Sri Mahalakshmiswarar Temple

Overview

This temple is meant for those who are born under the Anusham star. It is located in Tirunindriyur in Nagapattinam in Tamil Nadu. The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva.

About the Temple

The temple is noted for Anusham-Anuradha star worship. A Chola king used to worship Lord Nataraja in Chidambaram every day. Legend goes that as soon as he crossed the place once, the wick of the lamp got extinguished. They could not light it despite making repeated efforts. It began to burn automatically again, when they crossed. This happened every day and he couldn’t understand why. He asked a shepherd in the place whether anything strange occurred there. He told the king that there was a Shivalinga in the place pouring milk. Finding it to be true, the king wanted to build a temple for Lord Shiva in another place and tried to take it out but it began to bleed. The king built the temple in the same place on Anuradha star day. The place was called Tirinindriyur as the wick stopped burning (Tiri-wick) and also as Tirunindravur as Mother Mahalakshmi (Tiru-Mahalakshmi) worshipped here. In the Navagraha shrine (9 planets) Sun and Moon are facing each other, a different form in this temple. People pray here on New Moon days for the salvation of their departed ancestors.
When one visits the temple, they can see that there is a scar of an axe cut on the Shivalinga. Parasurama Linga is in the prakara and has been worshipped by Sage Parasurama. Lord Jamadagneeswarar is seen to be in the form of a small Shivalinga with Parikeswarar Linga in a bigger size nearby. Sage Jamadagni is the father of Sage Parasurama. There is also a shrine for Lord Vishnu. There are three tanks around the temple as a garland. Saint Samabandar has mentioned the sacred spring of the temple as being the Neelamalar Poigai – or the blue flower tank. He has also mentioned in the hymn that those pray here will be free of sins and fear. Those born of Anusha-Anuradha star pray here often or on the star day or on their birth days. They also pray on their wedding days, Dwadasi day (twelfth day from the new or full moon day) or on the day of the Varalakshmi pooja. They cover Lord Shiva with sandal paste and decorate with Madula fruit pearls seeking a happy future. The significance of the temple lies in the wick story getting off and on during the travel of the Chola king to pray Lord Nataraja in Chidambaram and the miracle unveiled by the shepherd. The shrine is praised by Saivite Saints Sambandar and Appar. Though everyone, irrespective of their birth star, prays at the temple seeking remedy from adverse planetary aspects, those born in Anuradha star attach more importance to the temple.

About The Deity

The presiding deity is Shiva as Mahalakshmiswarar and his consort is Goddess Ulaganayaki.

Legend and Stories

Sage Jamadagni could not excuse his wife Renuka for appreciating the handsomeness of a Gandharva that she had seen in the water. He ordered his son Sage Parasurama to chop off her head. The son obeyed. He sought a boon from his father to grant him his mother back and the father obliged. They then visited this place and prayed to Lord Shiva for relief from the sin of killing Renukadevi. The lord appeared before both and cleansed them of their sins. Mother Mahalakshmi also worshipped Lord Shiva here. As Mother worshipped here the place is known as Tirunindravur. (Tiru-Mahalakshmi).

Festivals

Aani Tirumanjanam in June-July, Mahashivrathri in February-March and Tirukarthikai in November-December are the festivals celebrated in the temple.

Significance

While generally all pray here for relief from adverse planetary aspects irrespective of their birth stars, those of Anuradha star do so in particular for the purpose. They perform remedial pujas.

Nearby Place To Visit

Kayaroganeswarar Temple
Thanthondreeswarar Temple
Neelakandeswarar Temple
Pallavaneswarar Temple
Aranyeswarar Temple
Naganathar Temple

Accessibility

The temple is situated at 7 km from Mayiladuthurai on the Sirkali route. The closest railways are in Thanjavur, and the closest airport is in Trichy.

Temple Address

Shri Mahalakshmiswarar Temple,
Tirunindriyur, Tirunindriyur Post,
Via. S S Nallur, Sirkali Taluk,
Nagapattinam district, Pincode – 609 118.