Iinutrueeswarar Temple, Mathur Nagara Sivan Kovil / மாத்தூர் நகர சிவன் கோவில் ஐநூற்றீஸ்வரர் கோவில், Mathur / மாத்தூர், Sivaganga District, Tamil Nadu.

The visit to Iinutreewarar Temple at Mathur near Karaikudi, on the east side, was a part of the Shiva, Vishnu Temples of Pudukkottai and Sivagangai Districts Visit on 23^rd & 24^th September 2023. This Shiva temple is one of the 9 Nattukottai Nagarathar temples in Sivagangai District.

Moolavar  : Sri Iinutrueeswarar

Consort    : Sri Periyanayaki

Some of the salient features of this Temple are...

The temple faces east with a mukha mandapam with a painting of Kongana Siddhar, the sthala purana. Stucco images of kalyana kolam of Shiva and Parvati, Vinayagar and Murugan are on the top mukha mandapam. The Rajagopuram is of 5 tiers. Dwajasthambam, Balipeedam, and Rishabam are in the mandapam. Dwarapalakas, Vinayagar, and Dhandayuthapani are at the entrance of the ardha mandapam. Moolavar is on a square avudayar. In koshtam, Vinayagar, Dakshinamurthy, Annamalaiyar (Lingothbavar), Brahma, and Durgai. Utsava murtis and Natarajar Sabha are in the ardha mandapam.

Ambal Sannidhi is facing south in the mandapam. Ambal is in a standing posture with abhaya varada hastam.

In praharam Nayanmars, Sthala vruksham, Adhi Lingam, Viswanathar & Visalakshi, Somaskandar, Kannimoola Ganapathi, Pichadanar, Gnana Saraswati, Valli Devasena Arumugar, Mahalakshmi, Chandikeswarar, Palliyarai, Suriyan, Chandran, and Navagrahas.

Ambal is in a separate sannidhi facing south in front of the ardha mandapam. Ambal is in a standing posture with abhaya varada hastam. The Nandavanam has trees associated with 27 nakshatras.

Sri Varadaraja Perumal with Sridevi & Bhudevi

Bairavar

Arumugar with Sri Valli Devasena

ARCHITECTURE

The temple consists of the sanctum sanctorum, antarala, and ardha mandapam. The sanctum sanctorum is on a Padma bandha adhistanam with vrudha kumudam. Koshtas are padra koshtas and Sala type. The Bhitti starts with vedikai, and the pilasters are of Vishnu kantha pilasters with nagabandham, square base, kalasam, kudam, lotus petals mandi, palakai, Veera kandam, and pushpa pothyal. The prastaram consists of valapi, kapotam with nasi kudus, and viyyala vari. The prastaram with nasi kudus has beautiful miniature sculptures of various forms of Shiva and various avatars of Maha Vishnu. A Stucco nagara 3-tier vimanam is over the sanctum sanctorum.

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

This temple is one of the 9 Shiva temples of Nattukottai Nagarathars. As per the Sivagangai Mavatta Tholliyal kaiyedu, this temple was given as a gift to Nattukottai Chettiars by Pandya king “Koon Pandiyan.” Shiva was called Inoothi Eswarar, and Ambal was called Periya Nayaki.

As per the latest inscription, this place Mathur was in Kerala, Singavala Nadu, Pirambur Nattu maRRur alias Veerapandiyapuram uraiyur. This temple was constructed for the seven clans Arumbakur, MaNalur, Mannur, Kannur, Karuppur, and Kulathur, Nattukottai nagarathars. With the funds mobilized from the 7 clans, the temple construction works were started in the Vikrama Year, Vaikasi 28^th day. Maha Kumbhabhishekam was conducted on 2^nd February 1949. As per Sivagangai Mavatta Tholliyal Kaiyedu, the temple was re-constructed at 7.5 Lakhs. A Temple tank was also excavated.

Maha Kumbhabhishekam was conducted on 1^st July 1974, 19^th August 1988, 27^th March 2002, and the 5^th Kumbhabhishekam was performed on 26^th January 2015.

LEGENDS

The legend of the temple is associated with Kongana Siddhar. Instead of doing penance, he concentrated on finding pure gold of 500 matru. Hence, Shiva was called Iinutreeswarar.

This Shiva may have obtained the name of Iinutrueeswarar, since one of the merchant groups (Chettiars) was called Iinootruvar, Iinootru Nanadesikar, etc.

Sthalapurana

Sthalapurana

Sthalapurana

POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS

Apart from regular poojas, special poojas are conducted on Pradosham, Maha Shivaratri, Thaipoosam, Thiruvathirai, Vinayagar Chathurthi, Panguni Uthiram, etc.

TEMPLE TIMINGS

The temple will be kept open from 06.00 hrs to 12.00 hrs, and from 17.00 hrs to 19.30 hrs.

CONTACT DETAILS

The mobile number +91 9442365271 may be contacted for further details.

HOW TO REACH

This Sri Iinutreeswarar Temple at Mathur is about 2.2 km from Iluppaikudi Sri Thaanthondri Eswarar Temple, 7.5 km from Ariyakudi Arulmigu Tiruvengadamuadaiyan Temple, and 7  km from Karaikudi Bus Stand.

The nearest railway station is Karaikudi.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE

The Sthala vruksham

Rajagopuram entrance Top View 

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---