Tiruvennainallur Sri Thaduthu Aatkondanathar Temple, Villupuram

Address

Tiruvennainallur Sri Thaduthu Aatkondanathar Temple, Tiruvennainallur,Tirukkovilur Taluk,Villupuram District,PIN 607203

Diety

Sri Krupapureeswarar, Sri Aruturainathar, Sri Thaduthatkonda Nathar ,Amman: Sri Mangalambigai, Sri V

Introduction

Kripapureeswarar Temple (also called Arutkondanathar or Thiruvennainallur temple) in Thiruvennainallur, a panchayat town in Villupuram district in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, is dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva. The presiding deity is revered in the 7th century Tamil Saiva canonical work, the Tevaram, written by Tamil saint poets known as the Nayanmars and classified as Paadal Petra Sthalam. The temple is closely associated with Sundarar, the saivite saint of the 8th century, who started composing his Tirumurai starting with “Pitha Piraisudi” verse in this temple. Constructed in the Dravidian style of architecture, the present structure of the temple is believed to have been built during the Cholas period in the 10th century. The temple has received gracious endowments from the Chola queen Sembiyan Mahadevi. Shiva is worshipped as Kripapureeswarar and his consort Parvathi as Mangalambigai. A granite wall surrounds the temple, enclosing all its shrines. The temple has a five-tiered rajagopuram, the gateway tower.

Puranic Significance

As per Hindu legend, the sages in Tharukavanam were very proud of their achievements and started doing a penance to destroy Shiva. Shiva absorbed all the evils from the penance and realising their mistake, the sages started their worship to Shiva. Shiva blessed them with their wishes and came to be known as Krupapureeswarar, the “God who would bestow wishes of the devotees. As per another legend, Sundarar, the famous Saivite saint and Nayanmar, was stopped by an old man from marrying at Thirukovilur. He showed a document indicating Sundarar was indebted to the old man for serving him for a lifetime. Sundarar called him Pitha, a lunatic. The village elders after analysing the document, asked Sundarar to follow the old man. Sundarar followed the old mand and served him in his household. It was later revealed to him that Shiva appeared as the old man to test his servitude. Sundarar felt guilty of accusing Shiva, but Shiva revealed to him in a divine voice that he enjoyed the verse and requested him to sing verses starting with “Pitha”. Sundarar started singing his Tirumurai with “Pitha Piraisudi” verse in this temple and later would go on to become one of the four most venerated saints of Saiva literature.

Special Features

The exact year of building could not be ascertained from the inscriptions, but the inscriptions found in the Visalur temple indicate benevolent gifts to the temple from Raja Raja Chola I (984-1015 CE) and his successors. Based on the inscriptions, researchers point out that the temple had gardens, which were supposed to have both floral plants and fruit bearing treesThe temple has received gracious endowments from the Chola queen Sembiyan Mahadevi and is believed to have established various sculptures. Kripapureeswar temple is located in Thiruvennainallur, a village located 19 km (12 mi) from Villupuram on the Panruti- Thirukovilur road.[8] The temple has a seven-tiered rajagopuram, the gateway tower that pierces the rectangular wall that houses all the shrines. The sanctum houses the image of Kripapureeswarar in the form of Lingam, an iconic form of Shiva. There is an Ardha Mandap and a Mukha mandap, pillared halls leading to the sanctum. The first precinct has the images of Vinayakar, Murugan, Durga, Dakshinamurthy and Chandikeswara. The hall where the case was fought between the old man and Sundarar is believed to be the Panchyat Mandap located on the right side of the entrance.

Festivals

The temple is open from 6am – 11 am and 4-8:00 pm on all days except during festival days when it is open the full day. Four daily rituals and many yearly festivals are held at the temple, of which the Aadi star day celebrated during the Tamil month of Aaadi (June – July) for Sundarar and Panguni Uthiram festival during Panguni (March – April) with a float festival being the most prominent.