Saendha Poomangalam Sri Kailasanathar (Sukran) Temple (Nava Kailasam), Thirunelveli

Address

Saendha Poomangalam Sri Kailasanathar (Sukran) Temple (Nava Kailasam), Thirunelveli district. Ph.No: 91- 99420 62825, 98422 63681

Diety

Kailasanathar Amman: Azhagia Ponnamm

Introduction

Kailasanathar Temple is located in Serndhapoomangalam in Thoothukudi District of Tamilnadu. It is one of the Nava Kailasam Temples and is dedicated to Lord Shiva. This temple is associated with Shukra, among the Navagrahas. The shrine is around 53 km from Thoothukudi Town – 3 km ahead of Attur. This is the ninth among the nine Nava Kailasam temples. The shrine is located on the banks of Thamiraparani River.The ancient temple to Kailasanathar at Serndhapoomangalam, near Keezhaatur, was one of the most beautiful Temple in the Nava Kailasam circuit. The Navagrahas here were represented as Lingams. As in many of the temples here, the outer corridor had figures of the Saptamatrikas as well as the Nayanmars in stone. This temple is supposed to be the last one in the Nava Kailasam circuit, where the ninth flower given by Sage Agasthya washed up. The name of the village, Sernda-poo-mangalam, literally means “the place where the flowers were finally collected”. Here, the Lord is considered to represent Shukran, or Venus. Of the Nava Kailash Shiva temples, this belongs to Shukra – Venus Planet.

Puranic Significance

During the Shiva – Parvathi wedding in Mount Kailash, due to the huge gathering of sages to attend the divine event, north went down in level and south rose up equally. To balance the earth level, Sage Agasthya came to south. His first disciple, Sage Romasa had a desire to install Shivalingas in this place. As suggested by his Guru Agasthya, he let nine lotus flowers flow in Tamirabarani & installed Shivalingas at each place when a flower touched the bank. The last & the ninth flower reached this place –Serndhapoomangalam.

Beliefs

People pray Kubera in the temple seeking prosperity boon. Devotees offer white vastras to planet Shukra-Venus in the Navagraha Mandap with rice prepared with a pulse called Mochai in Tamil and curd rice as nivedhana. They offer white lotus flowers also.

Special Features

The temple has two entrances. There are shrines for Kanni Vinayagar, Chokkanathar, Bhairava, Meenakshi, planets Sun, Moon and Sani Bhagwan. Lord Muruga is on his peacock vahanam turning right. The temple might have been built either by Kulasekhara Pandya or Maravarman Sundara Pandian I as there are separate shrines for Madurai Chokkanathar and Meenakshi Amman in this temple. The idol of Kubera on an elephant is sculpted on the Vimana above the sanctum sanctorum with his two consorts – Sanganidhi and Padmanidhi. This is the only temple with Kubera the Lord of Wealth in this posture. Lord Kailasa Nathar graces from the sanctum sanctorum with Shukra-Venus characteristics. Mother Azhagiya Ponnammai is facing south. Devotees believe that worshipping Kubera would bring them prosperity. Papanasam is the first of the Nava Kailasham Temples. Tamirabarani River begins its flow from the Pothigai hills here and confluences with Punnaikayal Sea face in this place. On the new moon days in the months of Aadi and Thai – July – August and January-February respectively, special pujas are dedicated to Lord Kailasanathar.

Festivals

New Moon days in the month of Aadi – July – August and Thai-January February; monthly Pradoshams and Maha Shivrathri in February-March are the days of special pujas and festivals in the temple.