It is believed that people suffering from kidney diseases come to this temple and wear 48 pieces of Vetiver as a garland to Panchanadana Nataraja, take the Brahma Theertha here and place it in front of the shrine, offer alms and mix Vetiver with anointing water and drink it continuously for 48 days to recover from the disease.

The naturally excavated Brahma Theertha, situated in front of the Moolavar Maha Mandapam, is a divine marvel of the Lord, wherein the water remains unfailingly abundant even during the scorching summer season and in the absence of rainfall. This sacred water body, known as “tirtha,” is utilized daily for anointing the Lord, adding to its spiritual significance and sanctity.

Historical feature 

King Rajaraja Chola  built one of the temples named Solesvara in the northern part of Mamannar Rajaraja Chola’s Uuttatoor. At that time, there was a dense Vilva forest in that region. Once, to facilitate his travel, King Rajaraja Chola cleared the forest path and personally supervised the work of digging the soil to smoothen the path for the horse to trot comfortably.

At that moment, as he was diligently carving the ground with a hoe at a specific location, an unexpected gush of blood emerged. Alarmed by this unusual occurrence, the workers promptly informed the King about the peculiar event. Upon the King’s arrival, the bleeding inexplicably ceased, revealing an ancient Shivalinga adorned with a prominent cut scar. Recognizing the divine significance of this discovery, the King took decisive action and arranged for the construction of a temple precisely at the spot where the sacred Shivalinga was unearthed.

As a result of this miraculous event, the temple constructed by Rajaraja Chola stands at the exact location, known as Oottathur Arulmigu Akilandeswari Udanurai Suttarathineswarar Temple. Remarkably, even to this day, one can observe a scar on the head of the lingam, a reminder of the divine discovery made when the ground was carved by a spade.

It is said that when Rajaraja Cholan fell ill, he came to this temple and sprinkled Brahma Theertha on his body and worshiped Isaan and recovered. Devotees who come to this temple drink the tirtha and get rid of physical and mental ailments and get well.

Sun Worship

Swayambu Murthy Suttarathineswarar, also known as Thuyamamani and Masilamani, is a revered deity in the temple. Each year, during the 12th, 13th, and 14th days of the month of Masi, a remarkable event occurs where the sun’s rays illuminate the deity, creating a unique spectacle. This special occasion is celebrated as the Surya Puja festival, an auspicious and cherished tradition that endures to this day in the temple.

Rare Nataraja in Asian continent

Panchanadhana Nataraja in this temple is known as a healer of kidney diseases. Abhishekam is performed daily between 10 am and 11 am to Nataraja, which is about eight feet tall.

Nataraja, an awe-inspiring representation of Lord Shiva as the cosmic dancer, stands as the grandest and most magnificent stone statue in all of Asia. Among the various types of stones used for sculptural art, such as Alinga Nathanam, Panchanathanam, Singha Nathanam, Yanai Nathanam, and Yazhi Nathanam, the Panchanathan stone holds a special significance. This unique stone possesses a radiant quality akin to the sun’s shine.

Notably, the sacred sculpture of the auspicious Nataraja Murthy carved from the Panchanathan stone is an exceedingly rare gem, found only in one out of a hundred thousand temples.

Among the temples in Tamil Nadu, this particular temple stands out for its exceptional uniqueness. It houses an extraordinary eight-feet-tall idol of Nataraja, skillfully carved from the Panchanathan stone. The remarkable aspect is that such a magnificent sculpture of Nataraja is exclusively found in this temple.

Throughout history, numerous Indramurtis, divine beings of great importance, have worshipped this divine Nataraja and, through their devotion, reclaimed their lost Indra positions.

For individuals afflicted with kidney problems, including kidney stone formation and kidney failure, seeking blood purification, a beneficial practice is recommended. They are advised to purchase one kilogram of root and divide it into 48 pieces. These pieces should then be arranged as a garland to be offered in prayer to Nataraja. Subsequently, the devotee should partake of the sacred Brahma Theertha available at the temple.

The process involves consuming one piece of the root each day, soaked in the holy Brahma Theertha, on an empty stomach in the morning. This regimen has shown to reduce the occurrence of kidney diseases significantly. Numerous sufferers of kidney ailments have visited this temple, performed their poojas, and experienced the benefits of this divine practice.

This temple attracts not only people from Trichy district but also individuals from various parts of the state. After anointing the divine Nataraja and experiencing miraculous healing, many devotees return to the temple to express their gratitude and devotion by performing archan (ritualistic worship).

Facing east, Nandiyaru Nandikeswarar 

In most Shivalayams, Nandikeshuvarar Swamy is traditionally depicted facing west. However, in this particular temple, Nandiyar Nandikeshuvarar stands facing east, which is a distinctive and special feature of the temple.

The competition to determine the greatest river was held among revered rivers such as Ganga, Yamuna, Godavari, and Brahmaputra. In this unique contest, participants were required to offer their waters to Lord Shiva and Lord Nandi. In the competition, it was proclaimed that a river deserving the title of “great” must be entirely undrinkable by Lord Nandi.

During the contest, Lord Nandi successfully drank the waters of all the rivers, except for the river Ganga. Unable to consume the mighty Ganga’s waters, it was declared the supreme and greatest river. Thus, the sacred river Ganga earned its distinguished status as the great river in this divine competition.

According to belief, when the ashes of the departed were immersed in the river near this temple, they transformed into flowers, whereas in the Ganges, only a skeleton remained. This divine occurrence led to the acknowledgment that Nandyaru is more aromatic than Kashi (Varanasi). Consequently, Nandyaru came near the temple, and that is why Nandikeshuvarar is facing east towards Nandyaru in this sacred place.

Specialization in sculpture

The temple’s canopy near the flagpole is adorned with intricately designed sculptures depicting the 27 Nakshatras (lunar constellations), 12 Rasis (zodiac signs), 15 rivers, and 9 planets. These beautifully crafted sculptures add to the temple’s architectural splendor and showcase the mastery of the artisans in capturing celestial and natural elements in stone.

Goddess Akilandeswari

In this temple, to the left of the Swami shrine, Arulmiku Akilandeswari Amman stands out with a separate shrine. All pujas performed to Swami are performed to Amman as well.

Thala Virutcham

Vilvam, also known as the Bilva tree, holds a prominent position as the main tree of this temple. The sacred Brahma Theertha serves as the Thala Theertha, bestowing divine sanctity to the temple premises.

Particularly on Theipirai Ashtami, worshiping Kalabhairava, and on Valarpirai Ashtami, worshiping Dakshinamurthy, are considered highly auspicious practices.

Apart from these, the temple houses shrines dedicated to various deities, including Guru Dakshinamurthy, Chandigeswarar, Vishnu, Durga, Vinayagar, and Lord Muruga. These sacred shrines offer devotees diverse avenues to express their devotion and seek divine blessings.

Festivals

The Vaikasi Brahmotsavam, a grand festival lasting for 10 days, takes place during the month of Vaikasi. Other significant festivals celebrated at this temple include Tirumanjam in Ani month, Adipuram in Adi, Annabishekam in Avani month, Thirukarthikai Deepam in Karthikai, Tiruvadhirai festival in Margazhi, and the Mahashivarathri festival in Masi month. These festivals are observed with great enthusiasm and are conducted in a splendid manner, drawing devotees from far and wide to partake in the divine celebrations.

Opening time of the temple

The temple is open for darshan and worship during the following hours:

Morning: 7:00 AM to 12:00 PM Evening: 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM

Puja periods

The temple follows a schedule for various rituals and ceremonies during the day:

• Kalashanthi: Between 8:30 AM and 9:30 AM
• Peak Season: Between 11:30 AM and 12:00 PM
• Sayaratsai: Between 6:00 PM and 6:30 PM
• Artha Samam: Between 7:30 PM and 8:00 PM

For those arriving by air, the recommended route is to land at Trichy Airport. From there, they can proceed by car and take the Trichy-Chennai National Highway, heading towards Padalur. Once in Padalur, they can reach the temple from there.

Visitors arriving by car and van can follow the following routes based on their location:

1. People from southern districts, including Madurai, should travel to Trichy.
2. Those coming from western districts, such as Salem, can reach the toll gate at Samayapuram and continue their journey by passing through Sirukanur.
3. Visitors from northern districts can reach the temple by taking the route through Perambalur and Padalur.

For travelers opting to use public transportation (bus):

1. Take Perambalur route buses from Trichy Chatram Bus Station to Padalur. From there, proceed by Share Auto to reach the temple.

OR

2. Alternatively, you can take the city buses that operate from Chatram Bus Stand, which will also take you to the temple.

Executive Officer,

Arulmigu Sudharathineswarar Temple,

Oottathur, Lalgudi Circle,

Trichy District,

Tamil Nadu, India.