Sri Madhuvaneshwarar temple–Nannilam–a Padal petra sthalam

From Srivanjiyam temple I proceeded to this nearby temple which is a Padal petra sthalam sung by Sundarar
It is a small temple built by Kochenganan Chola as a Mada temple. There were no people on Sunday morning when I visited and it was very peaceful
How to Reach:
The temple is in the town of Nannilam which is between Mayavaram and Tiruvarur.It is about 38 kms from Nachiyar koil
Legends and stories;
The devas are all supposed to visit the lord even today as bees hence madhuvaneeshwarar
The temple is built on a small elevation
As you enter you see the kodimaram and the balipeetam The ambal sannidhi is on the right and the main Shivalingam is on the elevated hillock/rock

As you climb up the main shiva is in an enclosure majestic.(from Dinamalar.com)

The outer area has sannidhis for Narthana Ganapathy, Somaskanda, Dakshinamurthy, Annamalayar, Brahma and Mother Durga. In the prahara down the hill are  Siddhi Vinayaka, Subramanya, Chandikeswara, Agastheeswarar, Brahmmapureeswarar, Bhairava and Saturn (Shani bhagavan), Sun God and Navagrahas the nine planets and Mother Mahalakshmi.

Srivanjiyam Vanchinathar Koil-A padal petra sthalam

This place is more ancient than the great pralayam itself. The Swayumbhu Shivalingam is the oldest in this region.It is also famous for the Yama sannidhi. I was told by people that if someone is sick and tottering  in the ICU and is still suffering prayers here will facilitate their easy passage into the next realm without suffering .
How to Reach:
Srivanjiyam is about 35 kms south east away from Kumbakonam after Nachiyar koil on the road to Tiruvarur. It is about 5 kms before Nannilam.It can also be reached from Tiruvarur the road to Mayavaram.
Legends Of the Temple:
Lord Yama was tired that he was being cursed by all for taking lives he wanted a break and to be regarded with love not hate he complained to Shiva at Tiruvarur and was directed here to pray to Lord Shiva who being pleased with him absolved him of curses and built a temple here for him. The honour of first seeing him before seeing the lord is also afforded to him here.
Ganga was feeling very dirty after washing all the sins of people hence she sought refuge in the lord who  directed here to the pond where she was rejuvenated the pond is called Guptha Ganga as she is still believed to be in hiding here.
Lord Surya lost his lustre after attending Daksha’s yagna he prayed to Shiva here to regain his lustre
There is a seperate Shani sannidhi and sannidhi for Rahu and ketu.There is no seperate Navagraha sannidhi here
Mahavishnu (Sri) did payers to Shiva here wanting to please him to get help to marry Mahalakshmi here hence the name Sri Vanjiyam
Those born of Magam, Pooram, Sadayam and Bharani Stars and belonging to Aries (Mesha), Aquarius (Kumba) and Leo (Simha) Rashis or Lagna pray here for any adverse planetary problems faced by them. Also those who had lost jobs, aspiring promotions and transfers, separated couples for re-union pray here on Karthika Sundays after a bath in Gupta Ganga in November-December.
During the eclipse times  the doors of the temple are open though as a tradition in other Shiva temples they are closed. Special abishekam is performed to Lord of Sri Vanchiam during this time.
The sthala vriksham is sandal wood and instead of Bhilva leaves sandal leaves are used for archana here
The present temple was built by Rajendra Chola in the year AD 850.
There is a 11 tiered Rajagopuram ( Picture from the net Dinamalar.com).
Once you enter this you have to first wash at the Guptha Ganga on the right
Then you proceed to the Yaman sannidhi which is seen on the far right side
Lord Yama is standing in the sannidhi with his assistant Chitraguptha.
After this you proceed to the main temple


At this point on the right side is the Ambal Mangala Nayaki's Sannidhi facing South.The devi is about a 5 feet tall smiling statue .
( Picture fro the net Dinamalar.com).

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The main Shivan praharam is seen further down
Inside the garbagruha the Shivalinga is majestic with the square avudiar facing west and The shiva facing east( Picture fro the net Dinamalar.com).
The praharam here has the Koshta vigrahas and sannidhi for Murugan. The unique feature here is the sannidhi for Shani
  Rahu and Ketu.
There is a seperate sannidhi for Mahishasura mardhini

Thiruvirkudi Veeratteshwarar temple-a padal petra sthalam -Veeratanam

This ancient temple is having a very interesting history. It is the place where Shiva killed Jalandhara the asura king son of Sagara. It is also the place where Tulsi came into being and a place where Vishnu( Kamalanayanan) worshipped Shiva to get the Discus.
The place is close to Tiruvarur about 5 kms before tiruvarur on the Nagoor Tiruvarur road.
When you come from Mayavaram or Kumbakonam after crossing Koothanur and nannilam towards Tiruvarur just 5 kms before tiruvarur take a left towards Nagoor, the temple is on the second left road here

History and Legends:
The story of Jalandhara is found in the mahabharatha as well as the Padmapurana. Once indra who was bloated after victory over asuras entered Kailasa without greeting Nandi and the Shiva ganas,Shiva took the form of a hermit and when Indra could not find anybody in Kailasa arrogantly asked the aged hermit where Shiva was.Getting no response he threw the vajrayudha on him.The asthra broke into pieces and in that fraction Indra realised it was Shiva himself in the form of a hermit and at once begged for mercy Shiva being Ashutosh the easily pleased forgave him but the heat of the moment extracted a few drops of sweat from his brow which he cast into the ocean,Tis turned into a child which was brought up by Sagara the ocean who took the child to Brahma for getting a name the child yanked Brahma’s beard so hard that Brahma cried and a few drops of tears fell on the child so brahma called this child born out of of Shiva's sweat, Samudra’s waters and Brahma’s tears as Jalandhara or one who produced tears(Jala) in a stream from brahma. As he grew up this child developed asura gunas and aligned with the asuras and soon was crowned a king for his prowess.He married Brinda a pious Vishnu bhakta daughter of the Asura Kalanemi .Jalandhara did penance to Brahma for a boon of immortality. since he did not get it he had so much faith in his wife's chastity that he asked he would live till his wife remained chaste in thought and mind too.Armed with this boon he soon went on a rampage torturing all devas. In alarm they all came to Shiva who enlisted Vishnu’s help in killing the asura.When Jalandhara came to Kailasa searching for Indira he found the same old man who told him to  fight with him first.He first drew a chakra on the sand and asked Jalandhara to lift it up.At that moment Vishnu went in the guise of Jalandhara to Brinda who mistook him for her husband and in that second Shiva killed the asura with the discus he had made .The story here is the same at Tirumalpur Shiva temple near Kanchi where Vishnu got Shiva’s Chakra(Click here to see my blog on this temple) Brinda realised she was fooled by Vishnu and immolated herself in the outer courtyard of the temple here .Vishnu was very upset as he had caused so much grief to his bhakta Brinda he went into sadness. Shiva planted a seed into the ashes of Brinda which grew into a Thulasi plant Shiva himself made a garland of thulasi and adorned Vishnu and helped Vishnu feel better.Vishnu prayed to Shiva here with mahalakshmi and obtained the Sudharshana Chakra as a gift. This is the only Shiva temple where the lord is worshipped with Tulasi leaves not Bhilva.
As you enter there is a rajagopuram
It is a small temple with single praharam
with west facing Shiva in the garbagruha (Pic from Dinamalar.com)
The Ambal Elavar Kuzhali, Parimala Nayaki has a sannidhi on the left facing North

The praharam has a Sannidhi of Jalandhara hatheeshwara on the left facing North (Pic from Dinamalar.com)
The Kosta vigrahas are Ganesha Dakshinamurthy brahma Vishnu an Durgai, there is a Mahlakshmi, Murugan and Bhairavar sannidhi
The temple history