Nangur Nalayiram Pillaiyar Temple, Mayiladuthurai

Address

Nangur Nalayiram Pillaiyar Temple, Mayiladuthurai

 Nangur, Sirkazhi Taluk, Mayiladuthurai District

Tamil Nadu 609 106

Phone: +91 435 243 064

Mobile: +91 94434 88925 / 94880 03673

Moolavar

Nalayiram Pillaiyar

Introduction

                     Nalayiram Pillaiyar Temple is dedicated to Lord Vinayaga located in Nangur Village near Sirkazhi Town in Sirkazhi Taluk in Mayiladuthurai District of Tamil Nadu.The temple is situated on the banks of Manikarnigai River.

Puranic Significance 

Vali’s Story

1. Mighty King of Kishkinda: Vali, husband of Tara and brother of Sugriva, ruled the Vanaras and was blessed with immense strength due to a boon from Lord Brahma.
2. Invincibility: He could absorb half the strength of his opponent, making him nearly undefeatable, with power equivalent to 75 million elephants.
3. Battle with Mayavi: A demon named Mayavi challenged Vali and fled into a cave. Vali followed, instructing Sugriva to wait outside.
4. Misunderstanding with Sugriva: Hearing demonic screams and seeing blood flow, Sugriva thought Vali was dead and sealed the cave, returning to Kishkinda as king.
5. Vali’s Return: Vali emerged victorious, assumed Sugriva had betrayed him, and exiled him. He also took Sugriva’s wife, Ruma, as his own.

Sugriva and Rama

6. Sugriva’s Refuge: Exiled, Sugriva sought shelter on Rishyamukha Mountain, a place Vali couldn’t enter due to Sage Matanga’s curse.
7. Alliance with Rama: Sugriva befriended Lord Rama, who promised to kill Vali and reinstate Sugriva as king in exchange for help in rescuing Sita.

Vali’s Death

8. Challenge and Battle: Sugriva challenged Vali to a fight. Initially, Rama couldn’t distinguish between the brothers until Hanuman placed a garland on Sugriva.
9. Rama’s Action: Rama killed Vali with an arrow, restoring Sugriva as king and making Vali’s son Angada the crown prince.
10. Vali’s Question: Before dying, Vali questioned Rama’s ethics. Rama justified his actions as necessary to uphold dharma.

Rama’s Penance

11. Incurring Dosha: Killing Vali, who had not harmed him directly, brought Rama dosha (sin).
12. Penance at Nangur: Rama crafted an idol of Vinayaka from the Manikarnigai River’s sand and performed pooja to seek absolution.
13. Yagna with Priests: A divine voice instructed Rama to perform a yagna with 4000 Vedic priests. When one priest didn’t arrive, Lord Vinayaka appeared disguised as the missing priest.
14. Titles of Vinayaka: Vinayaka was named “Nalayirathil Oruvar” (One Among 4000) in Tamil and “Chathur Sahasra Ganapathy” in Sanskrit. This name later evolved to “Nalayiram Pillaiyar.”

Special Features:

1. Vali’s Power and Boon
   • Vali, king of Kishkinda, was blessed by Lord Brahma with the ability to absorb half the strength of his opponent during a fight.
   • He was as powerful as 75 million elephants, making him nearly invincible.
   • He defeated several mighty warriors, including Ravana, demonstrating his unparalleled strength.
2. Battle with Mayavi
   • Vali chased a demon named Mayavi into a cave.
   • Sugriva mistakenly thought Vali was dead when he heard demonic cries and saw blood flowing from the cave.
   • Sugriva sealed the cave and returned to Kishkinda, assuming kingship.
3. Vali’s Misunderstanding with Sugriva
   • Vali returned after killing Mayavi and misunderstood Sugriva’s actions as betrayal.
   • Despite Sugriva’s explanation, Vali exiled him, took Sugriva’s wife Ruma, and declared enmity.
4. Alliance with Lord Rama
   • Sugriva, exiled to Rishyamukha Mountain (protected by Sage Matanga’s curse on Vali), met Lord Rama.
   • Rama promised to kill Vali and reinstate Sugriva as king in exchange for help in rescuing Sita.
5. Vali’s Death
   • Sugriva challenged Vali to a fight while Rama observed.
   • To distinguish between the brothers, Hanuman placed a garland on Sugriva.
   • Rama shot an arrow and killed Vali, justifying his action as a duty to uphold dharma.
6. Sugriva’s Restoration
   • Sugriva became king of Kishkinda and reclaimed Ruma as his wife.
   • Tara, Vali’s wife, became Sugriva’s queen, and her son Angada was made the crown prince.
7. Rama’s Dosha and Penance
   • Killing Vali caused Lord Rama to incur dosha (sin).
   • Rama traveled to Nangur and crafted an idol of Vinayaga from the Manikarnigai River’s sand to perform penance.
8. Yagna and Vinayaga’s Role
   • Rama conducted a yagna with 4000 Vedic priests. However, one priest was missing.
   • Lord Vinayaga appeared as the missing priest to complete the yagna.
   • Vinayaga was named Nalayirathil Oruvar (One Among 4000 in Tamil) and Chathur Sahasra Ganapathy (Sanskrit).
9. Transformation of the Name
   • Over time, the title evolved into Nalayiram Pillaiyar, reflecting Lord Vinayaga’s divine intervention during the yagna.

Festivals

Vinayagar Chathurthi is celebrated with much fanfare during the Tamil month of Aavani (Aug-Sep). During the Ekadasa Rishabaruda festival in Rohini star day in the Tamil month of Vaikasi (May-Jun), Lord Nalayiram Pillaiyar grants darshan to the devotees along with the Lords of the Ekadasa Rudra Kshetrams of Nangur.

References

https://tamilnadu-favtourism.blogspot.com/2017/01/naalayiram-pillayar-temple-thirunangur.html

Century/Period

1000 Years Old

Nearest Bus Station

Nangur

Nearest Railway Station

Sirkazhi

Nearest Airport

Trichy

Location on Map

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