Sri Kayarokaneswarar Temple / Kayarohaneswarar Temple / Kayarohanaswami Temple /காயாரோகணேஸ்வரர் திருக்கோயில் நாகப்பட்டினம் / Nagai Karonam / Nagapattinam, Nagapattinam District, Tamil Nadu.

This is the 199^th Thevaram Paadal Petra Shiva Sthalam and the  82^nd Sthalam on the south side of river Kaveri of Chozha Nadu. This, place Nagapattinam, was called Nagai Karonam during the 6^th to 7^th Century. This is one of the 44 Moovar Paadal Petra Shiva Temples. This is one of the Saptha Vidanga (Shiva Linga was not made using chisel) sthalam, and the others are 1. Thiruvarur, 2. Thirunallar, 3. Thirumaraikadu, Thirukkarayil /Thirukkaravasal 5. Thiruvaimur and 6. Thirukolili (Thirukkuvalai). This is also an avathara and Mukthi sthalam of Athipatha Nayanar.

Periyapuranam Sekkizhar records that Thirugnanasambandar came to this temple after worshiping Lord Shiva of Thiruchathamangai and stayed in this temple for some time. In Thirunavukkarasu Swamigal Puranam Sekkizhar records that, he came to this temple after worshiping Lord Shiva of Thirukolili ( Thirukkuvalai ) and he has sung 4 hymns in praise of Lord Shiva of this temple.

மற்று அவர்தம் பெரும்கேண்மை மகிழ்ந்து கொண்டு

        மால் அயனுக்கு அரியபிரான் மருவுதானம்

பற்பலவும் சென்று பணிந்து ஏத்தி பாடிப்

        பரமர் திருத்தொண்டர்குழாம் பாங்கின் எய்தக்

கற்றவர் வாழ்கடல் நாகைக் காரோணத்துக்

        கண்ணுதலைக் கைதொழுது கலந்து ஓசைச்

சொல் தமிழ்மாலைகள் பாடிச் சிலநாள் வைகித்

        தொழுது அகன்றார் தோணிபுரத் தோன்றலார்தாம்

...... திருஞானசம்பந்தர் புராணம்

சோலை மறைக் காட்டமர்ந்தருளும் சோதி அருள்பெற்று அகன்றுபோய்

வேலை விடம் உண்டவர் வீழி மிழலை மீண்டுஞ் செல்வன் என

ஞாலம் நிகழ்ந்த நாகைக்கா ரோணம் பிறவுந்தாம் பணிந்து

சாலுமொழி வண்டமிழ் பாடித் தலைவர் மிழலை வந்தடைந்தார்

......திருநாவுக்கரசு சுவாமிகள் புராணம்

Thirugnanasambandar, Thirunavukkarasu Swamigal, Sundarar, and Vallalar have sung hymns in praise of Lord Shiva of this temple. Sri Muthusamy Dheekshithar has also composed songs on Ambal of this temple

புனையும் விரிகொன்றைக் கடவுள் புனல்பாய

நனையும் சடைமேலோர் நகுவெண் தலைசூடி

வினையில் லடியார்கள் விதியால் வழிபட்டுக்

கனையும் கடல்நாகைக் காரோ ணத்தானே.

...... திருஞானசம்பந்தர்

மனைவிதாய் தந்தைமக்கள் மற்றுள சுற்றமென்னும்

வினையுளே  விழுந்தழுந்தி வேதனைக் கிடமாகேதே

கனையுமா கடல்சூழ்நாகை மன்னுகாரோணத்தானை

நினையுமா வல்லீராகில் உய்யலா நெஞ்சினீரே

....... திருநாவுக்கரசு சுவாமிகள்

புத்தூர்புக்(கு) இரந்துண்டு பலபதிகம் பாடிப்

        பரவையாரைக் கிறிபேசிப் படிறாடித் திரிவீர்

செத்தார்எம் எலும்பணிந்து சேவேறித் திரிவீர்

        செல்வத்தை மறைத்துவைத்தீர் எனக்கொருநாள் இரங்கீர்

முத்தாரம் இலங்கிமிளிர் மணிவயிரக் கோவை

        அவைபூணத் தந்தருளி மெய்க்கினதா நாறும்

கத்தூரி கமழ்சாந்து பணித்தருள வேண்டும்

        கடல்நாகைக் காரோணம் மேவியிருந் தீரே

........சுந்தரர்

                                                                                    -“தூத்தகைய

பாகைக்காரென்னும் பாணிமொழியார் வாழ்த்தோவா

நாகைக் காரோண நயந்தோனே”

........ திருஅருட்பா

தடிகடற் புகுதல் போலச் சைவமாம் கடலிற் புக்கு

முடிவலை வீசல் போல முதிர்பத்தி வலையை வீசி

நெடியமீன் கவர்தல் போல நிராமய உமையோர் பாகத்(து)

அடிகளாம் மீன்க வர்ந்த அதிபத்தர்க் கன்பு செய்வாம்

...... தலபுராணம்

Moolavar  : Sri Kayarokaneswarar, Sri Aathipuranar

Consort    : Sri Neelayadakshi

Some of the salient features of this temple are….

The temple faces east with a 7-tier Rajagopuram. Nagaparana Pillayar is after the entrance. A stucco Rishabam is also after the entrance. Dwajasthambam, balipeedam, and Rishabam are after the 5 tier Rajagopuram under the Rajathani mandapam. Moolavar is of swayambhu little big and back of Lord Shiva and Ambal are in thirumana kolam / Kalyana kolam. In koshtam Dakshinamurthy, Lingothbavar, Brahma, Durgai, Arthanareeswarar, and Pichadanar. 

In prakaram Athipatha Nayanar, Vallabha Ganapati, Agora Veerabhadra, Athma lingam, Pillayar, Palani Andavar and Idumban. In Rajathani mandapam Vinayagar, Arumugar with Valli & Devasena, Kasi Viswanathar and Bhairavar. On the right side is the Ambal Neelayadakshi ( Karunthadanganni ). Ambal is in standing posture.

In the inner prakaram Suriyan, 63var, Mavadi Pillayar, Vennaipiran, Arunachaleswar, Bhairavar, Gajalakshmi, Navagrahas and Saniswaran. In the Navagrahas group, all are facing Moolavar in three rows. In Utsava murthis, Pichadanar, Natarajar with Sivagami and Kaatchi Nayagar.

Thiagarajar sannathi is next to moolavar sannadhi. Sundara Vidangar and Nadanam is Baravaaratharangka nadanam. Sundarar with Paravai Nachiyar is opposite to this sannathi.

In the outer praharam Vinayagar, Arumugar with Valli and Devasena, Kasi Viswanathar, Bhairavar, Anukoola Anjaneyar, Bhadrakali Amman, Agora Veerabhadra, Athipatha Nayanar and Azhuhini Siddhar Jeeva Samadhi. 

The 15th-century saints Arunagirinathar and Sri Chidambaram Swamigal have sung hymns in praise of Lord Muruga of this temple.

வாரிபொட்டெ ழக்ரவுஞ்சம் வீழநெட்ட யிற்றுரந்த

            வாகை பொற்பு யப்ரசண்ட                                                 மயில்வீரா

ஞாலவட்ட முற்றவுண்டு நாகமெத்தை யிற்றுயின்ற

            நாரணற்க ருட்சுரந்த                                                             மருகோனே

நாலுதிக்கும் வெற்றிகொண்ட சூரபத்ம னைக்களைந்த

            நாகபட்டினத்தமர்ந்த                                                            பெருமாளே

..... திருப்புகழ்

க்ஷேத்திரக் கோவை பிள்ளத்தமிழ்

பூமண்ட லத்திலுள தெய்வங்கள் வேதங்கள்

        புகழ்கொண்ட தேவர்முனிவர்

காணவரு  சிவராச தானியெனும் நாகைவரு

        கந்தசுவா மிவருகவே

கைகண்ட அடியார்பணி மெய்கண்ட வேலவன்

        கருணையங் கடல்வருகவே

.........ஸ்ரீ சிதம்பரமுனிவர்

ARCHITECTURE

The temple consists of sanctum sanctorum, Antarala and artha mandapam.

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

A city developed near the seashore is called Pattinam, hence Nagai is being called Nagapattinam. The Nagapattinam was one of the ports during Chozha’s Period. The King Rajaraja had built a Buddhist Vihar "Chudamani Vihar” in tiers in which Buddha statues were installed in three postures.  Buddhism was practiced in those days and there were a lot of conflicts with Jainism. The Pallava King Parameswara Varman gave a solution that whoever wins can stay here in a competition. Buddhists lost and they moved to Sri Lanka during the 10^th Century. It was learnt that some Buddhists were also converted to Muslims on sea coastal areas.  

The present Nagapattinam was called Nagai Karonam during the Thevara Moovar Period. Moovar has sung hymns on Lord Shiva of this temple. Especially Sundarar asked for Clothes made of Silk, and jewellery studded with precious stones like diamonds, emeralds & pearls, Javadhu, and Santhu from Lord Shiva of this temple. Ambal Neelayadakshi temple is a later addition, during the 16^th to 17^th Century Vijayanagara Period. 

Sadaiyavarman Sundara Pandya’s 15^th reign year inscription records the celebration of the Utsavar procession to theerthavari on the King’s birth star Thirumoola nakshatra day and to meet the expenses for the worship, a land measuring 14.5 ( Veli...?) at Sannamangala was gifted to the temple.  This place was mentioned as Nagapattinam alias Chozha Kulavallipattinam.

Rajendra Chozha-I’s 4^th reign year inscription starts with his meikeerthi records the endowment of feeding 5 Brahmanas daily for which 180 Kasu was gifted by A Merchant called Thamanthaiyan of Kurakeni Kollam ( May be in present Kerala state ).

Rajendra Chozha-I’s period inscription records the endowment of land ( irandee ezhu maa ) gifted to this temple for Naivedyam and the burning of lamps for the 6 days function of Masi Maham. The boundary land owner's names are also given, which is a dancer’s name Sembiyan Mahadevi Thalaikoli.  

Natarajar idol was established during Rajathirajan-I, by Chozhapallavatharaiyan. Most of the inscriptions record the endowment of burning perpetual lamps, sale of land, and donations in terms of lands, money, Gold, etc to this temple.

A 19^th Century inscription records the endowment of some portions ( Palakai vari, Pothigai ) of Gopuram by Pachaiyappa Chettiar’s son Muthu Thandayutham and Amarapathi Arunachalam,

Rajendra Chozha-I’s 7^th reign year inscription records the establishment of Arthanareeswarar, for Naivedyam and feeding 2 Brahmanas, gold 87.75 kalanju China kanakam / Gold, 60.75 Kalanju undikai pon gifted to the temple, by Sri Kuruthan Kesavan alias Akkaralegai ( head accountant ).

Veerarajendran ( Kulothunga-III..? ) 4^th reign year inscription records that Mankondan Thevandan had received 255 kalanju pon as a loan. Since it was not paid even after heavy follow-up, he was ordered to repay 510 Kajanu gold, doubling the actual amount borrowed. He had sold the land for 479400 kasus and repaid the same.  The same person sold 10 veli land for 40000 kasu to this temple, which he received as his share after the demise of his brother Mankondan Nayanar, who owned 700 veli land.

NA 1777 CE Inscription on the Kailasanathar Temple wall records the death of a Dutch person.  A 12^th CE inscription was found on a bronze image. On a small temple, an Inscription records that the temple was built by Governor Reiwan Vilisingam. A Silver plate containing the inscriptions in Telugu script, records that, Nagapattinam was given to Dutch by the Thanjavur King Vijayaraghavan. Another silver plate translated to Tamil version of the above is inscribed and that was confirmed by Marata Kori in 1676 CE.  In 1774 CE Dutch church was built. A drum also contains some inscriptions.   

A Rajaraja's 25th reign year poem inscription records the donation of paddy which was measured in "Kadaram Kondan Markkal". This Kadaram Kondan title belongs to Rajendra Chozha-I. It is presumed that during, the Rajarajan period itself, Kadaram ( mentioned in brackets by the Archaeological Department )  was under the control of Chozhas.  The damaged poem reads as...

ஸ்ரீகோவிராஜராஜகேஸரி பந்மரான ஸ்ரீ

ராஜராஜதேவற்கு யாண்டு 25 ஆவது

க்ஷத்ரிய சிகாமணி வளநாட்டு பட்டினக்

கூற்றத்து நாகப்பட்டிநத்துக் காரோணமுடைய மஹாதே.....

பூருடைய சான குன்றனும் (இ)ளங்கடம்...

...ற்கு தஞ்சாவூர் வளவசிகாமணிப் பெ....

Even though Athipatha Nayanar, one of the 63 Nayanmars,   belongs to this place and there is sannathi for him, none of the inscriptions speaks about worship and donations made to this temple. But the inscription at Thirukolili another Paadal Petra sthalam, records the celebrations and donations made to Athipatha Nayanar. To our surprise, there is no sannathi for him at that temple.

LEGENDS

Lord Shiva gave his marriage darshan to Agasthiyar. Thiagarajar is a Sundara vidangar.  Nadanam is called Baaravaratha Ranga nadanam. Arumugar is very beautiful with 12 hands. This is one of the Saptha vidanga sthalam. This is the Athipatha Nayanar’s avathara and Mukthi sthalam. Nagapattinam was called Adhipuranam, Parpatheecharam, and Arava Nagaram, during ancient times. This place is called Nagapattinam and the temple is Karonam.

It is believed that different cults existed to worship Lord Shiva like Maakalam, Kapalikam, Lakuleesam, etc,. This Lakuleesam was practiced popularly in North India and Lakuleesar Statues are found in many parts of  North India. The basic principle of this cult is to attain Lord Shiva’s feet with mortal body ( Kayam = காயம், உடம்பு - human body ). It was believed that Pundarika Maharishi who practiced this Lakulisa Pasupata worshiped Lord Shiva of Kasi, Kanchipuram, and Kumbakonam, where the Kayarohanam or Karonam temples still exist. Hence this temple of Shiva is called Sri Kayarohaneeswarar.

The Maharishi further asked Lord Shiva, to bless moksha to his descendants too. It was learned that whoever died from the Maharishi’s family, will be brought to the temple’s main gate. Lord Shiva’s clothes and garland will adorn the body.

Ambal Neelaladakshi is believed to have blue eyes and a pubescent child. This temple is considered as one of the Sakthi Peedams, also considered as one of the 5 most important goddesses, which signifies the 5 stages of human life. Visalakshi as a Girl child at Kasi, Kamakshi as a young girl at Kanchipuram, Neelayadakshi as a pubescent Child at Nagapattinam, Kamalambigai as a young woman at Thiruvarur and Meenakshi as a married woman at Madurai.      

This legend is associated with Athipatha Nayanar, one of the 63 Nayanmar. This is the birthplace of Athipatha Nayanar, who belongs to the fishermen’s community. He used to let the first fish caught, back into the sea. Lord Shiva wanted to test his bhakti and made a golden fish to be caught. Though the Nayanar has to survive with that day’s fish catch, he lets the golden fish back into the sea. Lord Shiva appeared before him and blessed him. This incident is being celebrated as a festival every year and the fishermen’s community used to participate from Various parts of Tamil Nadu. 

This legend is related to Azhukuni Siddhar, one of the disciples of Korakkar Siddhar. As a Child, he adamantly cried to Neelayadhakshi Amman to give salvation / mukthi. He stayed in the temple, cried, and demanded mukti to Ambal. Ambal requested Lord Shiva to grant him the mukti. Finally, he was granted to mukti and his Jeeva Samadhi is in the prakara. Special poojas are conducted on Vaikasi Visakam days and every pournami ( full moon day).

Azhukini Siddhar Jeeva Samadhi

POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS

Lord Shiva’s blessing day of Athipathanayanar is celebrated in the month of Avani in which Nampiyankuppan (originally called Sembadavarcheri)

Abhishekam for the Sundara Vidangar Shiva linga will be conducted two times a day ie at 09.00 hrs and 20.00 hrs. The existing Shiva Linga was replaced by a Gomethaka Linga since the original Shiva Linga given by Musukunda Chakravarthi was stolen away.

The event of Pundarika Maharishi entering the shrine and merging with Lord Shiva is celebrated during artha jama pooja on Ayilyam nakshatra days in the month Aani (June – July ).

Apart from regular poojas, special poojas are conducted on Vaikasi marriage utsavam in the month Vaikasi ( May – June ),   Aadi Pooram in the month Aadi ( July – Aug ),  Annabhishekam in the month Aippasi ( Oct – Nov ), Thirukarthigai in the month Karthigai (Nov – Dec ), Maha Shivaratri and Masi magam day theerthavari at sea in the month Masi ( Feb – March ), and monthly pradoshams.

TEMPLE TIMINGS

The temple will be kept open between 06.00 hrs to 12.30 hrs and 17.00 hrs to 21.30 hrs.

CONTACT DETAILS

The landline and mobile numbers +91 4365 24 844, +91 9894501319, and +91 93666 72737 may be contacted for further details.

HOW TO REACH 

Bus and Train are available to Nagapattinam. The temple is in the heart of the city.

The temple is 6 KM from Nagore, 14.6 KM from Nagore, 21 KM from Seeyathamangai, 25.3 KM from Thirumarugal, 28 KM from Thiruvarur, 57 KM from Mayiladuthurai, 70 KM from Kumbakonam and 302 KM from Chennai.

Nearest Railway station is Nagapattinam

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE

Ayyanar with his consorts

Adhikara Nandhi with his consort

---OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---