Sri Manikkavannar Temple / Manickavannar Temple / Karinatheswarar Temple / மாணிக்கவண்ணர் கோயில், / Rathnapureeswarar Temple. திருநாட்டியதான்குடி / Thirunattiyathankudi, Thiruvarur District, Tamil Nadu.

This is the 235^th Thevaram Paadal Petra Shiva Sthalam and 118^th Sthalam on the south side of river Kaveri in Chozha Nadu. This place maintains the same name since Thevaram period as Nattiyathankudi.

In Periyapuranam, Sekkizhar describes Sundarar’s Visit to Thirunattiyathankudi, Kotpulinayanar’s House and as per his request Sundarar accepted his daughters “Singadiapan” and “Vanapakaiyar” and his own daughters.

மாலும் அயனும் உணர்வரியார் மகிழும் பதிகள் பலவணங்கி

ஞாலம் நிகழ் கோட்புலியார்தம் நாட்டியத்தான் குடிநண்ண

ஏலும் வகையால் அலங்கரித்து அங்கு அவரும் எதிர்கொண்டு இனிதிறைஞ்சிக்

கோலமணி மாளிகையின் கண் ஆர்வம் பெருகக் கொடுபுக்கார்.

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

பூணாண் ஆவதோர் அரவங்கண்டு அஞ்சேன்

        புறங்காட்டு ஆடல்கண் டிகழேன்

பேணா யாகிலும் பெருமையை உணர்வேன்

        பிறவேன் ஆகிலும் மறவேன்

காணா யாகிலும் காண்பன்என் மனத்தால்

        கருதா யாகிலுங் கருதி

நானேல் உன்னடி பாடுதல் ஒழியேன்

        நாட்டியத் தான்குடி நம்பீ

...... சுந்தரர்

                                                              -எல்லற்கண்

சேட்டியத்தானே தெரிந்து சுரர் வந்தேத்தும்

நாட்டியத்தான் குடிவாழ் நல்லினமே”

...... திரு அருட்பா

Moolavar  : Sri Manikkavannar, Sri Rathnapureeswarar,

                  Sri Kari Natheswarar, Sri Nattiyathu Nambi.

Consort    : Sri Mangalambigai, Sri Mamalai Mangai

Some of the salient features of this temple are…….

The temple is facing east with a three tier Rajagopuram. At the entrance of the temple sannidhi for “kaikaattiya Vinayagar” for Sundarar. Balipeedam and Rishabam are after the Rajagopuram. In koshtam Dakshinamurthy, Lingothbavar and Brahma. Paintings of Lord Shiva as Natarajar is on the back side wall of Sanctum sanctorum. 

In prakaram Vinayagar, Murugan, Viswanathar, Gajalakshmi, Navagrahas, Chandikeswarar and Kotpuli Nayanar. Nataraja sabha and Urchavars are in the maha mandapa. 

  

ARCHITECTURE

The main temple consists of sanctum sanctorum, Antarala and artha mandapam. A Two tier brick vesara Vimanam is on the sanctum Sanctorum.

   

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

Since Thirugnanasambandar has sung hymns in praise of lord Shiva of this temple, the original temple might be existed before 7^th Century. The same was reconstructed as stone temple and extended by Vijayanagaras and maintained by the Nattukottai nagarathars.

LEGENDS

There are two brothers Rathnaintha Chozha and his brother, who are the ardent devotes of Lord Shiva, tried to share the diamonds which are left by their father with a help of a diamond trader. When a dispute rose between two brothers towards sharing pf diamonds based on the quality, they prayed Lord Shiva to help them. Lord Shiva came in the form of a diamond merchant and divided in to two parts and gave them. Hence Lord Shiva is called as “Rathnapureeswarar” and “Manickavannar”.

An Elephant worshiped Lord Shiva of this Temple to get rid of the previous birth’s sin, hence Lord Shiva is called as “Karinatheswarar”

This is the birth place of Kotpuli Nayanar. Sundarar accepted Kotpuli Nayanar’s daughter ”சிங்கடியார்” & ”வனப்பகையார்” as his own daughters in this temple.

கூடா மன்னரைக் கூட்டத்து வென்ற கொடிறன் கோட்புலி சென்னி

நாடார் தொல்புகழ் நாட்டியத்தான்குடி நம்பியை நாளும் மறவாச்

சேடார் பூங்குழற் சிங்கடி யப்பன் திருவா ரூரன் உரைத்த

பாடீ ராகிலும் பாடுமின் தொண்டீர் பாடநும் பாவம்பற்று அறுமே

When Sundarar was staying in his house, Sundarar went to worship Lord Shiva of this temple. Since Lord Shiva and Parvati are not there, asked Vinayagar where is Lord Shiva and Parvati ?. Vinayagar didn’t spoke, but showed the fingers towards eesanya direction. Sundarar followed the direction and found Lord Shiva and Parvati were planting the paddy saplings. Sundarar has sung as..

நட்ட நடாக்குறை நாளைநடலாம்

நாளை நடாக்குறை சேறு தங்கிடவே

நட்டது போதும் கரையேறி வாரும்

நாட்டியத்தான்குடி நம்பி”

After this Lord Shiva and Parvati disappeared from the field and returned to the temple. Sundarar followed them and a snake was stopping him not to enter inside the temple and Sundarar has sung the hymns as ,,, “Poonanavathor – பூணாணாவதோர்” and worshiped Lord Shiva. 

POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS

Kotpuli Nayanar’s Mukthi / Guru puja day and Lord Shiva and Parvati planting paddy saplings on kettai nakshatra day in the month Aadi ( August ) are celebrated in a grand manner.

Apart from regular poojas, special poojas are conducted on Vaikasi Visakam in the month Vaikasi ( May – June ), 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 ), 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 opened between 07.00 hrs to 12.00 hrs and 17.00 hrs to 20.00 hrs.

CONTACT DETAILS

The mobile and land line numbers +91 94438 06496 & +91 4367 237 707, may be contacted for further details. For Paddy saplings planting please contact +91 8098297016

HOW TO REACH

On the bus route Thiruvarur to Thiruthuraipoondi get down at Mavur Koot road and from there, the temple is on the way to Vadapathimangalam.

The temple is 14 KM from Thiruvarur, 27 KM from Mannargudi, 53 KM from Kumbakonam, 65 KM from Thanjavur and 344 KM from Chennai.

Nearest railway station is Thiruvarur.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE :  CLICK HERE

---OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---