Sri Varthamaneecharar / Sri Vardhamaneswarar Temple / ஸ்ரீ வர்தமானீஸ்வரர் திருக்கோயில் / வர்தமானீச்சரம் / Varthamaneecharam / Vardhamanecharam, Thirupugalur, Nagapattinam District, Tamil Nadu.

This is the 193^rd Thevaram Paadal Petra Shiva Sthalam and the 76^th sthalam on the south side of the river Kaveri of Chozha Nadu. This temple is inside the Thirupugalur Sri Agnipureeswarar temple.

 

This is one of the 44 temples to which Moovar has sung hymns to Lord Shiva of this temple. Thirunavukkarasu Swamigal has attained mukthi in this place. This Thirupugalur is also the birthplace of Muruga Nayanar, one of the 63 Nayanmars. This is the Sathayam Nakshatra temple.

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

ஆங்கவர் போற்றும் சிறப்பின்மேவி அப்பதி தன்னில் அமரு நாளில்

வாங்கு மலைச்சிலை யார் மகிழ்ந்த வர்த்தமா னீச்சரத் தாள்வணங்கி

ஓங்கிய அன்பின் முருகனார்தம் உயர்திருத்தொண்டு சிறப்பித் தோங்கும்

பாங்குடை வண்டமிழ் பாடி நாளும் பரமர்தம் பாதம் பணிந்திருந்தார்

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

பட்டம் பால்நிற மதியம் படர்சடைச் சுடர்விடு பாணி

நட்ட நள்ளிருள் ஆடு நாதன் நவிறுறை கோயில்

புட்டன் பேடையொடு ஆடும் பூம்புக லூர்த் தொண்டர் போற்றி

வட்டம் சூழ்ந்தடி பரவும் வர்தமா னீச்சரத் தாரே

……….திருஞானசம்பந்தர்

                                                              -“சொற்கெசடிய

வன்புகலா நெஞ்சில் மருவுமொரு தகைமைத்

தென்புகலூர் வாழ்மகாதேவனே – இன்பமறை

அர்த்தமா நீக்கரிய ஆதாரமாநின்ற

வர்த்தமா நேச்சரத்து வாய்ந்தவனே”.

….. திரு அருட்பா

Moolavar  : Sri Varthamaneecharar

Consort    : Sri Manonmani

Some of the salient features of these temples are…..

The temple faces east with a Moat/agazhi around, believed to be excavated by Banasuran. The first level, Rajagopuram, is of 5 tiers, and the second level is of 3 tiers. In between the two Rajagopurams, Dwajasthambam, balipeedam, and Rishabam.  Both Thirupugalur and Thirupugalur Varthamaneecharam are side by side.  Moolavar looks cute. There are no koshta murtis.

Muruganayanar Sannathi is on the left. Ambal Manonmani is in a separate sannathi.

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

Since Moovar has sung hymns in praise of Lord Shiva of this temple, this original temple might have existed before the 7^th century. The same was reconstructed as a stone temple during the Chozhas period (maybe during Rajaraja-I –I) and further extended by Pandya, Vijayanagaras, and Nattukottai Nagarathars.

As per the inscriptions Thirunavukkarasu Swamigal was called as “Kulichezhuntha Nayanar – குளிச்செழுந்த நாயனார் ”, Muruga Nayanar madam was called as “Nambi Nayanar Thirumadam – நம்பி நாயனார் திருமடம்”, Thiruneelakanda Yazhpanar was called as “Yazhmuri Nayanar, Dharumapurathu Nayanar- யாழ்முரி நாயனார், தருமபுரத்து நாயனார்”.

LEGENDS

This is the birthplace of Muruga Nayanar, one of the 63 Nayanmars. He served the temple by offering flowers to the temple. Thirugnanasambandar praises Muruga Nayanar’s service in his hymns. It is believed that Muruga Nayanar also attained mukti along with Thirugnanasambandar at Thirunallur Perumanam.

On Chitra Sathayam Thithi Thirunavukkarasar had attained Mukti in this sthalam (சிவஜோதியுடன் ஐகியம் ஆனார்), hence a 10-day festival is celebrated. This is the birthplace of Muruga Nayanar.

This is one of the seven Lord Shiva temples, and all of them are Paadal Petra Sthalams, which end with “Charam”.

Thiru Mundeecharam

Thiru Patteeswaram

Thiru Naraiyur Siddheecharam

Thiru Kondeecharam

Thiru Pugalur Vardhamaneecharam

Thiru Ramadeecharam and

Thiru Ketheecharam.

POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS

Apart from regular poojas, special poojas are conducted on, Muruga Nayanar Guru Pooja in the month of Vaikasi (May – June), Aani Thirumanjanam in the month of Aani (June – July), Aadi Pooram in the month of Aadi (July – Aug), Vinayagar Chathurthi in the month of Avani (Aug – Sept), Navaratri in the month of Purattasi (Sept-Oct), Skanda Sashti and 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 between 06.30 hrs to 12.30 hrs, and 16.00 hrs to 21.00 Hrs

CONTACT DETAILS :

Mobile and landline numbers are +91 94431 13025 and +91 4366 - 292 300.

Ramanatha Gurukkal may be contacted on his mobile number +91 94878 64858 for further details. 

HOW TO REACH :

This place is on the bus route from Nagapattinam to Nannilam.

This place, Thirupugalur, is 14 km from Thiruvirkudi, 21 km from Thiruvarur, 21  km from Karaikal, 27 km from Nagapattinam, 40 km from Kumbakonam, and 289 km from Chennai.

The nearest Railway Station is Thiruvarur.  

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE

---OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---