Thyagaraja Temple, Tiruvarur
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Thyagaraja Temple is a
Shiva Shiva (; , ), also known as Mahadeva (; , , Help:IPA/Sanskrit, ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐh and Hara, is one of the Hindu deities, principal deities of Hinduism. He is the God in Hinduism, Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions w ...
temple, located in the town of
Thiruvarur Thiruvarur () also spelt as Tiruvarur is a municipality in the Indian States and territories of India, state of Tamil Nadu. It is the administrative headquarters of Thiruvarur district and Thiruvarur taluk. The temple chariot of the Thyagaraja t ...
in
Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is the southernmost States and union territories of India, state of India. The List of states and union territories of India by area, tenth largest Indian state by area and the List of states and union territories of Indi ...
state,
India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
. Shiva is worshiped in the form of a
lingam A lingam ( , lit. "sign, symbol or mark"), sometimes referred to as linga or Shiva linga, is an abstract or Aniconism, aniconic representation of the Hinduism, Hindu Hindu deities, god Shiva in Shaivism. The word ''lingam'' is found in the Up ...
as Thyagarajaswami, also known as ''Putridankondar''. His consort
Parvati Parvati (, , IPA: /Sanskrit phonology, pɑɾʋət̪iː/), also known as Uma (, , IPA: Sanskrit phonology, /ʊmɑː/) and Gauri (, , IPA: /Sanskrit phonology, gə͡ʊɾiː/), is one of the principal goddesses in Hinduism, revered as the Devi, ...
is worshipped as Goddess ''Neelotpalambika''. She is also worshipped as Goddess Kamalambika, whose separate shrine is an important center for
Shaktism Shaktism () is a major Hindu denomination in which the God in Hinduism, deity or metaphysics, metaphysical reality is considered metaphorically to be a woman. Shaktism involves a galaxy of goddesses, all regarded as different aspects, mani ...
and
Tantra Tantra (; ) is an esoteric yogic tradition that developed on the India, Indian subcontinent beginning in the middle of the 1st millennium CE, first within Shaivism and later in Buddhism. The term ''tantra'', in the Greater India, Indian tr ...
, and is also regarded to be one of the
Shakti Peethas The Shakta pithas, also called Shakti pithas or Sati pithas (, , ''seats of Shakti''), are significant shrines and pilgrimage destinations in Shaktism, the mother goddess denomination in Hinduism. The shrines are dedicated to various forms of Ad ...
. The presiding deity is revered in the 7th century
Shaiva Shaivism (, , ) is one of the major Hindu traditions, which worships Shiva as the supreme being. It is the second-largest Hindu sect after Vaishnavism, constituting about 385 million Hindus, found widely across South Asia (predominantly in ...
canonical work, the ''
Tevaram The ''Tevaram'' (, ), also spelled ''Thevaram'', denotes the first seven volumes of the twelve-volume collection ''Tirumurai'', a Saivism, Shaiva narrative of epic and Puranas, Puranic heroes, as well as a Hagiography, hagiographic account of ...
'', written in Tamil by saint poets known as the
Nayanars The Nayanars (or Nayanmars; , and later 'teachers of Shiva') were a group of 63 Tamils, Tamil Hindu saints living during the 6th to 8th centuries CE who were devoted to the Hindu god Shiva. Along with the Alvars, their contemporaries who were de ...
and the shrine is classified as a ''
Paadal Petra Sthalam The Paadal Petra Sthalams (), also known as Devara Sthalams, are 276 temples that are revered in the verses of Shaiva Nayanars in the 6th-9th century CE. The Divya Desams by comparison are the 108 Vishnu temples glorified in the poems of the ...
''. The temple complex covers and is one of the largest temples in India. It houses nine entrance towers known as ''
gopurams A ''gopuram'' or ''gopura'' (Tamil: கோபுரம், Telugu: గోపురం, Kannada: ಗೋಪುರ, Malayalam: ഗോപുരം) is a monumental entrance tower, usually ornate, at the entrance of a Hindu temple, in the South In ...
''. The tallest is the eastern tower, with four stories and a height of . The temple has numerous shrines, with those of Thyagarajaswami, Neelotpalambika, and Kamalambika being the most prominent. The temple has six daily rituals at various times from 05:30 to 22:00, and twelve yearly festivals on its calendar. The temple has the largest processional
chariot A chariot is a type of vehicle similar to a cart, driven by a charioteer, usually using horses to provide rapid Propulsion, motive power. The oldest known chariots have been found in burials of the Sintashta culture in modern-day Chelyabinsk O ...
in Asia and the annual Chariot festival is celebrated during the month of March. The present masonry structure was built during the
Chola dynasty The Chola dynasty () was a Tamil dynasty originating from Southern India. At its height, it ruled over the Chola Empire, an expansive maritime empire. The earliest datable references to the Chola are from inscriptions dated to the 3rd cen ...
in the 9th century. The temple is maintained and administered by the
Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department The Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department of the Government of Tamil Nadu manages and controls the temple administration within the state. The Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Act XXII of 1959 controls 36,425 ...
of the
Government of Tamil Nadu The Government of Tamil Nadu () is the administrative body responsible for the governance of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Chennai is the capital of the state and houses the state executive, legislature and head of judiciary. Under the Const ...
.


Etymology

The historic name of Thiruvarur was ''Arur'' and it finds mention in the 7th-century Shaiva canonical work, ''
Tevaram The ''Tevaram'' (, ), also spelled ''Thevaram'', denotes the first seven volumes of the twelve-volume collection ''Tirumurai'', a Saivism, Shaiva narrative of epic and Puranas, Puranic heroes, as well as a Hagiography, hagiographic account of ...
''. The term ''Thiru'', meaning holy, is added to all temple cities that are mostly revered by the verses of ''Tevaram'', which is the case of ''Arur'' becoming ''Thiruvarur''. Another name of Thiruvarur is Kamalalayaksetra, meaning the "holy place that is an abode of lotuses", hence the goddess' name Kamalambika and the Kamalalayam tank; During the
British Raj The British Raj ( ; from Hindustani language, Hindustani , 'reign', 'rule' or 'government') was the colonial rule of the British The Crown, Crown on the Indian subcontinent, * * lasting from 1858 to 1947. * * It is also called Crown rule ...
, the town was termed ''Tiruvalur'', ''Tiruvaloor'', and ''Thiruvalur''. As per the district and municipality websites, the district has the spelling "Tiruvarur", while the town has it as "Thiruvarur". As per Hindu legend, the temple is the place where Parvati as Kamalambika, wished to marry Shiva as Thyagarajaswami, but her wish remained unfulfilled.


History

According to legend, a
Chola The Chola Empire, which is often referred to as the Imperial Cholas, was a medieval thalassocratic empire based in southern India that was ruled by the Chola dynasty, and comprised overseas dominions, protectorates and spheres of influence ...
king named
Muchukunda Muchukunda () is a king of the Suryavamsha (Solar dynasty) in Hindu mythology. He was the son of King Mandhata, and the brother of Ambarisha. Battle with the asuras According to the Bhagavata Purana, the devas were once defeated by the asur ...
obtained a boon from
Indra Indra (; ) is the Hindu god of weather, considered the king of the Deva (Hinduism), Devas and Svarga in Hinduism. He is associated with the sky, lightning, weather, thunder, storms, rains, river flows, and war.  volumes Indra is the m ...
and wished to receive a lingam icon of Shiva, depicting the latter
dancing Dance is an art form, consisting of sequences of body movements with aesthetic and often symbolic value, either improvised or purposefully selected. Dance can be categorized and described by its choreography, by its repertoire of movements or ...
on the chest of
Vishnu Vishnu (; , , ), also known as Narayana and Hari, is one of the Hindu deities, principal deities of Hinduism. He is the supreme being within Vaishnavism, one of the major traditions within contemporary Hinduism, and the god of preservation ( ...
.
Indra Indra (; ) is the Hindu god of weather, considered the king of the Deva (Hinduism), Devas and Svarga in Hinduism. He is associated with the sky, lightning, weather, thunder, storms, rains, river flows, and war.  volumes Indra is the m ...
tried to misguide the king and had six other images made, but the king chose the right image and consecrated it in
Tiruvarur Thiruvarur () also spelt as Tiruvarur is a municipality in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is the administrative headquarters of Thiruvarur district and Thiruvarur taluk. The temple chariot of the Thyagaraja temple, weighing and measuring ...
. The ''Muchukunda Sahasranamam'' specifically refers to the deity as ''Anapaayamahipaala'', and as ''Rajaveshadari'' (one who played the role of a king). The temple is believed to have been initiated with a large complex by the
Pallava The Pallava dynasty existed from 275 CE to 897 CE, ruling a significant portion of South India, the Deccan, also known as Tondaimandalam. The Pallavas played a crucial role in shaping in particular southern Indian history and heritage. The ...
s during the 7th century. Contemporary history of the temple dates back to the time of the
Medieval Cholas The Chola Empire, which is often referred to as the Imperial Cholas, was a medieval thalassocratic empire based in southern India that was ruled by the Chola dynasty, and comprised overseas dominions, protectorates and spheres of influence ...
. An inscription dated in the 20th regnal year of Rajendra I (1012–1044) beginning with the introduction "Tirumanni valara" is found on the north and west walls of the Thyagaraja shrine. It gives a list of gifts including a number of jewels and lamps to the deity. It records that the temple was built in stone in the regnal years of the king by Anukkiyar Paravai Nangaiyar. Besides the same lady liberally endowed gold for plating and gilding parts of the vimana, the entrance, and the four sides of the shrine. Copper was also donated for plating the doors, and corbels of the pillars of the mandapa in front of the shrine. This inscription meticulously records the weight of the endowed gold and copper, besides listing the various ornaments gifted to the temple with a description each of them. The temple complex seems to have acted as the cultural model for the Brihadeeswara Temple in
Thanjavur Thanjavur (), also known as Thanjai, previously known as Tanjore, Pletcher 2010, p. 195 is a city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is the 12th biggest city in Tamil Nadu. Thanjavur is an important center of southern Indian religion, art ...
, built by
Raja Raja Chola Rajaraja I (Middle Tamil: ''Rājarāja Cōḻaṉ''; Classical Sanskrit: ''Rājarāja Śōḷa''; 3 November 947 – January/February 1014), also known as Rajaraja the Great, was a Chola Empire, Chola emperor who reigned from 985 to 1014. He ...
, wherein he enshrined an icon which shared with the icon of the
Chidambaram Temple Thillai Nataraja Temple, also referred as the Chidambaram Nataraja Temple, is a Hindu temple dedicated to Nataraja, the form of Shiva as the lord of dance (cosmic dancer). This temple is located in Chidambaram, Tamil Nadu, India. This temple ...
. The last
Chola The Chola Empire, which is often referred to as the Imperial Cholas, was a medieval thalassocratic empire based in southern India that was ruled by the Chola dynasty, and comprised overseas dominions, protectorates and spheres of influence ...
monarch to play an important role in the affairs of the temple was
Kulothunga Chola III Kulothunga III was a Chola emperor who ruled from to 1218. He ascended the throne after succeeding his elder brother Rajadhiraja II. Kulothunga Chola III gained success in war against his traditional foes. He gained victories in war agains ...
in the early part of the 13th century A.D. It attracted devotees of all schools and the Golaki Monastery was established in the 13th and 14th centuries. The temple also attracted Jains, which were attacked by Hindus, as is evident from the text ''
Periya Puranam The ''Periya‌ Purāṇa‌m'' (Tamil: பெரிய‌ புராண‌ம்), that is, the ''great purana'' or epic, sometimes called ''Tiruttontarpuranam'' ("Tiru-Thondar-Puranam", the Purana of the Holy Devotees), is a Tamil poet ...
''.


Architecture

The temple complex occupies an area of around with the Kamalalayam tank to its west, which occupies the same area. The temple has nine
gopuram A ''gopuram'' or ''gopura'' ( Tamil: கோபுரம், Telugu: గోపురం, Kannada Kannada () is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly in the state of Karnataka in southwestern India, and spoken by a minority of th ...
s, 80
vimana Vimāna are mythological flying palaces or chariots described in Hindu texts and Sanskrit epics. The "Pushpaka Vimana" of Ravana (who took it from Kubera; Rama returned it to Kubera) is the most quoted example of a vimana. Vimanas are also menti ...
s, twelve temple walls, 13 halls, fifteen large temple water bodies, three gardens, and three large precincts. The major gopuram of the temple is seven-tiered and raises to a height of . The two main shrines of the temple are for Vanmikinathar (
Shiva Shiva (; , ), also known as Mahadeva (; , , Help:IPA/Sanskrit, ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐh and Hara, is one of the Hindu deities, principal deities of Hinduism. He is the God in Hinduism, Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions w ...
) and Thyagarajar. Of the two, the former is the most ancient and derives its name from tha anthill (''putru''), which takes the place of ''
linga A lingam ( , lit. "sign, symbol or mark"), sometimes referred to as linga or Shiva linga, is an abstract or aniconic representation of the Hindu god Shiva in Shaivism. The word ''lingam'' is found in the Upanishads and epic literature, wher ...
'' in the main shrine.
Appar Appar (), also referred to as Tirunavukkaracar () or Navukkarasar, was a seventh-century Tamil Shaiva poet-saint. Born in a peasant Shaiva family, raised as an orphan by his sister, he lived about 80 years and is generally placed sometime betwe ...
, the 7th-century poet-saint, refers to the main deity in his hymn as ''Putritrukondan'' (one who resides in the ant hill). The '' Stala vriksham'' (temple tree) is ''red patiri'' (trumpet flower tree). The principles and practices of tree-worship and philopatry are ancient bases whereupon a later date ''
linga A lingam ( , lit. "sign, symbol or mark"), sometimes referred to as linga or Shiva linga, is an abstract or aniconic representation of the Hindu god Shiva in Shaivism. The word ''lingam'' is found in the Upanishads and epic literature, wher ...
'' worship seems to have been established. As per folk legend, Thiruvarur is mentioned as the capital town of a legendary Chola king, Manu Needhi Cholan, who killed his wicked son to provide justice to a cow. The temple has a sculptural representation of a stone chariot, the king, the cow and his son under the chariot on the northeastern wall. Here all the nine
Navagraha The navagraha are nine heavenly bodies and deities that influence human life on Earth according to Hinduism and Hindu mythology. The term is derived from ''nava'' ( "nine") and ''graha'' ( "planet, seizing, laying hold of, holding"). The nine part ...
s (planetary deities) are located towards the south in a straight line also located in the northwest corner of 1st (''
prakaram A prakaram (प्राकारः in Sanskrit), also spelled pragaram or pragaaram) in Indian architecture is an outer part around the Hindu temple sanctum. They may be enclosed or open and are typically enclosed for the innermost prakaram. ...
''). It is believed that all the planetary deities were relieved of their curse and hence worshipped Thyagaraja. This temple holds the record of having a maximum number of shrines in India. The feet of Thyagaraja are shown twice a year and on other occasions, it is covered with flowers. The right leg of Thyagarajaswami and the left leg of Nilotpalambika are displayed during the
Panguni Uthiram Panguni Uthiram () is a Tamil Hindu festival. It is marked on the purnima (full moon) of the month of Panguni (14 March - 13 April). It falls on the day the moon transits the nakshatram (asterism) of Uttiram ( Uttara Phalguni) in the twelfth ...
festival and the
Thiruvathira Thiruvathira (also known as Thiruvathirai or Arudhra Darisanam) is a Hindu festival predominantly observed in the Indian states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu. The term ''Thiruvathirai'' (Arudhra) in Tamil translates to "sacred grand wave," symbol ...
i festival (the left leg of the idol is never shown). Some of the major shrines in the temple are Aananthiswarar, Nilotpalambika, Asaleswarar, Adageswarar, Varuneswarar, Annamalieswarar and Kamalambika. The unique feature of the temple is the standing Nandi facing the presiding deity. The temple has a lot of halls, with six of them being the most prominent. Bhaktha Katchi hall is located to the left of the image of Moosukuntha Nandi. The festival image of Thyagaraja arrives at this hall after the Panguni Uthiram festival. Oonjal hall is located opposite to the baktha Katchi hall. The festival images of Chandrasekarar and darunendhu Sekari Amman arrive at this hall during the Thiruvadhirai festival. Rajanarayana hall is a public hall for localities of Thiruvaru. Panguni uthira hall is located in the western part of the temple, which is also known as sababathi hall, houses the museum of the temple. Similar architecture of halls (Mandapas) simulating a chariot drawn by elephant or horses is found in
Sarangapani temple The Sarangapani Temple, Thirukudanthai, or Kumbakonam koyil is a Hindu temple dedicated to Vishnu, located in Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu, India. It is one of the '' Divya Desams'', the 108 temples of Vishnu revered in Nalayira Divya Prabandham ...
at Kumbakonam, Mela Kadambur Amirthakadeswarar Temple,
Sikharagiriswara Temple, Kudumiyamalai Sikharagiriswara Temple is a Hindu temple situated in the village of Kudumiyanmalai at a distance of 20 kilometres from Pudukkottai. The temple complex includes a 1000-pillared hall and has many inscriptions by the Pallava king Mahendravarman ...
, Nageswaraswamy Temple, Kumbakonam and Vriddhagiriswarar Temple, Vriddhachalam.


Chariot festival

Kulothunga Chola II Kulothunga II (died 1150 CE) was a Chola Emperor from 1133 CE to 1150 CE. He succeeded Vikrama Chola to the throne in 1135 CE. Vikrama Chola made Kulothunga his heir apparent and coregent in 1133 CE, so the inscriptions of Kulothunga II coun ...
(1133–50 CE) enlarged the temple ritual to have fifty six festivals, some of which are followed in modern times. The annual chariot festival of the Thygarajaswamy temple is celebrated during April – May, corresponding to the Tamil month of '' Chitrai''. The chariot is the largest of its kind in Asia and India weighing 300 tonne with a height of . The chariot comes around the four main streets surrounding the temple during the festival. The event is attended by lakhs of people from all over Tamil Nadu. The chariot festival is followed by the "Theppam", meaning float festival. The memorial for
Thiruvalluvar Thiruvalluvar commonly known as Valluvar, was a Tamil poet and philosopher. He is best known as the author of the '' Tirukkuṟaḷ'', a collection of couplets on ethics, political and economic matters, and love. The text is considered an e ...
,
Valluvar Kottam Valluvar Kottam () is a monument in Chennai, dedicated to the classical Tamil poet philosopher Valluvar. It is the city's biggest Tamil cultural centre. Location Valluvar Kottam is located at the intersection of the Kodambakkam High road and t ...
, is inspired from the design of the Thiruvarur chariot.


Processional Dance

The Thyagarajar Temple at
Tiruvarur Thiruvarur () also spelt as Tiruvarur is a municipality in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is the administrative headquarters of Thiruvarur district and Thiruvarur taluk. The temple chariot of the Thyagaraja temple, weighing and measuring ...
is famous for the ''ajapa natanam'' (dance without chanting), that is executed by the deity itself. According to legend, a
Chola The Chola Empire, which is often referred to as the Imperial Cholas, was a medieval thalassocratic empire based in southern India that was ruled by the Chola dynasty, and comprised overseas dominions, protectorates and spheres of influence ...
king named Mucukunta obtained a boon from Indra and wished to receive an image of Thyagaraja Swamy. reposing on the chest of reclining
Lord Vishnu Vishnu (; , , ), also known as Narayana and Hari, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the supreme being within Vaishnavism, one of the major traditions within contemporary Hinduism, and the god of preservation (sattva). Vish ...
.
Indra Indra (; ) is the Hindu god of weather, considered the king of the Deva (Hinduism), Devas and Svarga in Hinduism. He is associated with the sky, lightning, weather, thunder, storms, rains, river flows, and war.  volumes Indra is the m ...
tried to misguide the king and had six other images made, but the king chose the right image at
Tiruvarur Thiruvarur () also spelt as Tiruvarur is a municipality in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is the administrative headquarters of Thiruvarur district and Thiruvarur taluk. The temple chariot of the Thyagaraja temple, weighing and measuring ...
. The other six images were installed in Thirukkuvalai,
Nagapattinam Nagapattinam (''nākappaṭṭinam'', previously spelt Nagapatnam or Negapatam) is a town in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and the administrative headquarters of Nagapattinam district. The town came to prominence during the period of Medieval ...
, Tirukarayil, Tirukolili, Thirukkuvalai and Tirumaraikadu. All the seven places are villages situated in the river
Cauvery The Kaveri (also known as Cauvery) is a major river flowing across Southern India. It is the third largest river in the region after Godavari and Krishna. The catchment area of the Kaveri basin is estimated to be and encompasses the states o ...
delta. All seven Thyagaraja images are said to dance when taken in procession (it is the bearers of the processional deity who actually dance). The temples with dance styles are regarded as ''Saptha Vidangam'' (seven dance moves) and the related temples are as under:


Worship and religious practises

The temple priests perform the '' puja'' (rituals) during festivals and on a daily basis. Like other Shiva temples of Tamil Nadu, the priests belong to the
Shaiva Shaivism (, , ) is one of the major Hindu traditions, which worships Shiva as the supreme being. It is the second-largest Hindu sect after Vaishnavism, constituting about 385 million Hindus, found widely across South Asia (predominantly in ...
community, a Brahmin sub-caste. The temple rituals are performed six times a day; Ushathkalam at 5:30 a.m., Kalasanthi at 8:00 a.m., Uchikalam at 10:00 a.m., Sayarakshai at 6:00 p.m., Irandamkalam at 7:00 p.m. and Ardha Jamam at 8:00 p.m. It is believed that during Sayarakshai all the 33 crore devas (celestial beings) are present to worship Lord Thiyagarajar. Further attending the Sayarakshai at Thiruvarur and then attending the Ardha Jamam pooja at Chidambaram is considered to be highly auspicious and beneficial. There are weekly rituals like ' (Monday) and ' (Friday), fortnightly rituals like ''
pradosha Pradosha or Pradosham (IAST: Pradoṣa) is a bimonthly occasion on the thirteenth day ('' Trayodashi'') of every fortnight in the Hindu calendar. Aiya V. 1906, p. 103 It is closely connected with the worship of the Hindu god Shiva. The auspicio ...
m'' and monthly festivals like '' amavasai'' (new moon day), ''kiruthigai'', '' pournami'' (full moon day) and ''sathurthi''. The idol of Thiyagarajar is covered with clothes and flowers, so that only his and ammbal's face are visible. His right foot and Parvathy's left foot are revealed on '' Aarudhra Dharshan'' in the month of '' Margazhi'', and on ''Panguni'' ''Uthiram'' in the month of
Panguni The Tamil calendar (தமிழ் நாட்காட்டி) is a sidereal solar calendar used by the Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It is also used in Puducherry, and by the Tamil population in Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Singapo ...


Music, dance and literature

Historically, Thiruvarur has been a centre of eminent people in religion, arts and science. Sundarar, an 8th-century Saivite saint, mentions "I am the slave of all those born in Thiruvarur" in his works in ''Tevaram''. Ghose 1996, pp. 59-60 Two of the 63
nayanmars The Nayanars (or Nayanmars; , and later 'teachers of Shiva') were a group of 63 Tamil Hindu saints living during the 6th to 8th centuries CE who were devoted to the Hindu god Shiva. Along with the Alvars, their contemporaries who were devoted ...
of Saivite tradition namely, Kalarsinga Nayanar and Tandiyadigal Nayanar were born in Thiruvarur. The ''Periyapuranam'', a 12th-century Saiva canonical by
Sekkizhar Sēkkilān Mādēvadigal Rāmadēva (12th century CE), known popularly by his family name as Sekkizhar, was a saint and a contemporary of Kulottunga Chola II. He compiled and wrote the ''Periya Puranam'' (Great Story or Narrative) in 4253 vers ...
, dedicates a chapter to those born in Thiruvarur, including these two saints. The town was a traditional centre of music and dance – the inscriptions from Rajaraja Chola associate a large body of dancers associated with the temple. Thiruvarur is home to Trinity of Carnatic music, namely
Thyagaraja Sadguru Tyagaraja Swami ( Telugu: సద్గురు త్యాగరాజ స్వామి; 4 May 1767 – 6 January 1847), also known as Tyagayya, and in full as Kakarla Tyagabrahmam ( Telugu: కాకర్ల త్యాగబ ...
(1767–1847 CE),
Muthuswami Dikshitar Muthuswami Dikshitar (Mudduswamy Dikshitar) (, 24 March 1776 – 21 October 1835), mononymously Dikshitar, was a South Indian poet, singer, veena player, and a prolific composer of Indian classical music. He was the youngest member of what is re ...
(1775–1835 CE) and Shyama Shastri (1762–1827 CE). Muthuswami Dikshitar has sung eulogies of the temple deities of the Thyagarajaswami temple. Thyagaraja was named after the deity of this temple. There was large influx of the acumen of South Indian culture to the town during the 17th century CE due to the political unrest in Thanjavur and increased patronage of the Maratha kings to Thiruvarur, resulting in developments in music and dance. A unique musical instrument called ''panchamuga vadyam'' with each of its five ends ornamented differently is used in the temple. A type of ''
nadaswaram The ''nadaswaram'' is a double reed wind instrument from South India. It is used as a traditional classical instrument in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka and Kerala and in the northern and eastern parts of Sri Lanka. This i ...
'' (pipe instrument) called Barinayanam is also a unique instrument found only in Thiruvarur. Thyagaraja Leelaikal is a work on the playful nature of the deity Thyagaraja of
Thiruvarur Thiruvarur () also spelt as Tiruvarur is a municipality in the Indian States and territories of India, state of Tamil Nadu. It is the administrative headquarters of Thiruvarur district and Thiruvarur taluk. The temple chariot of the Thyagaraja t ...
. It is similar to the
Thiruvilaiyadal Puranam The ''Thiruvilaiyadal Puranam'' (; ) is a collection of sixty-four 16th to 17th-century Shaivite devotional epic stories by the sage Paranjothi Munivar. They describe the actions of Shiva on earth in a number of disguises to test and help his dev ...
in that it identifies Thyagaraja with the
Chola The Chola Empire, which is often referred to as the Imperial Cholas, was a medieval thalassocratic empire based in southern India that was ruled by the Chola dynasty, and comprised overseas dominions, protectorates and spheres of influence ...
s in the same way that the former identifies
Meenakshi Meenakshi (, ; also spelled as Minakshi; also known as , and ) is a Hindu goddess. She is the tutelary deity of Madurai and is considered a form of the goddess Parvati. She is the divine consort of Sundareśvarar, a form of Shiva and the si ...
with the
Pandya The Pandya dynasty (), also referred to as the Pandyas of Madurai, was an ancient Tamil dynasty of South India, and among the four great kingdoms of Tamilakam, the other three being the Pallavas, the Cholas and the Cheras. Existing sinc ...
s. It is dated to the twelfth century CE.


Mahasamprokshanam

The Mahasamprokshanam also known as Kumbhabhishekam of the temple was held on 8 November 2015. The heavy rains blow in Tiruvarur at the time of mahasamprokshanam, the people came in lot.


Notes


References

* *


Bibliography

*


External links

{{Tiruvicaippa and Thirupallandu Talangal Shiva temples in Tiruvarur district Padal Petra Stalam Dravidian architecture Chola architecture