Thyagaraja Temple, Thiruvottriyur – Religious Significance

Thyagaraja Temple, Thiruvottriyur – Religious Significance

Though the presiding deity of the temple is Aadhipureeswarar, the temple is closely associated with the Thyagaraja cult of Saivism. Somaskanda is the iconic form of Thyagaraja and is believed to have emerged from the 10^th century, the period coinciding Raja Raja Chola. The 8th-century saint Sundarar is believed to have spread the cult from Tiruvarur to the temple here. 

The seven dance forms of Thyagaraja, the Sapthavitankam, is represented in the cultic network comprising;

·        Thyagarajar Temple in Tiruvarur,

·        Dharbaranyeswarar Temple in Tirunallar, 

·        Kayarohanaswamy Temple in Nagapattinam, 

·        Kannayariamudayar Temple in Thirukkarayil,

·        Brahmapureeswarar Temple in Thirukkuvalai, 

·        Vaimoornaathar Temple in Tiruvaimur

·        Vedaranyeswarar Temple in Vedaranyam

The Thiruvottriyur temple is placed at the centre of a similar network comprising Marundeeswarar Temple in Thiruvanmiyur, Achalpuram in Sirkali and Thirukkachur near Singaperumalkoil, treated closest to the myth of Tiruvarur. Both the Tiruvarur and Thiruvottriyur temples are believed to have the same dance poses by Shiva, as asserted by Tiruvorriyurpuranam. The dance pattern of the temple is called Padamanatanam, a continuation of Tiruvarur temple - Vishnu is believed to have gone berserk and missed the dance at Tiruvarur, and Thyagaraja asked him to go to Thiruvottriyur where he said he promised to perform the same dance.