Monday 2 November 2020

Sri Neelakandeswarar Temple / இலுப்பைபட்டு நீலகண்டேஸ்வரர் கோயில், Thiru Pazha Mannippadikkarai – Eluppaipattu / Iluppaipattu, Mayiladuthurai District, Tamil Nadu.

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 பாயும்
மண்ணிவளம் படிக்கரையை நண்ணி அங்கு
    மாதொருபாகத்தவர் தாள்வணங்கிப் போற்றி
எண்ணில் புகழ்ப்பதிகமும் முன்னவன் என்று ஏத்தி
    ஏகுவார் வாழ்கொளிப்புத்தூர் எய்தாது
புண்ணியானார் போம்பொழுது நினைந்து மீண்டு
    புகுகின்றார் தலைக்கலன் என்று எடுத்துப் போற்றி

Sundarar and Ramalinga Adigalar has sung Lord Shiva of this temple.

முன்னவன் எங்கள்பிரான் முதல் காண்பரி தாயபிரான்
சென்னியில் எங்கள் பிரான் திருநீலமிடற் றெம்பிரான்
மன்னிய எங்கள்பிரான் மறை நான்குங்கல் லால்நிழற்கீழ்ப்
பன்னிய எங்கள்பிரான் பழமண்ணிப் படிக்கரையே
...... சுந்தரர்
                                                        -“தாழ்வகற்ற
நண்ணிப் படிக்கரையர் நாடோறும் வாழ்த்துகின்ற
மண்ணிப் படிக்கரைவாழ் மங்கலமே
...... திரு அருட்பா
நீர்பூத்த தாமரைப்பூ வுரியானுங்
    கரியானு நெடிய வானத்
தேர்பூத்த மற்றோரு முற்றோரும்
    பெருவரங்க ளிறைஞ்சி யெய்தக்
கார்பூத்த விருப்பைவன விருப்பைவன
    மெனப்புரிவோன் கலைநி லாவிற்
றார்பூத்த முடிக்கரைகொள் படிக்கரைநா
    யகன்மலர்த்தா டலைமேல் வைப்பாம்
....... தலபுராணம்
Moolavar  : 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 Amirthakaravalli 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                                        டெழவேபோர்
செருக்கு விக்ரமச் சரத்தை விட்டுறச்
செயித்த வுத்தமத்                                         திருமாமன்
நிருத்த கப்பன்மெச் சொருத்த முத்தமிழ்த்
திருப் படிக்கரை                                             பெருமாளே

ARCHITECTURE
The 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 munis. There is a through hole   from left ear to the right ear.

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS
This 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, Chandrasekarar was taken in procession.

The Vijayanagara King Maha mandaleswarar Veera Bhoopathy, Veera Pirathaba Kirushnadeva 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 Thiru Neelakandam 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.

LEGENDS 
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.  

POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS
Apart 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 TIMINGS
The 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 Thiruppanadal, 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 ---

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