Sri Soundareswarar Temple / சவுந்தரேஸ்வர் கோயில், திருப்பனையூர் / Thirupanaiyur, Thiruvarur District, Tamil Nadu.

This is the 190^th Thevara Paadal Petra Shiva Sthalam and 73^rd sthalam on the south side of river Kaveri of Chozha Nadu. This place was called as Thalavanam ( Palm tree forest ) and the temple is called as Thalavaneswaram

In Periyapuranam Sekkizhar records that Thirugnanasambandar came to this temple after worshiping Lord Shiva Thiyagaraja of Thiruvarur. Sundarar came to this temple after worshiping Lord Shiva and got Gold in the form of bricks to celebrate Panguni Uthiram at Thiruvarur with Paravai Nachiyar.

காழியார் வாழவந்து அருள்செயும் கவுணிப் பிள்ளையார்தாம்

ஆழியான் அறிஒணா அண்ணல் ஆரூர் பணிந்து அரிது செல்வார்

பாழிமால் யானையின் உரிபுனைந் தார் பனையூர் பணிந்து

வாழிமா மறைஇசைப் பதிகமும் பாடி அப்பதியில் வைகி

…….. திருஞானசம்பந்தர் புராணம்

செய்ய சடையார் திருப்பனையூர்ப் புறத்துத் திருக்கூத்தாடும் காட்சி

எய்த அருள்எதிர் சென்று அங்கு எழுந்த விருப்பால் விழுந்து இறைஞ்சி

ஐயர்தம்மை அரங்கு ஆட வல்லார் அவரே அழகியர் என்று

உய்ய உலகுபெறும் பதிகம் பாடி அருள்பெற்று உடன் போந்தார்

…….. சுந்தரர் புராணம்

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

அரவச்சடைமேல் மதிமத்தம்

விரவிப் பொலிகின் றவன்ஊராம்

நிரவிப் பலதொண் டர்கள் நாளும்

பரவிப் பொலியும் பனையூரே

………. திருஞானசம்பந்தர்

மாட மாளிகை கோ புரத்தொடு மண்ட பம்வள ரும்வ ளர்பொழில்

பாடல் வண்டறையும் பழ னத்திருப் பனையூர்த்

தோடு பெய்தொரு காதி னிற்குழை தூங்கத் தொண்டர்கள் துள்ளி பாட நின்று

ஆடு மாறுவல்லார் அவரே அழகியரே

………. சுந்தரர்

“திருப்பனையூரில் விருப்பன் ஆகியும்”

……… மாணிக்கவாசகர்

                                                                                    -“கண்டீச

நண் பனையூரன் புகழும் நம்ப என உம்பர் தொழும்

தண் பனையூர் மேவும் சடாதரனே

….. திரு அருட்பா

Moolavar  : Sri Soundareswarar, Sri Azhahiyanathar,

                  Sri Thalavaneswarar.

Consort    : Sri Brukanthanayagi, Sri Periya Nayagi.

Some of the important features of this temple are as follows.

The temple is facing east with an entrance arch/ Rajagopuram base with stucco images of Rishabarooder at the centre. A balipeedam and Rishabam are immediately after the entrance arch. In Koshtam Agasthiyar, Parasara maharishi, Dakshinamurthy, Maha Vishnu, Brahma and Durgai.

In prakaram,  Thunai Iruntha Vinayagar ( for Karikal Chozhan ), Martruraitha Vinayagar ( similar to Thiruvarur ), Subramaniar, Chandikeswarar, Mahalakshmi ( Stucco images ), Shiva Lingas worshiped by Sapta Rishis, Somaskandar ( a different one with fruit in left hand ) and Chandikeswarar. A small sannathi of Thalavaneswarar Temple ( Sri Panagatteeswarar Temple ) is also in the prakaram.  

ARCHITECTURE

The main temple consists of Sanctum sanctorum, antarala, artha mandapam and a Mukha mandapam. The adhistanam is of prati banda adhistanam with Vrutha kumudam. The Prastaram is with valapi, kapotam and Viyyalavari. An eka thala dravida Vimanam is over the sanctum.

  

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

Since Thirugnanasambandar has sung hymns in praise of Lord Shiva of this temple, the original temple might have existed before 7^th Century. The same was reconstructed as a stone temple during Chozha period ( 11^th Century ) and extended during Pandyas and Vijayanagara period. It is believed that Karikarchozha was brought up from this place.

There are about 14 inscriptions recorded from this temple. These inscriptions belongs to Kulothunga Chozha-I, Rajathi Rajan-II, Sundara Pandyan, Parakrama Pandyan, Rajara Rajan-I and Rajarajan-II.

As per the inscriptions The place was called as Rajendra Chozha Panaiyur and Lord Shiva was called as Panayadiappan, Panangattiraivan etc,.

Vikrama Pandyan’s 5^th reign year inscription records the endowments of land and house lands gifted to Adhi Chandeswarar temple.

Sundara Pandya period inscription records that there was a sandhi / kattalai in the name of king, for naivedyam, 5 veli land was gifted to this temple. This is a copy of the old inscription and the inscription last word finishes with Thulyam ( copy ).

Rajathirajan-II’s 10^th reign year inscription records the gift of land as irayili to the Azhagu Devar by Chozha Panaiyur nattuKon and Kotramangalamudayan Adalvallan.

Kulothunga Chozha-I, period inscription records the  endowment of 6 ma land as irayili gifted to this Azhakiya Devar. With the land gifted 5 Chatti Choru ( 5 pot of cooked rice ) to be offered to Thabasis and Sivayogis. Peruvari, Silvari, Echchoru Kootrarisi Vasalil pontha kudimai  for the same 6 kasu was received and the land was gifted as Irayili.

Kulothunga Chozha-I’s period inscription records the land measuring 600 kuli was gifted to this temple of Adhi Chandeswarar as irayili after purchase by the 5 people Panaiyur Kizhvan Eduthapatham Koothadi alias Gangaikonda Chozha Panayuradaya Velan, Panaiyur Kizhavan VelanKanapura Devan, Panaiyur Kizhavn Velan Jananathan and Panaiyur Kizhavan Kondan eduththapadam.

Kulothunga Chozha-I’s 5^th reign year inscription records the sale of land measuring 6 makani munthirikai keelarai as Irayili after getting 7 kasu to recite Thirupalli Ezhuchi at Adhi Chandeswarar sannathi.

Most of the other inscriptions records the Gift of lands as sale, after getting money, for Poojas, worship naivedyam, burning lamps etc. There are many fragment inscriptions,  from which, we couldn’t get full details.

Maha Kumbabishekam was conducted on 26^th August 1973 after renovations.

LEGENDS

It is believed that the Shiva Lingam was installed by Sage Parashara. Lord Shiva was praised as Sri Thalavaneswarar ( Thala panai – a variety of Palm tree ). It is believed that Maha Lakshmi, Sage Parasarar, Sapta rishis ( Kaushikkar, Kashyapa, Bharadwaja, Gauthamar, Agasthiyar, Athiri and Birugu ), Thirugnanasambandar, Thirunavukkarasu Swamigal, Muchukunda Chakravarthy and Karikala Chozhan worshiped Lord Shiva of this temple.  

As per the request of Paravai Nachiyar, Sundarar got gold from Lord Shiva for the celebration of Panguni Uthiram thirunal at Thiruvarur and Sung “தம்மையே புகழ்ந்து” and worshiped Lord Shiva of Thirupugalur and came to Thirupanaiyur. Lord Shiva gave darshan out side of this place. Sundarar has sung hymns in praise of Lord Shiva as “அரங்காடவல்லார் அழகியார்” and got blessings.

Saptha rishis, Parasara Muni, Mahalakshmi, Karikarchozhan lived in this place and worshiped lord Shiva of this temple. In memory of this legend, this place Manicka Nachiyar thittu / elevated place on the North east direction of this Village is called as “Santhitha Theerththam- சந்தித்த தீர்த்தம்”. 

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 ), Thiruvathirai in the month Margazhi ( Dec – Jan ), Makara Sankranti in the month Thai ( Jan – Feb ), Maha Shivaratri in the month Masi ( Feb – March ), Panguni Uthiram in the month Panguni ( March – April ) and monthly pradoshams.

TEMPLE TIMINGS:

The temple will be kept opened between 07.00 hrs to 12.00 hrs to 16.30 to 20.00 hrs.

CONTACT DETAILS :

Land line number is +91 4366 237 007, or the priest Kalyanasundara Gurukkal  on his mobile +91 99659 81574 and +91 99422 81758 may be contacted for further details. 

HOW TO REACH :

On the route Thiruvarur get down at Sannanallur then Panaiyur stop from there 1 KM.

On the bus route Peralam to Thiruvarur get down at Andipanthal  then Konamadhu from there 1 KM

The temple is 7 KM from Thirukandeeswaram, 9 KM from Thirupugalur,  14 KM from Thiruvarur, 30 KM from Karaikal, 33 KM from Mayiladuthurai, 38 KM from Nagapattinam, 38 KM from Kumbakonam and 332 KM from Chennai.

Nearest Railway station is Thiruvarur.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE : CLICK HERE

---OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---