Friday, January 29, 2016

Neyyadiappar Temple, Thillaisthanam, Thanjavur

Neyyadiappar Temple, Thillaisthanam, Thanjavur
Thillaisthanam or Tiruneithanam is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva located in the village of Thillaisthanam, Tamilnadu, India. The temple is incarnated by the hymns of Thirugnana Sambandar and is classified as Paadal Petra Sthalam.

This Shivasthalam is the 7th of the Tiruvaiyaru Saptastana Temples, just a kilometer west of Tiruvaiyaru. Pugazhenthippulavar and Ottakkoothar have sung praises of this shrine.

The Saptastana temples of Tiruvaiyaru are Tirupazhanam, Tiruchotruthurai, ThiruvedikudiTirukkandiyur, Tiruppanturai, Thillaisthanam and Tiruvaiyaru.

Tiruneithanam is considered to be the 52nd in the series of Tevara Stalams in the Chola kingdom located north of the river Kaveri.

Location
The temple is located 21 km away from Kumbakonam on the Kumbakonam -Tiruvaiyaru - Tanjore road. The temple is 3 km away from Thirukkandiyur. The best mode is taking town buses from Kumbakonam or Tanjore.

Legends
A cow in this region was habitually pouring its milk at a specific place.  The milk impacted by Sun heat and rain changed into ghee.  When a shepherd tried to check the cow, it disappeared.  He could not know that it was the very divine cow Kamadenu.  When people came to the spot and dug the place, they found a Shivalinga here.  The news reached the King.  He built a temple, performed consecration and arranged abishekam with ghee each day. The ghee abishekam is followed even now.  Ghee means Nei in Tamil, hence the name of the Lord Neiyadi Appar. 

The place has another story too.  A Shiva devotee had the habit of picking the palak leaves (keerai in Tamil) while returning after lighting lamps in the temple.  He told Lord one day that he was lighting lamps in the temple each day and sought his mercy as he was aging.  Lord replied that what mercy remains to be shown to him as he had taken the Palak leaves grown in the temple as wage for the job, according to sthala Purana.

Thiru Gyana Sambandhar and Thiru Navukkarasar sang hymns on Lord Siva here. Arunagirinathar sang Thirupugazh on Lord Murugan of this temple. Ottakkoothar and Pugazhendi Pulavar (poet) sang on Lord of this place. 

Legend has it that Saraswati worshipped at this shrine. Legend also has it that Kamadhenu and Gowthama muni worshipped Shiva here.
Greatness of Temple
Mother Balambika, as the name suggests is ever young in appearance.  This is the only temple in the hymns of Thirunavukarasar praising Ambica for her beauty.  Lord Aiyarappar visits this temple thrice a year from Tiruvaiyaru. Of the Sabthasthanam (seven important temples of the district) Thillaisthanam is the seventh. 

During festival days, devotees can enjoy the darshan of the seven palanquin processions simultaneously in this place.  Saint Sundarar had included this place in his Thevaram hymns. Arunagiriar had praised Lord Muruga of this temple in his Thirupugazh hymns.  The place is praised by other poets as Pugazhendi and Ottakkoothar. 

The sculpture of Nardana Ganapathy does need a mention.  Lord Dakshinamurthy graces the devotees in a standing form.  Pallavas had paid their due share for the renovation of the temple.  Kings of Sri Lanka had worshipped Lord as their Kuladeiva-family deity. 
Temple Speciality
Lord Shiva in the temple is a swayambumurthy. The special feature of the temple is that abishekam to Lord is offered with ghee followed by hot water abishek.

The Temple
The temple has a grand 75 feet five stories tower facing the east direction. Two small sub-shrines of Ganesha and Murugan are located at the entrance. The temple's area is huge and is spread across two acres. It is believed to have been built by the Cholas as the Chola inscriptions are found in this temple. However, few pillars in the temple are supposed to be of Pallava style; there is a possibility that even Pallavas would have contributed some sections of the temple during their rule. The Sri Lankan ruler named Kayavahu had the Lord of this site as his "Kula Devta".

The temple has two prakarams. The sanctum sanctorum is facing the east direction. Lord Shiva in this temple is called as Neyyadiapparor Kritapureeswarar. He is found in the form of a moderately big Shiva Linga. Facing the sanctum sanctorum the Bali peetham, flag staff and Nandi mandapa are located. There is a small artistically beautiful inner tower at the entrance of the maha mandapa.

The Goddess Balambikai who also has a beautiful Tamil name, Ilamangai Ammai, is found in a separate shrine facing the south direction and is located in the outer prakara. A separate Nandi idol is located facing the Amman shrine. The inner prakara has the sub-shrines of Ganesha, Subramanya-Valli-Devasena, Chandikeshwarar, Lakshmi and Saraswati.

The koshta images of Dakshinamurthy, Vishnu, Brahma and Durga are found on the wall around the sanctum sanctorum. Dakshinamurthy is found in the standing posture which is unique. All the koshta images except Durga appear to be very old. The exterior walls of sanctum sanctorum as well as the vimana have not lost the antique beauty yet.

A separate Ganesha idol is located at the entrance of Ardha Mandapa. Bhairava, Surya, Anugraha Bhairava, Chandra and seven Shiva Linga idols representing Sapta Stanam sites are all located in the inner prakara.

The temple has a Rajagopuram facing east with a spacious first prakara. Ambica shrine is in a separate temple facing south.  Shrines for Lords Vinayaka and Muruga are in the inner prakara.  Lords Dakshinamurthy, Lingodhbava and Brahamma are in the goshta wall.
As we go around the prakaram we see Nardhana Ganapathy, Dakshina Moorthy in standing posture, Lingothbhavar and Brahamma as Goshta Deivam around the sanctum of Lord Siva. Goddess Saraswathy worshiped Lord Siva in this place.
During festival time Lord Aiyarappar and his consort Aram Valartha Nayaki visit all seven temples known as Saptha Sthana Sthalams. The seven places are Thiru Pazhanam, Thiru Chottru thurai, Thiru Vedikudi , Thiru Kandiyur, Thiru Poondthuruthi and Thiru Neiyathanam. This temple Thillai Sthaanam is seventh temple of Saptha Sthaanam. One can have darshan of all Urchava idols in seven palanquins of Saptha Sthana Sthalams. Sambandar is said to have visited here after visiting Tiruvaiyaru and Perumpuliyur. Sthala Vriksham is Vilvam and Teertham is River Cauvery.
Saptha Stanam
The sapthasthanam festival is conducted at Tiruvaiyaru during April every year. Hundreds of people witness the convergence of seven glass palanquins carrying principal deities of respective temples from seven places at Tiruvaiyaru. The palanquins are paraded near the car stand, the crowd witnessed the Poochoridhal (flower festival) in which a doll offers flowers to the principal deities in the palanquins. After the Poochoridhal, the palanquins left for their respective places. The seven temples are
Temple
Place
District
Aiyarappar temple
Thiruvaiyaru
Thanjavur
Apathsahayar Temple
Tirupazhanam
Thanjavur
Odhanavaneswarar Temple
Tiruchotruthurai
Thanjavur
Vedapuriswarar Temple
Thiruvedhikudi
Thanjavur
Kandeeswarar Temple
Thirukkandiyur
Thanjavur
Puvananathar Temple
Thirupanturuthi
Thanjavur
Neyyadiappar Temple
Tiruneithaanam
Thanjavur
Temple Opening Time
The temple is open from 10.00 a.m. to 11.00 a.m. and from 5.00 p.m. to 7.00 p.m.
Singers
Saivite Saints Appar and Thirugnana Sambandar had sung the glory of Lord of the temple in their Thevaram hymns.  This is the 52nd Shiva temple on the northern bank of Cauvery praised in hymns.
Prayers
People pray here for noble characters and to be free of greed not aiming at temple and others’ properties. Devotees contribute what they could for the maintenance of the temple.
Festivals
Three worship services are offered each day here. The Saptastana festival here, where festival images of Shiva from Tiruvaiyaru are taken in procession to each of the 7 Saptastana temples is of great significance.
Masi Maha Shivrathri in February-March and Margazhi Tiruvadhirai in December-January are the festivals celebrated in the temple.
Contact
Sri Neiyadiappar Temple, Thillaisthanam (Tiruneithanam),
Tiruneithanam Post, Via Tiruvaiyaru, Thanjavur-613 203
Phone: +91- 4362-260 553
Connectivity
Thillaisthanam-Tiruneithanam is 2 km from Tiruvaiyaru on way to Tirukattupalli.  Nearest Railway Station is Thanjavur & Nearest Airport is Trichy.