Sri Maragathambal Samedha Sri Hridayaleeswarar Temple/ ஸ்ரீஇருதயலீஸ்வரர் கோயில், திருநின்றவூர் / Thiruninravur, Tiruvallur District, Tamil Nadu.

Utilising the opportunity of participating in the Uzhavaram by Chennai Sevas had the darshan of Sri Hridayaleeswarar and Eri Katha Ramar at Thiruninravur. This Shiva temple is a few meters away from the 58^th Divyadesam, Sri Bhaktavatsala Perumal temple at Thiruninravur. This post was separated from the combined post and updated with Legends, History, and Architecture. Please click the link to see the old post with the Erikatha Ramar temple.

West side entrance

Moolavar    : Sri Hridayaleeswarar

Consort      : Sri Maragathambal

Some of the important features of this temple are….

The temple faces east with entrance arches on the east and west sides. On the east side entrance, dwajasthambam, balipeedam, and Rishabam. Sri Vinayagar and Balamurugan are at the entrance to the inner prakaram. The sanctum sanctorum is of the Gajabirushtam style with Pallava Architecture. In the koshtam, Vinayagar, Dakshinamurthy, Vishnu, Brahma, and Vishnu Durgai. Moolavar is a little large on a square avudayar, and Poosalar, one of the 63 Nayanmars, is in the sanctum facing south.

In the inner praharam, Suryan Navagrahas, Pallava King Rajasimhan, Ninravur Polla Pillayar, Nalvar, Sekkizhar, Naagars, Mahaganapathy, Urchava Murtis, Valli Devasena Subramaniar with Naagars, Chandikeswarar, Palliyarai, Natarajar saba, Bhairavar and Chandran.

In the outer praharam,  Vinayagar, Nava kanniyar, a mandapam, and an office room. Ambal is in a separate sannadhi facing south.

ARCHITECTURE

The temple consists of the sanctum sanctorum, antarala, ardha mandapam, and maha mandapam. The sanctum sanctorum is on a pada bandha adhistanam with three patta kumudam on an upanam. The sanctum sanctorum is of Gajaprishta shape from upanam to sigaram. The temple was constructed with stone from upanam to prastaram. A two-tier brick vimanam is on the prastaram.

  

Gajaprishta Vimanam

Gajaprishta Vimanam

Moolavar Vimanam with Ambal sannadhi vimanam

Moolavar Vimanam with Ambal sannadhi vimanam

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

The temple was built during the Pallava period. Inscriptions are found on the sanctum sanctorum wall. During the Pallava period, this place, Thiruninravur, was called Tinnanur.

The Pallava King Dantivarman’s 9^th reign year 805 CE inscription on a lamp pillar near the western entrance into the Siva temple mentions the sabha of Ninravür.¹

NOTE

1. Ninravür (i.e. Tiruningavür) mentioned in this fragmentary record is the old name of Tinnanür. 

The 20th-century inscription records that in 1905 CE, Devakottai Sita Achi had done thirupani to this temple.

References:

1. ARE, 1937-8, no. 168; Ibid., part ii, para 22, 86.

Inscriptions of the Pallavas by T V Mahalingam.

LEGENDS

The temple was constructed by Pallava king  Rajasimhan for Poosalar. The story goes like this… Poosalar, who applied vibhuti all over his body, wanted to construct a Shiva Temple sitting under the Iluppai tree.  Even though Poosalar couldn’t  physically construct the temple, he constructed the Shiva Temple in his heart with a concentrated mind.  This was rightly written by Sekkizhar Peruman in “Periya Puranam” as..

அடி முதல் உபானம் ஆதி

    ஆகிய படிகள் எல்லாம்

வடிவறு தொழில்கள் முற்ற

    மனதினால் வகுத்துமான

முடிவுறு சிகரம் தானும்

    முன்னிய முழத்திற் கொண்டு

நெடிது நாள் கூடக் கோவில்

    திறம்படி நினைவால் செய்தார்

Poosalar completed the temple in the heart and fixed a date for consecration / Kumbhabhishekam.  In the meantime, the Pallava king Rajasimhan also constructed a temple for Shiva, “Sri Kailasanathar Temple” at Kanchipuram. Sekkizhar records the construction of the Kachi KaRRali (Kailasanathar temple) with mudram, madam, etc., as KaRRali / stone temple and spending a large amount of money / perumchelvam.

"காடவர் கோமான் கச்சிக்

    கற்றளி எடுத்து முற்ற

மாடெல்லாம் சிவனுக்காகப்

    பெருஞ்செல்வம் வகுத்தல் செய்வான்

நாடமாலறியா தாரைத்

    தாபிக்கும் அன்னாள் முன்னாள்

ஏடலார் கொன்றை வேய்ந்தார்

    இரவிடை கனவில் எய்தி"

After the completion of the temple, the Pallava king fixed a date after consulting the Vedic pandits and astrologers. Since the date of consecration coincides with Poosalar’s temple date, Shiva asked the king to postpone the date in his dream and said that he was going to attend the consecration of the Temple constructed by his devotee Poosalar. The Pallava King Rajasimhan wanted to see the temple and came to Thiruninravur, and was able to find Poosalar under the Iluppai tree with great difficulty. Poosalar showed his chest, where he built the temple. The king appreciated Poosalar’s bhakti and constructed a temple as per Poosalar’s wish. Sekkizhar finishes Poosalar Nayanar’s Puranam with this poem as...

"நீண்ட சேஞ்சடையனார்க்கு

    நினைப்பினால் கோயிலாக்கிப்

பூண்ட அன்பிடையறாத

    பூசலார் பொற்றான் போற்றி"

The Pallava King Rajasimhan

Since Poosalar was constructed in his heart (mind), it is believed that heart-related ailments will be cured by worshipping Lord Shiva of this temple.

TEMPLE TIMINGS :

The temple is kept open from 06.00 hrs to 12.30 hrs, and from 16.00 hrs to 20.30 hrs.

CONTACT DETAILS :

The temple dharmakartha is Sri Jagan Somasundaram of Devakottai, a Nattukottai Nagarathar, and the manager is Mr D Balakrishnan, whose mobile number is 9444164108.

HOW TO REACH :

The temple is about 3 km from Thiruninravur Railway station, which is on the way from Chennai Central to Tiruvallur- Arakkonam.

Town buses are available from the Railway station’s south side, 54A to Poonamallee, and M54 to T Nagar.

Share autos are also available from the Thiruninravur railway station.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE 

East Side entrance

Dwajasthambam, balipeedam, and Rishabam

View of the temple from the west side entrance

View of the temple from the west side

Saptamatrikas with Veerabhadra and Vinayagar

A round stone, what is it used for?- Used for the grinding of lime mortar during renovation

After the darshan of Sri Hridayaleeswarar, went to Sri Eri Katha Ramar temple. When I reached the temple was not open. Went around the temple. Development work of paving the floor around the sanctum was in progress. Labourers were busy unloading the granite slabs for the pavement. After 15 minutes, the Bhatter arrived and opened the temple for darshan. Wow, it was a wonderful darshan of Lord Sri Ramar, and waiting has been rewarded. 

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---