This is
the 191st Thevara Paadal Petra Shiva Sthalam and the 74th Sthalam
on the south side of river Kaveri of Chozha Nadu.
PC - Website
In
Periyapuranam Sekkizhar records that Thirugnanasambandar came to this temple
after worshiping Lord Shiva of Thirupugalur. Sekkizhar also records that both
Thirugnanasambandar and Thirunavukkarasu Swamigal received gold from Lord Shiva
of Thirupugalur ( Varthamaneeswarar – Sambandar ) and came to this temple.
சொல்பெரு
வேந்தரும் தோணி மூதூர்த் தோன்றல்பின் காதல் தொடரத்தாமும்பொன்புகலூர்
தொழச் சென்று அளைந்தார் புகலிப்பிரானும் புரிந்த சிந்தைவிற்குடி
வீரட்டம் சென்று மேவி விடையவர் பாதம் பணிந்து
போற்றிப்பற்பல ஆயிரம்
தொண்ட ரோடும் பாடலன் நான்மறைபாடிப் போந்தார்
Thirugnanasambandar,
Manickavasagar, and Vallalar have sung
hymns in praise of Lord Shiva of this temple.
வடிகொள் மேனியர்
வானமா மதியினர் நதியினர் மதுவார்ந்தகடிகொள்
கொன்றையம் சடையினர் கொடியினர் உடைபுலி யதளார்ப்பர்விடைய தேறும்எம்
மான்அமர்ந்து இனிதுறை விற்குடி வீரட்டம்அடியர்
ஆகிநின்று ஏத்தவல் லார்தமை அருவினை அடையாவே……...திருஞானசம்பந்தர்சலமுடைய சலந்தரன்றன் உடல்தடிந்த நல்லாழிநலமுடைய
நாரணற்கு அன்று அருளியவாறு என்னேடீநலமுடைய
நாரணன்தன் நயனம் இடந்து அரனடிக்கீழ்அலராக இட
வாழியருளினன்காண் சாழலோ……..
மாணிக்கவாசகர் திருவாசகம் -“பண்புடனேஎற்குடியானாங்
கொண்டிருக்க மகிழ்ந்தளித்தவிற்குடியின்
வீரட்டமேயவனே”……. திருஅருட்பாதிருவும்
உரைமகளும் நிறைசெம்பொன் மணிமாடம் மருவும்மொரு திருவிற்குடி வளமுற்றிடு தளியின்வருவாரருள்
பெறவே தருவய வீரட்டநாதன்இருதாள் மலரெழில்
நாள் மலர் இட்டுப் பணிவோமே……….. தனிச்செய்யுள்Moolavar : Sri VeerataneswararConsort : Eelavar Kuzhali, Parimala Nayagi.
Some of
the salient features of this temple are.....The
temple faces west with the 5-tier Rajagopuram. Dwajasthambam, balipeedam and Rishabam
are in the mukha mandapam. Dwarapalakas, Dwara Ganapathy and Subramaniar are in
front of Sanctum. Moolavar is of swayambhu and looks like a little Orb (urundai) on a
square Avudayar. A seppu/copper Rishabam is in-front of moolavar. In koshtam
Brahma, Mahavishnu, Dakshinamurthy, and Narthana Vinayagar.
In
Prakaram The place where Lord Shiva converted Birundha into Thulasi for Maha
Vishnu, Shiva Sannathi worshiped by Maha Vishnu, Vinayagar, Sri Valli Devasena
Subramaniar, Mahalakshmi, Bhairavar, Bhairavi, Shani Bhagawan,
Navagrahas, Suriyan, Pidari, Mariamman, Bhairavar, Nalvar with Sekkizhar, Somaskandar
and Chandikeswarar.
Natarajar
sabha and urchavars are in the artha mandapam. Urchavar in aimpon Jalandhara Varatha Moorthy, - holding Chakra in right hand and Maan, Mazhu, Aayutha mudra
in the other hands. Ambal is in a separate sannadhi facing South. The mandapa ceiling in front of Ambal
sannathi has bas reliefs of 12 Zodiac symbols. It is believed that, if prayed under the
respective Zodiac symbols, their wishes will be fulfilled.
12 Zodiac symbol.
There is also another Shiva temple called Mayaleswarar locally called Meignaneswarar Koil. The 15th
Century Saint Arunagirinathar has sung hymns in praise of Lord Muruga of this
temple.
வெற்றி
யுற்றகதிர் பத்தி ரத்தையரு ளிச்சு
ரர்க்கதிப திப்ப தத்தையுறு வித்த ளித்துமதி
பெற்ற தத்தைமண முண்டவேலா வெட்கி டப்பிரம
னைப்பி டித்துமுடி யைக்கு
லைத்துசிறை வைத்து முத்தர்புகழ் விற்கு
டிப்பதியி லிச்சை யுற்றுமகிழ் தம்பிரானே
ARCHITECTUREThe main temple consists of a sanctum sanctorum, antarala, artha mandapam, maha mandapam, and a mukha mandapam. The adhistanam is of pada bandha adhistanam on an upanam. Komugam is supported by a lady.
HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONSSince
Thirugnanasambandar has sung hymns in praise of Lord Shiva of this temple, the
original temple might have existed before the 7th Century. The same was reconstructed
as a stone temple during the Chozha period and further extended during Pandyas,
Vijayanagaras, and Nattukottai Nagarathars.
As per the inscriptions, this place was in Kulothunga Chozha Valanattu Paniyur
Nattu Thiruvirkudi, and Lord Shiva was called Mayaneswarar.
Sundara
Pandya’s 16th reign year inscription records the sale to Malaya
Perumal Parakrama Pandya Irungolar, son of Arasu Thirunattap Perumal of some
lands and housing sites in devathanam of Thiruvarur Udayar in Narikkudi in
Panaiyur Nadu.(Nannilam Kalvettukkal)
Tribhuvana
Chakravarthi (Jatavarman) Sundara Pandya’s, 16th reign year
inscription records that an Andhanar
belongs to Keyamanicka Chaturvedi Mangalam, sold land to (the same person
of the previous inscription) Malaya Perumal Parakirama Pandya Irungolar.
Vijayanagara
King Vira Krishna Devaraya Maharaya inscription saka 1439 ie 1517 CE, records the donation of 10000 varahan
to Shiva and Vishnu temples, of many places. The inscription further mentions
the name of the temples.
The
Chozha King Rajaraja- ( II or III) ‘s 13th reign year and Pandya King Sundara Pandyan fragment stone inscriptions
record the lands gifted to the temple as Devadhanam.
RefNannilam Kalvettukkal
LEGENDSThis is
one of the atta Veeratta sthalam, where Lord Shiva had done the samharam of
Jalantharasuran. Jalandhara was believed to be born from the third eye sweat
drop of Lord Shiva. In this legend, Jalandhara did a penance on Brahma for
immortality. When Brahma declined, Jalandhara asked to give the same till his
wife mentally
lost her chaste /a momentary
lapse. Brahma granted the boon. With the
boon, he started terrorizing the Devas. Unbearable Jalandara’s torture Devas
complained to Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva took the form of an old Andhanar and asked Maha Vishnu to take the form of
Jalandharan and go to his wife Birundha. On Seeing Maha Vishnu as Jalandara,
Brundha called him inside the home and mentally lost her chaste by thinking of Maha Vishnu as her husband /a momentary lapse. In the meantime, Lord Shiva in
the form of old Andhanar appeared before Jalandhara and called him for a
challenge. When he accepted, Lord Shiva killed Jalandaran with the Chakrayutham.
On hearing her husband's death, Birundha cursed Mahavishnu that he was also to be separated from Maha Lakshmi. Later they got reunited by Lord Shiva. Birunda was converted to Thulasi.
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 ), Makar 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 pradosams.
TEMPLE TIMINGS:The temple
will be kept open between 07.00 hrs to 09.00 hrs and 17.30 hrs to 19.00 hrs.
CONTACT DETAILS :Shanmuga Sundaresa
Gurukkal may be contacted on his mobile +918870887717
for further details.
HOW TO REACH :On the
bus route Mayiladuthurai to Thiruvarur – a place after Vettaru, Kangalajery, and
after that Virkudi Railway station, from there 2 KMOn the
bus route from Nagore to Nagapattinam via Karaikal get down at Virkudi Koot road, and from there 1 KM.The bus to Thirumarugal, Aamur from Thiruvarur passes through Thiruvirkudi.This
place Thiruvirkudi is 10 KM from Thirupanaiyur, 11.00 KM from Thiruvarur, 30 KM
from Nagapattinam, 37 KM from Mannargudi, 43 KM from Kumbakonam and 294 KM from
Chennai.Nearest
Railway Station is Thiruvarur.
LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE
Thirugnanasambandar,
Manickavasagar, and Vallalar have sung
hymns in praise of Lord Shiva of this temple.
திருவும்
உரைமகளும் நிறைசெம்பொன் மணிமாடம்
Since
Thirugnanasambandar has sung hymns in praise of Lord Shiva of this temple, the
original temple might have existed before the 7th Century. The same was reconstructed
as a stone temple during the Chozha period and further extended during Pandyas,
Vijayanagaras, and Nattukottai Nagarathars.
As per the inscriptions, this place was in Kulothunga Chozha Valanattu Paniyur
Nattu Thiruvirkudi, and Lord Shiva was called Mayaneswarar.
POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS
Dear Veludharan Sir, I have visited this temple today.... a marvelous one. I have been visiting a lot of temples with your guidance.... Thanks a lot.... Wish you to do many more Religious works.... You are really a great guidance to me and my friends..... Ramanathan AS, 9840267751
ReplyDeleteThanks a lot Mr Ramanathan A S, I only act as per Shiva's wishes.. He leads me... He guides me.. all the best to you with the blessings of Shiva ...
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