Sri Akshayanatha Swamy Temple / அருள்மிகு ஶ்ரீ அட்சயநாதசுவாமி திருக்கோயில், தென்கரை திருமாந்துறை, Sooriyanarkoil, Thirumandurai, Thanjavur District, Tamil Nadu.

The visit to this Sri Akshayanatha Swamy Temple at Thirumandurai, also known as Thenkarai Thirumandurai, was a part of the Rajendra Chozha War Trophy Trail, a Heritage walk organised by the Kumbakonam Vattara Varalatru Aayvu Sangam -  கும்பகோணம் வட்டார வரலாற்று ஆய்வு சங்கம் on 28^th and 29^th September 2024.

This Thirumandurai is also called Thenkarai Thirumandurai, since there is also another Manduarai on the Kaveri Vadakarai (North banks of River Kaveri), near Lalgudi. Since Thirugnanasambandar mentions Vadakarai Thirumandurai in his hymns, this Thenkarai Mandurai is considered a Thevara Vaippu Sthalam.

 

In Periya Puranam, Sekkizhar records that after worshiping Lord Shiva of Thiruanbilathurai / Anbil, Thirugnanasambandar came to this temple. (This Vadakarai Mandurai is near Lalgudi)

308.

அதன் மருங்கு கடந்து அருளால் திருக்கானூர்

பணிந்து ஏத்தி ஆன்ற சைவ

முதல் மறையோர் அன்பில் ஆலந்துறையின்

முன்னவனைத் தொழுது போற்றிப்

பதம் நிறை செந்தமிழ்பாடிச் சடைமுடியார்

பயில்பதியும் பணிந்து பாடி

மதகரட வரை உரித்தார் வடகரை மாந்

துறை அணைந்தார் மணிநூல் மார்பர்.

…..2211

309

சென்று திருமாந்துறையில் திகழ்ந்து உறையும் 

துறைநதிவாழ் சென்னியார்தம்

மூன்றில் பணிந்து அணி நெடுமாளிகை வலம் செய்து 

உள்புக்கு முன்பு தாழ்ந்து

துன்று கதிர் பரிதி மதிமருந்துக்கள் 

தொழுது வழிபாடு செய்ய’

நின்றநிலை சிறப்பித்து நிறைதமிழின் 

சொன்மாலை நிகழப்பாடி

…… 2212

Sekkizhar also mentions this “Thenkarai Thirumandurai”, in Periya Puranam, that Thirugnanasambandar came to this temple after worshipping Thirukanjanur, and after this temple, he went to Thirumangalakudi.

293.

கஞ்சனூர் ஆண்ட தம் கோவைக்

கண்ணுற்று இறைஞ்சி முன்போந்து

மஞ்சுஅணி மாமதில் சூழும்

மாந்துறை வந்து வணங்கி

அம்சொல் தமிழ்மாலை சாத்தி

அங்கு அகன்று அன்பர்முன் ஆகச்

செம்சடை வேதியர் மன்னும்

திருமங்கலக்குடி சேர்ந்தார்.

……2196

Thirugnanasambandar and Vallalar have sung hymns in praise of Shri Shiva of this temple. 

செம்பொன் ஆர்தரு வேங்கையும் ஞாழலும்  செருந்தி செண்பகம் ஆனைக்

கொம்பும் ஆரமும் மாதவி சுரபுனை குருந்தலர் பரந்துந்தி

அம்பொ னேர்வரு காவிரி வடகரை மாந்துறை யுறைகின்ற

எம்பி ரான்இமை யோர்தொழு பைங்கழல் ஏத்துதல் செய்வோமே

....... திருஞானசம்பந்தர்

                                                    ---“நீலங்கொள்

தேத்துறையில் அன்னமகிழ் சேக்கைபல நிலவும்

மாந்துறை வாழ் மாணிக்கமலையே

....... திருஅருட்பா

Moolavar    : Sri Akshayanatha Swamy, Sri Amravaneswarar

Consort      : Sri Yogambigai

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

The temple faces east with a 3-tier Rajagopuram. Balipeedam, Rishabam. Stucco dwarapalakas are in front of Sanctum Sanctorum. Moolavar is swayambhu on a square Avuadayar. In koshtam, Vinayagar (Only Peedam), Dakshinamurthy, Lingothbavar, Brahma, and Durgai.

In praharam Sthala Viruksham, Chandra Theertham, Uchista Ganapati, 3 sets of Sri Valli Devasena Subramaniar, Gajalakshmi, Chandra Theertham, Chandikeswarar, Natarajar, Suriyan, Chandran, Bairavar, and  Gnanasambandar.

Ambal is in a separate temple facing east on the right side of Shiva’s Temple. Ambal is in a standing posture with abhaya varada hastam. Lotus flower and akka mala are in the upper hands.

Uchista Ganapati

Chandikeswarar

The 15th-century Saint Arunagirinathar sang Hymns in praise of Lord Muruga of the Mandurai temple (The hymn didn't mention Vadakarai or Thenkarai).

வேங்கையுமு யர்ந்த தீம்புனமி ருந்த

            வேந்திழையி னின்ப                              மணவாளா

வேண்டுமவர் தங்கள் பூண்டபத மிஞ்ச

            வேண்டியப தங்கள்                                புரிவோனே

மாங்கனியு டைந்து தேங்கவயல் வந்து

            மாண்புநெல்வி ளைந்த                         வளநாடா

மாந்தர்தவ ரும்பர் கோன்பரவி நின்ற

            மாந்துறைய மர்ந்த                                 பெருமாளே

ARCHITECTURE

The temple consists of the sanctum sanctorum, antarala, Ardha mandapam, and mukha mandapam. The sanctum sanctorum is about 2 feet below the ground level. The Sanctum Sanctorum is on a pada bandha adhistanam with vrudha kumudam. The bhitti starts with vedikai. The pilasters are Vishnukantha pilasters with square bases, kalasam, kudam, lotus petals mandi, palakai, and vettu pothyal. The deva koshtas are of the sala style. The prastaram consists of valapi, kapotam with nasi kudus, and Viyyala vari. The superstructure, one tala vimanam above the prastaram, was built with bricks. Shiva, Dakshinamurthy, Maha Vishnu, and Brahma are in the tala and greeva koshtams. The sigaram is of Dravida style with 4 maha nasis. The temple was constructed with stone from adhistanam to prastaram.

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

Since this temple is considered one of the Thevara Vaippu Sthalam, praised by Thirunavaukkarasu Swamigal, the original temple may belong to the 9^th to 10^th Century, and later received contributions from Pandyas, Vijayanagaras, Nayakas, Marathas, etc. There are no inscriptions found in this temple to prove its antiquity.

This is one of the temples maintained by Thiruvaduthurai Adheenam.

LEGENDS

Uchista Ganapati, Tharugavana Munivars, Yganayagi Ambal, Chandran, Marudhavanar, Maha Vishnu, Thirugnanasambandar, etc, worshipped Shiva of this temple. Since this place was surrounded by mango trees, this place is called Mandurai, and Shiva is called Amravaneswarar / Mandurainathar, but also called Atchaya Nathar/ Akshayanatha Swamy.

Kalamunivar and Navagrahas worshipped Shiva at this temple after taking a bath in Thirumangalakudi Akshaya theertham to recover from illness. And from another legend, the Pancha Pandavas worshipped Shiva with Akshaya Pathra (A vessel that never becomes empty), during their exile. Hence, Shiva is called Akshayanatha Swamy.

In one legend, playfully, Ambal closed the eyes of Shiva. The universe came standstill, and Shiva cursed Ambal to become a Parrot. Ambal was relieved from the curse after taking a bath in Kaveri on the Thai month Mahara Sankaranthi day and worshipping Shiva of this temple.  

This is the temple where the Muni has been relieved from the sin of disfiguring the face of Chandra, for taking part in Daksha’s Yaga, after worshipping Shiva of this temple.

Uchista Ganapati blesses the Devotees with the power of Billi-Soonyam, Manthreegam, and Aabisaraprayoga, who have gotten through his Poojas.

This is a Rohini Nakshatra and Vruchika Rasi temple. The Devotees will get maximum benefit, worshipping Shiva after taking a bath in Chandra Theertham on Monday, Rohini Nakshatra Day.

Since this temple’s Shiva blessed the Navagrahas to get rid of the curse, there is no Navagrahas sannidhi in this temple.  

This is a suitable place for conducting Sashtiaptha Poorhi, Sadhabhishekam, and Beemaratha Shanthi. Worshipping Shiva will get rid of the marriage obstacles, Chandra dosha, Billi Soonyam, Sathru dosha, Aabichara Prayoga, etc.

In one legend, Chandra was suffering from the disease Shayarokam/ Tuberculosis. To get rid of the disease, Guru said that this was due to attending the Yagna conducted by Daksha, and advised him to worship the Shiva of this temple. Satisfied with Chandra’s worship of Shiva along with Parvati, blessed Chandra. Chandra requested Shiva to bless the devotees, also whoever worships on Monday, doing Abhishekam, and offering Pepper rice as naivedyam. Shiva has agreed to Chandra’s request and blessed him. Hence, this temple is a Parihara sthalam for Chandra.

It is believed that Ganga came in the form of Thertha in the temple well and worshipped Shiva by overflowing. This has also happened in recent years.  

Ganga Thertha well

POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS

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

TEMPLE TIMINGS

The temple will be kept open from 07.00 hrs to 11.00 hrs, and from 17.00 hrs to 19.00 hrs.

CONTACT DETAILS

Gurukkal Raju Sivam- ராஜீ சிவம் – may be contacted on his mobile at +919626278648 for further details.

HOW TO REACH

This Sri Akshaya Natha Swamy Temple at Thirumandurai is on the Thirumangalagudi to Thirupanandal road.

The temple is about 2.5 km from Thirumangalagudi, 3.7 km from Sooriyanarkoil, 8.4 km from Thirupanandal, 16 km from Kumbakonam, and 23 km from Mayiladuthurai.

The nearest Railway Station is Kumbakonam.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE

 Ganapati in koshtam

Dakshinamurthy

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---