This is the 137th Thevara Paadal Petra Shiva Sthalam and 20th Sthalam on the South side of river Kaveri in Chozha Nadu. This place is on the banks of River Kudamurutti. This is one of the Maada Temples built by the Kochengat Chozha.
In PeriyaPuranam Sekkizhar records that Thirugnanasambandar, came to this temple after worshiping Lord Shiva of Thiruchelur ( hymns was not available ). Thirunavukkarasu swamigal visited this temple after worshiping Lord Shiva of Thirupalathurai.
நீடும் அப்பதி நீங்குவார் நிகழ்திரு நல்லூர்ஆடுவார்திரு அருள்பெற அகன்று போந்து அங்கண்]மாடும் உள்ளன வணங்கியே பரவிவந்து அணைந்தார்தேடும்மால் அயற்கு அரியவர் திருக்கருகாவூர்……….. திருஞானசம்பந்தர் புராணம்கருகாவூர் முதலாகக் கண்ணுதலோன் அமர்ந்தருளும்திருஆவூர் திருபாலைத்துறை பிறவும் சென்று இறைஞ்சிப்பெருகு ஆர்வத் திருத்தொண்டு செய்து பெருந்திருநல்லூர்ஒருகாலும் பிரியாதே உள் உருகிப் பணிகின்றார்……. திருநாவுக்கரசு சுவாமிகள் புராணம்Thirugnanasambandar and Thirunavukkarasu Swamigal has sung hymns in praise of Lord Shiva of this temple. Thirunavukkarasu Swamigal mentions that Lord Shiva has given the Thiruvadi Deekshai.
அலைமல்கு தண்புனலும் பிறையஞ்சூடி அங்கையில்கொலைமல்கு வெண்மழுவும் அனலும் ஏந்துங்கொள்கையீர்சிலைமல்கு வெங்கணையாற் புரமூன்றெரித்தீர் திருநல்லூர்மலைமல்கு கோயிலே கோயிலாக மகிழ்ந்தீரே………. திருஞானசம்பந்தர்நினைந்துருகும் அடியாரை நைய வைத்தார் நில்லாமே தீவினைகள் நீங்க வைத்தார்சினந்திருகு களிற்றுரிவைப் போர்வை வைத்தார் செழுமதியின் தளிர்வைத்தார் சிறந்துவானோர்இனந்துருவி மணிமகுடத்தேறத் துற்ற இனமலர்கள் போதவிழ்ந்து மதுவாய்ப்பில்கிநனைந்தனைய திருவடி என் தலைமேல் வைத்தார் நல்லூர் எம்பெருமானார் நல்லவாறே……… திருநாவுக்கரசு சுவாமிகள் -“சீலத்தர் சொல்லூரடியப்பர் தூய முடி மேல்வைத்தநல்லூர் அமர்ந்த நடுநாயகமே……… திரு அருட்பாMoolavar : Sri Panchavarneswarar, Sri Kalyana Sundeswarar, Sri PeriyandeswararConsort : Sri Girisundari, Sri Parva sundari, Sri Kalyanasundari
Some of the important features of this temple are......The temple is facing east with a 5 tier Rajagopuram. Dwajasthambam, Balipeedam, Rishabam are immediately after the Rajagopuram. The material of the Lord Shiva Idol was not known. But lot of holes made by bees/ vandukal are seen. The Moolavar is of swayambhu, will change his colour to 5 times during the day, via, Thamiram, Light red, Molten gold, Navarathna green, lastly, the colour will not be able to predict. Hence Lord Shiva is called Panchavarneswarar. ( During my dharshan the colour was in golden colour). In Koshtam, Vinayagar, Dakshinamurthy, Lingothbavar, Brahma and Durgai. Stucco image of Lord Shiva and Sri Parvati’s marriage is seen at the back wall of moolavar.
In Prakaram Kashi Vinayagar, Kailaya Ganapathy, Uchishta Ganapathy, Natarajar, Somaskandar, Gananathar ( balipeedam ), Eight Shiva Lingas, Saptamatrikas, Kashi Vishwanathar, Agasthiyar, K3 Nayanmars, Musukuntha Lingam, Sri Sangukarna Lingam, Sri Sumati Lingam, Sri Varuna Lingam, Sri Vishnu Lingam, Sri Brahma Lingam, Gajalakshmi, Kalatheeswarar, Sri Kalatheeswari, Bhairavar, Shaniswarar, Suran, Chandran, Bana Lingam, Maha Lingam, Jurahareswarar, Jurahareswari, Indra Lingam, Agni Lingam, Ashtabhuja Kali and Moolavar.
This is one of the mada Koil, believed to be built by Ko Chenkat Chozhan. The sanctum sanctorum consists of sanctum, antarala and artha mandapam. The temple was under renovation and preparing for the kumbabishekam during my visit.
The 15th Century Saint Arunagirinathar has sung Hymns in praise of Lord Muruga of this temple.
சீல வெண்பொடியி டாத வெஞ்சமணர் மாள வெங்கழுவி லேறு மென்றுபொடி நீறி டுங்கமல பாணி சந்த்ரமுக கந்தவேளே தேவ ரம்பையமு தீண மங்கைதரு மான ணைந்தபுய தீர சங்கரதி யாகர் வந்துறைந லூர மர்ந்துவனர் தம்பிரானே
HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONSSince Thirugnanasambandar and Thirunavukkarasu Swamigal has sung hymns in praise of Lord Shiva, the original temple with brick structure was believed to be built by KoChengat Chozha, as a mada Koil. Latter the original brick temple was reconstructed with stone during medieval Chozha period.
The inscriptions recorded from this temple belongs to Chozha Kings Uthama Chozha, Rajaraja-I, Rajendra Chozha, Hoysala and Vijayanagaras. As per the inscriptions, this place Nallur was also called as Panchavan Mahadevi Chathurvedimangalam.
During Uthama chozha Period MaanakuRRai Veeranarayanan was appointed as Srikariyan. During Rajararajan-I period, Narayanan Ekaveeran constructed a mandapa.
Hoysala King Veera Ramanathan period, land was gifted by Agoraveeran. Vikrama Singadevan sold a land to this temple. Vanakovarayan gifted a Lamp.
During Rajarajan-III, period mentions the temple lands in order. Thathanurudayar Eesanadevar’s disciple donated madam manam by the instruction her husband. 200 Kasu was gifted for burning perpetual lamps. Farm Land and house land was gifted to Ahampadi Vinayagar. A House and 8 Coconut trees are gifted to the temple by Ahampadiyar.
One of the inscription records that there was a quarrel between two watchmen. In that one of the watchman’s son was Killed. The Other watchman was asked to donate ¾ of a perpetual lamp to this temple, in remembrance of the dead, Usually 90 Sheeps / Goats will be gifted for burning one perpetual lamp. In this case, 72 Goats / Sheep was gifted to this temple. This was received by 3 Mandradis and accepted to supply ¾ portion of ghee for ¾ perpetual lamp.
The temple is under the administrative control of Thiruvaduthurai adheenam, since 13th Century. Maha Kumbhabhishekam was conducted on 11th September 1991 and latter on 30th August 2013.
LEGENDSWhen Thirunavukkarasu Swamigal was at Sakthi mutham, Lord Shiva asked him to come to this temple. Lord Shiva gave thiruvadi Deeksha in this temple. Ie, Lord Shiva ket his foot on Appar’s head and blessed him. Thirunavukkarasu swamigal refers this Thiruvadi Deeksha in his hymns and records that this temple as South Kailash. Hence thiruvadi is kept on each devotee’s head ( Like Sadari in Perumal temples ). Sekkizhar also mentions the same in his Periya Puranam as….
நன்மைபெருகு அருள்நெறியே வந்தணைந்து நல்லூரில்மன்னுதிருத் தொண்டனார் வணங்கி மகிழ்ந்து எழும்பொழுதில்உன்னுடைய நினைப்பதனை முடிக்கின்றோம் என்று ஆவர்தம்சென்னிமிசை பாதமலர் சூட்டினான்(ர்) சிவபெருமான்
Amarneethi Nayanar, one of the 63 Nayanmar belongs to pazhayarai came to this place and settled to worship Lord Shiva. He was a merchant dealing with gold, gems and cloths etc, also an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva. He used to feed Shiva Devotees and present them with clothes. Lord Shiva, wished to show his bhakthi to this word. So Lord Shiva came in the form of a Brahmin boy on a rainy day wearing completely wet clothes. Before taking food offered by Amarneethi Nayanar, the Brahmin boy gave his wet clothes and asked him to make it to dry. The Brahmin boy went to take bath in the river. In the mean time Lord Shiva made the clothes to disappear. After taking bath the brahmin boy came and asked to give back his clothes. Amarneethi Nayanar searched and told the boy that his clothes are missing. When the nayanar offered new clothes, the boy refused to accept the same. After Amarneethi Nayanar persuaded, the boy accepted to receive gold, equivalent to the weight of his clothes. When all of his gold and wealth was offered on the balance, the weight didn’t match the weight of the boy’s clothes. Finally Amarneethi Nayanar offered himself with his wife and children. Satisfied with the devotion of Amarneethi Nayanar, Lord Shiva appeared before him and blessed.
Vayu and Adhiseshan used to fight with each other to prove themselves, who is great and strong. This time two pieces of Mount meru had fallen on the earth. They formed as Shiva Linga at this place and Avoor.
Thiruvarur moolavar was kept 3 days in the temple and worshiped before installation at Thiruvarur by Musukuntha Chakravarthy, which he got from Indra.
The moolavar valam/ circumambulation should be done in Somasundara method, since it is believed that Lord Shiva’s head and hair are at the back side of the moolavar. Hence devotees are advised not to cross the back side of moolavar, in the inner prakaram.
In another legend, Agasthiyar on the way to Pothigai hills to balance this earth on the celestial wedding day of Lord Shiva with Parvati, came to this place. He installed two Shiva Lingas on a single avudayar and worshiped. This is one of the place where Lord Shiva gave the Kalyana Kolam to the sage Agasthiyar. To Signifies this, a bas relief of Lord Shiva with Parvati’s marriage kolam is on the back of the moolavar wall.
POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONSApart from Regular Poojas, Special poojas are conducted on Thirunavukkarasar Guru Pooja, Aani Thirumanjanam in the month Aani ( June – July ), Aadi Pooram in the month Aadi ( July – Aug ), Vinayagar Chathurthi in the month Avani ( Aug – Sep ), Navarathri in the month Purattasi ( Sep – Oct ), Skanda Sashti and annabishekam in the month Aippasi ( Oct – Nov ), Thiru Karthigai in the month Karthigai ( Nov – Dec ), Thiruvathirai in the month Margazhi ( Dec – Jan ), Makara Sankranti in the month Thai ( Jan ( Feb ), Maha shivaratri in the month Masi ( Feb – March ), Panguni Uthiram in the month Panguni ( March – April ) and monthly pradoshams
TEMPLE TIMINGSThe temple will be kept opened 07.30 hrs to 12.30 hrs and 16.00 hrs to 20.00 hrs.
CONTACT DETAILS :The temple phone number +91 4374 312857 and the Mobile number of priest +91 948811 0697 and +91 9942439209 and + 91 9443668306 may be contacted for further details.
HOW TO REACH : Thirunallur is 2 km from Papanasam junction on Valangaiman road on Kumbakonam to Thanjavur.The Temple is 3.1 KM from Papanasam, 13 KM from Kumbakonam, 30 KM from Thanjavur and 303 KM from Chennai. The nearest Railway station is Papanasam and Junction is Kumbakonam.
LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE : CLICK HERE
Maha Sada Shiva Moorthy
Ucchista Ganapathy 
Stucco images of Lord Shiva's Various Forms
Stucco images of Lord Shiva's various forms
Inscriptions---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---
-“சீலத்தர்
Moolavar : Sri Panchavarneswarar, Sri Kalyana Sundeswarar,
LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE : CLICK HERE
Maha Sada Shiva Moorthy
