Woraiyur Thanthodreeswarar Temple, Trichy

Address

Salai Road, Tennur,

Sakthi Mariamman Nagar,

Woraiyur, Tiruchirappalli,

Tamil Nadu 620003

Moolavar

Thanthodreeswarar

Amman

Kumkumavalli

Introduction

The Thanthoneeswarar Temple, also known as Thanthonrisvaram, is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is located in Woraiyur, a suburb of Tiruchirapalli in Tamil Nadu, India. This ancient temple was originally built by the Pandya ruler Varaguna Pandiyan II during the 9th century. It has inscriptions dating back to 885 AD during the rule of the Cholas. The temple is maintained and administered by hereditary trustees, and it hosts four daily rituals from 5:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., alongside three major yearly festivals.

Puranic Significance

Thanthoneeswarar derives its name from the Tamil word “Thanthondri”, meaning “the one who formed on his own.” According to legend, Queen Kanthimathi, the wife of a Chola king, was an ardent devotee of Shiva and worshipped at the Thayumanavar Swamy Temple. When she was pregnant, she could not climb the hill to visit the temple. Pleased by her devotion, Lord Shiva is said to have appeared to her in the form of a lingam (an iconic representation of Shiva) at the current location of the temple, blessing her with a safe and successful delivery.
The temple’s history dates back to the 9th century, when it was built by Varaguna Pandiyan II. The Chola inscriptions mention donations made by Ananthan Chandramadhiyar during the rule of Parantaka I (around 911 AD), highlighting the significance of the temple and its connection to the Kodumbalur clan.
The inscriptions also describe gifts such as golden jewelry to the temple, which was used to maintain the temple tank and keep the temple illuminated with perpetual lighting. These inscriptions can also be found in several other temples in the Trichy region, marking the Chola clan’s influence.

Special Features

Thanthoneeswarar Temple has a single prakaram (outer courtyard) and a two-tiered vimana (tower over the sanctum). The central shrine faces east and houses the lingam of Thanthoneeswarar, which is made of granite.
The temple hall leading to the sanctum contains granite images of important deities, including:
- Ganesha (son of Shiva and god of wisdom),
- Murugan (son of Shiva and god of war),
- Nandi (the bull and vehicle of Shiva),
- Navagraha (the nine planetary deities).
As in other South Indian Shiva temples, the walls surrounding the sanctum depict:
- Dakshinamurthy (Shiva as the Teacher),
- Durga (warrior-goddess),
- Chandikeswarar (a saint and devotee of Shiva).
Kunkumavalli, the consort of Thanthoneeswarar, has her shrine facing north and is depicted holding Ankusam (a weapon) and a lotus in her hands.
The temple’s granite walls still carry the original inscriptions, though the surrounding structure is of more recent origin. Unlike many other South Indian temples, the Thanthoneeswarar Temple does not have a traditional Gopuram (ornamental temple tower), which is typical of the early medieval Chola temples.

Festivals

The temple celebrates several important festivals, with the most prominent being the Valaigappu Festival held during the Tamil month of Thai (January–February). This festival is associated with the legend of Shiva’s divine intervention to assist Queen Kanthimathi during her pregnancy. The Valaigappu festival is a traditional celebration of blessings for expectant mothers, and it is one of the temple’s major yearly events.