Sri Kannayiram Udayar Temple / Sri Kannayiranatha Swamy Temple / திருக்கண்ணார் கோயில் /கண்ணாயிரநாதர் கோவில் /குருமாணக்குடி Kurumanakkudi - Thirukkannaar Koil, Mayiladuthurai District, Tamil Nadu.

This is the 71^st Thevaram Paadal petra Shiva Sthalam and 17^th sthalam on the north side of river Kaveri in Chozha Nadu. This place was called as Kannar Koil during 7^th Century and now called as Kurumanakkudi. 

Sekkizhar, mentions in Periya Puranam, that Thirugnanasambandar visited this temple after Thirukarupariyalur ( Thalaignayiru), on the way stayed some time at Sirkazhi.

திருமறைச் சண்பைரர் ஆளி
        சிவனார் திருக்கண்ணார் கோயில்
பெருவிருப்பால் அணைந்து ஏத்திப்
        பிஞ்ஞகர் கோயில் பிறவும்
உருகிய அன்பால் இறைஞ்சி
        உயர்தமிழ்மாலை கொண்டு ஏத்தி
வருபுனல் பொன்னி வடபால்
        குடதிசை நோக்கி வருவார்

Thirugnanasambandar and Ramalinga Adaigalar has sung hymns in praise of Lord Shiva of this temple.

தண்ணார் திங்கள் பொங்கர வம்தாழ் புனல்சூடிப்
பெண் ஆண் ஆய பேரருளாளன் பிரியாத
கண்ணார்கோயில் கைதொழுவோர்கட்கு இடர்பாவம்
நண்ணாவாகும் நல்வினையாய நணுகும்மே.

......... திருஞானசம்பந்தர்

பூமருவு பொய்கைகளும் புனல்மருவு நதிகளுந்தண் பொதும்பர் சேர்ந்து

காமருவு மருதமுந்சூழ் திருக்கண்ணார் கோயிலிட்கட் கடவுட்கோவும்

பூமருவி மூவடிமண் கேட்டவரும் கவுணியரும் போற்றவாய்ந்த

தேமருவு கொன்றையந்தார் திகழ்கண்ணாயிரர் பதங்கள் சிந்தை செய்வாம்

உலகமுதல்வி யன்பருள்ளத் துறைமுதல்வி யிறைவருட

நிலவுமுதல்வி மாண்டவியர் நேர்ந்து நிறைந்த பீடத்தே

அலகில் வளஞ்சேர் திருக்கண்ணார் கோயிலமர்ந்த அருள்முதல்வி

இலகி முருகுவளர் கோதை இணையில்முதல்வி பதம்பணிவாம்

.......தலபுராணம்

                                            -“கள்ளிருக்கும்
காவின் மருவுங் கனமுந்திசை மணக்குங்

கோவின் மருவு கண்ணார் கோயிலா.

                                                                                                                     .......... திரு அருட்பா

Moolavar  : Sri Kannayirammudayar, Sri Kannayiranathar,  

                 Sri Sahasranetheswarar.
Consort    : Sri Muruguvalarkothai, Sri Sukunthakunthalambigai.

Some of the features of this temple are ….

The temple is facing east with an entrance arch. Stucco images of  Lord Shiva and Parvati as Rishabaroodar, Vinayagar, Valli Devasena Subramaniar are on the top of the entrance arch. Dwajasthambam, Balipeedam and Rishabam are in mukha mandapam. At the entrance of sanctum sanctorum,  Kudaivarai /Rock cut Cave Vinayagar and Bala Dhandayuthapani. Moolavar is of swayambhu with holes/ eye marks. In koshtam Narthana Vinayagar, Dakshinamurthy, Lingothbavar, Brahma and Durgai. The procession deities Vinayagar, Murugan, Natarajar and Somaskandar are in the artha mandapam. 

In prakaram Siddhi Vinayagar, Murugan with his consorts, Mahalakshmi, Nalvar, Kanni Vinayagar, Gajalakshmi, Bhairavar, Shaniswarar, Suryan, Chandran and Chandikeswarar. 12 zodiac signs are in the form of bas-relief on the ceiling of Ambal Temple. Totally 5 Vinayagars are in this temple.

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

Since Thirugnanasambandar has sung hymns in praise of Lord Shiva of this temple, the temple might have existed before 7^th Century. Letter the same was reconstructed during Chozha Period and latter maintained by Pandyas, Marathas and Nattukottai Nagarathars. As per the Rajaraja –I, period inscriptions this place was called as Kuru Vaniyakkudi.

Last Kumbhabhishekam was conducted on 09^th February 20024

LEGENDS

In one of the legend, Indra fell in love with Akalya, wife of Gautama maharishi. One day early morning Indra gave the sound of cock. The Maharishi woke up and went to the river to take bath and there he realized that it was not actually dawn. In the mean time Indra took the form of Maharishi and had illicit affair with Ahalya. Even-though Akalya knows that the man was not the Maharishi, had co-operated with Indra. On seeing the Maharishi returning to the ashram, Indra took the form of cat and ran away. The maharishi cursed Akalya to be turned in to rock ( She got relieved from the Curse when Rama’s feet touched the rock ) and Indra to have 1000 eyes on allover his body. As advised by Brahma, Indra came to this place and worshiped Lord Shiva of this temple. Shiva took the 1000 eyes on his body. The eye marks can be seen on the Moolavar.  Hence Lord Shiva is called as Shasraranethreswarar.

In Another legend Maha Vishnu, in Vamana avathar ( Kuru maan – dwarf priest ) before going to King Mahabali’s court, came to this temple to get blessings of Lord Shiva. Hence this place has obtained the name of Kurumanaikudi – Kuruki – Short/ dwarf, Maani – Vishnu and Kudi – Village.  

People Pray Lord Shiva for eye related ailments, marriage, Employment, better job opportunities, etc,.

POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS

Apart from Regular poojas, special poojas are conducted on Pradosham, Maha Shivaratri in  Masi ( feb – March ), Thiruvadirai in Margazhi ( Dec- Jan ), Somavaram ( all Mondays ) in Tamil month Karthigai ( Nov – Dec ), Thirukarthigai in Karthigai ( Nov – Dec ), Annabhishekam in tamil Month Aippasi ( Oct- Nov ), Vinayagar Chathurthi in Avani ( August – Sep ).

TEMPLE TIMINGS

The temple will be kept opened between 07.00 hrs to 12.00 hrs and 16.00 hrs to 19.00 hrs.

CONTACT DETAILS:

Mobile number +91 94422 58085  or +91 92441 58673 may be contacted for further details. 

HOW TO REACH:

On the bus route Vaitheeswaran koil to Mayiladuthurai get down at Pagasalai, from there, the temple is 3 KM.

The temple is 5.6 KM from Vaitheeswaran koil, 8 KM from Sirkazhi, 15.6 KM from Mayiladuthurai, 30 KM from Chidambaram and 240 KM from Chennai.

Nearest Railway Station is Sirkazhi. 

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE : CLICK HERE

---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---