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Child Saivite Saint Tirugnanasambandar has praised Lord Shiva of the temple as One who has everything good, one has not anything that is not good, one who has the glittering white skinned Nandhi as His Vahan, Mother Uma sharing His half, all prosperity at His feet, having His abode at the hills of Shirappalli my heart and mind enjoying the bliss when I praise His glory.This is the 6th Shiva temple on the southern bank of Cauvery praised in the Thevaram hymns of Saints Tirugnanasambandar, Tirunavukkarasar and Sundarar and Saint Arunagirinathar in his TirupuggazhVinayaka of the temple is praised as Lord Sevvandhi Vinayaka. The shrine is revered as Kailash of South. There is a prakara at the centre of this Hill Temple calledMel Veedhi-West Street and the one around the foot hills is called Keel Veedhi East Street. During festivals, Lord goes in procession on both streets. Planet Sun in the Navagraha Mandap graces with His consorts Usha and Pradusha. All planets in the Navagraha Mandap are facing Sun.

Lord Manicka Vinayaka graces from the foot hill temple. Saint Arunagiriar had praised Lord Muthukumaraswami Lord Muruga in the separate shrine in his Tirupugazh hymns. Padala Ayyanar graces from a pit near the shrine of Mother Ambica.

The region was ruled by a Chola king having Worayur as his capital. During this time, Sarama Munivar created a flower garden here and was worshipping Lord with Sevvandhi flowers. A trader stole the flowers from this garden and gave them to the king. As the king became very fond of these flowers, he asked the trader to supply them to him daily. The trader continued his theft business. This caused disturbance to the Shiva Puja of Sarama Munivar. His appeal to the king was in vain. Munivar appealed to Lord Shiva who looked at the direction of the court of the king and caused sand rain in the place. The king realized his wrong doing, prayed to Lord Shiva and was pardoned.

Wife of Dana Guptan was pregnant and she asked her mother to come to help her. The mother could not reach daughter Rathnavathi due to heavy floods in Cauvery. Meantime, Ratnavathi developed labour pain. She prayed to Lord Shiva for help. Shiva appeared there as her own mother, attended on her for a week till the floods receded. When the mother returned and entered the daughters house, she was shocked to see one resembling her. Lord Shiva granted darshan to both in His own Form. As He helped the women in time, He is praised as Thayum Aanavar He is Mother also.

Tiruchi to devotees means first the Uchi Pillayar temple-Lord Vinayaka. He is the first deity in the place. After attending the Coronation of Lord Sri Rama in Ayodhya, Vibishana was returning to Lanka with the gift of Lord Sri Ranganatha worshipped by the Lord Rama. The condition was that he should not place the idol on earth till he reached Lanka. To perform puja to Perumal on the way, he gave the idol to a boy there and went for a bath. But the boy had placed the idol on ground before Vibishana returned. He chased the boy to the top of the hill, where the boy showed what He was. He was but Lord Vinayaka. Hence, He is called Uchi (hill top) Pillayar. Vinayaka Chaturthi festival is celebrated grandly for 10 days in the temple.

Mother Mattuvar Kuzhali blesses the devotees from Her shrine. Relations of pregnant women come to the temple to pray for their safe delivery. They offer 21 puddings Kozhukattai and 21 Appams along with betel leaves with turmeric and kumkum tied in a small cloth to Ambica for her blessings.
The following sloka is chanted 3 times a day by believers for a happy result.

Hey Shankara, Smarahara, Pramadhaadhi nadha
Mannaadha, Shamba, Ha, Trishoolin
Shambo Sukha prasava krutha bhava Dhayalo
Sri Mathrubhudha Shiva balaya maam Namaste.

The flag post (kodimaram) is traditionally opposite the Lords shrine. It is behind the shrine in this temple. The shrine was previously facing east. As Lord turned west to punish the king who stole the sevvandhi flowers and caused disturbance to the puja of Sarama Munivar, the shrine stood permanently facing west leaving the flag post behind.

During the puja times, the music and Thevaram recitals are followed only from eastern side behind the shrine. One Kediliappa Pillai was the treasurer accountant of King Vijaya Ragunatha Chokkar during his rule of the region. Pillai was a staunch Shiva devotee and was gifted with a handsome son. Pillai named him Thayuimanavan after the name of the Lord. The boy showed all signs of brilliance in education and characters. The king retained him in his services. He served the king for a long time, while his heart was with the Lord. Lord Shiva as Lord Dakshinamurthy graced Thayumanavar with Upadesas (spiritual teaching).

He is seated on a mat of Dharba grass along with four Sanakathi sages, Sivayoga Munivar, Patanjali, Vykrapadhar and Tirumoolar 8 disciples. Saint Arunagiriar praises the Lord as Darba Asana Vedhian Brahmin on a Darba seat.

Devotees usually offer some rice preparation or sweet pudding as nivedhana to Lord in temples. People here offer bunches of plantain fruits to Lord Thayumanavar. The philosophy is that Plantain trees grow automatically with the mother plant successively and it is one crop largely cultivated. As the plantain grows side by side automatically and successively, it is believed that dynasties would continue with the grace of the Lord. This is first placed in the sanctum sanctorum for puja and then distributed to the visitors.

Mother Mahalakshmi graces the devotees from the prakara of Lord Shiva shrine. The idol is made of wood. Devotees light ghee lamps here offering a preparation made of milk, honey, saffron praying for prosperity in families. Sri Veda Sukta Mantra Homa is performed in the shrine each Friday. Mother Durga graces the devotees from another shrine. This idol is also made of wood.

Sage Sarama Munivar in worshipping form is in the shrine of Mother Vishnu Durga gracing with 8 hands. Those facing Mangal Sutra doshas pray here during Rahu Kalams with red flowers offering porridge (payasam) nivedhana.

The event of Lord Shiva servicing Ratnavathi during her labour moments is celebrated on the 5th day of Chithirai Brahmmotsavam in April-May. Curtain is downed during this event. They decorate Ratnavathi with child on her lap. The curtain is then lifted for darshan offering light puja Deepa Aradhana. After the puja, the oil and the maternity medicine given to mothers after delivery are given to the devotees as Prasad. It is believed that pregnant women consuming this will be blessed with safe delivery.
There is a sub deity (Shiva Gana) between the flag post and the Balipeeta blowing a conch called Changusami (changu conch). It is said that he is always speaking the glory of Lord Shiva blowing the conch. He is also called Changanathar. It is said that he announces the procession of Lord Shiva during festivals.

There are three separate shrines on this hill for Lord Uchi Pillayar, Lord Shiva and Mother Mattuvar Kuzhali. The hill is 273 feet tall with 417steps. When people view the hill from different directions, it appears as a Nandhi the vehicle of Shiva, Simha the Lion vahan of Ambica and Vinayakas trunk in three shapes, a miracle in Kaliyuga.

Lord Thayumanavar shrine is of a two tier type with a prakara in deep ground (padala). Lord Brahmma, Sage Agasthya, Indira, Jatayu, Sage Athri, Dhoomaketu, Tirisira, Arujuna, Lord Sri Rama, Sri Anjaneya, Vibishana, Thayumana Adigal and Sekkizhar are in a line in the same place. Traditionally Nandhi is installed opposite Lord Shiva shrine. Here, as the hill itself is personified as Lord Shiva, Nandhi in a big size is installed on the banks of Brahmma Theetham in a separate temple. Special pujas are performed here on Pradosha days. There is also a 35 feet tall lightpost Deepa Sthamba.

Lord of this temple on the southern bank of Cauvery is colossal in size. The rays of Sun fall on the Lord in Panguni (march-April) for three days. Pujas are conducted under two codes Shivagama and Kameekam. Four festivals Chithirai Brahmmotsavam, Panguni float festival, Navarathri and Aadi Pooram commence with flag hoisting. Thayumanavar Guru Puja is celebrated in the month of Thai (January-February) on Visakam star day. Lord comes in procession on Tamil first days and on new moon days.

A furious contest arose between Adisesha and Vayu to decide the supremacy of their prowess. The condition was to shake violently Mount Kailash. Defeating Adisesha, when Vayu broke the mount, a part of it fell in this place. Demon Tirishira (demon with three heads) was on penance on Lord Shiva. Though many years passed, Lord Shiva delayed His darshan to test his purity. He threw two of his heads in fire and was about to throw the third, Lord appeared before him and restored his two heads. As requested by him, Lord Shiva agreed to stay here in the name of Thirisira Nathar (based on demon Tirishira story). The place came to be known as Tirishiramalai, now changed as Tiruchy.

Moolavar: Thayumanavar

Amman / Thayar:Mattuvar Kuzhali

Thala Virutcham:Vilwa

Theertham: Brahmma Theertham

Agamam / Pooja:Karanam, Kameekam

Pathigam: Thirunavukarasar, Sambandar

Old year: 1000-2000 years old

Historical Name:Shirapuram City: Trichy

This temple is centrally located in Tiruchirapalli on a small hillock known as Rockfort. Lord Shiva as a Swayambulinga graces devotees facing west. The rays of Sun fall on the Lord for three days during the evenings in the month of Panguni (March-April).

Chithirai Brahmmotsavam in (April-May)

Panguni float festival in (March-April)

Aadi Pooram in (July-August)

Aipasai Annabishekam in (October-November)

Tirukarthikai in (November-December)

Panchamurthy procession on Makar Shankranti (Thai Pongal) falling almost on January 14 and Maha Shivrathri in (February-March) are the festivals celebrated in he temple.

Lord Thayumanava as His very name suggests, is the Mother of all those helpless in life. Those who had lost their mothers pray here for His grace hoping that He would guide them throughout their life. Majority of devotees pray for safe delivery of the child and welfare of mother and child.

Devotees perform abishek with milk to Lord and Mother, offer vastras and plantain fruits in full bunch Vazhai Thar.

The temple is open from 6.00 a.m. to 12.00 a.m. and from 4.00 p.m. to 8.30 p.m. Uchi Pillayar Temple is open from 6.00 a.m. to 8.00 p.m. continuously

Sri Thayumanava Swami Temple, Fort, Trichy-620 002. +91431270 4621, 271 0484, 270 0971.

Do:

Do pray your Ishta Devata before pilgrimage to Temple.
Do contact Temple Devasthanam information centre for enquiry, temple information and for Pooja details etc.
Do reserve your travel and accommodation at Temple well in advance.
Do bath and wear clean clothes before you enter the temple.
Do concentrate on God and Goddess inside the temple.
Do maintain silence and recite Om Namahsivaya or your Istamantram to yourself inside the temple.
Do observe ancient custom and traditions while in Temple.
Do respect religious sentiments at Temple.
Do deposit your offerings in the hundi only.

Don't s:

Do not come to Temple for any purpose other than worshipping of God and Goddess.
Do not smoke at Temple.
Do not consume alcoholic drinks at Temple.
Do not eat non-vegetarian food in the Kshetram.
Do not approach mediators for quick Darshanam. It may cause inconvenient to others.
Do not carry any weapon inside the temple.
Do not wear any head guards like helmets, caps, turbans and hats inside the temple premises.
Do not perform Sastanga Pranama inside the Sanctum Sanctorum.
Do not take much time while performing Sparsa Darshanam to God in Garbhagriha.
Do not buy spurious prasadams from street vendors.
Do not encourage beggars at Temple.
Do not spit or create nuisance in the premises of the temple.