The visit to this Sri Kannudaya Nayaki Temple at Nattarasankottai
was part of the “Sivaganga and Pudukkottai Temples and Heritage Sites Visit” on 2nd and
3rd September 2026.
PC: website
Moolavar: Sri Kannudaya Nayaki
Some
of the salient features of this temple are….
The
temple faces north with a big temple tank. A Vinayagar temple is on the west
side of the mandapam. A massive stone pillared mandapam is in front of the 5-tier Rajagopuram. Two child cradles are in front of the Dwajasthambam. Dwajasthambam,
Balipeedam, Vahana Simham, and an Amman in a standing posture facing the main deity, Kannudaiya Amman, are in the mukha mandapam. Two big stucco dwarapalakis in
sitting postures are on either side of the entrance to the ardha mandapam.
Again, Dwarapalakis in stone are at the entrance of the antarala.
The Kannudaya Nayaki is in a sitting posture like
Rajaleelasana with ashta bhujam (8 hands), holding articles like Damaru, Trishul,
knife, bell, shield, pasam, bowl/ kapala, etc. She keeps her left leg on the
Mahisha and kills with the trishul held in two hands. Utsavar is in the ardha
mandapam.
In the praharam, Vinayagar with Nagars, Veerabhadra
and Bairavar.
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ARCHITECTURE
A
massive stone pillared mandapa with intricately carved simha and Vazhaipoo
capitals is in front of the Rajagopuram. The temple consists of sanctum
sanctorum, antarala, ardha mandapam, and an open mukha mandapam. The temple was
built of stone from adhistanam to prastaram. The sanctum sanctorum is rectangular
in shape on an adhistanam with Jagathi, vrudha kumudam, and pattikai. The
bhitti starts with vedikai. The pilasters are Vishnu kantha pilasters with
kalasam, kudam, lotus petals mandi, palakai, veera kandam, and pushpa pothiyal.
The prastaram consists of valapi with madhalai, kapotam with nasi kudus, and
vyyalavari. The two-tala brick salakara vimanam is over the bhumi desam.
The
sthala purana is painted on the praharam wall.
Moolavar Vimanam
Vinayagar sannidhi
HISTORY
AND INSCRIPTIONS
It
is believed that the original temple belongs to the 12th to 14th century
Pandya period, and the present structure belongs to the 18th century, built by the Nattukkottai Nagarathars. Even though the temple is under the
control of the HR & CE Department, effectively managed by the Sivaganga
Samasthanam, the hereditary trust.
Maha
Kaliaytta Thiruvizha was conducted from 06th April 2021 to 28th
April 2021.
Maha
Kumbhabhishekam was conducted on 23rd April 2023.
The 1936 inscription on a flat stone in the paraharam records that the stone
thirupani of the flooring inside the praharam was done by Nattarasankottai Kazhanivasal
Kudiyanmi A. Vi. Meettappa Chettiars’ wife Veerayi Achi.
LEGENDS
As per the sthala purana paintings on the praharam
walls, the ladies selling buttermilk from the villages Pirandakulam, Allur,
and Panangadi were hit at one place, and all the buttermilk was spilled on the
ground. This was brought to the notice of the King. That night, the Goddess
came in his dream and told the She is buried under a jackfruit tree.
The next day, the king ordered the excavation of the place
mentioned by the Goddess. In the process of excavation, the crowbar of one man
hit the eye of the Goddess, and blood oozed out; at the same time, the
excavating man also lost his eyesight. When the other man was offered to
continue the excavation, the first man said that he could continue the work.
The Goddess idol was brought out, and at the same time the eyesight of the
excavator was also restored. Hence, the Goddess was named Kannathal.
While the idol was taken northwards by the
Yadhavas, they couldn’t move further and kept on the same spot in Nayanmarkulam
village. The Goddess directed the Nattukottai Nagarathars to carry out the
kaliyattam and sacrifice of 1500 sheep. After the sacrifice, the idol was
shifted to Virakandan Urani and kept facing east. To their surprise, the idol
was found facing north the next day. The goddess told them to build a temple on
the same spot and carry out the poojas by the Uvachar community.
Sri Kannathal alias Kannudaya Nayaki Amman is popular
for granting the boon of eyesight and relieving eye-related ailments. To
get relief from eye ailments, devotees are requested to purchase “eye
malar” made out of metal and deposit it in the Hundi.
Devotees also pray for a child boon. After the childbirth, the child is brought to the temple and circumambulates the main shrine
through the silver cradle.
POOJAS
AND CELEBRATIONS
Apart
from regular 5 kala poojas, special poojas are conducted on Fridays, a 10-day Vaikasi Visakam, Muzha Kalliatta Thiruvizha in
the month of Aadi, Navaratri in the month of Purattasi, and Thailakappu Utsavam in the month of Thai.
TEMPLE
TIMINGS
The
temple will be open from 07.00 hrs to 13.30 hrs and from 16.00 hrs to 20.30
hrs on Sunday, Tuesday, and Friday. And from 07.00 hrs to 12.30 hrs and from
16.00 hrs to 20.30 hrs on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday.
CONTACT
DETAILS
The
temple’s landline numbers +914575234220 and +914575241233 may be contacted for
further details.
HOW
TO REACH
This
place, Nattarasankottai, is about 9 km from Sivaganga, 13 km from Kalayarkoil, 40
km from Devakottai, and 43 km from Karaikudi.
The nearest Railway Station is Sivaganga.
LOCATION
OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE
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OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---
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