Visited on: February 11, 2017.
Location
Thiru Nanipalli (Punjai) is situated at a distance of about 5 kms from Sembonar Koil on the Mayiladuthurai to Thirukadaiyur route. From Mayiladuthurai it is about 13 kms.
Other Devara Paadal Petra Shiva Sthalams near this temple are – Thiruppallavaneecharam (Poompuhar), Thiruchaikkadu, Thiruvenkadu, Kezhai Thirukkattuppalli, Thirukkalikkamur (Annappan Pettai), Pariyal Veerattam, Thiruchempon Palli, Thiru Valampuram, Thiru Kadaimudi (Keezhur), Thiru Nintriyur, Thalaichangadu, Aakkur, Thirukkadaiyur and Thirukkadaiyur Mayanam.
General Information
- Moolavar
- Sri Natrunaiappar, Sri Swarnapureeswarar
- Ambal
- Sri Parvatharaja Puthiri, Sri Swarnambikai,
Sri Malayan Madanthai - Theertham (Holy water)
- Swarna Theertham
- Sthala Vriksham (Sacred Tree)
- Shenbagam, Pinnai
- Pathigam (Hymn) rendered by
- Saint Thirugnanasambanthar-1,
Saint Thirunavukarasar (Appar)-1, and
Saint Sundaramurthy (Sundarar)-1
- This is one of the 276 Devara Paadal Petra Shiva Sthalams and 43rd Shiva Sthalam on the Southern bank of the river Cauveri in Chozha Nadu (Thenkarai).
- Lord Shiva in this temple is a Swayambumurthi (self-manifested).
- This is one of the 44 Paadal petra sthalams where the “Moovar” (the three saints - Saint Thirugnanasambanthar, Saint Thirunavukarasar (Appar) and Saint Sundaramurthy (Sundarar) had rendered their Pathigams.
- This is the birth place of Bhagavathi Ammaiyar, mother of Saint Thirugnanasambanthar.
- This east facing temple has a single corridor and its main tower does not have any tiers. In place of the Gopuram, there are beautiful sculptures depicting the “Panchamurthy” (Lord Shiva, Goddess Parvathy, Vinayakar, Murugan and Chandikeswarar).
- The last consecration ceremony (Maha Kumbabishekam) took place on 14.09.1970.
History of the Temple
This temple is believed to have been built by Chola King Paranthagan-I. There are 18 stone inscriptions in this temple, out of which 17 are related to the Chola periods (kings Kulothungan, Rajarajan, Rajendran and Vikraman) and one is from Vijayanagara (Krishna Devarayar) period.
This place’s name “Nani Palli” might have been derived from the name of the person Nanni, who had originally built this temple. (‘Palli” means temple in Tamil).
This temple is under the administrative control of the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department of Government of Tamil Nadu (HR&CE).
Legend
Lord Shiva here is praised as “Sri Natrunaiappar”. This can be translated as “the lord who guides us to a better life”.
According to legend, once Lord Vinayakar had to incur a curse from Sage Agasthiyar. This was because Vinayakar had taken the form of a crow and toppled Sage Agasthiyar’s Kamandalam (hand bowl). As a result of the curse, Vinayakar was unable to regain his original form. To seek relief, Vinayakar (still in the form of a crow) visited this temple, took a dip in this temple’s holy tank and worshiped the lord. When the crow emerged from the tank, its colour had changed to gold. Hence this place gets the name “Pon Sei” (“Pon” means gold and “Sei” means changed in Tamil). This was later changed to Punchai.
Another legend associated with this temple is that of Saint Thirugnanasambanthar. This village is the birth place of his mother, Bhagavathi Ammaiyar. On hearing that Sambanthar had started rendering pathigams praising Lord Shiva and had been blessed with golden plates by the lord, the people of this village wanted him to come here. Being a small child at that time, Sambanthar could not walk for long distances. His father carried him on his shoulders. When Saint Sambanthar reached this village, he sang his Pathigam while seated on the shoulders of his father, Sri Sivapatha Hrudhayar. To the delight of the villagers, the barren lands around this village were turned into fertile, cultivable land by the power of his pathigam. Another reason why this place is called “Ponsei” is that these lands started yielding a lot of food grains. Pon sei can also be interpreted as “golden land”. At the end of his pathigam, Sambanthar mentioned that he was sitting on his father’s shoulders while performing this rendition.
It is also believed that Sage Agasthiyar was blessed with Lord Shiva’s wedding darshan here. There is a separate shrine in the corridor for Sri Kalyana Sundareswarar which symbolises this incident.
Deities in the temple
Other than the shrines of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvathy, shrines and idols of Vinayakar, Murugan with his consorts, Natarajar, Nalvar, lingam, Suryan and Vinayakar (4) can be seen in the corridors.
In the “koshtam” (place surrounding the sanctum sanctorum), idols of Vinayakar, Agasthiyar, Dakshinamurthy, Lingothbhavar, Brahma, Durgai and Chandikeswarar with his wife can be seen.
The sanctum also houses the idols of Sri Kalyanasundareswarar and Goddess Parvathy.
There are two shrines for Goddess Parvathy here - Sri Parvatharaja Puthri is on the right side of Lord Shiva’s shrine while Sri Malayan Madanthai is in the corridor.
Salient Features
Most of the Idols in this temple are large in size and beautifully carved.
It is believed that Lord Suryan (Sun) worships Lord Shiva of this temple by directing his rays on the lingam every year for seven days in the Tamil month of Chithirai from 7th to 13th (April-May). Special poojas are performed on these days to Lord Shiva here.
The sanctum sanctorum is very huge and spacious and it is believed that an elephant had entered into this sanctum and worshiped the lord.
Lord Shiva’s sanctum tower (Vimanam) is also very big and is in the shape of a dome. This tower is considered to be one of the biggest towers in Tamil Nadu.
The sanctum sanctorum and the halls (Mandapams) are aesthetically designed. The main hall in this temple is known as “Nanipalli Kodi Vattam”.
There are many reliefs on the outer walls of the sanctum sanctorum which depict stories from Ramayan.
There is a beautifully carved pillar in the corridor that also houses a small relief of Yaali (a mythological animal). The uniqueness of this relief is that there is a small hole in place of the Yaali’s nose. If you insert a rope or a stick on one end, it will emerge from the other end.
Greatness of this temple
Those facing obstacles in their marriage proposals can worship Lord Kalyana Sundareswarar here.
Devotees also worship Lord Shiva of this temple for seeking the blessing of prosperity and wisdom.
Important Festivals
Some of the important festivals celebrated in the temple are –
Vinayakar Chaturthi in the Tamil month of Aavani (Aug-Sept),
Navarathri in the Tamil month of Purattasi (Sept-Oct),
Skanda Shashti and Annabishekam in the Tamil month of Aippasi (Oct–Nov),
Thiru Karthikai in the Tamil month of Karthikai (Nov-Dec),
Thiruvadhirai in the Tamil month of Markazhi (Dec-Jan), and
Shivrathri in the Tamil month of Masi (Feb-Mar).
Pradosham is also observed regularly.
Temple Timings
From 08.00 AM to 12.00 Noon and from 05.00 PM to 07.00 PM.
Temple Address
Sri Nattrunai Appar Temple,
Punchai (Thiru Nanipalli),
Kidaramkondon Post,
Mayiladuthurai Taluk,
Nagapattinam District,
Tamil Nadu – 609 304.
Tele: +91- 4364 - 283 188.
The temple priest, Sri Vaidyanatha Gurukkal can be contacted at +91 94439 06587.
1
2
3
4
5