[kvsneela]

Short trip to T V Nallur and Siruvachur

We normally use our Spresso once in a month (sometimes 2 months)but for long distances . In the first week of April 2024, after my visit to Chennai in the second week of March, I told wife to plan for any trip as early as possible as summer was about to blast as I did not want to travel in May (unless emergency). She asked me to check her bucket list (she had given a list already out of which we have been covering one by one including Srisailam). I selected AvudaiyarKovil near Arandhangi which is about 300 km from Pondy. So, we planned for an overnight stay and one more temple near Thiruvarur. But while checking the maps I observed AvudaiyarKovil is near to Rameswaram ( which we had in mind along with Kanyakumari in separate plan for future). But due to her commitment in 2nd and 3rd weeks of April , we could travel only in 4th week of April by that time summer had already started. So we changed the plan to a short trip to
1. Thiruvennainallur (Arutkondanathar temple)
2. Thirumundeeswaram (Sivalokanathar temple)
3. Siruvachur (Madhura Kaaliyamman temple)
While checking the timings of the temples in these places observed that Siruvachur temple is open only on Mondays and Fridays (but 6 AM to 8 PM). Other temples have break in the afternoon. My plan of visiting 1 & 2 in the forenoon and 3 in the afternoon was not accepted by wife as Madhura Kaaliyamman temple requires half day (I understood the reason latter). So planned to Visit 1 and 2 in the evening and 3 next day which meant overnight stay. We found an accommodation called Madhura Kaaliyamman Guest House at Siruvachur and booked for 25th April Night.

The trip:

Day 1 ( 25.04 2024 Thursday):

We started Pondy around 1.30 PM and took Cuddalore, Panruti route( shortest route is via Villupuram but as usual I took as unexplored route ) . Took lunch at Anandha Bhavan on Pondy Cuddalore road which is the best hotel for Vegetarians. Crossed Cuddalore and Panruti and also Chennai -Trichy GT Road.



Luch at Anandha Bhavan

Cuddalore Panruti Road

Panruti sankarapuram Road

GT Road Junction

1.Thiruvennainallur (Arutkondanathar temple):

Reached T V Nallur temple by 3.50 PM and waited for the temple to open which is at 4 PM. Wife had a good visit (as the next temple opened only at 6 PM).

The legend of Thiruvennainallur:

In Tamil Devotional literature there were 2 groups namely Saivites and Vaishnavites. Out of Saivites 63 saints/poets (named Nayanmars) were important. Further filtering the top most were 4 saints namely Appar, Sambandar, Sundarar and Manikka Vaasagar. The 276 temples mentioned in their hymns are called “ Paadal Petra Thalam” ( meaning place which got mentioned in the songs).T V Nallur was famous for Sundarar who lived in 7th Century CE in nearby Thirunavalur. At his marriage function Lord Siva appeared with a palm leave agreement between Him and Sundarar’s grandfather that Sundarar would be given to the Lord. This argument was not accepted by Sundarar and so the case went to local court where the Lord own the case and Sundarar was handed over to Him before the marriage ceremony could be completed. So he became a devotee of the Lord by singing hymns on Him. The irony was the at a latter stage Sundarar married twice (polygamy was normal in those days) and the Lord Himself acted as messenger in one of the courtships.

Main Deity : Arutkondanathar ( Lord Siva) and Mangalaambigai ( Parvati)



Temple Entrance

Interiors

Mangalambigai temple

Exterior

The Court

2. Thirumundeeswaram (Sivalokanathar Temple):

At around 5.30 PM started for next temple at Thirumundeeswaram which was about few kms on the same return route.
Deities: Sivalokanathar (Lord Siva) and Soundrayanayagi (Parvati)
Spent around 40 minutes and had a peaceful visit (as there was no crowd). This temple is one of the Paadal Petra Thalam(My wife’s birth name was Soundrayanayagi, not named after this deity but after the deity in Karumbeeswarar temple, Vishnampettai near Thiruvaiyaru where she was born).


Entrance

Entrance

Interior

Interior

Interior

Interior

Interior

Started towards Siruvachur at around 6.30 PM took the straight route of GT road (NH 38). As no food facility was available at the guest house, took dinner at Aswins (after Perambalur) . Reached the guesthouse at around 8 PM. Guest house was ok with AC and Geyser but no TV. Fortunately, free WiFi was available with good speed.


Towards Siruvachur

Towards Siruvachur as night sets in

Hotel Aswins

Day2 ( 26.04.2024-Friday):

Madhura Kaliaymman Temple , Siruvachur:

Wife got ready by 6 AM and I dropped her at the temple and returned back to the room as I did not have any work in the temple in the forenoon. Took breakfast (Dosais as Idlis were not available at that time)at a small tiffin centre near the highway flyover.

The legend :

The place where the temple was constructed is believed to be the place where Kannagi, the idol of the Tamil epic Silappatikaram, reassured herself after burning Madurai city to the ground. According to tradition, Goddess Chelliamman was a local deity of Siruvachur. Her powers became delimited by a tantrik, who started using the powers and for destructive purposes. Kannagi came across this Devi temple at Siruvachur and decided to rest there for the night. During her stay, Chelliamman revealed her servitude, and Kannagi killed the tantrik and saved Chelliamman. Kannagi now received the name as Madura Kaaliyamman, as she is from Madurai & got rid of the tantric with the blessings of Goddess Kali. Chelliamman, as a gesture of gratitude and also in order to greet Madura Kaaliyamman, moved to the Periaswamimali, a nearby hillock, requesting the latter to stay in Siruvachur to which Madura Kaaliyamman accepted with a suggestion that the initial offerings shall be presented to her (Chelliamman). The temple is about 1000 years old. The prime deity is Mathura Kaaliyamman. The temple is open to devotees only twice a week – Monday and Friday. It is believed that the main deity, Mathura Kaaliyamman, stays with Chelliamman during the remaining days of the week. Mathura Kaaliyamman is the kula deivam (family deity) of the saint Sri Jagadguru Mahaperiyava Chandrasekharendra Saraswati Mahaswami of the Sri Kanchipuram Kamakoti Peetham. This deity is the family deity of my wife’s mother’s family side (her parent’s side). My wife’s parent’s family deity is Gunaseelam near Trichy. (Ours is Valliyoorkavu Bhagavathy near Mananthavady, Wayanad).

In this temple they make a lamp out of a mixture of rice flour, jaggery, ghee and cardamom (Sesame also) called Maavilakku (Maavu – Flour and Vilakku- lamp) which is very tasty as I used to taste in my younger years. Wife had already carried all necessary ingredients from Pondy itself. There are people to grind the rice flour and make the mixture in the temple itself (300/-). Even though I don’t prefer to enter the temples, wife normally requests me to enter at least once which I oblige most of the times. Here her prayer and everything was finished around 1 PM and by that time I vacated the room and joined her. Since the temple is opened on two days a week, crowd was more. I went inside and moved around and met wife and left the temple.


Guest House

Entrance from Highway

Temple Entrance

Interior

Interior

Interior

Details of temple open days

Main Deity

Pond

Maavilakku

Had Lunch at Aswins and reached Pondy around 5 Pm via Villupuram. I came back through this route to see the new Villupuram bypass connecting GT road and Villupuram-Pondy road and observed that the bypass is complete now. Created a YouTube Short from dashcam recording.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=b8Tm3Zd5...jjlCqcIAF4zAwW

Conclusion:
1. All the roads including state highways were in good condition.
2. All the temples had toilet facilities.
3. Madhura Kaaliyamman Guest House at Siruvachur was ok for a night. Only food need to be taken care outside. Hotel Aswins is just a couple kms away.
4. Total kms around 340 and the mileage was 20km/l as per dash computer. Driven with AC on all the time.

[CArspeed]

Hi
Till what time these temples are open both in the morning and evening. I am planning a visit to the Thiruvennainallur temples alongwith Two other Padal Petra sthalams in Thirukovilur.

[Jack Sparrow]

Originally Posted by kvsneela

Short trip to T V Nallur and Siruvachur

I selected AvudaiyarKovil near Arandhangi which is about 300 km from Pondy. So, we planned for an overnight stay and one more temple near Thiruvarur. But while checking the maps I observed AvudaiyarKovil is near to Rameswaram ( which we had in mind along with Kanyakumari in separate plan for future).

Hello Sir,
Nice pics and good info about the temples. Thanks for that.
FYI., Aavudaiyarkoil is located in Pudukkottai and is 12-13 kms from Aranthangi. it is not near Rameswaram. I have visited multiple times. Try planning a trip once.

[kvsneela]

Originally Posted by CArspeed

Hi
Till what time these temples are open both in the morning and evening. I am planning a visit to the Thiruvennainallur temples alongwith Two other Padal Petra sthalams in Thirukovilur.

Dear carspeed,
TV Nallur temple :
6.00 am to 12.00 pm and again
4.00 pm to 8.00 pm.
Thirumundeeswaram temple:
6 to 10 am and again 6 to 8 pm.

[kvsneela]

Originally Posted by Jack Sparrow

Hello Sir,
Nice pics and good info about the temples. Thanks for that.
FYI., Aavudaiyarkoil is located in Pudukkottai and is 12-13 kms from Aranthangi. it is not near Rameswaram. I have visited multiple times. Try planning a trip once.

Dear Jack Sparrow,
What I meant near was about 100 to 150 kms considering our distance from Pondy to Avudaiyar Koil itself would be more than 300 kms. If we planned for Avudaiyaar koil now then in Rameswaram future trip also we had to travel in the same direction. So postponed the plan for winter so that we can cover all in same trip..

[Capri89]

Nice pictures.

Is this Sivalokanathar temple of the Nandanar charitram fame or is this a different one ?

Good to know about the completion of Vizhupuram - Pondy bypass. I travelled through this road last April 23 and didn't think at that time that it would be complete in a years time.

[kvsneela]

Originally Posted by Capri89

Nice pictures.

Is this Sivalokanathar temple of the Nandanar charitram fame or is this a different one ?

Good to know about the completion of Vizhupuram - Pondy bypass. I travelled through this road last April 23 and didn't think at that time that it would be complete in a years time.

Dear Capri89,
Sivaloganathar temple in Nandhanar Charithiram is is Thiruppungur, 3km west of Vaidheeswaran Koil.

[Capri89]

Originally Posted by CArspeed

Hi
Till what time these temples are open both in the morning and evening. I am planning a visit to the Thiruvennainallur temples alongwith Two other Padal Petra sthalams in Thirukovilur.

While in Thirukovilur try and visit Gnanananda Tapovanam (on Thiruvannamalai route).