Nachadai Thavirthu Aruliya Nathar Temple, Devadanam, Virudhunagar

Nachadai Thavirthu Aruliya Nathar Temple, Devadanam, Virudhunagar

Nachadai Thavirthu Aruliya Nathar Temple is a Hindu Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva located at Devadanam Village in Rajapalayam Taluk in Virudhunagar District of Tamilnadu. Presiding Deity is called as Nachadai Thavirthu Aruliya Nathar / Ammai Appan and Mother is called as Thavam Petra Nayagi. The Temple is considered equivalent to Chidambaram Natarajar Temple. The Temple is believed to be built by Cholas.

This is one of the Pancha Bootha Sthalams around Sankarankoil. Pancha Bhoota Sthalam refers to five temples dedicated to Shiva, each representing a manifestation of the five prime elements of nature: land, water, air, sky, and fire. Pancha indicates "five," Bhoota means "elements," and Stala means "place." The temples are located around Sankarankoil in Tamilnadu. The five elements are believed to be enshrined in the five lingams of the temples, with each lingam named based on the element represented. This Sthalam is called as Agaya Sthalam (Sky Element).

Pancha Bootha Sthalams around Sankarankoil are;

1. Sankara Narayanan Temple, Sankarankovil, Thirunelveli (Land Element)

2. Nachadai Thavirthu Aruliya Nathar Temple, Devadanam, Virudhunagar (Sky Element)

3. Mathiyasthanathar Temple, Dharugapuram, Thirunelveli (Water Element)

4. Thiripuranathar Temple, Thenmalai, Thirunelveli (Air Element)

5. Palvanna Nathar Temple, Karivalamvandanallur, Thirunelveli (Fire Element)

Legends

For brief details, please refer below link;

https://tamilnadu-favtourism.blogspot.com/2019/02/nachadai-thavirthu-aruliya-nathar-temple-devadanam-legends.html

The Temple

Presiding Deity is called as Nachadai Thavirthu Aruliya Nathar / Ammai Appan. Lord is housed in the sanctum in the form of small Shiva Linga. There is a sculpture of Tortoise at the bottom of Dwajasthambam. This sculpture can be seen only in this Pancha Bhootha Sthalams. Mother is called as Thavam Petra Nayagi. There are three shrines of Lord Shiva namely Kan Keduthavar, Kan Koduthavar and Kozhuntheeswarar on a little mount in this Temple. Lord Brahma can be found in meditation form in this Temple. This is a speciality in this Temple.

There are shrines for Brahma, Dakshinamoorthy, Saptha Kannis, Nandhi, Natarajar, Navagrahas, Vishnu, Saneeswarar, Surya and Lord Murugan with his consorts Valli & Deivanai in the Temple premises. Theertham associated with this Temple is Siva Gangai Theertham. Theertham is situated near to the temple. Sthala Vriksham is Nagalinga Tree.

Festivals

10 Days Vaikasi Brahmotsavam, Vaikasi Visakam, Maasi Magam, Navarathri, Maha Shivarathri and Skanda Sashti are the festivals celebrated here. People will visit all the Pancha Bootha Sthalams during Maha Shivarathri. 7 Kaala Poojas are conducted in this Temple from ancient times.

Prayers

People pray to Lord for Child Boon, to get rid of Eyesight Problems and for curing of incurable wounds.

Contact

Nachadai Thavirthu Aruliya Nathar Temple,

Devadanam, Rajapalayam Taluk,

Virudhunagar District – 626 145

Mobile: +91 98435 46648

Connectivity

The Temple is located at about 7 Kms from Sivagiri, 14 Kms from Rajapalayam New Bus Stand, 15 Kms from Rajapalayam Railway Station, 17 Kms from Rajapalayam, 16 Kms from Thenmalai, 23 Kms from Karivalam Vanda Nallur, 24 Kms from Dharugapuram, 34 Kms from Sankarankovil, 55 Kms from Tenkasi, 98 Kms from Tirunelveli and 174 Kms from Thiruvananthapuram Airport. The Temple is situated on Rajapalayam to Tenkasi Route. The Temple is located at about 2 Kms from Devadanam Village amidst farm land.

Location

Nachadai Thavirthu Aruliya Nathar Temple, Devadanam – Legends

Nachadai Thavirthu Aruliya Nathar Temple, Devadanam – Legends

Nachadai Thavirthu Aruliya Nathar:

Due to the war between Cholas and Pandyas, lot of people got killed from both sides and the war was never coming to an end. Hence Chola King treacherously planned to kill Pandya King. He made a poisonous dress made of silk and presented to Pandya King. But Lord informed the Pandya King about this heinous plan in his dreams and instructed Pandya King to cover the Linga with the poisonous dress. Pandya built this Temple in memory of this incident. Hence Lord is called as Nachadai Thavirthu Aruliya Nathar.

Chola got his one eyesight back here:

During the war between Pandyas and Cholas, Pandya King prayed to Lord Shiva for Victory. On account of this, Chola King lost both his eyesight. Chola King got back his one eyesight at Sethur Thirukkaneeswarar Temple and another one after praying to Lord Shiva of this Temple.

Mother Parvathi performed penance on Lord Shiva here:

It is believed that Goddess Parvathi performed penance on Lord Shiva here. Hence Mother is called as Thavam Petra Nayagi.

Ponnayira Kavirayar:

A poet, who wrote a book called Sethur Thala Varalaru, presented to the Village assembly at this Temple. A Poet named Chandran Amudhan argued that this book contains mistakes. He also said that he cannot accept the book without the recognition of God. Suddenly, heavy rain started pouring in this temple. Everyone in the village assembly accepted the rain as a recognition of Lord. But Chandran Amudhan was not convinced. Poet prayed to Lord Shiva for his intervention. At that time, a parrot lived in the Mother Shrine bought a flower and ring from Mother, gave it to the poor poet. Everyone in the village assembly was amazed to witness this miracle. Even Chandran Amudhan also accepted the Book. Village assembly bestowed the poet with the Title called Ponnayira Kavirayar.

Lord Shiva saving a child of a farmer:

About 60 years ago, a poor farmer lived here. Five of his five children died before reaching their teen age. Farmer was sad and he came to Devadanam and prayed to Lord Shiva here. An elderly man from the village told him to pray to Lord that he will give the name of the Lord to the Children born hereafter. Subsequently, he named the children born to him as Nachadai Lingam, Ammaiappan and Paramasivan. Days passed, one day, his son was hit by a poisonous fever. Doctors also lost hope. Sad stricken farmer took the child to the Temple. He kept the baby under the Tree and prayed to Lord sincerely. By the grace of Lord Shiva, baby started to laugh and recovered from the illness miraculously.

Porthimund Dam, Ooty, Nilgiris

Porthimund Dam, Ooty, Nilgiris

Porthimund Dam is situated near Ooty Hill Station in Ooty Taluk in Nilgiris District of Tamilnadu. Porthimund Dam is a Hydel Reservoir constructed by the Tamil Nadu Government in this region. This Dam is constructed across the Pykara River. There are facilities for boating and some water sports. Nearby lie Pykara falls and the reservoir, which are worth visiting. Porthimund Dam and forest area around the Dam also acts as a natural habitat for numerous wildlife such as water birds that breed and feed in the water including panthers and tigers and several others, hence, be extremely cautious stay within your designated path and not to get too adventurous as unwarranted situation may call for unforeseen calamities.

The forest around Porthimund Dam features uninhibited tall dense trees, crawlers and creepers filled with the sounds of strange chirping of birds and sometimes an occasional growl of a tiger that will alert you completely. Bison are a common sight in these parts. Porthimund Dam is located at about 4 Kms from Parsons Valley, 18 Kms from Ooty, 18 Kms from Ooty Bus Stand, 19 Kms from Ooty Railway Station, 20 Kms from Pykara, 38 Kms from Coonoor, 48 Kms from Kotagiri, 69 Kms from Mettupalayam Railway Station, 102 Kms from Coimbatore and 114 Kms from Coimbatore Airport. Visitors should note that as the lake is situated in the Nilgiri Biosphere reserve, prior permission is needed from the forest office in Ooty. Porthimund Dam is situated on the Ooty – Mysore Road.

Location

Pine Forest Shooting Spot, Ooty, Nilgiris

Pine Forest Shooting Spot, Ooty, Nilgiris

Pine Forest Shooting Spot is situated near Ooty Town in Ooty Taluk in Nilgiris District of Tamilnadu. The Pine Forest is located right off the road leading to Ooty (when returning from Pykara). It is actually a small valley area, where several movies, songs and serials have been shot. The soaring pines, fresh air and the picturesque views of the mountains all around make it a very sought-after place for shooting. The Pine forest Ooty location is actually pretty famous among directors, be it the Hindi Film Industry or the Tamil Film Industry.

Visitors here feel drenched in a sense of adventure and excitement, especially during the winter months, when fog envelops the entire area and makes it seem like a scene out of a thriller movie. The peace and tranquility in the area is palpable and will make anyone at all feel at home. The Pine Forest spans between the locales of Ooty and Thalakunda adding a scenic canvas to the valleys and the vast landscapes of the Nilgiris.

A weekend excursion from Ooty to Thalakunda is one of the leisure activities to indulge in as the en route experience is sure to leave you spell bounded with jaw dropping sights. The Pine Forest spans over a small downhill region and are arranged in a natural orderly fashion that is indeed spectacular to look at. This Place opens at 8 AM. Entry fees is 10 rupees per person. A lake is present at the lower portion.

The Pine Forest is one of the popular tourist destinations around Ooty that shot to fame after a number of Bollywood and South Indian movies were filmed. A song sequence of a Tamil movie named Dheena showcases the stunning and scenic locales around this Forest and several Bollywood movies such as Sadma, QSQT, Saajan, Dil, Deewana, & Khuda Gawah, just to mention a few, were also filmed in the location of this Pine Forest near Ooty.

Pine Forest Shooting Spot is located at about 2 Kms from Thalakunda, 9 Kms from Ooty, 9 Kms from Ooty Bus Stand, 9 Kms from Ooty Railway Station, 28 Kms from Coonoor, 38 Kms from Kotagiri, 59 Kms from Mettupalayam Railway Station, 92 Kms from Coimbatore and 104 Kms from Coimbatore Airport. Buses are available from the Ooty bus Stand to Thalakunda or alternatively you can get into a bus that travels to Mysore but do let the Bus Conductor know that you need to get down next to the Pine Forest area that falls en route to Mysore.

Location

Parsons Valley Dam, Ooty, Nilgiris

Parsons Valley Dam, Ooty, Nilgiris

Parsons Valley Dam is situated near Ooty Hill Station in Ooty Taluk in Nilgiris District of Tamilnadu. Parsons Valley Dam is a Hydel Reservoir constructed by the Tamil Nadu Government in this region. Placed within the panoramic Parson's Valley at an altitude of 2,196 meters above sea level and covering a massive area of 202 hectares, this reservoir serves the purpose of being the primary source of water supply to the nearby towns of the Nilgiris District and for decades has been meeting the drinking water needs for several towns, villages and including the defence establishments that are set up in Wellington.

Parson's Valley Reservoir and the area surrounding it, called, the Parson's Valley, is a reserved forest area and therefore to enter and enjoy a nature walk within, one must obtain prior permission from the State Forest Department. Placed on the Ooty – Mysore Road, you can either enter this area from Ooty or from Mysore though it is preferred to go via Ooty. Parson's Valley is situated in the Mukurthi National Park, a Sanctuary within the Nilgiri District in Tamil Nadu known for its Water Buffaloes.

Parson's Valley was aptly named after a Parson, who was a British engineer who happened to discover this valley way back in 1862 and was instrumental in developing it into what we know today as one of the most beautiful sites near Ooty from where numerous trekking routes commence. The Parson's Valley Reservoir and forest area also acts as a natural habitat for numerous wildlife such as water birds that breed and feed in the water including panthers and tigers and several others, hence, be extremely cautious stay within your designated path and not to get too adventurous as unwarranted situation may call for unforeseen calamities.

The forest around Parsons Valley Reservoir features uninhibited tall dense trees, crawlers and creepers filled with the sounds of strange chirping of birds and sometimes an occasional growl of a tiger that will alert you completely. Bison are a common sight in these parts, however, it is recommended and imperative not to intimidate them, if you happen to notice one, and for obvious reasons that does not require an explanation. Apart from the dense reserved forest land, Parson's Valley also features places where a number of Tribes still reside and of the many, most are employed by the State government and owners of local tea estates.

This is the safer section of Parson's Valley where you can enjoy nature strolls without the fear of an encounter with the wild. This area is filled with purple hues of rhododendrons trees including scented pine trees that linger around drifting through the forests of Ooty. This is one of those few places near Ooty where anyone would not regret visiting owing to the expanse of scenic exuberance it has to offer. Parson's Valley is also placed at a short trekking distance from the scenic Mukurthi Peak from where you can enjoy unforgettable views of the region and also enjoy the sights of the artificial Mukurthi Lake situated nearby.

This Valley also forms an apt base for short treks or long trekking expeditions to different sites allowing for many to scout the heights and unexplored virgin forest areas that is hidden within the majestic Western Ghats of the Nilgiris. Parsons Valley Reservoir is presently in the brink of suffering from water shortage mainly due to the erratic South West Monsoon that is depleting water storage therefore highlighting a source of concern for the authorities. However, this was resolved with recent rains and heavy downpour that resulted in the increase of water inflow and thus has benefited the Parsons Valley Reservoir to a consequential extent.

According to the Municipal Engineer stated that the Parsons Valley Reservoir held a capacity of up to 16 feet only as opposed to its usual 50 feet depth a few months ago, however, the rains have brought up the water level depth from 16 feet to 48 feet and this will serve the purpose of water supply up till the next summer months. The Parsons Valley Reservoir is also getting two additional submersible motors over the existing motors to be soon installed for expediting and keeping buffers to ensure uninterrupted water supply to the region.

Another improvement to the Parsons Valley Reservoir is an alternate connection via Kattukuppai since at times the Dam has experienced disruption in power supply especially from the Sandynalla sub-station (Kamaraj Sagar Dam) that consequently has affected, at times, in the water supply from Parsons Valley as well. This alternate connection will help tackle this concern and the project is in the pipeline.

Another proposal has been submitted to the Government to connect water supply link for Parsons Valley Reservoir from the 100+ year old Marlimund Reservoir, known to be the biggest water source for the area until the Parsons Valley Reservoir was constructed some 37+ years ago to meet the water needs of a sizable section of the region.

This plan was proposed to initiate a backup plan for water supply to the Parsons Valley Reservoir in case of shortage of water in the future. A day trek to the Parsons Valley Reservoir and Parsons Valley is allowed and definitely a must-do activity, however, venturing into the undisturbed areas and hiking off-the-beaten track within the reserved forest is restricted by the Forest Department.

Parsons Valley Dam is located at about 16 Kms from Ooty, 16 Kms from Ooty Bus Stand, 17 Kms from Ooty Railway Station, 36 Kms from Coonoor, 46 Kms from Kotagiri, 67 Kms from Mettupalayam Railway Station, 100 Kms from Coimbatore and 112 Kms from Coimbatore Airport. Visitors should note that as the lake is situated in the Nilgiri Biosphere reserve, prior permission is needed from the forest office in Ooty.

Location

Mulli View Point, Kundah, Nilgiris

Mulli View Point, Kundah, Nilgiris

Mulli View Point is a View Point located in Kundah near Ooty Hill Station in Nilgiris District of Tamilnadu. The view point is located in the Mulli - Manjur road. The road passes through the forest and has 43 hairpin bends. The main view from this view point is the green hills covered in mist/clouds. The area is very calm and cool. The road is in good condition and there is a good chance of finding wild animals during early mornings. The road will be closed during night time and it is open from 6.00 am to 6.00 pm.

Mulli View Point is located at about 7 Kms from Geddai dam, 14 Kms from Kundah Dam, 9 Kms from Kil Kundah Bus Stop, 10 Kms from Manjur Bus Stop, 42 Kms from Ooty Bus Stand, 44 Kms from Ooty, 43 Kms from Ooty Railway Station, 44 Kms from Coonoor, 61 Kms from Kotagiri, 35 Kms from Kinnakorai, 59 Kms from Mettupalayam Railway Station and 82 Kms from Coimbatore Airport. Mulli View Point is situated on Manjur to Mulli Route near Geddai Dam. This place is well connected to Ooty and Coonoor by Bus. Private Taxis are available from Ooty and Coonoor to reach this place.

Location