SHIVALOGANATHAR TEMPLE - TIRUPUNGUR

 NANDIN MOVES TO A SIDE FOR A VIEW OF THE LORD, FOR NANDANAAR.

Sri Sivaloganathar temple – Tirupungur. Tamilnadu.

In the 7th century a dalit(Untouchable) who was born in a place called Adanoor, used to be a farm help or an agricultural labour, apart from doing odd jobs including that of a drummer, a village servant, a watchman, a town crier who used to beat drums, a leather mender who used to make the leather pliable for drums. He was from the Pulayar caste.

Pulayars are noted for their music, craftsmanship, and for certain dances which include Kōlam-thullal, a mask dance which is part of their exorcism rituals, as well as the Mudi-attam or hair-dance which has its origins in a fertility ritual.

This untouchable became the great devotee of Lord Shiva and was listed as the 18th Nayanar in the list of 63 Nayanars. His name was Nandanaar.

Nandanaar would postpone his journey to Chidambaram to see the celestial dance of Lord Shiva in the form of Nataraja. Every day he would say “I will go tomorrow” and hence was also called Thiru Nalai Povar Nayanar.

3 KMs away from the Vaideeswaran Koil Temple Is the town named Tirupungur.The town got its name from the Punga Maram or Punga tree(Pongamia Pinnata).There is a temple dedicated to Lord Shiva known as Sivaloganathar along with his consort Soundarya Nayaki.

Nandanaar, was standing before the gate of the Temple of Sivaloganathar in Tirupungur. He could not see the lord as the Nandi (Shiva’s Bull) was blocking his view. As a dalit ( lower cast) he was not allowed to enter the Temple in those ages. So great was his bhakthi that, Lord Shiva asked Nandi to move aside so that, Nandanaar can view the Lord from outside the gate. Along with the Nandi even the Dhwaja Sthamba & Bali Peetham is moved to the right.

In the Temple, the big Nandi has moved to the right. Even the Adhikara Nandi is moved to the right paving a way for Nanadanaar to have a darshan of the Lord.

The temple has a 5 Tiered Gopuram on the eastern side. Which leads to an open compound and at the end of the compound is the Nandi Mandapam where a huge sized Nandi is placed de- linear to the Rajagopuram and Sanctum. The Dwarapalakars, instead of their heads held high in a gambhira mudra, are in a head bent position acknowledging the advent of Shri Nandanaar.

Mooving ahead you come to the Mukhamnadapam with a huge space for circumbulation. Past this is the Ardhamandapam and the Sanctum Sanctorum of Lord Sivaloganathar in the form of a Swayambhu Lingam in an anthill,facing east. Post the Darshan and cirumbulating the lord, you find shrines of various gods and goddess in the inner prahara. At the end of the inner prahara is the Sanctum of the goddess Soundarya Nayaki.

There are 3 theerthams or ponds attached with the temple. One was built by Nandanar himself & lord Vinayaga is supposed to have helped him in digging up the pond. Hence there is a shrine for Vinayaga who is also know as “Kulam Vettiya Vinayagar”

Temple Timing : 6.00 AM to 11.00 AM & 4.00 to 8.30 PM.

Temple Contact Number :9486717634