Thiruvaalangadu is one of the 32

Saiva ''Saiva'' is a genus of Asian planthoppers, family Fulgoridae. They are colourful insects, marked boldly in red, blue, white and black, with a prominent slender stalk like structure arising on the head that points upwards or forward. The known ...

temples in Tondai Nadu which have been sung in the devaarams. Lord Siva is known as 'Vada aaranyeswarar' in this temple (Vada - meaning north and aaranyam - meaning forest and Eswarar - referring to Lord Siva) His consort here is called 'VaaNdaarkuzhali' (meaning the one whose locks attract beetles - to suck honey from the flowers that decorate it). Thiruvaalangadu also houses the Rathinasabai - which is one of the panchasabais (pancha - meaning five, and sabais meaning stage / dias), for Lord Nataraja. This temple is amongst the greatest Shiva Temples of Tamil Nadu. Saints Sambanthar has sung one pathigam (a form of poetry),

Appar Appar, also referred to as ( ta, திருநாவுக்கரசர்) or Navukkarasar, was a seventh-century Tamil Śaiva poet-saint. Born in a peasant Śaiva family, raised as an orphan by his sister, he lived about 80 years and is ...

two pathigams and

Sundarar Sundarar (Tamil: சுந்தரர்), also referred to as Chuntarar, Chuntaramurtti, Nampi Aruran or Tampiran Tolan, was an eighth-century poet-saint of Tamil Shaiva Siddhanta tradition of Hinduism. He is among the Tevaram trio, and one o ...

one pathigam in praise of the Lord at Thiruvaalangadu. Kaaraikaal Ammaiyar, one of the foremost of the 63 devotees of Lord Siva, who sought and obtained a ghost form and added the signature of 'Kaaraikaal Pei' (the ghost of Kaariakaal) to her poetry, is said to have walked into this place on her head - considering even the soil around too holy to be stepped on. She has composed the famous 'Moothathirupadhigam', the 'Thiruirrattaimanimalai' and the 'Arpudhathiruvandhadhi' in praise of the Lord. Shs attained spiritual bliss and salvation at Thiruvaalangadu and it is believed that she still sits beneath the Lord's feet, singing his glory when He dances. Lord

Nataraja Nataraja () also known as Adalvallaan () is a depiction of the Hindu god Shiva as the divine cosmic dancer. His dance is called Tandava.''Encyclopædia Britannica'' (2015) The pose and artwork are described in many Hindu texts such as the ''T ...

at Thiruvaalangadu is exquisite and captivating. At the Rathinasabai the Lord is seen with his consort, Goddess Sivagami on His right and Kaaraikaal Ammayar singing on his left. Sri Viswaroopa Panchamukha

Hanuman Hanuman (; sa, हनुमान, ), also called Anjaneya (), is a Hindu god and a divine '' vanara'' companion of the god Rama. Hanuman is one of the central characters of the Hindu epic ''Ramayana''. He is an ardent devotee of Rama and on ...

ashram is located at Tiruvallur, next to Tiruvalangadu. A Sri Panchamukha Hanuman has been installed in this ashram as per

mantra A mantra (Pali: ''manta'') or mantram (मन्त्रम्) is a sacred utterance, a numinous sound, a syllable, word or phonemes, or group of words in Sanskrit, Pali and other languages believed by practitioners to have religious, ma ...

shastra.

Notes

Shiva temples in Tamil Nadu {{TamilNadu-hindu-temple-stub