This
Sri Ammainathar Temple alias Sri Kailasanathar Temple at Cheranmahadevi, on the banks of Holy river Thamirabarani is
the 2nd of the Navakailaya Shiva temples and also one of the
Navagraha sthalams ie Chandran ( Moon ) Temple.
Moolavar : Sri Ammai Nathar / Kailasanathar
Consort : Sri Avudainayagi / Oppilla Nayagi
Some
of the salient features of this temple are….
The
temple is facing east with a 5 tier rajagopuram. No stucco images are found on
the Balipeedam, Dwajasthambam and Rishabam are after Rajagopuram. Rishabam is
not in straight line to sanctum Sanctorum and moved to side for the darshan of
Nandhanar. Paintings of Dwarapalakas, Vinayagar with Shiva and Parvati, Sri Valli
Devasena Subramaniyar are on both sides of mukha mandapam entrance. Dwarapalakas with Anukai Vinayagar, are at
the entrance of sanctum sanctorum. Moolavar is of swayambhu on a square
avudayar in the sanctum sanctorum. In koshtam, Vinayagar, Dakshinamurthy, Maha
Vishnu, Brahma and Durgai.
In
praharam, Adhikara Nandi, Vinayagar, Sri Valli Devasena Subramaniyar,
Chandikeswarar, Saptamatrikas, Jurathevar, Nagar, Maha Vishnu, Sri Kasi
Viswanathar with Visalakshi, Natarajar with Sivakami ( two sets of which one
set is installed and the other set is kapt as a loose sculpture ), Nalvar,
Karaikal Ammaiyar, Nava kanniyar, Uroma Maharishi, Nandhanar on the
Dwajasthambam base, Chandran, Suriyan, Bairavar and Navagrahas.
Ambal
is in a separate sannidhi facing South in standing posture. Ambal is in abhaya
varada hastam.
ARCHITECTURE
The temple consists of sanctum sanctorum, antarala, ardha mandpam, maha mandapam. The
sanctum sanctorum is on a pada bandha adhistanam with jagathy, three patta
kumudam and pattikai. The Bhitti starts with vedikai. The pilasters are of
Vishnukantha pilasters with square base, kalasam, kudam, plain mandi, palakai
and tharanga pothyal. The prastaram consists of valapi, kapotam with nasikudus
and viyyalavari. Mahara thundam are shown on the corners. The Vimanam above the
prastaram is of eka tala brick Vesara Vimanam.
The
mukha mandapa pillar has the sthala purana sculptures of two sisters separating
rice from paddy. A kunthani / Ural with ulakkai are kept near that pillar to
remind the sthala purana.
Amman
temple consists of sanctum sanctorum, ardha mandapam and mukha mandapam. The
other features are similar to main sanctum sanctorum. An eka tala salakara
vimanam is on the sanctum sanctorum. Ambal entrance mandapam is supported with
two squatting lion pillars.
HISTORY
AND INSCRIPTIONS
As
per the Nellai Kattabomman Mavattam Kaiyedu book this temple might have been constructed during
Rajaraja-I. Latter received
contributions from Vijayanagaras,
Nayakas and Venadu Kings.
As
per Rajaraja-I’s 28th reign year inscription records the name of
this place as “Mulli Nattu Brahmadeyam Nigarilisola Chaturvedi mangalam – முள்ளிநாட்டு பிரமதேயம் நிகரிலிச்சோழ சதுப்பேதி மங்கலத்து சோழேந்திரசிங்க ஈஸ்வரத்து…… “,
and Shiva as Kailayamudaiya Mahadevar – கைலாயமுடைய மகாதேவர்”. The other inscriptions also called
as Cholendrasimha Isvaram and Sri Kayilayamudaiyar Srikoyil
and Shiva was called as Kailayathu Alwar and Kayilayamudaiyar.
Jatavarman
Sundara Chola Pandya’s, 10th reign year incomplete inscription ( SII, Volume - XIV- No. 137, A. R. No. 615 of 1916.) on the North wall of the central
shrine, records a gift made by the Sivabrahmanas of the temple of
Cholendrasimha Isvaramudaiyar at Nigarilisola chaturvedimangalam in regard to
something which was done in the temple of Sri Kayilayamudaiyar in the same
village.
Jatavarman
Sundara Chola pandya’s two disjointed fragment inscriptions ( SII- Volume -XIV- No.
138, A. R. No. 618-A of 1916.) on the North wall of the central Shrine, refer
to separate gifts of money and land made by a few persons for burning a lamp in
the temple of Kayilasamudaiyar (?). The year
10 is mentioned is fragment 1 while fragment 2 refers to year 8 (?),
Nambirattiyar and to the onam festival.
Sundara Cholapandya’s
12th reign year inscription ( SII- Volume - XIV- No. 143, A. R. No. 621 of
1916.) on the west wall of the central shrine dated in the 12th
reign year of registers an agreement given by aganaligai sivabrahmanas of the
temples Cholendrasimha Isvaram and Sri Kayilayamudaiyar Srikoyil to burn a lamp
in the latter temple in return for the interest on an amount of 36 kasu, which
was required to be contributed by them towards the construction of the
tiruchchurru madam in the temple, and which was paid on their behalf in a lump
sum by a certain Srikantha Damodara bhattan of Perumaru[dur] residing in this
village.
Sundara Cholapandya’s
13th reign year inscription ( SII, Volume - XIV - No. 147, A. R. No. 612 of
1916 ) on the North wall of the Central Shrine, registers a sale of land by the
mahasabha of Nigarilisola chaturvedimangalam to the temple of Sri Kailasamudaiyar
after receiving the vilaipporul ( i.e., sale price ) and the iraipporul ( i.e.,
the amount paid in a lump sum in lieu of the annual taxes ). Among the
boundaries is mentioned a channel called Nigarilisola vaykkal.
A
Chozha Pandya Devar’s 14th reign year damaged and fragmentary
inscription ( SII, Volume - XIV- No. 151, A. R. No. 618B of 1916 ) records the Chozha
Viceroys name and records the endowment of burning a lamp.
Sundara
Chōlapāndya’s 17th reign year 7th day inscription ( SII, Volume XIV - No. 157, A.R. No. 619 of 1916 ) on the north and west walls of the
central Shrine, documents conveying lands. Two vēli of land lying within the
four boundaries specified with meticulous detail, in the village called Kallür
in Mõlvēmba nādu in Mudigondaśōla valanādu were given to the temple of Sri kayilāsamudaiya
Mahādēva, at the request of Ammin, after having separated this land from the
original division and constituting it into a now unit called
Sivapādaśākharanallür from the 16th year of Sundara-Choln's
viceroyalty. 'Sivapādaśēkhara' was a title of Rajaraja the Great and hence this
endowment was made in his honour. Certain taxes such as alagerudu kātchikkāšu
and kātchi erudu kāśu wore remitted on those lands which were now made tax free
dēvadāna. Sundara Cholapāndya is described as having been seated in the western
hall of the palace at Rajendra śõlapuram at the time of issuing this order.
Jațāvarman
Sundara Chōlapāndya’s 17th
reign year inscription ( SII, Volume - XIV - No. 158, A.R. No. 622 of 1916 ) on the wall
of the central shrine is dated in the 17th reign year of and
registers a gift of fifty rams by Mannan Sürri of Tirunallür in Tirukkalumala
nādu in Rājēndraśingavaļanādu, a district of Sõlamandalam for burning a
perpetual lamp and a twilight lamp in the temple of Srikayilāsamudaiyār
situated on the southern bank of Mudigondaśõlappērāru at Nigariliśōlachaturvēdimangalam,
a brahmadēya in Uttamaśōla valanādu, a division of Rajarāja-Pandinādu.
Jatavarman
Sundara Chõlapāndya’s 19th reign year inscription ( SII, Volume - XIV-No.
164, A.R. No. 630 of 1916 ) on the South wall of the Central Shrine, records that
2 vēli of land which had been granted as dēvadāna to the temple of
Kayilmaamudaivar at Nigariliéõla chaturvedimangalam by the Cholapandya viceroy and
which had been constituted into a separate revenue unit under the name of
Sivapādaśēkharanallür had originally been taken over for cultivation by the
ürär who had the käņi right over Kallür in Melvēmba nādu, a subdivision of
Mudigondaśōla vaļanādu. But as they were unable to pay the taxes thereon, they
relinquished their cultivation rights in favour of the devakanmis of the
temple, who now took over the lands, and gave an undertaking to the Puravari tiņaikkaļattār
and the Varippottaga mudaiyar, the revenue officials, not to interfere in any
matter whatsoever with the lands in future.
Jațavarman Sundara Chōlapandya’s inscription
( SII, Volume - XIV- No. 166, A.R. No. 625 of 1916 ) on the north wall of Central
Shrine, records s the usual gift of fifty sheep by Araiyan Ambalanāthan for
burning a lamp in the temple of Srikayilāyam udaiya Mahadeva. The regnal year
is [20].
Jațāvarman
Sundara Chōlapândva’s 23rd
reign year inscription on the north wall
of the Central Shrine ( SII, Volume - XIV, No. 175, A.R. No. 617 of 1916 ) dated in the
23rd year of relates to the sale of some land by the mahasabhā of Rajaraja chaturvēdimangalam. The
record being damaged after this portion further details as to the object of the
transfer of land, etc., are not known.
Märavarman
Vikrama Chōlapāndya’s epigraph ( SII, Volume - XIV, No. 182, A.R. No. 623 of 1916.) on
the South wall of the Central Shrine, is fragmentary records a gift of fifty
cows made by Ulagudaiyar, queen of the Chōla king, who took Gangai, Kidāram and
Pürvadēśam, i.e., Rājēndra Chôla-I, whose name is lost in this inscription, for
maintaining two lamps in the temple of Kailasamudaiya Mahādēva. Māravarman Vikrama
Chōlapāndya must have succeeded Jatavarman Sundara Cholapandya. The queen
Ulagudaiyär, wife of Rājēndra Chola, must have continued to live then. It is
not clear if Rajendra Chola was dead at the time; possibly he was.
Maravarman
Vikrama Chōlapāndyadeva’s 21st reign year inscription ( SII, XIV-No.
184, A.R. No. 628 of 1916.) on the South wall of the central Shrine, records, a
certain Brahmana lady of Ninrayil named Manikkutti nangai of the Kundina gotra
made a gift of 25 cows for burning a lamp in the temple of Mahādēva at
Nigariliśõla chaturvēdimangalam.
Maravarman
Vikrama Chōjapāndya’s 22nd reign year inscription ( SII, Volume - XIV- No.
185, A.R. No. 620 of 1916 ) on the west wall of the central shrine, records a
gift of 25 sheep made by Kuditāngi. Sengodi, a vēlattal, i.e., a servant- maid
of the household of Chēramänär, ie., the Chera king. The Chera king is in all
probability the Travancore ruler Rājasimha, who has already figured in the
record of Jațavarman
Sundara Chōlapāndya as having built
a temple of Rajendraśōla Vinnagar Alvar at Manņārköyil ( Ep. Ind., Vol. XI, p.
295-97).
Maravarman
Vikrama Chöjapāndyadeva’s 25th reign year damaged inscription ( SII, Volume - XIV- No. 188, A.R. No. 616 of 1916 ) on the north wall of the central shrine,
registers a gift of 25 sheep, made by a shepherd of the village for burning
half a lamp in the Kayilayamudaiya Mahādēva temple at
Nigarilisola chaturvedimangalam.
Marāvarman
Vikrama Chōlapāndya’s 25th reign year inscription ( SII, Volume - XIV-No.
189, A.R. No. 627 of 1916 ) on the south wall of the central Shrine, registers
a gift of 25 cows made by Parākrama nārāyaņa Brahmaśrīrājan for a lamp in the
temple of Kayilāsamudaiya Mahādēva at Nigariliśõla chaturvēdimangalam. This
Parakrama nārāyaņa, apparently a brāhmaņa, is described as dandanāyakam, i.e.,
a captain of a regiment of the Chola army which must have been posted in this
locality. Pārakrama Nārāyaṇa
may have been a biruda of the viceroy himself, from which perhaps the captain
had copied his own surname.
Mārāvārmān
Vikrama Chōlapāndya’s (25)th reign year inscription ( SII, Volume - XIV- No.
190, A.R. No. 640 of 1916.) on the east wall of the Dakshinamurthy’s Shrine,
records the gift of 12 kāśu by Mādēvinangai śāni, the mother of a certain
Karippurattu. Nambi, а тадhyastha of the village, and the agreement tendered by
the Sivabrahmaņas of the two temples, Cholendrasimheśvara and Srikayiläsam at
Nigariliśōla chaturvedi Mangalam, a brahmadeya in Mulli Nadu to burn a lamp in
front of the god Dakshiņa mürtidēvacin the Srikailāsa temple. Mention is made
of a portion of this temple called Rajadhirajan tiruchchurralai, i.e., the
circumambulatory corridor evidently named after Rājādhirāja, the successor of
Rajendra Chola-I on the Chola throne at this time
Jațävarman alias Udalyär Sõlapāndyādēva’s
3rd reign year 78 line long inscription ( SII, Volume - XIV- No. 194, A.R. No.
642 of 1916.) on the west and north wall of the central shrine, the king's name
is not specified at the beginning. It states that when was seated in the
bathing room ( irumañjanašalai in the palace at Räjëndraśölapuram, the royal order of his father ( nam ayyan who has the historical introduction viramé
tunaiyagavum ( ie., Virarājendraděva ) was received that certain lands
belonging to the temple of Kailäsanatha at Nigarili sõla chaturvedimangalam may
be exempted from the payment of taxes from the third year, apparently of the
Cholapandya viceroy, the necessary revenue instructions were issued to that
effect. The document is worded in detail like the Choļa records of this period,
and is attested by a number of officials in conformity with the revenue
procedure, prevalent at that time.
This
Cholapandya viceroy was evidently the son of Virarājendradēva named
Gangaikondaśōlan on whom the title of Chola pandya had been conferred by his father.
In a record from Attür in the same district there is reference to another son
named Rajendra Chola, who is said to have been granted the title of
Cholapandya.
Māravarman
Parākrama Chōla pandyadëva’s 4th reign year inscription ( SII, Volume - XIV
-No. 197, A.R. No 613 of 1916.) on the north wall of the central shrine, records
a gift of 12 kāśu by Yogadeva and Somadevi from Kāśmiradēsam for burning a lamp
in the temple of Sri.-Kayilāyamudaiya Mahādēva at Nigarilisōla chatur vēdimangalam, a brahmadēya in Mulli nădu.
It
is of interest to notice that natives of Kāśmiradēśam sojourned in the south,
either on pilgrimage or as a result of the patronage extended to Saivism by
Chola and Pandya king. Several natives of Kāśmiradēśam and Aryadēśam have
figured in Choļa and Pandya epigraphs.
Srivallabha,
who has the simple title of Tribhuvana chakravartigal only. His 5th
reign year inscription ( SII, Volume - XIV - No. 209, A.R. No. 641 of 1916 ) on the east
wall of the Dakshinamurthy Shrine, records a gift of sheep by Sētuvudaiyal,
wife of Kuppai Nambi, a brāhmaṇa
of Seravanmahādēvi chaturvēdimangalam for burning a lamp in the temple of
Srikayilāsamudaiya Mahādēva in the village. These sheep to have been purchased
for 90 diramam.
This
inscription without King’s name, and his 5th reign year ( SII- Volume - XIV,
No. 210, A.R. No. 644 of 1916.) on the first prahara of the Ammainatha Temple
records a gift of sheep by Sēnaan Siddan for burning a perpetual lamp in the
temple of Kailasamudaiyar at Sēravanmahādēvi chaturvēdimangalam, a brahmadēya
in Mulli nādu.
Ref:
1. South
Indian Inscriptions Volume – XIV.
2. நெல்லை கட்டபொம்மன் மாவட்டம் தொல்லியல் கையேடு – Published by
Tamil Nadu Archaeology Department.
LEGENDS
As
per the legend, two sisters were worshipping Shiva of this temple, offering
rice to Shiva. They wished to construct a temple for the Shiva Lingam and
prayed to Shiva. Shiva one day came to their house in the night, on the form of
an old Brahmin. The two sisters offered food for the old man. When the old man
was about to eat, the light went off. The old man said that he cannot eat where
the light is not there. So the sisters lit up with an oil lamp in a coconut.
Shiva blessed both the sisters and as their wishes. The two sisters told that
they need a temple to be constructed for Shiva. Shiva was happy for their selfless
act and wish, Shiva blessed both. This practice is being continued by the
devotees as a prayer of Shiva. In another legend with the grace of Shiva, gold
and ornaments came while they de-dusking the paddy, with that they built this
temple.
In
another legend, The Chandra married 27 daughters of Dakshaprajapathi, the son
of Brahma. Out of 27 wives, he was close intimacy with Rohini. Seeing this the
other 26 daughters complained to their father. Daksha prajapathi cursed
Chandram to reduce his power. The normal life was paralyzed due to this.
Chandra and other celestial deities requested Shiva to solve this problem.
Shiva in turn told that he cannot relieve Chandra completely with
Dakshaprajapathi’s curse, instead Shiva gave a boon of reducing power for 15
days and increase power for next 15 days. He took Chandra and wear on his head
as a significance his boon.
In another legend, during
Celestial wedding of Shiva with Parvati, all the Devas, Maharaishis, Munis
assembled at Mount Kailash. Due to this the north side of this earth went down
and south side went up. To balance the earth Shiva asked the sage Agasthiyar to
go to south. After getting the boon of Celestial wedding darshan whenever he
wants, Agasthiyar started his journey to Pothigai Hills. On the way he
installed and worshipped Shiva Lingas on many places. It is believed that sage
Agasthiyar worshipped Shiva of this temple.
Uroma
Maharishi did a penance on Shiva to attain moksha. Shiva wished to give the
same through Agasthiyar as a Guru. Uroma Maharishi has become one of his
disciples and asked the way to attain moksha. Agasthiyar advised Uroma
Maharishi to drop 9 flowers in the river Thamirabarani and worship Shiva where
each flower stops on the banks and finally take bath at a place where the river
joins with Sea. These 9 temples are called as Nava kayilayam.
Nandhanar
story.. The Rishabam is not in straight line to Moolavar
and the Rajagopuram. There is a
Nandhanar bas-relief on the base of the Dwajasthamabam base. The legend behind
this is, when Nandhanar, an ardent devotee of Shiva came to worship, the
Rishabam was obstructing the view. So Nandhanar prayed to Shiva and in turn
Shiva asked Rishabam to move side, for the clear darshan of Nandhanar.
POOJAS
AND CELEBRATIONS
Apart
from Regular poojas, special poojas are conducted on pradosham, Maha
Shivaratri, Somavaram ( Monday ), etc,.
Devotees
prays Shiva of this temple to get rid of Marriage obstacles, Child boon, etc.
Devotees lit lamps in Coconuts on Rice as a prayer at this temple.
This
is a Pithru and Chandra dosha nivarthi sthalam and Kadaka Rasi sthalam.
TEMPLE
TIMINGS
The
temple will be kept opened between 07.00 hrs to 10.00 hrs and 17.00 hrs to 18.00
hrs.
CONTACT
DETAILS
C.
Chandrasekaran Bhattar’s mobile number +919442228511 and land line number +914634265111
& +914634 260520 may be contacted for further details.
E
mail : ammainathaswamy@gmail.com
HR&CE’s
Tirunelveli office number +91 4622501515 may be contacted for further details.
HOW
TO REACH
The
temple is about 3 KM away from the Cheranmahadevi, Village / Bus terminus, 19
KM from Tirunelveli, 21 KM from Ambasamudram, and 82 KM from Nagarcoil
Nearest
Railway station is Cheranmahadevi.
LOCATION
OF THE TEMPLE : CLICK HERE
Adhikara Nandi
Veerabhadra
---
OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---
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