Sathanur Airavatheswarar Temple, Thanjavur

Address

Sathanur Airavatheswarar Temple, Thanjavur

Sathanur, Thiruvidaimarudur Taluk,

Thanjavur District,

Tamil Nadu– 612 101

Moolavar

Airavatheswarar

Amman

Soundaranayaki.

Introduction

The Airavatheswarar Temple in Sathanur Village, near Aduthurai Town, Tamil Nadu, is dedicated to Lord Shiva. This temple has a significant historical and spiritual background.

Historical and Geographical Significance:

The Airavatheswarar Temple is located in Sathanur Village, near Aduthurai Town, in the Thiruvidaimarudur Taluk of Thanjavur District, Tamil Nadu.
Sathanur is known to be the Avathara Sthalam (birthplace) of Siddhar Thirumoolar, one of the renowned 18 Tamil Siddhars and the author of Thirumandiram.
The temple is situated on the southern bank of the Veera Cholan River.

Puranic Significance – Thirumoolar:

Siddhar Thirumoolar, originally known as Sundaranathar, was a Tamil Shaivite mystic, writer, and one of the 18 Siddhars.
He was a Yogi who traveled to Mount Kailasha and was initiated directly by Nandi, the chief attendant of Lord Shiva.
After acquiring spiritual knowledge, Thirumoolar was instructed to travel south. He journeyed to meet his contemporary sage friend Agasthya in the Podhigai Hills.
During his travels, Thirumoolar reached the Kaveri delta, had darshan at Thiruvavaduthurai, and then walked near Sathanur village.
There, he witnessed a group of cows mourning the death of their cowherd, Moolan. With compassion, Thirumoolar used his spiritual powers to separate his physical body from his life and kept it hidden in a bush.
He entered the lifeless body of Moolan, a process known as “Koodu Vittu Koodu Payudal” or “Parakaya Pravesam,” to bring Moolan back to life.
The village of Sathanur recognized Thirumoolar’s divine power when he demonstrated his ability to enter a dead goat’s body and then return to Moolan’s body.
Thirumoolar later meditated under a peepul tree in Thiruvavaduthurai, where he received divine knowledge and composed the Thirumandiram, a collection of over 3,000 sacred hymns in Tamil.

Puranic Significance – Sathanur:

Sathanur was a significant village in ancient times, and what is now Thiruvavaduthurai was a part of it.
Over time, Thiruvavaduthurai grew in importance, while Sathanur faded into obscurity.

Special Features of the Temple:

The Airavatheswarar Temple is believed to be more than 1,800 years old and is located on the outskirts of the village.
The presiding deity is Airavatheswarar, and the goddess is Soundaranayaki.
The original temple had been lost over time, but the lingam remained. In recent years, a new temple was constructed to house the ancient lingam, which is now located in a place called Linga Thidal.

Pilgrimage Significance:

This temple is of great historical, spiritual, and cultural importance due to its connection with Thirumoolar, the author of Thirumandiram, and his remarkable divine experiences and contributions.

Festivals: