Sri Agneeswarar temple ( A temple for Bharani Nakshatra)
Amman / Thayar : Sundaranayaki
Thala Virutcham : Vanni, Vilwa
Agamam / Pooja : Shivagama
Old year : 1000-2000 years old
Historical Name : Tirunalladai
City : Nalladai
District : Nagapattinam
State : Tamil Nadu
Festival: Aipasi Annabishekam in October-November, Karthikai Somawar-Mondays of Karthikai in November-December, Margazhi Danur pujas and Arudra Darshan also called Tiruvadhirai in December-January, Thai Fridays and Thai Poosam in January-February, Maha Shivrathri in February-March, Panguni Uthiram in March-April, Panchamurthi processions on Karthikai Sundays in November-December are the festivals celebrated in the temple.
Temple's Speciality: Lord Agneeswara graces facing west against the traditional direction of east. There is slope like formation around the Shivalinga filled with water to calm down the Agni feature (heat) of the Lord. This is a significant feature in the temple.
Address: Sri Agneeswarar Temple, Nalladai-609 306, Tharangampadi Taluk, Nagapattinam district.
General Information: People of Bharani Star are generally grateful in nature and capable of facing opponents. They are charitable and complimented by others for their generous qualities. They are self-reliant. The sanctum sanctorum of the temple was built with stones during the rule of Rajaraja Chola II covering the years 1146-1163. Other parts of the temple were built by his representative Somanthozhar. The epigraphic details of this are recorded on the eastern wall of the sanctum. It also mentions that the place presently known as Nalladai was “Nalladai Mangala Kulothunga Cholapuram in Kurumbur of Jayamkonda Cholanadu.”
Presiding deity Lord Agneeswarar was known earlier as Tiruvanneeswaram Udayar, during the Puranic Age. Chithirai festival in April-May and Vishaka festival in May-June and Margazhi festival in December-January were grandly celebrated in those early days. Saivite saint Manickavasagar was taken in procession on Tiruvadhirai day. Such other details that the temple was administered by a committee headed by Kasiban Koothan Mummudi Cholapattan and that land was donated by the king for maintenance of the temple to offer nivedhanas to the Lord and lighting lamps are available from epigraphic evidences.
The temple covers an area of two acres. There are entrances on three sides of the temple with towers. There are shrines for Dwara Vinayaka, Balamuruga, Selva Vinayaka, Lord Mahavishnu, Somaskandar, Mahalakshmi, Sani Bhagwan (Saturn), Kailasanathar, Kalyani, Bhuvaneswari, Chandikeswara,Veerabadra, Lord Dakshinamurthy, Sun, Bhairava and Mother Durga in the corridor-prakara. As Lord Shiva Himself is heading the 9 planets-Navagrahas, there is no separate shrine for them in the temple. It is noteworthy that famous Shiva temples of Sembanarkoil, Keelaparasalur, Tirukadayur, Tirunallru are very near to this temple.
Prayers : People belonging to Bharani star pray in this temple in particular for relief from adverse planetary effects. People also pray for happy wedding, child boon and other benefits.
Devotees perform Homas and Archanas in favour of Lord and Mother.
Greatness Of Temple: Bharani starrers are advised to visit this temple as often as they could and worship Lord Agneeswara. The proverb goes that Bharani people would rule Dharani-world meaning that they will be very popular. They are advised to perform Homas to the Lord who is Agni-Fire personified. The benefits would be double if they do so on the Bharani star day in Karthikai-November-December. As the temple is facing west, it is said that praying in such temples would bring great benefits to the devotee as the Lord would be furious in nature here. Mother Sundaranayaki graces facing south. In order to reduce the heat of the Lord, a slope like form is made around the Shiva Linga filled with water. This is the place that wove clothes to Lord Himself, it is named Neithaladai – weaving fine clothes. In the days following, it shrunk as Nalladai.
Temple History: Sage Mruganda Maharshi organized a great Yagna for the Lord of Nalladai. He also announced that the materials required for the Yagna may be contributed by the public. They wove three silk clothes with gold and offered one to the Lord, one to the Rishi and the third to their king. At the end of the yagna, the rishi put two clothes given to him and the Lord in the Yaga Gunda-the fire pit. The public raised the question “would the clothes placed in the Yaga Gunda reach the Lord.” The sage asked them to go and see it for themselves in the sanctum sanctorum. It was a pleasant surprise for the devotees to see their product covering the Lord in all freshness.
The sage explained that of the various types of Agni, Bharanai Rudragni was one and that power took things they gave to the Lord. Hence, the Nalladai temple is attributed to Bharani star.
Vilwa, the sacred tree of the temple has a story. One day, the Chola King of the day and Sivanesa Nayanar came here to worship the Lord. A tiger chased Nayanar who climbed on the tree nearby. After a while, when he came to the Kundangulam tank, the animal still followed but was killed by the Nayanar. Lord appeared before Nayanar and blessed him.
Festival: Aipasi Annabishekam in October-November, Karthikai Somawar-Mondays of Karthikai in November-December, Margazhi Danur pujas and Arudra Darshan also called Tiruvadhirai in December-January, Thai Fridays and Thai Poosam in January-February, Maha Shivrathri in February-March, Panguni Uthiram in March-April, Panchamurthi processions on Karthikai Sundays in November-December are the festivals celebrated in the temple.
Temple's Speciality: Lord Agneeswara graces facing west against the traditional direction of east. There is slope like formation around the Shivalinga filled with water to calm down the Agni feature (heat) of the Lord. This is a significant feature in the temple.
Address: Sri Agneeswarar Temple, Nalladai-609 306, Tharangampadi Taluk, Nagapattinam district.
General Information: People of Bharani Star are generally grateful in nature and capable of facing opponents. They are charitable and complimented by others for their generous qualities. They are self-reliant. The sanctum sanctorum of the temple was built with stones during the rule of Rajaraja Chola II covering the years 1146-1163. Other parts of the temple were built by his representative Somanthozhar. The epigraphic details of this are recorded on the eastern wall of the sanctum. It also mentions that the place presently known as Nalladai was “Nalladai Mangala Kulothunga Cholapuram in Kurumbur of Jayamkonda Cholanadu.”
Presiding deity Lord Agneeswarar was known earlier as Tiruvanneeswaram Udayar, during the Puranic Age. Chithirai festival in April-May and Vishaka festival in May-June and Margazhi festival in December-January were grandly celebrated in those early days. Saivite saint Manickavasagar was taken in procession on Tiruvadhirai day. Such other details that the temple was administered by a committee headed by Kasiban Koothan Mummudi Cholapattan and that land was donated by the king for maintenance of the temple to offer nivedhanas to the Lord and lighting lamps are available from epigraphic evidences.
The temple covers an area of two acres. There are entrances on three sides of the temple with towers. There are shrines for Dwara Vinayaka, Balamuruga, Selva Vinayaka, Lord Mahavishnu, Somaskandar, Mahalakshmi, Sani Bhagwan (Saturn), Kailasanathar, Kalyani, Bhuvaneswari, Chandikeswara,Veerabadra, Lord Dakshinamurthy, Sun, Bhairava and Mother Durga in the corridor-prakara. As Lord Shiva Himself is heading the 9 planets-Navagrahas, there is no separate shrine for them in the temple. It is noteworthy that famous Shiva temples of Sembanarkoil, Keelaparasalur, Tirukadayur, Tirunallru are very near to this temple.
Prayers : People belonging to Bharani star pray in this temple in particular for relief from adverse planetary effects. People also pray for happy wedding, child boon and other benefits.
Devotees perform Homas and Archanas in favour of Lord and Mother.
Greatness Of Temple: Bharani starrers are advised to visit this temple as often as they could and worship Lord Agneeswara. The proverb goes that Bharani people would rule Dharani-world meaning that they will be very popular. They are advised to perform Homas to the Lord who is Agni-Fire personified. The benefits would be double if they do so on the Bharani star day in Karthikai-November-December. As the temple is facing west, it is said that praying in such temples would bring great benefits to the devotee as the Lord would be furious in nature here. Mother Sundaranayaki graces facing south. In order to reduce the heat of the Lord, a slope like form is made around the Shiva Linga filled with water. This is the place that wove clothes to Lord Himself, it is named Neithaladai – weaving fine clothes. In the days following, it shrunk as Nalladai.
Temple History: Sage Mruganda Maharshi organized a great Yagna for the Lord of Nalladai. He also announced that the materials required for the Yagna may be contributed by the public. They wove three silk clothes with gold and offered one to the Lord, one to the Rishi and the third to their king. At the end of the yagna, the rishi put two clothes given to him and the Lord in the Yaga Gunda-the fire pit. The public raised the question “would the clothes placed in the Yaga Gunda reach the Lord.” The sage asked them to go and see it for themselves in the sanctum sanctorum. It was a pleasant surprise for the devotees to see their product covering the Lord in all freshness.
The sage explained that of the various types of Agni, Bharanai Rudragni was one and that power took things they gave to the Lord. Hence, the Nalladai temple is attributed to Bharani star.
Vilwa, the sacred tree of the temple has a story. One day, the Chola King of the day and Sivanesa Nayanar came here to worship the Lord. A tiger chased Nayanar who climbed on the tree nearby. After a while, when he came to the Kundangulam tank, the animal still followed but was killed by the Nayanar. Lord appeared before Nayanar and blessed him.
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