Ayavantheeswarar, Seeyathamangai, Nagapattinam

Basic information about the temple

Moolavar:	Ayavantheeswarar	Ambal / Thayar:	Irumalarkannammai
Deity:	Siva	Historical name:	Tiruchchaatthamangai
Vriksham:	Kondrai	Teertham:	Chandra Teertham, Surya Teertham
Agamam:		Age (years):
Timing:	6 to 11 & 4 to 8.30	Parikaram:
Temple group:	Paadal Petra Sthalam (Kaveri Then Karai)	–
Sung by:	Sambandar	Temple set:
Navagraham:		Nakshatram:
City / town:	Seeyathamangai	District:	Nagapattinam
Maps from (click):	Current location	Nagapattinam (20.6 km)	Tiruvarur (23.9 km)
	Mayiladuthurai (34.3 km)	Kumbakonam (51.2 km)

Location

Sthala puranam and temple information

Seeyathamangai is located 28km from Tiruvarur and 15km from Karaikal, on the Sannanallur-Nagore route.

This place is the avatara sthalam of Neelanakka Nayanar. One day, Neelanakkar and his wife were worshipping Lord Siva at this temple, when a spider fell on the Lingam. Instantly, his wife blew it away, which caused Neelanakkar to consider that as an act of sacrilege, and so he abandoned her. The wife, very upset, prayed to Ayavantheeswarar for pardon. Instead, the Lord appeared in Neelanakkar’s dream that night, sporting his body which had been affected by the spider’s poison, everywhere except where the wife had blown it away. Neelanakkar realized that true bhakti was greater than mechanical religious worship, and that the Lingam was more than just a stone.

It is said that even today, the Lingam has boils and spots on most of its surface. Murtis of Nayanar and his wife are in the mandapam.

There is another story associated with Neelanakka Nayanar. Once, Sambandar visited here along with Neelakanta Yazhpanar and his wife Mandanga Soolamani (also called Virali, a singer). Neelanakkar welcomed Sambandar with due honours, but considering the other two to not be of the higher caste, did not let them sleep inside his home that night, but near the sacrificial pit outside. When Neelakanta Yazhpanar and his wife approached the pit, it started to burn on its own. Neelanakkar then understood that this was through their power of devotion and bhakti, and he promptly gave up the notions of birth and caste. The following morning, Sambandar sang a pathigam which also glorified Neelanakkar, and the latter wanted to accompany Sambandar when he left. But at Sambandar’s request, Neelanakkar remained here.

This is a west-facing temple, and Brahma – who is also called Ayan – is said to have worshipped here. So the Lord here is named Aya-vantha-easwarar (the One worshipped by Brahma), and also Brahmapureeswarar. Amman has a separate shrine in a separate temple, with its own entrance, gopuram, etc. If one looks closely, one can see a third eye on Amman’s forehead! The tank opposite the temple is considered to be in two parts – Surya Teertham and Chandra Teertham.

Other information for your visit

The following Paadal Petra Sthalam and Divya Desam temples (including this temple) are located close by and it is efficient to cover them in a single visit.

Tirupugalur: Agneeswarar (and Vartamaneswarar)
Tirukannapuram: Sowriraja Perumal; Ramanathaswami;
Tiruchengattankudi: Uthira Pasupateeswarar;
Marugal: Ratnagireeswarar; and
Seeyathamangai: Ayavantheeswarar.