Sri Rathnagiriswarar Temple, இரத்தினகிரீஸ்வரர் கோயில், திருமருகல் / Thirumarugal, Nagapattinam District, Tamil Nadu.

This is the 197^th Thevara Paadal Petra Shiva Sthalam and the 80^th Sthalam on the south side of river Kaveri of Chozha Nadu. This place was named after a variety of Plantain ( Kalvazhai ).

In Periyapuranam Sekkizhar records that Thirugnanasambandar came to this temple after worshiping Lord Shiva of Thiruchengattankudi. After this, in 11 poems Sekkizhar narrates the story of the Chetti pen and her uncle, who died due to a snake bite while conducting the marriage. But Thirunavukkarasu Swamigal came to this temple after worshiping Lord Shiva of Thirunallar.

திருமருகல் நகரின்கண் எழுந்தருளித் திங்களுடன் செங்கண் பாம்பு

மருவுநெடுஞ் சடைமவுலி மாணிக்கவண் னார் கழல் வணங்கிப் போற்றி

உருகியஅன் புறுகாதல் உள் அலைப்பத் தெள்ளும் இசையுடனே கூடப்

பெருகதமிழ் தொடைசாத்தி அங்கிருந்தார் பெரும்புகலிப் பிள்ளையார் தாம்

……. திருஞானசம்பந்தர் புராணம்

சீர்தரு செங்காட்டங்குடி நீடும் திருநள்ளாறு

ஆர்தரும் சோலை சூழ்தரு சாந்தை அயவந்தி

வார்திகழ் மென் முலையால் ஒருபாகன் திருமருகல்

ஏர்தரும் அன்பால் சென்று வணங்கி இன்புற்றார்

…… திருநாவுக்கரசு சுவாமிகள் புராணம்

Thirugnanasambandar, Thirunavukkarasu Swamigal, and Vallalar have sung hymns in praise of Lord Shiva of this temple. In another hymn, Thirugnanasambandar combines both Thirumarugal and Thiruchengattankudi, which is also given below.

சடையாயெனு மால்சரண் நீயெனுமால்

விடை யாயெனு மால்வெரு வாவிழுமால்

மடையார்குவ ளைமல ரும்மருகல்

உடையார்தகு மோஇவள் உள்மெலிவே

……. திருஞானசம்பந்தர்

அங்கமும் வேதமும் ஓதுநாவர் அந்தணர் நாளும் அடிபரவ

மங்குல் மதிதவழ் மாடவீதி மருகல் நிலாவிய மைந்தசொல்லாய்

செங்கயல் ஆர்புனல் செல்வமல்கு சீர்கொள் செங்காட்டங் குடியதனுள்

கங்குல் விளங்குஎரி ஏந்திஆடும் கணபதி ஈச்சரம் காமுறவே

…… திருஞானசம்பந்தர்

பெருக லாம்தவம் பேதமை தீரலாம்

திருக லாகிய சிந்தை திருத்தலாம்

பருக லாம்பர மாயதோர் ஆனந்தம்

மருக லான்அடி வாழ்த்தி வணங்கவே

……. திருநாவுக்கரசு சுவாமிகள்

                                                                              -“எச்சகல

விண்மருவினோனை விடநீக்க நல்லருள்செய்

வண்மருகன் மாணிக்க வண்ணனே”

…….. திருஅருட்பா

Moolavar  : Sri Manickavannar, Sri Rathnagiriswarar.

Consort    : Sri Vanduvaar Kuzhali, Sri Aamothalanayagi.

Some of the salient features of this temple are…

The temple faces east with a 3-tier Rajagopuram and Temple tank Sri Lakshmi theertham with Neerazhi mandapam in front. Muthu Vinayagar sannathi is on the banks of the temple tank. Dwajasthambam, balipeedam, and Rishabam are on the ground level. This is one of the Mada Temples built by Ko Chenkat Chozhan.

Moolavar is of swayambhu and looks good on a square avudayar. In Koshtam Ganapathy, Dakshinamurthy, Lingothbavar, Brahma and Durgai.

On the left side of the Dwajasthambam, there is a platform under the Vanni tree. It is believed that Thirugnanasambandar arranged the marriage to Chetti’s sons and the Chetti girl after removing the snake poison through the hymns. In Ambal sannathi paintings of the Kusakethu kings story. In sabha paintings of Patanjali, Viyakrapadar, and Chetti’s son.

In praharam Somaskandar, Manickavannar, Nalvar, 63var, Prathana Vinayagar, Parasarar worshiped Lingam, Valli Devasena Subramaniar, In the inner praharam Mahalakshmi, Natarajar sabha, 63var, Navagrahas, Bhairavar, Chandran, Suriyan, Nagar, Chettippen and Chetti Pillai on one pedam. At the entrance of Natarajar Sabha, Patanjali and Viyagrapadar are in the form of paintings. 

 

In the outer prakaram Saptamatrikas, Vinayagar, Soundaryanayagi, Marugalurudayar ie Moolavar sannadhi.

In the ground level praharam  Suram theertha Vinayagar, Santhana Vinayagar, Marugalurudayar  & Soundaranayagi, and Yamuna Chandikeswari near Ambal sannathi. Kusakethu King’s story, Thirugnanasambandar removing snake poison story in the form of paintings in Ambal sannadhi. In the first level, there is a sannathi for Shaniswaran ( on the right side of Ambal Sannathi ).

The Stucco image of Chetti’s son who came alive by Thirugnanasambandar's Thevara hymns, after death due to a snake bite in Rajagopuram can be seen. The Vinayagars on both sides of the Vidam Theertha Vinayagar we believed to be worshiped by Seeralan, who was the son of Siruthondar Nayanar. It is further believed that the place where an office exists was a madam during the Seeralan period and he was educated there. The tank nearby is called Seeralan Kulam

There is Nel Kalanjiyam ( Paddy storage on the left side of the entrance to the upper level ( Hope this is not being used nowadays ).

The place where Chetty's son came alive

The Sthala Vruksham Plantain tree

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

Since Thirugnanasambandar has sung hymns in praise of Lord Shiva of this temple, the temple is of a mada temple style, believed to have been built by the Ko Chengat Chozha and later renovated as Stone temple during the Chozha period and further extended during Nayakas period.

The Thiruchengattankudi temple’s inscription records that Seeralapillai was brought in procession to this temple and lands were bought and donated for forming a road and pooja. Kulotthunga Chozha-III’s 18^th year ( 330^th day …?) inscription records that to take Seeralapillai from Thiruchengattankudi to Thirumarugal in procession. Since the path was not sufficiently wide to pull a chariot, a lady called Brahmani Alliyangothai bought land from 11 people and again from 4 people and gave it to the temple. The subsequent inscription records gifts by the same lady for Poojas and worship.

The 1882 CE Thanjavur Maratha King’s inscription records the endowment of gifts of gold to this temple. The trustee Thiruvinai Theertha Mudaliar used for the worship and services.  

LEGENDS

In Periyapuranam, Sekkizhar has sung the story of Chetti’s son who died due snake bite. Thirugnanasambandar has sung hymns starts with “sadayai enumaal – சடையாய் எனுமால்”,. Stucco image is there on the rajagopuram depicting this legend.

On the opposite of Ambal sannathi at the end of the street, there is a Vinayagar temple. The madam which is near to this temple is believed that Chettipen and the Chetti’s son slept before the snakebite. Since the Snake poison was removed Vinayagar is called Vedam theertha Vinayagar. It is further believed that snakes are not there in this area and if at all it bites, the person will not die.   

This legend is associated with the Ambals of 4 temples around this place. A local King of Ramanadeecharam prayed to Lord Shiva for a child boon. Lord Shiva informed the King, that Ma Parvati would reach him as his daughter in a divine voice. The King went hunting in the forest. There he found 4 girl children under a tree. He took all the four Children and brought to the palace. When they attained the marriageable age, the King prayed to Lord Shiva to marry them. Lord Shiva married all of them. The four Ambals are, Sri Karundhar Kuzhali at Thirupugalur temple, Sri Vanduvar Kuzhali at Thirumarugal, Sri Sarivar Kuzhali at Ramanadeecharam and Sri Vaaitha Thirukuzhalal Nayaki at Thiruchengattankudi.

It is believed that all 4 Ambals / Goddess helped a pregnant lady for a delivery. Hence All 4 Ambals are praised by a common name as “Sri Choolikambal”- Chool – Karu- fetus. After this instance, all 4 Ambals returned to their respective temples and stayed a little away from the moolavar sannidhi.

It is believed that Varalakshmi Vratham was started from this temple. We all know that Brighu Maharishi kicked Maha Vishnu on his chest and Maha Vishnu pressed Maharishis’ legs. By the action of Maha Vishnu, maha Lakshmi left him and came to this temple in Bhooloka. Started worshiping Lord Shiva, after observing fast / Vratham. Lord Shiva brought Maha Vishnu and reunited them.

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 ), Skanda Sashti and Annabhishekam in the month Aippasi ( Oct – Nov ), Thirukarthigai in the month Karthigai ( Nov – Dec ), Makar Sankranti and Thaipoosam in the month Thai ( Jan – Feb ), Maha Shivaratri in the month Masi ( Feb – March ) and monthly pradoshams.

TEMPLE TIMINGS

The temple will be kept open between 07.00 hrs to 12.30 hrs and 16.00 hrs to 20.30 hrs.

CONTACT DETAILS

The priest Sundaraganapathy Gurukkal may be contacted on his mobile +91 97861 92196, for further details.

HOW TO REACH :

The temple is on the bus route from Thiruvarur to Mayiladuthurai.

Buses available from Nannilam, Nagapattinam, Mayiladuthurai.

Buses are available from Nagore to Mayiladuthurai via Thittacheri.

The temple at Thirumarugal is 4 KM from Thiruchengattankudi, 10 KM from Thiruppayathankudi, 25 KM from Thiruvarur, 22 KM from Nagapattinam, 46 KM from Kumbakonam and 300 KM from Chennai.

The nearest Railway station is Nagapattinam.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE

Saptamatrikas

---OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---