This is
the 84th Thevara paadal Petra Shiva Sthalam and 30th Sthalam
on the north side river Kaveri in Chozha Nadu, on the banks of river Kollidam.
This place was called as Pazhamanni padikarai during 6th to 7th
Century and now called as Eluppaipattu. This is the place where ma Parvati
stopped the aalakala poison at kandam, when Lord Shiva drank.
In Periya Puranam, Sekkizhar mentions that Sundarar
came to this temple after worshiping Lord Shiva of Thirukarupariyalur.
கண்ணுதலார் விரும்பு கருப்பறியலூரைக் கைதொழுது நீங்கிப்போய்க் கயல்கள் பாயும்மண்ணிவளம் படிக்கரையை நண்ணி அங்கு மாதொருபாகத்தவர் தாள்வணங்கிப் போற்றிஎண்ணில் புகழ்ப்பதிகமும் முன்னவன் என்று ஏத்தி ஏகுவார் வாழ்கொளிப்புத்தூர் எய்தாதுபுண்ணியானார் போம்பொழுது நினைந்து மீண்டு புகுகின்றார் தலைக்கலன் என்று எடுத்துப் போற்றி
Sundarar
and Ramalinga Adigalar has sung Lord Shiva of this temple.
முன்னவன் எங்கள்பிரான் முதல் காண்பரி தாயபிரான்சென்னியில் எங்கள் பிரான் திருநீலமிடற் றெம்பிரான்மன்னிய எங்கள்பிரான் மறை நான்குங்கல் லால்நிழற்கீழ்ப்பன்னிய எங்கள்பிரான் பழமண்ணிப் படிக்கரையே...... சுந்தரர் -“தாழ்வகற்றநண்ணிப் படிக்கரையர் நாடோறும் வாழ்த்துகின்றமண்ணிப் படிக்கரைவாழ் மங்கலமே...... திரு அருட்பாநீர்பூத்த தாமரைப்பூ வுரியானுங் கரியானு நெடிய வானத்தேர்பூத்த மற்றோரு முற்றோரும் பெருவரங்க ளிறைஞ்சி யெய்தக்கார்பூத்த விருப்பைவன விருப்பைவன மெனப்புரிவோன் கலைநி லாவிற்றார்பூத்த முடிக்கரைகொள் படிக்கரைநா யகன்மலர்த்தா டலைமேல் வைப்பாம்....... தலபுராணம்Moolavar : Sri Neelakandeswarar, Sri Mutheeswarar,
Sri Parameswarar, Sri Mahatheeswarar,
Sri Padikarainathar.Consort : Sri Amitha Karavalli, Sri Mangalanayagi. Some of
the important features of this temple are......The
temple is facing east with a 3 tier Rajagopuram. Vijaya Ganapathy is on the
opposite side of the temple. Balipeedam and Rishabam are after the Rajagopuram. Apart
from the presiding deity Padikarai nathar, there are 5 Shiva Lingas in this
temple. In Koshtam, Narthana Vinayagar, Dakshinamurthy, Lingothbavar and Ashtabhuja
Durgai. Dakshinamurthy is sitting on Rishaba under kallala tree with out
sanakatha munivars. There is a through hole from left ear to the right
ear.
In
Prakaram Lingams, Valampuri Vinayagar ( Two Vinayagar Sannadhis ), Ambal,
Subramaniyar, Mahalakshmi, Sahadeva Lingam. Bhairavar, Suryan, Chandikeswarar,
Neelakandeswarar, Mahadheeswarar ( 16 flat surfaces Shoda / Dhara Linga ),
Padikarai nathar, Paramesar and Mukhtheesar. There is a separate Temple for
Padikarai Nathar and Mangala Valli.
Urchavar
Natarajar is of Dashabhuja Thandavamurthy and standing on bull surrounded with Celestial deities / devas is
kept under custody. This will be taken only on Pradosham day.
Sthala vruksham is Iluppai maram / tree.
On the
floor level sannadhi for Ambal Amirtha Karavalli and on the upper level sannadhi
for Sri Mangala Nayagi.
The 15th
Century Arunagirinathar has sung hymns in praise of Lord Muruga of this temple
in Thiruppugazh.
தருக்கு மற்கடப் படைப்ப லத்தினிற் றடப்பொ ருப்பெடுத் தணையாகச் சமுத்தி ரத்தினைக் குறுக்க டைத்ததிற் றரித்த ரக்கர்பொட் டெழவேபோர்செருக்கு விக்ரமச் சரத்தை விட்டுறச் செயித்த வுத்தமத் திருமாமன் நிருத்த கப்பன்மெச் சொருத்த முத்தமிழ்த் திருப் படிக்கரை பெருமாளே
ARCHITECTUREThe
sanctum sanctorum was built like a mada koil & Kara koil on a raised
platform, with parivara sannadhis around. This temple is of Karakkoil like a
chariot pulled by the horses, one of the nine types of architecture.
The basement is 18 layered adhistanam called pathmayapandham and
manjapathram.
Dakshinamurthy
is sitting on Rishaba under kallala tree with out sanakatha minis. There is a
through hole from left ear to the right ear.
HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONSThis
place was called Madhookavanam and Pazha Mannipadikkarai. Since Lord Shiva of
this temple was praised by 7th Century Saint Sundarar, the temple
might have existed before 7th Century. The temple was reconstructed
during Chozha period and further extended during Vijayanagara period.
The
inscriptions are recorded in the Annual Reports on South Indian Epigraphy for
the year 1927, No. 135-139.
As per the
inscriptions this place was recorded as Virutharaja bayangaravalanattu
Rajaravalanattu Thirupadikarai. Lord shiva was called as Parameswaram Udayar
and Visuveswaram Udaya nayanar.
The song
form of inscription praises Velalars who celebrated Thiruvizha in this temple.
The inscription also mentions that, Chandrasekar was taken in procession.
The
Vijayanagara King Maha mandaleswarar Veera Bhoopathy, Veera Piratapa
Krishnadeva maharayar period inscriptions are also found, along with a Grantha
inscription.
The
Bhoopathi Udayar period saka 1330 ie 1408 CE, inscription records the name of
the presiding deity as Thiruneelakandam Udaya nayanar. He established an
endowment of Naivedyam and for the same a land was gifted to this temple.
This
temple is under the administrative control of Dharmapuram Adheenam. Maha kumbhabhishekam
was conducted on 30th August 2009.
LEGEND: While
swallowing the poison Ma Parvati stopped by touching his throat/ kandam in this
Sthalam. Devas, Pancha Pandavas, Dharmar, Neelakandeswarar, Arjunan, Draupadi,
Padikarai nathar, Nagulan, Paramesar, Muktheesar, Brahma, Mandhadha and Nalan
worshiped Lord Shiva of this temple.
As per
Sthala Purana, The Chozha King while crossing the river through a boat,
happened to see a Iluppai tree floating in the river. He brought the tree and
planted in this temple, thinking that the oil extracted from the seeds may be useful for burning the lamp in the temple. A bas-relief depicting this purana
is sculpted on the wall.
In one
legend, The
pancha Pandavas during their exile came to this place and established Shiva
Lingas and worshiped Lord Shiva. Darmar Worshiped Neelakandeswarar, Bheeman
worshiped Mahadheeswarar, Arjuna worshiped Padikarai nathar, Nagula worshiped
Paramesar and Sahadevan worshiped Mukhtheesar. Valampuri
Vinayagar was worshiped by Draupadi. All the sannidhis are in the lower praharam. 
Sthala Vruksham - Iluppai Tree
POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONSApart
from regular poojas, special poojas are conducted on Pradosham, 10 days
Brahmotsavam in the month Chithirai ( April – May ), Vinayagar Chathurthi in
Avani ( Aug – Sep ), Annabhishekam in the month Aippasi ( Oct – Nov ),
Thirukarthigai in the month Karthigai ( Nov – Dec ) and Maha Shivaratri in the
month Masi ( Feb – March ).
TEMPLE TIMINGSThe
temple will be kept opened between 07.00 hrs to 12.00 hrs and 16.30 hrs to
20.00 hrs.
CONTACT DETAILS :The
mobile number +91 92456 19738 may be contacted for further details.
HOW TO REACH : This
place is on the bus route Vaitheeswaran koil to Thiruppanandal, Ilanthoppu,
Valaputhur, Manal medu, after cotton factory ( Panchaalai ), Pappakudi road (
turn right side ) reach the temple.The
temple is 14 KM from Vaitheeswaran koil, 23 KM from Thiruppanandal, 15 KM from
Mayiladuthurai, 20 KM from Sirkazhi, 40 KM from Chidambaram and 256 KM from
Chennai.Nearest
Railway station is Vaitheeswaran koil.
LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE : CLICK HERE
--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---
The 15th
Century Arunagirinathar has sung hymns in praise of Lord Muruga of this temple
in Thiruppugazh.
