Nandeeswarar, Nandipura Vinnagaram, Thanjavur

Basic information about the temple

Moolavar:	Nandeeswarar	Ambal / Thayar:	Nandini Ammai
Deity:	Siva	Historical name:
Vriksham:		Teertham:
Agamam:		Age (years):
Timing:	to & to	Parikaram:
Temple group:		–
Sung by:		Temple set:
Navagraham:		Nakshatram:
City / town:	Nandipura Vinnagaram	District:	Thanjavur
Maps from (click):	Current location	Kumbakonam (5 km)	Thanjavur (37 km)
	Tiruvarur (40 km)	Mayiladuthurai (42 km)

Location

Sthala puranam and temple information

We request you to please read this short background about village temples, before you proceed.

The village of Nandipura Vinnagaram – also known as Nathan Koil – is more famous for two reasons. First, it is the site of the Jagannatha Perumal Divya Desam temple. Second, readers of Kalki’s Ponniyin Selvan will recall Nandipura Vinnagaram as the village where Aniruddha Brahmarayar (Sundara Chola’s minister) lived.

According to the sthala puranam of the Jagannatha Perumal temple, Nandi once wanted to worship Vishnu, but was prevented by the dwarapalakas. He did not pay respect to them and hence they cursed him that his body became extremely hot.

Unable to bear the heat, Nandi came to this place nearby, and complained to Lord Siva who advised him to visit Shenbagaranyam (the present-day Nathan Koil temple) where Lakshmi had undertaken penance, and pray to Lord Vishnu. Pleased with Nandi’s penance, Perumal appeared and relived Nandi from the curse. This place is therefore also known as Nandipura Vinnagaram (Vinnagaram is a derivative of Vishnu-Nagaram). One can see Nandi in the main sanctum / garbhagriham of the Perumal temple.

Since Siva appeared here and provided Nandi with a solution, He is called Nandeeswarar here. Parvati came here with Siva, and so She is called Nandini Amman.

This is a very small, village temple, but maintained well by the locals who volunteer for its upkeep. The garbhagriham features a relatively large Lingam. However, there is no gopuram, bali peetham, or dhwajasthambam here.

There is a separate south-facing shrine for Amman, as well as the sub-shrines for the chief parivara devatas Vinayakar, Murugan, and Chandikeswarar. There are no koshtam shrines or murtis, which suggests that either this could be a very old temple, or that those existed at one time but were later removed / stolen. It is also possible that the original temple were was from the Chola period (given the location of the temple in the Chola heartland), and was significantly remodelled later.