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,
Thiruvedikudi, Tirukkandiyur, 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.
