th of Chithirai month.

Brahma did a penance on Lord Shiva to attain Mukthi. Satisfied with his penance Lord Shiva blessed him with Mukthi. Hence Lord Shiva is praised as “Brahma Muktheeswarar”. Also, this temple is praised as Moksha Sthalam.  

Since Lord Shiva came from a Palaa maram ( Jack fruit tree, the sthala Vruksham ) forest,  Lord Shiva is called as Palaasvana nathar. 

POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS

Apart from regular poojas, special poojas are conducted on Vinayagar Chathurthi in the month Avani ( Aug – Sept ), Navaratri in the month Purattasi ( Sept – Oct ), Thirukarthigai in the month Karthigai ( Nov – Dec ), Maha Shivaratri in the month Masi ( Feb – March ) and monthly pradoshams.

Utsavas are conducted in the month of Puratasi, masi and Margazhi.

TEMPLE TIMINGS 

The temple will be kept opened between 08.00 hrs to 11.00 hrs and 17.00 hrs to 19.30 hrs.

CONTACT DETAILS  

Mobile number of Thamizhmani Gurukkal’s mobile number +919443974854,  may be contacted for further details.

HOW TO REACH

Naalur is on the way to Kudavasal from Kumbakonam and it is a vaippu sthalam. From there Naalur Mayanam is about 1 KM towards east.  

The temple at Thiru Meignanam is 4 KM from Thirucherai, 17 KM from Kumbakonam, 24 KM from Thiruvarur, 44 KM from Thiruvarur and 311 KM from Chennai.

Nearest Railway station is Kumbakonam.  

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE : CLICK HERE

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---