Sri Sivalokanathar Temple / Sivaloganathar Temple / சிவலோகநாதர் கோயில்/ Thiruppungur / Tirupunkur, Mayiladuthurai District, Tamil Nadu.

This is the 74^th Thevaram Paadal Petra Shiva Sthalam and 20^th Sthalam on the north side of river Kaveri in Chozha Nadu.

In Periya Puranam, Sekkizhar mentions that Thirugnanasambandar came to this temple after worshiping Lord Shiva at Thiruninriyur and Thirunedur ( we couldn’t got the hymns ).

நீடு திரு நின்றியூரின் நிமலனார் நீள்கழல் ஏத்திக்

கூடிய காதலின் போற்றிக் கும்பிட்டு வண்தமிழ் கூறி

நாடுசீர் நீடூர் வணங்கி நம்பர் திருப்புன்கூர் நண்ணி

ஆடிய பாதம் இறைஞ்சி அருந்தமிழ் பாடி அமர்ந்தார்

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

முந்தி நின்ற வினைகள் அவைபோகச்

சிந்தி நெஞ்சே சிவனார் திருப்புன்கூர்

அந்தம் இல்லா அடிகள் அவர்போலும்

கந்த மல்கு கமழ்புன் சடையாரே

....... திருஞானசம்பந்தர்

பிறவாதே தோன்றிய பெம்மான் தன்னைப்

        பேணாதார் அவர்தம்மைப் பேணா தானைத்

துறவாதே கட்டறுத்த சோதி யானைத்

        தூநெறிக்குத் தூநெறியாய் நின்றான் தன்னைத்

திறமாய எத்திசையுந் தானே யாகித்

        திருப்புன்கூர் மேவிய சிவலோகனை

நிறமா மொளியானை நீடு ரானை

        நீதனேன் என்னேநான் நினயா வாறே

........ திருநாவுக்கரசு சுவாமிகள்

அந்த ணாளன்உன் அடைக்கலம் புகுத

        அவனைக் காப்பது காரண மாக

வந்த காலன்தன் ஆருயிர் அதனை

        வவ்வினாய்க்(கு) உன்றன் வன்மைகண்(டு) அடியேன்

எந்தை நீஎனை நமன்தமர் நலியில்

        இவன்மற் றென்னடி யானென விலக்கும்

சிந்தை யால்வந்துன் திருவடி அடைந்தேன்

        செழும்பொ ழில்திருப் புன்கூர் உளானே

.... சுந்தரர்

                                        -“ஒன்றிக்

கருப்புன்கூர் உள்ளக் கயவர் நயவாத்

திருப்புன்கூர் மேவுஞ் சிவனே

........ திரு அருட்பா

விருப்புன்கூர் அடியென்னுந் தொழும்பர் தமக்கருள் தழைத்து வினைக்கீடாக

கரும்புன்கூர் பவப்பிணிகள் அணுகாமலுத்தமாங் கத்தின்மீது

மருப்புன்கூர் வரைகோலால் புண்ணியத்தை வரைந் திருமை வாழ்வளிப்பத்

திருப்புன்கூரிடை மேவுஞ் சிவலோக நாயகன்தாள் சென்னி சேர்ப்பாம்

......... தலபுராணம்

Moolavar  : Sri Shivaloga Nathar

Consort    : Sri Chokka Nayagi, Sri Soundara Nayagi.

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

The temple is facing east with a 5 tier Rajagopuram. Balipeedam and Dwajasthambam are in front of mukha mandapam. The Mukha mandapa arch has the Stucco images. Rishabam is in the mandapam not straight with moolavar ( moved side for Nandanar’s darshan ). Moolavar is little short swayambhu Prithivi / Anthill ( Covered with Kuvalai ), only punugu is applied and no abhishekam is done. In koshtam, Narthana Vinayagar, Pichadanar, Agasthiyar, Dakshinamurthy, Lingothbavar, Brahma, Durgai, Arthanareeswarar and Kshetrapalaka.

In prakaram Vinayagar, Nalvar, Subramaniyar, Suryan, Kalikamar, Sundaravinayagar, Gajalakshmi, Bhairavar, Navagrahas, Chandran and Nandanar. In Natarajar Sabha one Deva is playing a Panchamuga vadhyam sila roopam to be watched.

In prakaram Kalikamar, Yayerkon, Sundarar. Brahma, Indran, Agasthiyar, Chandran, Suryan, Rajendran, Agni, Patanjali, Vyagrapadar, Saptakanniyar and Virarmindanayanar worshiped Lord Shiva of this temple.

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

Since Thirugnanasambandar has sung hymns in praise of Lord Shiva of this temple, the original temple might have existed before 7^th Century. The temple was renovated during Chozha period by Rajendra Chozha.

The inscriptions were recorded in AR 411 to 415 of 1918. As per the inscriptions Lord Shiva was called as Sivalokamudaya nathar. Most of the inscriptions records the endowments of burning Perpetual lamps and the donations made for the same.

Rajarajan’s 11^th year reign inscription ( AR 412 of 1918 ) records the donation of Land for construction of Vikrama Chozheeswaramudayar Temple on the north side of 2^nd prakara by Vikarama Chozha alias Vayanattarayan Marudur Udayan.

Koperunchingan’s 2^nd year reign inscription ( 411 of 1918 and 312 of SII-12 ) records that this temple was in Rajathiraja Valanattu Thiruvalinattu Thirupunkur. Pandya Kulasani Valanattu Keezhaiyur Nattu Kuruchiyan gifted land for Sivalokanathar’s Temple adhi Chandeswarar’s,  Thirumanjanam/ sacred bath on Saturdays, Naivedyam  and garland. For Nachiyar sannadhi Naivedyam and oil for burning lamps. The land’s periphery limits are also mentioned.

LEGENDS

The right side dwarapalaka’s  expression on his face to move the Rishabam to side for Thirunalaipovar’s / Nandanar darshan. Rishabam is little big. The special is the tongue is not protruding out side to be watched.

The place Tirupunkur obtained the name from Punga maram, a sacred tree under which Lord Shiva gave darshan to devotees. This is a parikara sthalam for Raghu and Kethu. People pray Lord Shiva for both of its adverse effect, mental peace, employment opportunity, development on profession, marriage obstacles,  etc,.

The Legend is associated with Nandanar one of the 63 Nayanmar. He used to tell all the people that he would visit Thillai also known as Chidambaram, tomorrow. ( tomorrow in Tamil means – Nalai நாளை – next day ). Hence he was called as Thirunalai povaar –திருநாளைப்போவார்.. Nandanar was born is pulayar community at Adhanur now called as Agamangalam. His job was to supply leather to the Temple’s drums / leather musical instruments. He was an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva. He used to sing and dance in front of the temples, since his community was not allowed to enter inside the temples. He came to Tirupunkur worshiped Lord Shiva from out side and created a pond on the back side of the temple. Again he came to the front and worshiped Lord Shiva from out side and went back to Adhanur. There is no mention about Rishabam /Nandhi’s obstruction and moved to side by Sekkizhar. But Gopalakrishna Bharati had changed the story little different. In that Nandanar told Lord Shiva that Nandhi is obstructing the darshan of Moolavar. 

வழிமறைத் திருக்குதே – மலைபோல்

ஒரு மாடு படுத்திருக்குதே

பாவிப் பறையனிந்த ஊரில் வந்து மிவன்

பாவந்தீரேனோ – உன்தன் பாதத்தில் சேரேனோ  சிவலோகநாதா

Lord Shiva asked Nandhi to move aside as...

சற்றே விலகியிரும் பிள்ளாய்- சந்நிதானம் மறைக்குதாம் – நீ

நற்றவம் புரியும் நம்மிடம்திரு நளைப்போவார் வந்திருக்கின்றார்-

There is a Vinayagar by name kulam Vettiya Pillayar. – It is believed that Vinayagar helped Nandanar to excavate the temple tank. Hence called as Kulam Vettiya Pillayar.       

POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS

Apart from Regular Poojas, special poojas are conducted on Pradosham, Maha Shivaratri in Masi ( Feb – March ), 10 days Vaikasi Visakam Brahmotsavam with procession on various vahanas, Deepavali in October-November, Pongal in January 14^th, Tamil / English  New Year days, etc,.

TEMPLE TIMINGS

The temple will be kept opened between 06.00 hrs to 11.00 hrs and 16.00 hrs to 20.30 hrs.

CONTACT DETAILS :

The mobile number +91 94867 17634,  may be contacted for further details.

HOW TO REACH : 

On the bus route Vaitheeswaran Koil to Thiruppanandal get down after 3 Km and the temple is 1 Km away from main road.

The temple is 4 KM from Vaitheeswarankoil, 10 KM from Sirkazhi, 12 KM from Mayiladuthurai, 30 KM from Chidambaram and 240 KM from Chennai.

Nearest Railway station is Vaitheeswarankoil

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE : CLICK HERE

Rishabam

Rishabam - Yazhi in the leg

Narthana Vinayagar

Pichadanar

Agasthiyar

Dakshinamurthy

Bhairavar

Pichadanar

Sri Valli devasena Murugan

Dwarapalakas

Nandanar

Nandanar Shrine

Believed to be excavated by Nandanar

---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---