हिंदीOn this day
Standing

Narthana Vallabeswarar Temple, Tirukkoodalaiyatrur

At the meeting of the Manimuktha and the Vellar, Shiva walked ahead of Sundarar as an old brahmin to show him the road, and vanished. Sundarar sang that he had not known the wonder.

Built: Chola foundation, present masonry Nayaka-period (16th century); three-tiered gopuramWhere: Tamil Nadu (Cuddalore district, Kattumannarkoil taluk)Deity: Bhagwan Shiva as Narthana Vallabeswarar (Nerikkattu Nayakar); Devi as Gnanasakti and Parasakti11.42° N, 79.48° E
Photo: Ssriram mt · CC BY-SA 4.0

01The guide on the road

Koodal is a confluence: two rivers meet here. Sundarar was on his way to Tirumudukundram when, the temple’s katha says, an old brahmin offered to show him the way and then disappeared; only then did he know it was Shiva, and the Lord is Nerikkattu Nayakar, the Lord who showed the path. Sundarar’s padigam keeps returning to the line that he did not know the wonder of the Lord walking that way. The Lord is also Narthana Vallabeswarar, for he is said to have danced here for Brahma. A shrine of Chitragupta stands in the temple. Brahmotsavam falls on Masi Magam.

Visiting

In Kattumannarkoil taluk at the confluence of the Manimuktha and the Vellar, reached by road from Kattumannarkoil or Sethiyathope.

Nearby

Bhuvaraha Swamy Temple, SrimushnamStanding
Cholas and the Southern Seas

Bhuvaraha Swamy Temple, Srimushnam

One of the eight Swayam Vyakta kshetras of Vishnu, where Bhagwan as the Varaha who lifted the Earth from the ocean is held to have appeared of himself.

Neelakandeswarar (Thirukumaresar) Temple, Erukkathampuliyur (Rajendrapattinam)Standing
Cholas and the Southern Seas

Neelakandeswarar (Thirukumaresar) Temple, Erukkathampuliyur (Rajendrapattinam)

Birthplace of Tiruneelakanta Yazhpanar, the musician who played the yazh beside Sambandar as he sang. Sambandar sang this shrine of the white erukku forest.

Soundareswarar (Polla Pillaiyar) Temple, TirunaraiyurStanding
Cholas and the Southern Seas

Soundareswarar (Polla Pillaiyar) Temple, Tirunaraiyur

Birthplace of Nambiyandar Nambi, who gathered the Tevaram hymns into the Tirumurai, and home of the unchiselled Vinayaka who guided him. Appar and Sambandar sang it.

Vriddhagireeswarar (Pazhamalainathar) Temple, VriddhachalamStanding
Cholas and the Southern Seas

Vriddhagireeswarar (Pazhamalainathar) Temple, Vriddhachalam

Tirumudukundram, the ancient hill: a Chola temple on the Manimuktha river where Sundarar received gold he later took out of the tank at Tiruvarur. All three Tevaram singers sang it.