Narthana Vallabeswarar temple

The gopuram of the temple

As per Hindu legend, sage Agastya had a son named Karthyanan who was also a great sage. Agastya prayed Shiva to attain a girl child. On account of divine grace, he found a child floating on a lotus leaf in Manimutharu river. He named her Ambujavailli brought up the child. It is believed that Vishnu's consort Lakshmi was born as Ambujavalli and married Vishnu during his Varaha avatar. As per another legend, a Chola king who ruled the region, suspected his wife and killed her. He attained Brahmahatti Dosha for the wrongdoing. He sustained skin disease and also began to wander like a lunatic. On arriving at the confluence of this place where rivers Manimutharu and Vellaru flow, he saw a dog with disease attaining relief after taking a dip in the river. The king followed the dog and attained relief. Shiva came to be known as Koodalaiyitroorar as he is believed to rule the place (koodal means confluence in Tamil.[1]

A stucco image indicating the legend of Sundarar worhsiping Shiva

The temple has a three-tiered gateway tower and all the shrines of the temple are enclosed in concentric rectangular granite walls. The temple occupies an area of around 0.5 acres (0.20 ha). The central shrine houses the image of Narthana Vallabeswarar in the form of Lingam. The shrine of Ishta sakthi and Parasakthi, the consorts of Shiva facing West is located in the Mahamandapam leading to the sanctum. The central shrine is approached through the flagstaff and Mahamandapam, both which are located axial to the gateway. As in other Shiva temples in Tamil Nadu, the shrines of Vinayaka, Murugan, Navagraha, Chandikesa and Durga are located around the precinct of the main shrine. There is a shrine of Chitragupta, the accountant of Yama located in the temple.[2] Unlike other temples, there is no separate shrine for Navagraha, the nine planetary deities. The panels of the walls around the sanctum houses the Koshta images like Dakshinamurthy, Lingodbhava, Brahma and AshtabhujaDurga. The shrine of Nataraja houses the metal image of Nataraja while there is a festival image of Chitragupta holding pen in one hand and script in the other.[3]

The original complex is believed to have been built by Cholas, while the present masonry structure was built during the Nayak during the 16th century. In modern times, the temple is maintained and administered by the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department of the Government of Tamil Nadu.[4]

It is one of the shrines of the 275 Paadal Petra Sthalams - Shiva Sthalams glorified in the early medieval Tevaram poems by Tamil Saivite Nayanars Sundarar.[5] As per Hindu legend, Sundarar, while traveling to Vriddhagiriswarar Temple, Vriddhachalam forgot this place and asked about the way to the Vridhagiriswarar temple to a saint who was going in front of him. The saint directed him to the Koddalaiytrur temple. Sundarar on reaching the temple realised that the saint was none other than Shiva himself. Sundarar has made a mention of the event, calling the deity as Narthana Vallabeswarar.[1] The presiding deity is also called Narthana Vallabeswarar as he is believed to have danced in front of Brahma on his request.[3]

The temple priests perform the puja (rituals) during festivals and on a daily basis. The temple rituals are performed four times a day; Kalasanthi at 8:00 a.m., Uchikalam at 12:00 a.m., Sayarakshai at 6:00 p.m, and Arthajamam at 8:00 p.m.. Each ritual comprises four steps: abhisheka (sacred bath), alangaram (decoration), naivethanam (food offering) and deepa aradanai (waving of lamps) for Narthana Vallabeswarar, Itcha Sakthi and Parasakthi. There are weekly rituals like somavaram (Monday) and sukravaram (Friday), fortnightly rituals like pradosham, and monthly festivals like amavasai (new moon day), kiruthigai, pournami (full moon day) and sathurthi. The thirteen-day Brahmotsavam during the Tamil month of Masi is the most important festivals of the temple.[1][2]