Thursday 18 February 2021

Sri Sukshmapureeswarar Temple /Sri Mangalanathar Temple / ஸ்ரீ சூட்சுமபுரிஸ்வரர் கோயில், திருச்சிறுகுடி / Sirukudi / Serugudi, Thiruvarur District, Tamil Nadu.

This is the 177th Thevara Paadal Petra Shiva sthalam and 60th sthalam on the south side of river Cauvery in Chozha Nadu. The original name of Sirupidi was corrupted to the present name of Serugudi. This is a Chevvai dosham parihara sthalam.  The temple is at the centre of 4 Paadal petra Shiva temples, on the east – Thirupampuram, on South Thiruveezhimizhalai, on West – Anniyur and on North – Therazhundur.

In periyapuranam Sekkizhar records that, Thirugnanasambandar came to this temple after worshiping Lord Shiva of Thirunallam. Sekkizhar records that Thirugnanasambandar reached Therazhundur after visiting the Shiva Temples on the way and this Sirugudi is one of the temple, But didn’t mentioned in particular.

நிலவுமாளிகை திருநல்லம் நீடுமாமணியை
இலகுசேவடி இறைஞ்சி இன்தமிழ்கொடு துதித்துப்
பலவும் ஈசர்தம் திருப்பதி பணிந்து செல்பவர்தாம்
அலைபுனல் திருவழுந்தூர் மாடக்கோயில் அடைந்தார்

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

செந்நெல் வயலணி சிறுகுடி மேவிய
ஒன்னலர்புரம் எரித்தீரே
ஒன்னலர் புரம் எரித்தீர்உமை உள்குவார்
சொன்னலமுடையவர் தொண்டே
....... திருஞானசம்பந்தர்
                                                                                -“ஆம்புவனந்
துன்னும் பெருங்குடிகள் சூழ்ந்துவலஞ் செய்துவகை
மன்னுஞ்சிறுகுடி யான்மார்த்தமே.
........ திரு அருட்பா 
Moolavar  : Sri Sukshmapureeswarar, Sri Mangalanathar, 
                 Sri Sirukudieesar
Consort    : Sri Mangala Nayagi, Sri Mangalambigai.

Some of the salient features of this temple are.......
The temple is facing east with a 3 tier Rajagopuram. The balipeedam and Rishabam are after the Rajagopuram. Moolavar is of swayambhu and there is no abhishekam & only sambrani thailam is applied, always covered with kuvalai. In koshtam Vinayagar, Dakshinamurthy, Brahma, Durgai, Rishabanthikar, etc,.

In prakaram Mangala Vinayakar, Sri Valli Devasena Murugan, Suriyan, Bhairavar, Navagrahas Angarakan and Chandikeswarar. Angarakan is in a separate sannadhi.  Urchavar is santhosa aalingana moorthy. He was happy to see the pooja of Ambigai and kept his hand on Ambal. Ambal is in a separate temple like sannathi. Ambal is in standing posture with abhaya varada hastham. Thirugnanasambandar’s big size image is in the mandapam.

The sanctum sanctorum consists of  sanctum, antarala, artha mandapam and a mukka mandapam. The adhisthana is of prathibandha adhisthana with yazhi vari above pattikai. A 3 tier vesara vimana is over the sanctum.

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS
Since Thirugnanasambandar has sung hymns in praise of Lord shiva of this temple, the original temple might have existed before 6th to 7th Century. Latter the same was reconstructed as a stone temple during Chozha period and further extended during Vijayanagaras / Marathas period.

A 13th Century Inscription with out start and end records the endowment of a land gifted to this temple by KoRRurudayar Nalloorirunthar alias Villavarayar established Thyagaraja Peruman shrine and a land was gifted. In that half of the land was for Arthanareeswarar and the half for his consort Nachiyar, Azhakiya mangaiyar. The land periphery limits are given in detail.

Kulothunga Chozha-III’s 17th reign year inscription records that the Villages sold a land  measuring 3 ma to the Agastheeswaramudayar temple of the same village as Irayili. The complete inscription is not available.   

The Chozha King Veera Rajendran’s 7th reign year inscription records that the inscription was a reinscribed inscription, during reconstruction of this temple in 12th to 13th Century. The original inscription belongs to Kulothunga Chozha-III, which starts with his Meikeerthi. The inscription records the Temple land details. Further details are not known, since most the inscription was damaged.

A fragment inscription stone records the name of a person Pushpagirithanth, who had done something to this temple. The inscription contains the images of Balipeedam at the centre and two Kodimaram / Dwajasthamba, on both sides.

Another inscription consists of a 12 Squares with Tamil numbers. When summed the rows and columns the result will be 40.

Maha Kumbhabhishekam was conducted on 22nd May 2013, after renovations.

LEGENDS
This place was called as Sukshmapuri during ancient times. It is believed that Pannan a land lord and a friend of  Killivalavan in the sangam era belongs to this place. He was praised as a vallal / philanthropic activities in Sangam era literatures “Agananuru” and “Purananuru”.

As per the legend Lord Shiva and ma Parvati were playing chokkattan at Mount Kailash. In that process ma Parvati had won the game and Lord Shiva disappeared. Ma Parvati came to this earth and searched. Since she couldn’t found Lord Shiva She created a Shiva Linga out of handful of earth ( Siru + Pidi ), created a theertham and worshiped Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva gave darshan to ma Parvati and took her to Mount Kailash. Hence this place was called as Sirupidi and the same has got corrupted to the present name of Sirugudi. Since Lord Shiva Mystically disappeared at Mount Kailash and appeared here, called as “Sukshmapureeswarar”

It is believed that Garudan, Gandharvas, Sage Vishwamitra and Angarakan ( Planet Mars ) one of the navagrahas worshiped Lord Shiva of this temple. 

POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS
Apart from regular poojas, special poojas are conducted on Vinayagar Chathurthi in the month Aavani ( Aug – Sept ), Thirukarthigai in the month Karthigai ( Nov – Dec ), Thiruvathirai in the month Margazhi ( Dec – Jan ), Masi Maham and maha Shivaratri in the month Masi ( Feb – March ) and monthly pradosham days,

TEMPLE TIMINGS
The temple will be kept opened between 06.30 hrs to 11.30 hrs and 16.30 hrs to 19.30 Hrs.

CONTACT DETAILS : 
The land line number +914366 291646 and Muthu Subramania Gurukkal’ s mobile number +91 9585160660, may be contacted for further details and darshan.

HOW TO REACH : 
On the bus route Kumbakonam to Nachiyar Koil get down at Kadagambadi, from there the temple is 2 KM.
The temple is 2 KM from Thirupampuram, 5 KM from Thiruveezhimizhalai, 11 KM from Therazhundur, 9 KM from Peralam, 12 KM from Sethalapathi, 23 KM from Mayiladuthurai, 29 KM from Kumbakonam, 29 KM from Thiruvarur and  280 KM from Chennai.
Nearest Railway Junction is Mayiladuthurai.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE : CLICK HERE
















--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---
Some of the Photos after Kumbhabhishekam are taken from the Web. Sincere thanks to the unknown photographers.

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