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{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2020}}
{{Infobox temple
| name = Kailasanathar Temple
| image = Kailasanathar srivaikuntam14.jpg
| alt =
| caption =
| map_type = India Tamil Nadu
| map_caption = Location in [[Tamil Nadu]]
| coordinates = {{coord|8|38|09|N|77|54|54|E|type:landmark_region:IN|display=inline,title}}
| other_names =
| proper_name =
| country = [[India]]
| state = [[Tamil Nadu]]
| district = [[Thoothukudi district|Thoothukudi]]
| location = [[Srivaikuntam]]
| elevation_m =
| deity = Kailasanathar([[Shiva]])
Sivakami ([[Parvati]])

| Direction_posture =
| Pushakarani =
| Vimanam =
| Poets =
| Prathyaksham =
| festivals=
| architecture = [[Dravidian architecture]]
| temple_quantity =
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| inscriptions =
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}}

'''Kailasanathar Temple''' in [[Srivaikuntam]], a village in [[Thoothukudi district]] in the South Indian state of [[Tamil Nadu]], is dedicated to the Hindu god [[Shiva]]. It is located 30 km from [[Tirunelveli]]. Constructed in the [[Dravidian architecture|Dravidian style of architecture]], the temple has three precincts. Shiva is worshipped as Kailasanathar and his consort [[Parvati]] as Sivakami. The temple is the sixth temple in the series of [[Nava Kailasam]]s where the presiding deity of all the nine temples is Kailasanathar and associated with a planetary deity. The temple is associated with the planet [[Shani|Saturn]].

A granite wall surrounds the temple, enclosing all its shrines. The temple has a flat gateway tower, unlike other South Indian temples that have a pyramidal entrance tower. The temple was originally built by Chandrakula [[Pandyan dynasty|Pandya]] Vijayanagar and [[Madurai Nayak dynasty|Nayak]] kings commissioned pillared halls and major shrines of the temple during the 16th century. The temple has artistic sculptures representative of Nayak art.

The temple is open from 6 am - 12 pm and 4-7 pm on all days except during festival days when it is open all day. Four daily rituals and three yearly festivals are held at the temple, of which the Brahmotsavam festival during the [[Tamil calendar|Tamil]] months of ''Chittirai'' (April - May) and ''Aippasi'' (October - November) being the most prominent. The temple is maintained and administered by the Hindu Religious and Endowment Board of the [[Government of Tamil Nadu]].

==Legend and religious significance==
[[File:Kailasanathar srivaikuntam4.jpg|250px|left|thumb|The Santhana sababathy hall where image of [[Nataraja]] is housed]]
As per legend, sage Urosamar floated a set of flowers in [[Tamiraparani River]] and the sixth flower reached the shore at this place. The sage established a temple for Kailasanathar. The [[lingam]], the aniconic form of Shiva in the temple, is believed to an aspect of [[Shani]], one of the planetary deities. The flagstaff of the temple is believed to have been brought from [[Devi Kanya Kumari]] in [[Kanniyakumari]]. The [[Nataraja]] in this temple is called Santhana Sababathi (anointed with sandal). Nine temples, including this one, on the banks of Tamiraparani river are classified as [[Nava Kailasam]]; the presiding deity of each is Kailasanathar and each temple is associated with one of the nine planetary deities ([[Navagraha]]). The temple is associated with the planet [[Shani]] (Saturn) and considered sixth in the nine temples.<ref name=M/> Kumaraguruparar, a saint of the 18th century, was born at this place.<ref name="dinamalar"/>

==Architecture==
[[File:Kailasanathar srivaikuntam5.jpg|250px|thumb|left|The precinct around the entrance]]
The image of Kailasanathar (Shiva) in the form of Lingam is housed in the sanctum. The shrine of his consort Sivakami (Parvati) is housed in a west-facing shrine.<ref>{{cite book|title=Spiritual India Handbook|page=393|publisher=Jaico Publishing Hous|year=2009|isbn=9788184950243|last=Knapp|first=Stephen}}</ref> The temple also houses the images of [[Vinayaka]], [[Murugan|Subramanya]], [[Veerabhadra]], Rishabhandika, and [[Nataraja]] on the walls. Two sculptures - Veerabadra and a warrior in the flagstaff hall - are noteworthy. The west-facing shrine adjacent to the flagstaff has a hall with [[Yali (mythology)|yali]] pillars, where [[Nataraja]] is housed.<ref name=M>{{cite book|title=15 Vaishnava Temples of Tamil Nadu|last=M.|first=Rajagopalan|pages=162–3|publisher=Govindaswamy Printers|location=Chennai, India|year=1993}}</ref> The temple has sculptural representation of sage Romasa, Agnipathar and Veerabadrar on the pillars in the temple dating back to the Nayak Empire.<ref name=Saiva5>{{cite book|title=Saiva Encyclopaedia volume 5 - Temples in Tamil Nadu (Later period)|editor-last=Dr. R.|editor-first=Selvaganapathy|publisher=Saint Sekkizhaar Human Resource Development Charitable Trust|location=Chennai, India|year=2013|page=539}}</ref> The shrine of the guardian deity Bhoothanathar, housing his wooden image, is an important shrine in the temple. He is given the primary role during the Chittirai Brahmotsavam festival. It is believed that during historic times, the temple staff used to surrender the keys of the temple to its protector Bhoothanathar.<ref name="dinamalar" /> The image of the [[Nataraja]] is always covered with Sandal paste and hence called Rathnasabapathy.<ref name=Saiva5/>

==History==
The temple is believed to be originally built by the [[Pandyan dynasty|Pandya]] king, Chandrakula Pandya, who ruled over the region of [[Madurai]]. He built the central shrine and [[Vimana (architectural feature)|vimana]] of the temple. [[Madurai Nayak dynasty#Muttu Virappa Nayaka .281609.E2.80.941623.29|Veerappa Nayaka]] (1609-23 AD), a ruler of [[Madurai Nayak]] dynasty built the Yagasala, dwajasthamba (flagstaff) and Sandana Sababathy hall.<ref name=M/> In modern times, the temple is maintained and administered by the Hindu Religious and Endowment Board of the [[Government of Tamil Nadu]].<ref name=HRCE>{{cite web|title=Thirukoil - Temple list of Tamil Nadu|url=https://tnhrce.gov.in/resources/docs/temple_list.pdf|publisher=Hindu Religious & Charitable Endowments Department, Government of Tamil Nadu|format=PDF|pages=244|access-date=29 August 2020|archive-date=9 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201009010850/https://tnhrce.gov.in/resources/docs/temple_list.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref> The temple is the place where [[Kumaragurupara Desikar]], a saint from the 17th century.<ref name=Saiva5/>

==Festival==
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|align=right
| total_width = 150
| width1 = 563 | height1 = 1066
| width2 = 539 | height2 = 1074
|direction=horizontal
|image1=Kailasanathar srivaikuntam6.jpg
|caption1=Warrior
|image2=Kailasanathar srivaikuntam7.jpg
|caption2=[[Virabhadra]]
}}
The temple follows [[Shaivism|Shaivite]] tradition. As at other Shiva temples of Tamil Nadu, Shaivite [[Brahmin]] temple priests, perform the temple rituals. The rituals are performed four times a day: ''Kalasanthi'' at 8:30 a.m., ''Uchikalam'' at 11:30 p.m., ''Sayarakshai'' at 6:00 p.m., and ''Aravanai Pooja'' between 8:00  - 8:00 p.m. Each ritual has three steps: ''alangaram'' (decoration), ''[[Naivedhya|naivethanam]]'' (food offering) and ''[[Arati|deepa aradanai]]'' (waving of lamps) for both Kailasanathar and Sivakami. During the last step of worship, ''[[nagaswaram]]'' (pipe instrument) and ''[[tavil]]'' (percussion instrument) are played, religious instructions in the ''[[Vedas]]'' (sacred text) are recited by priests, and worshippers prostrate themselves in front of the [[Iconography of Shiva temples in Tamil Nadu#Dvajasthamba and Pali Peedam|temple mast]]. There are weekly, monthly and fortnightly rituals performed in the temple. The temple is open from 6 am - 12 pm and 4-8:30 pm generally except during new moon days when it is open all day.<ref name="dinamalar">{{cite web|title=Sri Kailasanthar temple|url=https://temple.dinamalar.com/new.php?id=1051|year=2014|access-date=1 November 2015|publisher=Dinamalar}}</ref>

The Brahmotsavam festival celebrated during the [[Tamil calendar|Tamil]] months of ''Chittirai'' (April - May) and ''Aippasi'' (October - November) are the most prominent festivals of the temple. Other festivals like [[Sivarathri]], Arattu festival, Thirukalyanam (sacred marriage) and Kanthasasthi are the other festivals celebrated.<ref name="dinamalar"/> The Thirukalyanam festival is attended by thousands of devotees in the region.<ref name=M/>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commonscat|Kailasanathar Temple, Srivaikuntam}}
{{Famous Shiva temples}}

[[Category:Hindu temples in Thoothukudi district]]
[[Category:Shiva temples in Thoothukudi district]]

Kailasanathar Temple, Srivaikuntam - Revision history

FlorenciaMacDevi: started basic location more to come