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.