Tiruchaikadu Sri Sayavanam Chayavaneswarar Temple, Nagapattinam

Address

Tiruchaikadu Sri Sayavanam Chayavaneswarar Temple, Chaayavanam, Kaviripoompattinam Post Sirkazhi Taluk,Nagapattinam District.,PIN 609105 PH:04364-260151

Diety

Chaayaavaneswarar, Amman: Kuyilinum Inia Mozhiyal

Introduction

Sayavanam Chayavaneswarar Temple is a Hindu temple located at Sayavanam in Nagapattinam district of Tamilnadu, India. The historical name of the place is Tiru Chaikadu. The presiding deity is Shiva. He is called as Chaya Vaneswarar. His consort is known as Kuyilinum Inia Mozhiyal. It is one of the shrines of the 276 Paadal Petra Sthalams – Shiva Sthalams glorified in the early medieval Tevaram poems by Tamil Saivite Nayanars Sambandar and Tirunavukkarasar. This is the 63rd Devaram Paadal Petra Shiva Sthalam and 9th Sthalam on the north side of river Cauvery. The temple dates from the time of the Medieval Cholas. The temple in this Sthalam is one among the six temples which are compared as equivalent to the temple in Varanasi. The other 5 Shivasthalams areDevaram Paadal Petra Shiva Sthalam and 9th Sthalam on the north side of river Cauvery. Thiruvenkadu, Mayiladuthurai, Tiruvaiyaru, Tiruvidaimarudur and Tiruvanchiam. This temple is one of the Maadakovil built by Kochengat Chozhan. Chai means Korai in Tamil. The place was full of these type of grass, and hence the name Chayavanam / Chaikadu Thala Virutcham : Korai Theertham : Iravadham, Cauvery and confluence of springs

Puranic Significance

Chola King Kotchengannan built many Shiva temples, majority of them are of Mada style. Mada temples are the ones in which an elephant cannot enter. This is also a Mada temple. Iyarpagai Nayanar, one among the 63 nayanars was born and attained salvation in this place. His wife was equally a Shiva devotee. To prove the highest standard of his Bhakti, Lord Shiva came to his house as a devotee and demanded his wife to be presented to him. Nayanar had no hesitation and offered her instantaneously. Wife did not object. Nayanar asked the devotee what he should do next. The guest devotee said that Nayanar should accompany him with his wife as an escort as the people of the place and his relatives could attack them. Nayanar agreed and escorted them with a long sword till the border of the place. Nayanar resisted the opposition of the people and took the guest Shiva devotee safely till the border. He was asked to return then. All of a sudden, the devotee disappeared. Lord Shiva with Mother Uma appeared and said that the play was staged to prove Nayanar’s Shiva Bhakthi, blessed him with all longevity and promised salvation to him. Lord Muruga in the temple blesses devotees with a bow in hand promising them all protection. It is said that this Muruga idol was found from the sea. He is wearing an ankeletVeerakandara Mani-as powerful as the Vel gifted by Mother Parvathi. Those facing troubles from enemies worship Muruga in this temple.The legend is that Athithi, mother of Indran, had a desire to come to earth and worship Lord Chayavaneswarar. She came to this place and worshiped the lord. When Indran came to know that his mother was so enamoured by this place, he decided to take this temple to his place where his mother could worship the lord every day. He tried pulling the temple using his white elephant Iraavadham. However, even Iraavadham’s enormous strength could not move it. At this point it is believed that Lord Shiva appeared before Indran and asked him to drop this idea and ask his mother to perform her worship here itself. The scar due to the lingam being tied to the elephant can still be seen on the lingam. Lord Shiva’s shrine in this temple also looks like a chariot. When the elephant was about to pull the temple, its tusk hit the earth. A pond was created there that is now known as “Iraavada Theertham”.

Beliefs

Devotees perform abishek to Lord and Mother and offer vastras

Special Features

The temple of Champagi Amman, guardian deity of Poompuhar is nearby the temple. The tank is on the south side. In the place of Kodimaram the flag post, Lord Vinayaka is in the place. As this is a Mada type temple, Nandhi is on a higher level. There are shrines of Sun, Indira, Iyarpagai Nayanar with his wife in the outer prakara. There is also a shrine for the three saivite saints. The devotee, while circumambulating theprakara can also have the darshan of Lords Vinayaka, Muruga and Kala Bhairava on a higher level and Mother Gajalakshmi and Navagrahas. In the end, they reach bats mandap through steps and the Palli Arai and Ambica shrine.

Festivals

21 day Indira Vizha beginning from Chithira Poornima-full moon day in April-May; Thanneer Pandal – offering buttermilk and water to pilgrims in the name of devotee Iyarpagai Nayanar during April-June covering Tamil months Chithirai and Vaikasi in summer to quench their thirst; public feeding on Aadi new moon day in July-August; Saint Kumara Guruparar Guru Puja in MayJune, 5 day Margazhi Iyarpagai Nayanar festival in DecemberJanuary with Lord’s darshan on the fourth day, are the festivals celebrated in the temple.