Visited on: 30th March, 2018.
Location
Kanattumullur is situated at a distance of about 22 kms from Chidambaram on the Chidambaram – Kattumannarkoil - Omampuliyur route. It is very close to Muttam village. From Omampuliyur, this place is about 5 kms.
Other Paadal Petra Shiva Sthalams near this place are - Thiru Omampuliyur (3 kms), Thiru Kadampur, Thiru Naaraiyur, Erukkathampuliyur (Rajendrapatinam) and Thiru Kudalaiyatrur.
General information
- Moolavar
- Sri Pathanjali Nathar
- Ambal
- Sri Kol Valaikkai Ammai, Sri Kaanarkuzhali, Sri Ambujakshi
- Theertham (Holy water)
- Surya Theertham
- Sthala Vriksham (Sacred Tree)
- Vella Erukku Plant
- Pathigam (Hymn) rendered by
- Saint Sundaramurthy (Sundarar)-1
- This is one of the 276 Devara Paadal Petra Shiva Sthalams and 32nd Shiva Sthalam on the northern bank of the river Cauvery in Chozha Nadu (Vadakarai).
- Lord Shiva in this temple is a Swayambumurthi (self-manifested).
- This east facing temple has two corridors and its main tower (Rajagopuram) has 3-tiers.
- The last consecration ceremony (Maha Kumbabishekam) took place on 05.04.2012 and prior to that on 20.08.2000.
History of the temple
This ancient temple is located on the northern bank of the river Kollidam.
The historical names of this place are Mathookavanam, Athishta Miruthika Kshetram and Thiru Kanattu Mullur.
There are some stone inscriptions in this temple which date back to the periods of Chola kings Vikrama, Rajendra and Rajendra-III.






Legend
It is believed that some sages from Dandakaranya visited this place to worship Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva created many lingams here so that the sages could worship him. In fact, the lord created so many lingams here that there was no space left to place one’s foot. The sand of this place is in itself considered very auspicious and devotees carry some of this sand with them. For this reason, this place gets the name “Athishta Miruthika Kshetram” (“Athishta” means luck and “miruth” means sand in Tamil).
Adhisheshan (the serpent on which Lord Mahavishnu rests) conveyed his desire to watch Lord Shiva’s cosmic dance. Lord Mahavishnu advised him to take birth on earth as sage Pathanjali and worship Lord Shiva. When Adhisheshan followed Lord Mahavishnu’s advice, he was blessed with the darshan of Lord Shiva’s cosmic dance in Chidambaram.
On the advice of Nandhi, sage Pathanjali visited this place and worshiped the lord. He wanted to see the dance again. Lord Shiva appeared as Sri Pathanjaleeswarar and performed his cosmic dance again.
Lord Shiva is praised here as “Sri Pathanjali Nathar” because sage Pathanjali worshiped him here.




Saint Sundaramurthy came to Kanattumullur after worshiping the lord at Thiru Mannippatikkarai (Iluppaipattu). He was unable to proceed further to this temple as the entire place was filled with Shiva lingams that resembled thorny bushes. He did not want to step on them and decided to render his pathigam from the outskirts itself. Hence this place is also called “Kaal Naattam Mul Oor” (which can roughly be translated as “the village where you cannot place your foot”). This was later changed to Kanattumullur and Kanattam Puliyur.
It is believed that Lord Suryan created a tank here and worshiped Lord Shiva. Lord Indra also worshiped the lord in this place.
Deities in the temple
Other than the shrines of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvathy, shrines and idols of Niruthi Vinayakar, Murugan with his consorts, Natarajar, Nalvar, Suryan, Chandran, Bairavar, Kasi Viswanathar with Visalakshi, Gajalakshmi and Saneeswarar can be seen in the main hall and the corridors. There is no Navagraham here.
There is a group of idols which depicts few Nagars (Serpents), Nagakanni, Lord Krishna and a Shivalingam.
In the sanctum sanctorum, on either side of the lord, idols of Lord Vinayakar and Dandapani can be seen.
In the “koshtam” (place surrounding the sanctum sanctorum), idols of Narthana Vinayakar, Dakshinamurthy, Mahavishnu, Brahma, Durgai and Chandikeswarar can be seen.
There is a separate shrine for Sage Pathanjali in the corridor.


















Salient features
It is believed that Lord Suryan (Sun) worships Lord Shiva of this temple by directing his rays on the lingam every year for three days in the Tamil month of Chithirai (Apr-May).
Lord Dakshinamurthy here is seen without his usual “Kallala” tree (banyan tree).
Goddess Valli is seen wearing a hanging ear ornament called “Pambadam” (or “Thandatti”), an ornament usually worn by elderly women.
It is believed that there are six Theerthams associated with this temple. They are – Surya theertham, Kama theertham, Vishnu theertham, Parvathy theertham, Indra theertham and Ganathipa theertham. Of these, Surya theertham is right in front of this temple and the others are located around the temple.
Greatness of this temple
Devotees pray to Goddess Kol Valaikkai Ammai to seek boons for early marriage and child birth (“Santhana Prapthi”).
Devotees believe that worshipping Lord Shiva here will bless them with wealth and prosperity.
Devotees worship Sage Pathanjali here to seek relief from the adverse effects of serpent planets.
Important festivals
Some of the important festivals celebrated in this temple are –
Vaikasi Visakam in the Tamil month of Vaikasi (May-June),
Vinayakar Chaturthi in the Tamil month of Aavani (Aug-Sept),
Navarathri in the Tamil month of Purattasi (Sept-Oct),
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 07.00 AM to 09.00 AM and from 06.00 PM to 07.30 PM.
Temple address
Sri Pathanjali Nathar Temple,
Kanattumullur (Kanattam puliyur),
Muttam Post,
Kattumannarkoil Taluk,
Cuddalore District,
Tamil Nadu – 608306.
Tele: +91-4144 208508, 208091.
Contact person: Sri V.Jayachandran at +91 – 97903 33377, 9894684269.
The temple priest Sri Sekar Gurukkal can be contacted at +91 -94862 20284.









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