Sri Iyravatheswarar Temple / Mela Thirumanancheri Iravatheswarar Temple / Airavateshwarar Temple / Arulmigu Sugandha Parimaleshwarar Temple / Parimaleshwarar Temple, மேலைத் திருமணஞ்சேரி ஐராவதேஸ்வரர் கோயில், Ethirkopadi - Melai Thirumanancheri. Mayiladuthurai District, Tamil Nadu.

This is the 78^th Thevaram Paadal Petra Shiva Sthalam and 24^th sthalam on the north side of river Kaveri in Chozha Nadu. The Place Ethirkolapadi mentioned during 6^th to 7^th Century and called as Mela Thirumanancheri. Even-though there are two Villages with the same name, to differentiate this one is called as Keelai Thirumanancheri and the other one is called as Melai Thirumanancheri, or locally known as Mela Koil.  and this temple is not so popular. 

In Sekkizhar’s Periya Puranam, This temple is not particularly mentioned, but Sundarar went to this temple and sung hymns in praise of Lord Lord Shiva. Also in Thirugnanasambandar’s purana, Sekkizhar mentions this place, but we couldn’t got the hymn. The verse of Periya Purana on Thirugnanasambandar is as given below...

அப்பதி போற்றி அகல்வார் அரனார் திருமணஞ்சேரி

செப்பஅரும் சீர்தொண்ட ரோடும் சென்று தொழுது இசைபாடி

எப்பொருளும் தரும் ஈசர் எதிர்கொள் பாடிப் பதி எய்தி

ஒப்புஇல் பதிகங்கள் பாடி ஓங்கு வேள்விக்குடி

 

Sundarar and Vallalar has sung hymns in praise of Lord Shiva of this temple. 

மத்த யானையேறி மன்னர்சூழ வருவீர்காள்

செத்த போதிலாருமில்லை சிந்தையுள் வைம்மின்கள்

வைத்த வுள்ளமாற்ற வேண்டா வம்மின் மனத்தீரே

அத்தர் கோயில் எதிர்கொள்பாடி என்பது அடைவோமே

....... சுந்தரர்

                                                -“விண்ணெதிர்

கொண்டிந்திரன் போன்மேவி நெடுநாள்வாழப்

பண்எதிர்கொள் பாடிப் பரம் பொருளே

...... திரு அருட்பா

Moolavar  : Sri Iyravadheswarar, Sri Madhyaneswarar

Consort    : Sri Suguntha Gundhalambigai, Periya Nayaki

                  Sri Malar Kuzhal madhu.

Some of the important features of this temple are .......

The temple is facing west with a three tier Rajagopuram. Balipeedam and Rishabam are after the Rajagopuram. The sanctum sanctorum consists of sanctum, antarala and artha mandapam. In koshtam Vinayagar, Dakshinamurthy, Lingothbavar, Brahma and Jaya Durgai.  

In Prakaram Vinayagar, Shaniswarar, Suryan, Chandran. Sannadhi for Vinayagar, Murugan with his consorts Sr Valli Devasena, Natarajar, Mahalakshmi, Nalvar with Sekkizhar, Suryan, Chandran, Bala Saraswati and Swarna Bhairavar. Ambal Periya Nayaki is in a separate sannadhi.

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

Since Sundarar has sung hymns in praise of Lord Shiva of this temple, the temple might have existed before 7^th Century. Latter reconstructed during Chozha period. About 28 inscriptions are recorded from this temple and all belongs to Chozha period between 11^th to 12^th Century. As per the inscriptions this place Virutharaja bayangara nattu Kurkkai Nadu Thirumananjeri and Lord Shiva was called as Thirukatrali Mahathevar Paramaswamy.

The inscriptions mainly speaks about the endowments of Pooja material like sandal, cloth, oil, burning of perpetual lamps, feeding of Yogis and Thabasis on Panguni month celebrations, Golden crown, Murtis and stones for the new constructions. To carry out the above endowments Goats, Sheep, Kasu/ money, Gold and lands are gifted to the temple.. For burning one lamp 16 kalanju gold, 96 sheep for burning perpetual lamp was gifted by the donors.

Mahavishnu, Manavala Perumal was called as  Karikala Chozha Vinnakaralwar and Kanthadai Nambi Thirumananjeri Pichchan had done thirupani to this shrine and also donated a stone. Kudamuzha player name also mentioned in the inscription.

Chembiayan Mahadevi created an accounting details of the temple. 

The last Maha Kumbabishekam was done on 03^rd Feb 2016 and previously on 22^nd August 2004.

LEGENDS : 

As per the legend ma Parvati was cursed to be born on earth. She came in the form of a Child from the puthra Kameshti yagna, performed by Sage Bharatha. She  was brought up by the sage. When ma Parvati attained marriageable age, the Sage Bharatha prayed Lord Shiva to help him to find suitable groom. Lord Shiva appeared, before him and told that the his daughter is none other than ma Parvati and also explained, as per his wish to be born on the earth and marry him ie Lord Shiva.  Lord Shiva came in the form of bride groom and was welcomed by sage Bharatha with poorna kumbha. Hence this place obtained the name of Ethirkolpadi – ethirkol – welcoming some one coming towards the  welcoming person – Padi means Village. Married Couple visits this temple to get the blessings of Lord Shiva and Parvati to lead life like them.

In another legend  the Dhurvasa Maharishi gave a lotus flower which was adorned Lord Shiva to Indra, while he was returning from his ceremonial procession on his white elephant Iravatham. The White elephant Iravatham took the flower and throw it on the floor with out giving a due respect. Angered Dhurvasa Maharishi and cursed the Iravatham to become an ordinary wild elephant. Iravatham worshiped Lord Shiva of many temples to get relieved from the curse and this one such a temple. Lord Shiva appeared and blessed Iravatham and got relieved from the curse. Hence Lord Shiva is praised as Iravatheswarar It is also believed that Indran also worshiped Lord Shiva of this temple. The Stucco image of Elephant worshiping Lord Shiva is on the top of the entrance arch.     

POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS

Apart from Regular poojas, special poojas are conducted on Pradosham, Maha Shivaratri in Masi ( Feb – March ), Masi Magam ( Feb – March ), Navaratri Vazhipadu ( Oct – November ), every month Ashtami Pooja, Karthigai Deepam in Karthigai, Tamil New Year day, Thai Pongal, Chitra Pournami ( March – April ), Vinayagar Chathurthi ( August – Sep ), Deepavali  ( Oct November ) Monthly Pournami ( Full moon day ) and Amavasai ( New Moon day ) Pooja. 

TEMPLE TIMINGS

The temple will be kept opened between 07.00 hrs to 11.00 hrs and 17.00 hrs to 20.00 hrs.

CONTACT DETAILS

D Senthil Kumar Gurukkal may be contacted on  his mobile +91 80121 60621   0r Ramamoorthy care taker on +9196002 08708 for further details.

Temple web site: http://thirumanancheritemple.tnhrce.in/history.html

HOW TO REACH : 

Bus  from Mayiladuthurai is  available via Kuthalam to Thirumanancheri. 

The temple is 14 KM from Mayiladuthurai, 29 KM from Kumbakonam, 39 KM from Sirkazhi, 54 KM from Chidambaram and 264 KM from Chennai.

Nearest Railway Station is Mayiladuthurai.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE : CLICK HERE

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---