Sri Nellaiyappar (Chepparai Natarajar) Temple, Thirunelveli

Address

Chepparai, Thirunelveli District,

Tamil Nadu – 627359

Phone: +91 – 4622 – 339 910

Moolavar

Nellaiyappar (Chepparai Natarajar)

Introduction

Chepparai Natarajar Temple is dedicated to God Shiva located at Rajavallipuram near Thirunelveli Town in Thirunelveli District of Tamilnadu. It is also called as Azhagiya Kootthar and Sivagami Ambal Temple. It is situated on the banks of Tamirabarani River. Locals also refer to it as Chepparai. It is one of Pancha Natarajar Sthalams. The sthapathy who created the Chidambaram Nataraja moorthy is said to have created five Moorthies. Apart from Chidambaram, the other four moorthies are present in the following temples around Thirunelveli: Kari Soozhntha Mangalam, Kattarimangalam, Mela Karuvelankulam and Chepparai. This temple is just 1000-2000 years old in this region. The Temple is located at about 14 Kms from Thirunelveli. The Temple is very famous for Arudra Dharshan. It has the equal history of Chidambaram. That is why this place is also called as “South Chidambaram” or “South Thillai”. It is unbelievable that, the first Copper Statue which has been prepared for Chidambaram Temple is in “Chepparai” Temple only. The idol in the temple is considered the first Nataraja statue of the world.

Puranic Significance

Chepparai Natarajar:

There was a king by name Singavarman who ruled “Uthiradhesam”. Singavarman was tyrant ruler and his people suffered a lot. Later he changed to be a good hearted man and decided to go to forest for doing meditation (Thavam). He saw the sages Pathanjali Munivar and Vyakarapadhar. Lord Shiva gave them darshan and the King also had witnessed it. The sages asked the kind to build Lord Nataraja temple in Chidambaram. The King asked the Sculptors to make a Natarajar statue made of Copper and they created a beautiful Nataraja statue. The statue in copper metal itself was so captivating that the king wondered how beautiful it will be to make similar statue of Natarajar in Gold. The King ordered the head sculptor Namasivaya Muthu to create Natarajar statue in Gold. The statue was made in Gold but seems every night Lord Shiva would drop a copper coin over it secretly to change the golden statue in to copper statue. The king was shocked to see this and ordered to keep the head sculptors in the fort Jail. The sculptor pleaded the King to prove his innocence but in vain. That night Lord Shiva as Natarajar appeared in Dream to the king and said “I don’t wish to be in Gold, I wish to be in Copper”. So the King released the sculptor. Lord Shiva also asked the King to do this. The copper Nataraja must be carried by the sculptor – Namasivaya. The place where the copper statue weighs too much that they can’t proceed further, that will become the residence of the Copper Nataraja and the Temple must be built there. Thus when the sculptor Namasivaya came towards south, carrying the Nataraja statue over his head on the banks of river Thamirabarani, it weighed so much that he could not move ahead. So the statue was placed there. Copper in Tamil is “Cheppu”. Hence the lord got the name “Chepparai Natarajar”. Veerapandian, a chieftain under king Ramapandian happened to see a Nataraja idol in Chepparai. Ramapandian built the temple there and installed Nellaiyappar with Mother Gandhimadhi and also built a shrine for Lord Nataraja, the Cosmic Dancer. He told a sculptor that he wanted two such idols closely similar to Chepparai Nataraja. After completion, Veerapandian installed one in Kattarimangalam temple and the other at Karisuzhndhamangalam. He was too happy to see the beauty of the idols.

Kattarimangalam & Karisuzhndha Mangalam Natarajar:

Veerapandian, a chieftain under king Ramapandian happened to see a Nataraja idol in Chepparai. He told a sculptor that he wanted two such idols closely similar to Chepparai Nataraja. After completion, Veerapandian installed one in Kattarimangalam temple and the other at Karisuzhndha Mangalam. He was too happy to see the beauty of the idols. The king thought that no one should have such beautiful Nataraja idol and called his men and ordered them to kill the sculptor so that he could not make idols further. The merciful men spared the sculptor after cutting off his hands. The chief king Ramapandian, on hearing this gruesome act ordered cutting off the hands of Veerapandian. These too went to Kattarimangalam and Karisuzhunthamanagalam. The Sthapathysculptor was treated with an artificial hand. The art-hungry sculptor established his skill by making the third idol too with his wooden hand. It was a wonderful idol than the earlier two. The excited sculptor touched hard the cheeks of the idol and this has that scar. This was installed in Karuvelankulam.

Beliefs

Devotees pray for child boon, excellence in academic pursuits and for removal of obstacles in marriage alliances. Devotees perform abishek to Lord and Mother with vastras

Special Features

The primary deity of this temple is Nellaiyappar (Lord Shiva) and his consort is Gandhimadhi. The festive deity is Natarajar. The holy tree of this temple is Vilwa. The holy water of this temple is nearby stream water. The Agamam or pooja of this temple is called as Kameekam. The idol in the temple is considered the first Nataraja statue of the world. It is said that four Nataraja idols were designed closely similar to that of the idol in Chidambaram. These are in Chepparai, Karisuzhunthamanagalam and Karuvelankulam in Thirunelveli district and Kattarimangalam in Tuticorin district. Kumbabishekam was conducted on January 2007.

Festivals

Aani Therottam, Margazhi Thiruvadirai and Maha Shivaratri in February-March are grandly celebrated in the temple. Arudhra Darshan is observed in the Tamil month of Margazhi (December – January) on Thiruvathirai Nakshatram. It is essentially a Saivite festival and celebrates the cosmic dance of Lord Shiva, which is represented by the Nataraja form. Arudhra signifies the golden red flame and Shiva performs in the form this red-flamed light.

References

https://tamilnadu-favtourism.blogspot.com/2017/03/chepparai-natarajar-temple-thirunelveli.html