Monday, 25 March 2024

Nandhi Mangai Temple / Sri JambunathaSwamy Temple / Akilandeshwari Temple / அருள்மிகு அகிலாண்டேஸ்வரி சமேத ஶ்ரீஜம்புநாதஸ்வாமி திருக்கோயில், Nallicheri, Thanjavur District, Tamil Nadu.

The Visit to this Nandimangai, called Nallicheri, Sri Jambunatha Swamy Temple was a part of the Saptamangai Sthalams Visit around Chakkarapalli, near Kumbakonam, organized by கும்பகோணம் வட்டார வரலாற்று ஆய்வு சங்கம், on 10th March 2024.


This is the 4th of the Saptha mangai stalas, where Maha Vishnu’s female power Sri Vaishnavi worshipped Shiva of this temple. Ma Parvati worshipped Shiva and had the Shiva’s kazhal darshan. This temple was once a part of the lake and faces the cremation ground.


Moolavar  : Sri Jambunatha Swamy
Consort    : Sri Akilandeswari

Some of the salient features of this temple are….
The temple faces west with a two-tier Rajagopuram and an entrance arch on the south side. Stucco images of Ambal, Saraswathi, and Maha Lakshmi are on the top of the entrance arch. Balipeedam and Rishabam are in front of the sanctum sanctorum. Stucco dwarapalakas are on both sides of the sanctum sanctorum. Moolavar in the sanctum is on a round avudayar. In koshtam Dakshinamurthy and Durgai( Durgai is with Ashtabujam / 8 hands holding various weapons ).


In praharam Rettai Vinayagar, Chandikeswarar, Saniswaran, Saraswati, Navagrahas, Shiva Lingas, Bairavar, Suriyan, Chandran, Sri Valli Devasena Subramaniar, Mahalakshmi, Meenakshi Sundareswarar, and Adi Sankarar.

Ambal Akilandeswari is in a separate sannidhi facing the south side entrance. Ambal is in standing posture with abhaya varada hastam. 

An unfinished Maha Vishnu’s idol is also in the praharam as a loose sculpture.





ARCHITECTURE
The temple consists of sanctum sanctorum, antarala, ardha mandapam, and maha mandapam. The mandapas are built in Vavval nethi style during the Maratha period. The sanctum sanctorum is on a pada bandha adhistanam with jagathy, three patta kumudam, and pattikai. The Bhitti starts with vedika. The plasters are Brahma kantha pilasters with kalasam, kudam, plakai, and vettu pothyal. The prastaram consists of valapi, kapotam with nasikudus and viyyalavari. A one tala and greevam and vesara sigaram is on the sanctum sanctorum. In koshtam Dakshinamurthy. Stucco images of Brahma with his wives and Nandhi worshipping Shiva Lingam are on the tala koshtams.

Paintings of Nandhi worshipping a Shiva Lingam, Ambal was worshipped by Saptamatrikas, and Nayanmar stories are on the mukha mandapam ( Vavval nethi mandapam ) ceiling.




HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS
The Original temple may belong to Parantaka Chozha-II, period, and the same was reconstructed during Vijayanagara / Thanjavur Nayakas and Maratas. It was a Brahmadeya village during the Vijayaraghava Nayaka period.

Maybe the King who constructed this temple, worshipping Shiva

LEGENDS
As per the Legend, Saptamatrikas worshipped Shiva of these sthalas and had different darshans. After hearing this, ma Parvati also worshipped Shiva and had the darshan of Shiva’s Nethra/eyes darshan at Chakkarapalli ( Sri Chakravaheswarar ), Ganga darshan at Ariyamangai ( Sri Harimuktheeswarar ), Trishula darshan ( AshthraDevar ) at Soolamangai ( Sri Kirthivaheshwarar ), Pada / kazhal darshan at Nandhimangai ( Sri Jambunathar ), Damaru darshan at Pasumangai ( Sri Pasupatheeswarar ), Naga darshan at Thazhamangai ( Sri Chandramouleeswarar ) and swallowing alakala poison darshan at Pullamangai ( Sri Brahmapureeswarar ). Hence these 7 temples are called Saptha mangai sthalams.

1

ஸ்ரீ சக்கரவாகேஸ்வரர் 

சக்ரமங்கை

சக்கராப்பள்ளி

2

ஸ்ரீ ஹரிமுக்தீஸ்வரர் 

அரியமங்கை 

அரியமங்கை

3

ஸ்ரீ கீர்த்திவாகேஸ்வரர்

சூலமங்கை

சூலமங்கலம்

4

ஸ்ரீ ஜம்புநாதர் 

நந்திமங்கை

நல்லிச்சேரி

5

ஸ்ரீ பசுபதீஸ்வரர்

பசுமங்கை

பசுபதிகோவில்

6

ஸ்ரீ சந்திரமௌலீஸ்வரர்

தாழமங்கை 

பசுபதிகோவில்

7

ஸ்ரீ பிரம்மபுரீஸ்வரர்

புள்ளமங்கை 

பசுபதிகோவில்

 
One of the Saptamatrikas Vaishnavi, Gautama Maharishi, Nandi Devar ( A bas relief of Nandhi worshipping a Shiva Lingam is on the sanctum Sanctorum wall ), Adi Sankara worshipped Shiva of this temple.

It is believed that Suriyan also worships Shiva of this Temple, during Sunset ( The temple faces west ). The Sun rays fall on moolavar,  3 days in the Month of March ( Panguni ) every year ( This year March 23rd to 25th ).
  
POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS
Apart from regular poojas special poojas are conducted on Amavasya days, pradosam, mahaShivaratri, etc.

The 10-day Saptasthana pallakku / palanquin celebration will start on Panguni month Karthigai nakshatra day with flag hoisting. Each temple Utsavamurtis will visit all the Sapthamangai Temples.  Thirugnanasambandar’s hymns praise this event as… 

பாடினார் அருமறை பனிமதி சடைமிசைச்
ஆடினார் படுதலை துன் எருக்கு அதனொடும்
நாடினார் இடுபலி நண்ணியோர் காலனைச்
சாடினார் வளநகர் சக்கரப்பள்ளியே.
-சம்பந்தர் தேவாரம்




TEMPLE TIMINGS
The temple will be kept open between 07.00 hrs to 11.00 hrs and 17.00 hrs to 19.00 hrs.

CONTACT DETAILS
HOW TO REACH
This temple at Nallicheri is about 1KM off from Kumbakonam to Thanjavur main road, 5 KM from Ayyampettai, 30 KM from Kumbakonam, 13.00 KM from Thanjavur,
The nearest Railway station is PasupathiKoil and the big railway station is Thanjavur.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE










Adi Sankara
--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---

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