Sri Paathaleswarar Temple / Sri Padaleeswarar Temple / பாதாளேஸ்வரர் கோயில் / அரித்துவாரமங்கலம் / Arathaiperumpali / அரதைப்பெரும்பாழி / Haridwaramangalam, Thiruvarur District, Tamil Nadu.

This is the 216^th Thevaram Paadal Petra Shiva Sthalam and the 99^th sthalam on the south side of the river  Kaveri of Chozha Nadu. Now this place is called Haridwaramangalam.

In Periyapuranam, Sekkizhar records that Thirugnanasambandar came to this temple after worshiping Lord Shiva of Thiru Irumpoolai (Alangudi).

பாடும் அரதைப் பெரும் பாழியே முதல் ஆகச்

சேடர் பயில் திருச்சேறை திருநாலூர் குடவாயில்

நாடியசீர் நறையூர்தென் திருப்புத்தூர் நயந்து இறைஞ்சி

நீடுதமிழ்த்தொடை புனைந்து அந் நெடுநகரில் இனிது அமர்ந்தார்

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

பைத்தபாம் போடுஅரைக் கோவணம் பாய்புலி

மொய்த்தபேய் கள்முழக் கம்முது காட்டிடை

நித்தமா கந்நட மாடிவெண் ணீறணி

பித்தர்கோ யில்அர தைப்பெரும் பாழியே

....... திருஞானசம்பந்தர்

                                                -“விரும்பும்

விரதப் பெரும்பாழி விண்ணவர் களேத்தும்

அரதைப் பெரும்பாழி ஆர்ந்தோய்”

...... திருஅருட்பா

Moolavar  : Sri Padaleeswarar, Sri Paathalavarathar

Consort    : Sri Alangaravalli, Sri Alangara Nayagi

Some of the salient features of this temple are….

The temple faces east with a 3-tier Rajagopuram. Balipeedam and Rishabam are after the Rajagopuram. Dwarapalakas are made of Stucco. In the sanctum, Moolavar is swayambhu, and there is a shallow / “kuzhi’, which is on the Shiva Linga. In koshtam, Dakshinamurthy is in a separate sannathi abutting sanctum, Lingothbavar, and Brahma.

In the front mandapam, Natarajar is with Sivakami, Patanjali, and Vyaghrapada, Vinayagar, and Murugan (a Little large in size). There are two Utsava vahanas in the mandapam.

In the outer praharam, Vinayagar, Valli Devasena Murugan, Chandikeswarar, Bhairavar, Visalakshi, Viswanathar, Mahalingam, Shanieswarar, Chandran, Saptamatrikas, and Natarajar. There are no separate Navagrahas. There are 7 Vinayagars in this temple.

Ambal is in a separate Temple. Since Ambal is of Durga, there is no Durgai in the Koshtam.

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. The temple was reconstructed during the Chozha Period and further extended during the Nayakas / Maratha period.

The inscription recorded from this temple belongs to Kulothunga Chozha–III’s 10^th reign year inscription starts with his mei keerthi as Madurai Konda, day as Tuesday, and Uthrattathi nakshatra – Suthamallivalanattu veNNi... and is found damaged. The full details of the inscription are not known. 

LEGENDS

In sanctum, moolavar is swayambhu, and there is a shallow / “kuzhi’. On the Shiva Linga, it is believed that Vishnu in the Varaha avatar excavates this kuzhi to find the feet of Shiva. This legend is associated with the Lord Shiva’s Lingothbavar form. When a conflict arises between Maha Vishnu and Brahma, regarding who is greater. Lord Shiva told them that whoever sees first the start and end of him and stands in the form of a Column, will be the greatest. Brahma took the Anna bird form and flew to the top to find out the end of Lord Shiva. Whereas Maha Vishnu took the form of a Varaha avatar and started digging/excavating the earth to find the starting point of Lord Shiva. Finally, Maha Vishnu  came out and accepted his failure. To signify this legend, there was a hole in the top of the Shiva Linga, which was closed now. 

Haridwaramangalam means – Hari – Vishnu, Dwaram- excavate the earth ( making a hole - Thulaiyiduthal ), Mangalam – the sacred place.

This is one of the Pancha Aranya kshetras; they are 1. Mullaivana Nathar Temple, Thirukkarugavur (Mullai), 2. Sri Satchi Nathar Temple, Avalivanallur (Pathiri), 3. Pathaleswarar Temple, Arathaiperumpazhi (Vanni), 4. Sri Abathsahayeswarar Temple, Thiru Irumpoolai – Alangudi (Poolai), 5. Sri Vilvavaneswarar temple, Thirukollampudur (Vilvam).

Devotees worship Lord Shiva to remove the obstacles in the marriage,  and the Child boon, etc. After fulfilling their wishes, they used to offer new vastras and abhishekam to Lord Shiva and Ambal.

POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS

Apart from regular poojas, special poojas are conducted on Vaikasi Visakam in the month of Vaikasi (May – June),  Vinayagar Chathurthi in the month of Avani (Aug – Sept), Annabhishekam in the month of Aippasi (Oct – Nov), Thirukarthigai in the month of Karthigai (Nov – Dec), Thiruvathirai in the month of Margazhi (Dec – Jan), Makar Sankranti and Thaipoosam in the month of Thai (Jan – Feb), Maha Shivaratri in the month of Masi (Feb – March) and monthly pradosams.

TEMPLE TIMINGS

The temple will be kept open from 08.00 hrs to 12.00 hrs and from 16.30 hrs to 20.00 hrs.

CONTACT DETAILS 

The Temple’s caretaker/accountant - Ms. Sridevi may be contacted on her mobile number +9184892 34981

HOW TO REACH

Bus facility( Town bus Route no 38) is available from Kumbakonam via Ammapettai to Haridwaramangalam. 

The temple at Haridwaramangalam is  10 km from Alangudi,  21 km from Kumbakonam, 40 km from Thiruvarur, 55 km from Mayiladuthurai, and 316 km from Chennai.

The nearest Railway Station is Kumbakonam.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE:  CLICK HERE

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---