Temple Overview & Shrine Details
| Mulavar (Presiding Deity) | Nellaiyappar, Nelvelinadhar, Saalivadeesar, Veenuvaneeswarar |
|---|---|
| Ambal (Consort) | Kanthimathi Ammai, Vadivudaiyammai |
| Theertham | Swarnapushkarni |
| Sthala Vruksham | Moongil (Bamboo) |
| Paadiyavar | Gyanasambandar |
| Travel Base | Thirunelveli |
| Nearest Railway Station | Thirunelveli |
| Continent / Region | Pandiya |
| Circle / Taluk | Thirunelveli |
| District | Thirunelveli |
| State | Tamil Nadu |
Location & Accessibility
Thirunelveli is developed around this temple. It is easily approachable either from the railway station or from the Bus Stand. Temple is around 2 kms from the Thirunelveli Railway Station.
Architecture
It is considered to be a big temple in the city with five Gopurams. It spreads over 850 feet long and 756 feet wide in the middle of the city. The sannathi of Sri Gandhimathi gives more aesthetic pleasure than the sannathi of Nellaiappar. The majestic beauty of the temple can be seen from Golden Lotus Tank. There is a belief that Lord Shiva, and Lord Brahma are disguised as water and lotus respectively.The sculptures during the reign of Nayanmar Veerabhadra, Arjuna and Pagadairaja are found in the composite columns of the Temple. Veerabhadra stands for courage, and a mother holding her child stands for feminine. In addition to this, the columns with cock fight, the elopement of Arjunan. The Chakras of 12 Zodiac signs in the roof, Rathi, Manmathan and the cosmic dance of Lord in the Lotus shaba gives visual pleasure to the visitors.The shrine of Arumuganainar is chiseled from a single stone which is above Lord Shiva’s sannathi. Devotees can see all the six faces of Lord Arumugaperuman. Pasuvanthanai Pichandi Annai constructed a musical chakra for the benefits of musicians. Devotees are pleased with the beauty of Ravana with Kailash Mountain and the music played with the harp in the sannathi of 63 Nayanmars. The western side of Northern wall is mounted with the embrace of the frightened Ambikai on seeing the courageous Ravana with mountain.
History & Sacred Legend
The Goddess Gandhimathi to protect the world, performed penance towards Lord Shiva to gain His Blessings.The Goddess Umadevi departed from the abode of Kabilai Hill, got two measurement of paddy reached Venuvanam and nurtured the growth of charity. She sat on the bank of river kamba, and meditated towards the Lord, got the vision of Lord Shiva and got married. The Lord and the Ambaal together taught us the pleasures of worldly life and protected all the lives. To inculcate the practice of penance to the people, the Goddess came in the name of Goddess Kamatchi and performed penance. In this shrine God had played divine game (Thiruvilaiyadal) the truth that God is omnipresent in all living beings and all the soul will reach God ultimately.To offer naivedya to the Lord Shiva, Vedha Sharma, a Brahmin begged paddy grains and spread it on the floor to dry. Unfortunately rain lashed the city, Vedha Sharma prayed to God. The Lord Shiva paid heed to his prayers, and fenced the paddy grains from the rain. Hence he was called Nelvelinathar. And the place was called Thirunelveli from then onwards. The four vedhas requested the Lord to grant boon to be a tree in Venuvanam. (bamboo groove). Hence the four vedhas represented the bamboo trees and the Lord Shiva incarnated himself in the form of Lingam. Ramakone, a milkman, who crossed the Venuvanam carrying milk was made to stumble down by the Lord Shiva. As a result milk spilled, and the Lord Shiva with a deep scar on his forehead revealed His real self as Venuvananathar.The vainglorious sages were brought under control by the Gangalanathar in the name of Pitchadhana Moorthy is also well known. Indra Thuiman got relieved from the curse of sage Thuruvasar with the help of “Kari Uru Maari Theertham” of this temple. The temple construction is based on saiva cults and therefore it is beautiful.The King Swetha Kethu ruled over Nellayampathi, and worshipped Nellaiappar daily. He was childless, and when he was counting his last days he went and performed shiva pooja in the temple. When the God of death Yama came to capture his soul by throwing a rope, the rope fell on the Lord Shiva. The Lord kicked the Yama. The Lord shiva pleaded the king not to die. But the king wished to attain moksha. This incident had been made note in Periyapuranam in these words, Kurtruthaitha Nelveli.The stone carvings of Kaala Samharamoorthy is found on the first circle of the temple near Subramaniar sannathi. This thiruvilaiyadal is celebrated every year on the month of vaikasi, especially when the zodiacal signs fall on pooram, uthiram & hastham. In all there days, it is celebrated as a function. Sivalinga poojai is performed, and the Panja Moorthy is taken out in a chariot. The Kalaari Moorthy’s story revered by Appar and Sambanthar insists the universal truth that those who surrender themselves to God will not have fear of death. The divine game which the Lord Shiva performed on Thirukadayur is he kicked the God of death Yama to save the young man who knows of his death, even in his birth itself. And the God redeemed an old man from the fear of death and granted salvation. So Nellaiappar temple is far better than Thirukadaiyur because the Goddess Gandhimathi nurtured charity and married the Lord Nellaiappar and the sage Agasthiar got the divine glimpse of the wedding ceremony of the Lord Nellaiappar with the Goddess Gandhimathi. This holy shrine is renowned for the celebration of wedding, shasti poorti, bheema ratha shanthi, sathabhishekam and mrithunjaya yaaham.
Festivals & Celebrations
Throughout the year there will be festival in this temple. Temple Festivals Festivals are held all the twelve months of Tamil year. Chithirai- vasantha mahotsavam-16 days. Vaikasi - visakam Aani - brahmotsavam; aani peruntherurizha. Aadi - pooram (10 days) Aavani - moolam(11 days) Purattasi - navarathri (15 days with laksharchanai) Aippasi - thirukalyana utsavam (15 days) Karthigai - karthigai deepam-somavara thiruvizha (one day) Maargazhi - thiruvadhinal (10 days) Thai - poosam (10 days) Maasi - macha Shivarathrl (one day) Panguni - uthinam (10 days)