Sri Thirumoolattanesvarar Temple / Thirumoolattaneswarar Temple / தெள்ளாறு திருமூலட்டானேசுவரர் கோயில் / திருமூலட்டானேஸ்வரர் கோவில், தெள்ளாறு / Thellar, Tiruvannamalai District, Tamil Nadu.

The Visit to this Sri Thirumoolattaneswarar Temple at Thellar was a part of the Shiva Temples and Samanar Temples in Tiruvannamalai District Visit on 08^th October 2023.

This is one of the Thevara Vaippu sthalam, Thirunavukkarasu Swamigal and Sundaramoorthy Swamigal (in Thiruputkoliyur – Avinashi pathigam, one of the Kongu Nadu Paadal Petra Sthalam) has sung hymns in praise of Shiva of Thellaru along with other places.

நள்ளாறும் பழையாறும் கோட்டாற்றோடு   

நலம் திகழும் நாலாறும் திருவையாறும்

தெள்ளாறும் வளைகுளமும் தளிக்குளமும் நல்

இடைக்குளமும் திருக்குளத்தோடு அஞ்சைக்களம்

விள்ளாத நெடுங்களம் வேட்களம் நெல்லிக்கா

கோலக்கா ஆனைக்கா வியன்கோடிகா

கள் ஆர்ந்த கொன்றையான் நின்ற ஆறும்

குளம் களம் கா என அனைத்தும் கூறுவோமே.

….. Thirunavukkarasu Swamigal (6-71-10).

நள்ளாறு தெள்ளாறு அறரத்துறைவாய் எங்கள் நம்பனே  

வெள்ளாடை வேண்டாய் வேங்கையின் தோலை விரும்பினாய்

புள் ஏறு சோலைப் புக்கொளியூரில் குளத்து இடை

உள் ஆடப்புக்க மாணி என்னைக் கிறி செய்ததே

-      Sundara moorthy Swamigal (7-92-9)

Moolavar  : Sri Thirumoolattanesvarar

Consort    : Sri Akilandeswari

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

The temple faces east with an entrance from the South. This entrance top has the stucco images of Vinayagar, Sri Valli Devasena Subramaniar, Shiva with Parvati as Rishabaroodar, Ambal  Akilandeswari and  Two Maha Vishnu bas reliefs on both sides of the South side mandapam entrance. Stucco Dwarapalakas are at the entrance of the sanctum sanctorum. An Ambal is on the back side of Shiva Lingam. A Stucco image of Somaskandar is on the top of the sanctum sanctorum entrance.  In Koshtam Vinayagar, Dakshinamurthy, Maha Vishnu, Brahma and Durgai.

Ambal is in a separate sannidhi facing South. The Dwarapalakis and Simha vahana are at the entrance of Shiva and Ambal sannidhi. Ambal is standing posture with abhaya varada hastam.

Bala Dhandayuthapani with stucco images of Saints, is on the right side of the entrance.

In the inner praharam, Nalvar, Valampuri Vinayagar, Ayyanar  as Sastha / Ayyappan, Sri Valli Devasena Subramaniar, Arupadai Veedu Stucco images, Chandikeswarar, Navagrahas, Bairavar, Saraswati, Saniswaran, Suriyan and Vinayagar. In addition, Ashta Lingas are on the wall of the inner praharam as bas relief on the wall with cement.

Apart from parivara Sannidhis, Rishabam is on the east side of the Temple along with Nagars and Durgai.

ARCHITECTURE

The temple consists of sanctum sanctorum, antarala, ardha mandapam, maha mandapam. The ardha mandapam pillars are vrutha style with Pallava period Tharanga pothyal, which supports the claim that this temple has existed since the Pallava period. 

The Sanctum Sanctorum is on a pada bandha adhistanam with three patta kumudam. The Bhitti starts with vedika. The Kostas are sala type and the pilasters are Vishnu kantha pilasters with square base & Naga bandham, kalasam, kudam, lotus petals mandi, palakai, and poomottu pothyal. The prastaram consists of Valapi with lotus petals, kapotam with nasi kudus (floral design), and yazhivaari. A two-tier brick vesara vimanam is on the sanctum sanctorum. Stucco images of Shiva, Dakshinamurthy, Maha Vishnu, and Brahma are in the greeva Kostas. The Sigaram is of Vesara style.

Saniswaran sannidhi Vimanam is of Gajaprishta/Gajabrushta Style.

Tharangapothyal - Pallava period

Maha Vishnu 

A small gajaprishta / Gajabrushta vimanam for Saniswaran sannidhi 

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

This place is a historically important place where it changes the History of Tamil Nadu. Nandivarman-III (825 – 850 and war 830 CE ) assumed the title of “Thellaru Erintha Nandivarman”. (between 6^th to 10 reign year, found the title after his 10^th reign year) after defeating the Pandya King Srimara Srivallabha at Thellar. The literature Nandi Kalambagam records the Victory of Nandivarman at Thellar and the victory of Chera Chozha and Pandyas at various places. He was also called as Avani Naranan, Avani Narayanan. The Kaveripakkam near Vellore was called Avani Narayana Chaturvedi Mangalam. He is also believed to be one of the 63 Nayanmars, called Kazharsinga Nayanar. Bharatha venba composed by Perunthevanar praised Nandhivarman as

வன்மையால் கல்வியால் மாபலத்தால் ஆள்வினையால்

உண்மையால் பாரான் உரிமையா- திண்மையால்

தேர்வேந்தர் வானேறத் தெள்ளாற்றில் வென்றானோ(டு)

யார்வேந்தர் ஏற்பார் எதிர்”    

Inscriptions are found on the adhistanam and Walls of the Sanctum Sanctorum and prahara walls too. The inscriptions mention this place as Jayangonda Chozha mandalathu, Venkundra Kottathu Vikrama Pandya Valanattu Thellaru Nattu Thellaru, Thellaru and Shiva as Thirumoolattanamudaya Nayanar, Mooleswarar, Thellarudayar, Thirumoolattanam Udayar, etc.

Vikrama Pandya Thevar’s 6^th reign year inscription records the gift of Land as irayili and the taxes collected for the service to Thirumoolathanam Udayar Temple Sella Pillai Andar (Vinayagar), by the sabha.  (SII Volume 7 Sl 76, AR No 71 of 1900).

The other inscriptions record the Kalingarayan’s Thirupani, Chitramoorthillai Vanamudaiyan’s endowment of burning a Sandhi lamp, etc. ( Ref: Shaivam.org )

On 18^th June 1972, Thirupani was started by the K S Narasimha Mudaliar, Tamil Nadu H R & CE Department.

Maha Kumbhabhishekam was conducted on, 19^th March 1993, for Durgai Amman and Chandikeswarar. And Maha Kumbhabhishekam was conducted in November 2013.

Ref: 

1. South Indian Inscriptions Volume 7.

2. Annual Report on South Indian Epigraphy, Year 1900.

3. Shaivam.org.

Thellaru

LEGENDS

As per one of the inscriptions ( or a legend ? ), when some ladies are returning after a bath, a drunkard person mocks them. When this was complained to Sabha. The sabha enquired and the person was found guilty and ordered to burn a lamp at this temple. One day the Villagers found that a lady, none other than the Judge, who gave the verdict was found lighting a lamp on behalf of the drunkard person. When asked, the Lady replied that, as a judge, She had given the judgment, and as a wife She carried out a lighting lamp on behalf of her husband. 

POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS

Apart from oru kala regular poojas special poojas are conducted on Pradosham, Maha Shivaratri, Thaipoosam, Pongal, Vinayagar Chaturthi, etc,.

TEMPLE TIMINGS

The temple will be kept open between 06.00 hrs to 10.00 hrs and 17.00 hrs to 20.00 hrs.

CONTACT DETAILS

The Archagar’s mobile number +919952030848 may be contacted for further details.

HOW TO REACH

Thellar is on the way from Vandavasi to Tindivanam bus route, about 14 KM from Vandavasi, 24 KM from Tindivanam, 28 KM from Gingee, and 77 KM from Tiruvannamalai.

Nearest railway Station is Tindivanam.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE

Suriyan & Dhandapani

Ayyanar as Sastha

PALLAVA PERIOD KOTRAVAI IN THE VILLAGE 

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---