THIRUTHINAI NAGAR – ABODE OF AN ANCIENT SIVA TEMPLE

ThiruthinaiNagar also called as Thirthanagiri is a beautiful agricultural village situated on the Cuddalore ---Chidambaram high way almost equidistant from both the towns.

The railway station is Alappakkam which is on the Chennai---Tiruchy main line where both Cuddalore ---Chidambaram are the nearest junctions.  The Siva temple is located amidst lush green fields fed by clean live streams.This particular shrine finds a place in the holy text SIVA RAGASYA.The place was known by several names during different YUGA.GIRUDHA YUGA& THIRUDHA YUGA ---depicted as ONGARAPURI
THUVAPARA YUGA ----known as THESAPIRATHAM
KALI YUGA -----it is GHANAPIRATHAM
In all the four YUGA the name Thiruthinainagar was also known. This place is having a link of sorts, as this LINGAM is a prototype for the other temples from KASI to KANYAKUMARI.The Lord in the form a LINGAMwhich is to have originated on its own-----SUYAMU where AUVUDAIYAR is square shaped.The LINGAMoriginated from earth &the base could not be reached-for more than 100 feet down ;probably there is a hillock in that region ,the peak / summit of which is transformed as SIVALINGAM.The history of this sacred place was told to UMA by SIVA as per scriptures of the Holy SIVARAGASYA .At that time Lord SUBRAMANIAN heard and retold the same to sage AGASTHIAR; the sage in turn compiled & documented as SIVA RAGASYA.AGASTHIAR was a SAIGIDA YOGEESWARAR who compiled nearly a lakh KIRANTHAM in to 12 ANGISHAM.(Part of which is available in the Connemara library.ThiruchendurMalaimarundhu descendant KumaraMalaimarundhu had written the same in Tamil.The Lord is variably called: 1.SIVAKOLUNDEESWARAR
  2. SIVANGURESWARAR
  3. PIRANAVA PUREESWARAR
              The Consort is known as: 1.KARUNTHATTAKANNI
  2. NEELATHALAMBIGAI
  3. PIRANAVA PUREESWARI
The sacred tree is SARAKKONDRAIThe water body four in no. namely 1.JAMBHAVA                                                                      2. GOWRI3. GARUDA (PERUMAL LAKE)4. DEVA (BAY OF BENGAL)Other stories & incidences related to this place:1. Maha VISHNU worshiped for three days; obtained a celestial power namely VAYAM& killed a demon called MURASURAN, hence VISHNU known as MURARI.2. Sage BIRUNGI who was cursed by Sage DHURWASA did penance here for 30 days & got the same corrected.3. GARUDA worshipped here & brought AMIRTHAM the holy Nector which he gave to his mother.4.  Sage JAMBAVAN who during the period of Lord RAMA along with the entire clan,came here after the war& subsequent anointment of RAM as king as  holy bear .5. Bengal King VISUBANIRUBAN was purified of his Brhamhathi curse6. His son King VEERASENAMAHA renovated & added additional structures; he stayed here for three years.        The original temple built by Bengal kings had three corridors with walls & four towers; they were destroyed by invaders during Arcot wars. (Some of the broken icons are seen even today).During the war the bronze sculptures were kept hidden in the various water bodies & retrieved later.King Verasena during his campaign noticed a strange happening. His horse & dog who had certain skin disorder got cured on bathing in the water bodies around. The realized that water & the Deities in the temple possess curative power.The king himself was suffering from Leckoderma& the same was corrected in the similar way like his animals. The king as a tribute renovated the temple complex & enhanced the water bodies.The figurine of King VEERASENA is kept along with the Four SaivaSivachariarsviz.SUNDARAR,APPAR,MANIKKAVASAGAR&THIRUGANASAMBANDARin the left of the main shrine.REASON FOR THE NAME THIRUTHINAI NAGARThe story goes like this: A farmer who was an ardent SIVA devotee who used to feed all the followers Lord SIVA. In the bargain he became poor but still he continued to feed at least one devotee every day before he & his wife eats. Since he lost the property he himself started tending the fields. One day at the field The Lord came in the guise of an ascetic (SANGAMA ROOPA) and asked for food immediately as HE cannot tolerate hunger. The farmer gave some of the seeds in hand & said to eat that till he brings food from home. The ascetic took shelter from scorching sun under a tree. (The same tree is alive till date & can be seen at a corner of the temple) At home there is nothing as well. But his intelligent wife took some of the grains indented to be used as seed & cooked .When the farmer reached the fields to his surprise the entire field was covered by fully grown ripe plants with grains. The plants were appearing like paying obeisance to the Lord; there was happiness everywhere.The farmer & his wife understood that the SIVA Himself had descended as in the place where the farmer was sitting a SHIVLING existed. As on the same day the entire process of farming was executed including obtaining the grains the village came to be known as THIRUTHINAI NAGAR.Latter the entire family of the farmer attained the abode of Lord SIVA.  About the temple:The main gopuram is three tiered.The mast / postis covered fully with engraved copper plates. THE TEMPLE HAS NANDHI & PALI PEETAMDuring the Tamil month of PUNGUNI Sun rays fall on the deity probably getting reflected from the NANDHI on 25, 26& 27(this approximately correspond to April second week beginning. The shrine of the Goddess is located on the left of the mast as one enters the temple. The temple also has separate shrine for Lord GANESA, Lord SUBRAMANIAN& a platform with NAVAKRAHAS. The information was provided by Mr.Manikandan, the priest of the temple.The temple is being maintained very well by him. The author also wishes to acknowledge the guidance of Mr. Yoga Siva; Computer work by P.Ranganathan.

THE UNIQUE BEAUTY OF THE TEMPLE

TEMPLE ENTRANCE

TEMPLE ENTRANCE

TEMPLE ENTRANCE

TEMPLE ENTRANCE

TEMPLE ENTRANCE

Raja Gopuram--the main three tiered tower at the entrance.  The tower traditionally never had any sculptures; but during the last renovation two figurines on standing postures had been incorporated. The main mast is fully covered with copper plates which contains engraved sculptures.

Base of the mast covered with copper plates. The base is in the form of a multi pettaled lotus in an inverted form. The sculpture is Mahalinga form of Lord SHIVA.

The Lord Shiva with His consort UMA on the celestial bull NANDHI.

To note the hands of the Lord around the waist.

The Lord Shiva with His consort UMA on the celestial bull NANDHI.To note the hands of the Lord around the waist.