Sri Chayavanaeswarar Temple / Chaya Vaneswarar / Sri Rathna Chaayavaneswarar Temple / சாயாவனம் சாயாவனேஸ்வரர் திருக்கோயில் / Sayavaneswarar Temple / Chayavanam ( Tiruchaikadu )/ Sayavanam, Mayiladuthurai District. Tamil Nadu.

This is the 63^rd  Thevara Paadal Petra Shiva Sthalam and 9^th Sthalam on the north side of river Kaveri. This place was called as Chaikadu during 7^th Century, now called as Chayavanam. It is believed that this is one of the Pancha vana Temples and the others are Chidambaram, Then Thirumullaivasal, Pallavanecharam and Thiruvenkadu.

As per Sekkizhar’s, Periya Puranam, Thirugnanasambandar visited this temple after worshiping Lord Shiva of Pallavaneecharam.

பன்னகப் பூணி னாரைப்

    பல்லவ னீச்ச ரத்துச்

சென்னியால் வணங்கி ஏத்தித்

    திருந்து இசைப் பதிகம் பாடிப்

பொன்னி சூழ்புகாரில் நீடு

    புனிதர் திருச்சாய்க்காட்டு

மன்னுசீர்த்தொண்டர் எல்லாம்

    மகிழ்ந்து எதிர்கொள்ளப் புக்கார்

Thirugnanasambandar, Appar, Aiadigal Kadavarkon and Vallalar  has sung hymns in praise of lord Shiva of this temple.

மண்புகார் வான்புகுவர் 

    மனம் இளையார் பசியாலும்

கண்புகார் பிணியறியார்

    கற்றாரும் கேட்டாரும்

விண்புகார் என வேண்டா

    வெண்மாட நெடுவீதித்

தண்புகார்ச் சாய்காட்டெந்

    தலைவன்தாள் சார்ந்தாரே

....... திருஞானசம்பந்தர்

தோடுலா மலர்கள் தூவித்

    தொடுதெழு மார்க்கண் டேயன்

வீடுநாள் அணுகிற் றென்று

    மெய்கொள்வான் வந்த காலன்

பாடுதான் செல்லும் அஞ்சிப்

    பாதமே சரணம் என்னச்

சாடினார் காலன் மாளச்

    சாய்க்காடு மேவி னாரே

........ திருநாவுக்கரசு சுவாமிகள்

அஞ்சனஞ்சேர் கண்ணார் அருவருக்கும் அற்புதமாய்க்

குஞ்சி வெளுத்துடலங் கோடாமுன் – நெஞ்சமே

போய்க்காடு கூடப் புலம்பாது பூம்புகார்ச்

சாய்க்காடு கைதொதொழு நீ சார்ந்து

...........ஐயடிகள் காடவர்கோன்

சீர்பூத்த வெண்ணிலாவைத் திரைபூத்த

    வரநதியைச் செந்தேனூற்று

மார்பூத்த மலரதனைக் கடுக்கைதனைச்

    செஞ்சடிலத் தணியுங் கோவைக்

கார்பூத்த மேனியனும் மறைபூத்த

    நாவினனும்காணா தோங்கும்

ஏர்பூத்த சின்மயச்சா யாவனத்தெம்

    மிறையவனை இறைஞ்சல் செய்வாம்

......... சாயாவனப் புராணம் – தல புராணம் கவிரஜநாயகம் பிள்ளை

                                    -“வலிக்காலில்

பாய்க்காடு கின்ற வொரு பச்சைமுகில் பரவுஞ்

சாய்க்காடு மேவுந் தடங்கடலே

......... திரு அருட்பா

Moolavar  : Sri Chayavaneswarar, Sri Rathna Chayavaneswarar

Consort    : Sri Kosahambal, Sri Kuyilinum Nanmozhiyaal.

Some of the features of this temple are as follows........
The temple is facing east with a three tier Rajagopuram and an arch on the south side. Rishabam on an elevated level and Balipedam are in front. A small Entrance to the arthamandapa is from east side. Moolavar is of swayambu little shorter on a square avudayar. There is a scar on the Linga. In koshtam Vinayagar, Dakshinamurthy, Lingothbavar, Brahma and Vishnu Durgai.  

In the outer prakaram Suryan, Indran, Iyarpakai Nayanar with his wife and Moovar ( without Manickavasagar ). In the prakaram ( inner ) Vinayagar, Murugan with his consorts Valli Devasena, Gajalakshmi, Kala Bhairavar, Navagrahas, Murugan as Velavar, is with bow instead of vel / spear, Natarajar Sabha, Palliyarai and Ambal shrine. The urchavars, includes Iyarpakai Nayanar and his wife.

ARCHITECTURE
This is one of the maada Temple/koil built by Ko Chengat Chozhan, who was spider in his previous birth. He built Shiva temples with steps so that an elephant cannot climb.  It is one of the 6 temples equivalent to Kasi. The sanctum sanctorum consists of sanctum, antarala and artha mandapam. A octagonal – Dravida - vimana is over the sanctum. The prastharam is with Kabotha, Bhutavari and Yazhivari above the kabotham on Bhumidesam. 

All the prakara mandapa and VavvalNethi mandapas are built during Maratha period.

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS
This place exists since sangam age, mentions in Agananooru as Chaikadu.

செந்நெலஞ்செற்வின் அன்னந்துஞ்சும்

பூக்கெழு படப்பைச் சாய்க்காட்டன்ன ... அகநானூறு 73.

This temple is believed to be built by Ko- Chengat Chozha as brick temple. Since almost all the Maada temples are on the banks of river Kaveri and they were under the threat of flood in the river. This was reconstructed as stone temples during medieval / early Chozha period and latter renovated extended during Marathas.

There are 13 inscriptions recorded from this temple. The inscriptions belongs to Chozha Kings, Vikrama Chozha, Rajaraja, Kulothunga-III and Rajendran, and Panya King Sundara Pandyan, As per the inscriptions the place was in Rajathiraja valanattu Nangoor Nattu, Kaviripoompattinaththu Thiruchaikadu. 

Kulothunga Chozha-III, period inscriptions records the endowment of Naivedyam, Milaku, burning Perpetual lamps, feeding to 50 Brahmins  for which Paddy as an income from the lands gifted, land was leased for supplying Milaku / Pepper. An order was issued to hand over the lands, of which taxes are not paid. 

Maravarman Sundara Pandyan Period inscription records the gift of a land to this temple. For Kunakaran Temple a gift given was recorded in the form a song.

Another inscription dated Saka 1679 ( 1757 CE) records the endowment of service, Worship, celebrations of festivals, Maintenance by Rayaravutha Pindan for which a land was donated.

Rajarajan-II / III period inscription records that the lands gifted to this temple was used by the un authorised miscrediants. The Land was recovered and a Nandhavan was created on his name as Rarajaja nandhavanam. The Chozha King Kulothunga Chozha-III’s, 35^th year reign inscription records the endowment of naivedyam, maintenance and gift of how much paddy has to be given for each,  the income from the temple Lands. The order was issued by one Pillai Ambar Udayar Kalaingarayan’s

Rajaraja-II (III) inscription records the endowment of burning ½ perpetual lamp by one Vanavan Vizhuparayan belongs to Rajathiraja Valanattu Thiruvinthalur nattu Marudhamangalathu  malai mel marunthanavan. This is a ½ lamp, in addition to the ½ Lamps which was already gifted by the same person.

Chozha King’s Minister Thiruchitrambalavan constructed a Mutt and a land was gifted for the feeding of 50 Brahmins. Another inscription records the endowment of celebration and maintenance to the Shiva temple at Kaveripoompattinam Pallavaneswara by Nayaravutha Mundan.     

Maha Kumbhabhishekam was conducted on 19^th August 1956 and 24^th May 2010.

LEGENDS
Upamanyu, Indran, Iravatham, Iyapakai Nayanar with his wife worshiped lord of this temple. Iraipakai Nayanar attained moksha in this place. The Silapathikaram mentioned Sambapthi Amman temple is close to this temple.

As per the legend, Iyarpakai Nayanar, one of the 63 Nayanmars, was from this place. He was an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva and lived along with his wife. To show his bhakthi and devotion Lord Shiva in the form a Shiva devotee came to his house and asked to give his wife. With out hesitation he gave his wife and his wife also didn’t shown any restriction. The Devotee also asked Iyarpakai Nayanar, as a guard to accompany with him till the Village’s limit so that his relatives should not  object him. Iyarpakai Nayanar also accompanied with Lord Shiva with a sword in his hand. At the Limit of the Village the Devotee, disappeared. Lord Lord Shiva with Parvati appeared and blessed both and gave mukthi for both of them.

This is one of 6 Temples on the banks of river kaveri equivalent to Kasi ( The other temples as Thiruvaiyaru, Mayiladuthurai, Thiruvenkadu, Thiruvidaimaruthur and Thiruvanchiyam ).

It is believed that the Murugan as Villenthiya Velan belongs to Thiruchendur Temple. In 1648 The Dutch, smuggled the idol and taken through the ship. Their ship got stuck up in the middle of the sea and they dropped Murugan idol in the sea, near Poompuhar. At the base it is written as “Senthil Andavar”. Anklet also shown on his leg, hence called as Veerakandamani.    

வில்லேந்திய வேலவர் துதி

வினைசேரா சேர்ந்தனவும் மெல்ல விலகும்

நினைவுகள் தூயதாம் நெஞ்சில் – இனையன

எல்லாம் அருள்வான் எழில்முகு சாய்க்காட்டு

வில்லேந்தி என்றே விளம்பு

POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS
Apart from regular poojas, special poojas are conducted on, 21 day Indra Vizha in Chithirai vizha, which starts from Chithirai Pournami ( April – May ), Thanneer Pandal – offering butter milk in the name of Iyarpakai nayanar in the month of April – June, Public feeding ie Annadhanam in July – August, Saint Kumara Guruparar’s Guru Pooja in May – June, 5 Days Iyarpakai nayanar’s festival with Lord Shiva’s darshan on 4^th day  in Margazhi ( December – January ).  

TEMPLE TIMINGS
The temple will be kept open between 07.00 hrs to 12.00 hsr and 16.00 hrs to 19.30 hrs.

CONTACT DETAILS :
The Land line number 04364 - 260 151 may be contacted for further details.

HOW TO REACH:
This temple is on the bus route Sirkazhi to Poompuhar.
3 Km from Thiruvengadu.
Also on the bus route Mayiladuthurai to Poompuhar.
The temple is 17 KM from Sirkazhi, 20 KM from Mayiladuthurai, 39 KM from Chidambaram and 257 Km from Chennai.
Nearest Railway station is Sirkazhi.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE : CLICK HERE

Kulothunga Chozha's inscription

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA---