Tamilnadu Tourism: Sattainathar Temple, Sirkazhi, Nagapattinam

Sattainathar Temple, Sirkazhi, Nagapattinam

Sattainathar temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva located in Sirkali, Tamilnadu, India. The temple is incarnated by the hymns of Thevaram and is classified as Paadal Petra Sthalam. This temple is an ancient temple complex with three different Shiva Shrines. The Brahmapureeswarar shrine is housed in the lower level. The second level houses Periya Nayakar with Periyanayaki on a Thoni, hence the name Thoniappar. Sattainathar/Vaduganathar is also housed here. From the steps leading to the Thoniappar and the Vaduganathar shrine, one can grasp the entire layout of this vast temple, its gopurams and mandapams.

There are 22 Theerthams associated with this shrine. Three different forms of Shiva are worshipped here, the Shivalingam (Brahmapureeswarar), a colossal image of Uma Maheswarar (Thoniappar) at the medium level, and Bhairavar (Sattanathar) at the upper level. The temple is known by the legend of child Sambandar who is believed to have been fed by Parvathi on the banks of the temple tank. The child later went on to compose Tevaram, a Saiva canonic literature on Shiva and became one of the most revered Saiva poets in South India.

Sirkali Temple is located at Sirkazhi near Mayiladuthurai and the deity worshipped here is Shiva. It is a highly revered shrine with 71 (the most number of known) Tevara Patikams and is located in the vicinity of Vaitheeswaran Koyil near Chidambaram. It is a center for Bhairava worship, and the site of authorship of several works.

The well-known Sirkazhi Govindarajan who has rendered several recordings of Tevaram hymns hails from here. This well maintained temple is under the able administration of the Dharumapura Adhinam. This is the 68^th Paadal Petra Shiva Sthalam and 14^th sthalam on the north side of river Cauvery in Chozha Nadu. Moovar has sung hymns in praise of Lord Shiva of this temple. The temple is in the heart of Sirkazhi city.