ThiruNallur Sri Kalyanasundaresar Temple, Thanjavur

Address

ThiruNallur Sri Kalyana Sundareswarar (Panchavarneswarar) Temple, Tirunallur-614 208, Valangaiman Taluk, Kumbakonam, Thanjavur district. Phone: +91 93631 41676

Diety

Kalyanasundareswarar, Panchavarneswarar Amman: Kalyana Sundari, Giri Sundari

Introduction

Kalyanasundaresar Temple, Nallur or Thirunallur is a Hindu temple dedicated to the deity Shiva, located in Nallur, in the outskirts of Kumbakonam in Tamil Nadu, India. Shiva is worshiped as Kalyansundaresar, and is represented by the lingam. His consort Parvati is depicted as Girisundari. The presiding deity is revered in the 7th century Tamil Saiva canonical work, the Tevaram, written by Tamil saint poets known as the nayanars and classified as Paadal Petra Sthalam. The legend of the temple is associated with sage Agastya and Amaraneethi Nayanar, one of the 63 nayanars, the Tamil Saiva saints. The lingam in the temple is believed to change colours five times during the day time. Thala Virutcham : Vilwa Theertham : Sabthasakaram

Puranic Significance

During the divine Shiva-Parvathi wedding in Mount Kailash, the place went down due to the heavy weight of the presence of all the beings to have this darshan. To balance the level of the earth, Lord Shiva sent Sage Agasthya to South. The sage had to sacrifice his wish of witnessing the wedding. Lord assured him that He would grant the wedding darshan to him in this holy place. Enjoying the divine darshan here, Sage Agasthya installed a Linga right of the Sundaralingam for his worship. That Linga is behind the presiding Linga. According to scriptures, the devotee will derive equal benefits by having a bath in the tank of this temple as having one in the Mahamagam tank in Kumbakonam. Kundhidevi mother of Pandavas incurred dosha as she had children with Panchaboodhas. She approached Maharshi Naradha for a solution. Naradha suggested that she should bathe in seven oceans for relief. When Kundhi Devi pleaded her inability to do so as women, Narada suggested that she should worship Lord Kalyana Sundareswarar and he would offer the next suggestion then. Before Kundhi finished her prayers here, Narada brought the waters of the seven oceans (Saptha Sagaram) to the tank in the temple. Kundhi belonging to Magam Star bathed in the tank and was relieved of her dosha. Thus the Nallur temple tank derived equal importance as that of the Kumbakonam Mahamagam tank offering high benefits to the devotees, according to scriptures. Lord Kalayana Sundareswarar appears in five different colours each day – copper, pink, golden, emerald green and one that could not be named or recognized. Hence, is praised as Panchavarneswarar – God of five colours. Lord granted His Feet Darshan (Pada darshan) to Saint Tirunavukkarasar. Hence, the tradition of Sadari blessing as in Vaishnavite temple came into practice here too. Mother Ashtabuja Makali – Mother with eight hands blesses the devotees in the temple. Somaskanda Murthy of the temple is a replica of the one in Tiruvarur temple. During Masi Magam day in February-March, He comes in procession in the prakara. During the procession, though devotees fan Him for the heat, we may observe pearls of sweat on the idol. It is said that the Vilwa tree of the temple is the first one on earth, hence called Aadhi Tree. It would be a unique luck of those praying the Lord with the leaves of this tree. Lord Gana Natha blesses here in the form of a Balipeeta at the entrance of West Tower. It is only in this temple and in Kasinow Varanasi, Gana Natha graces in this form. A special puja is celebrated annually for Gana Natha. People of this place and those around offer the one time milk they get from their cows for abishek. But devotees cannot see this puja. Amarneedhi Nayanar one among the celebrated 63 Nayanmars was granted salvation by Lord in this temple.

Beliefs

Those born in Magam star pray here to realize their wishes. Also pregnant women pray here by conducting the bangle ceremony for safe delivery. Devotees repay their commitment by tonsuring and performing sandal abishek to Lord and Mother

Special Features

The temple is constructed in Dravidian style of architecture. It is classified as Perunkoil (also called Madakkoil), a big temple built on a higher platform of a natural or man-made mounds. Literary evidence is found in the works of Tirugnanasambandhar, who refers the temple as Madakkoil.The temple is located 10 km (6.2 mi) away from Kumbakonam, 6 km (3.7 mi) east of Thirukkarugavur and 30 km (19 mi) south of Thanjavur. The temple has a five-tiered Rajagopuram (gateway tower). The main shrines of the temple are located in an artificial hillock. The images of the presiding deity, Kalyanasundareshwar, in the form of lingam (iconic form of Shiva) in a pedestal, occupies the main sanctum. The second lingam, believed to be installed by sage Agastya is in the sanctum. The walls on the interior of the sanctum have sculptural representations of Shiva and Parvati on the west, Vishnu on the north and Brahma on the south. The shrine of Girisundari Amman, the consort of Kalyanasundareshwar, is located in the first precinct facing west. The temple also has a bronze image of Nataraja, the cosmic dance form of Shiva. Nataraja in the temple is depicted with eight hands and in a standing posture over the head of a demon. The image is considered to be one of the nine dance poses of Shiva, called Nava tandavam. The temple has sculptural and metallic images of Ganapathi (elephant god), sage Agastya and the three Shaiva saints Appar, Sambandar and Sundarar. The temple also has an image of Somaskanda (a representation of Shiva with his consort Uma, and Skanda as a child), which is considered similar to the one present in the Thyagaraja temple in Thiruvarur. The third prakaram downstairs houses a separate shrine for the Hindu god Kali. The temple has a large tank called Saptasagaram, located outside the main entrance. The temple complex is enclosed by granite walls, built around the third precinct.