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{{Short description|Navagraha temple in Tamil Nadu}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2020}}
{{Infobox temple
| name = Chandiranaar Temple
| image =Kailasanathar Temple, Thingalur (5).jpg
| alt =
| caption =
| map_type = India Tamil Nadu
| map_caption = Location in [[Tamil Nadu]]
| coordinates = {{coord|10|53|12|N|79|7|32|E|type:landmark_region:IN|display=inline,title}}
| country = {{flag|India}}
| state = [[Tamil Nadu]]
| district = [[Thanjavur district|Thanjavur]]
| location = [[Thingalur]]
| elevation_m =
| deity = Kailasanathar([[Shiva]])
| festivals=
| architecture = [[Dravidian architecture]]
| temple_quantity =
| monument_quantity=
| inscriptions =
| year_completed =
| creator =
| website =
}}

The '''Chandiranaar Temple''' (also called '''Kailasanathar temple''' or '''Thingalur temple''') is a [[Hindu]] temple in the village of [[Thingalur]], {{convert|16|km|mi}} from [[Thanjavur]] and {{convert|33|km|mi}} from [[Kumbakonam]] on the Kumbakonam - Thiruvaiyaru road in the [[South India]]n state of [[Tamil Nadu]]. The presiding deity is [[Soma (deity)|Soma]] (moon). However, the main idol in the temple is that of Kailasanathar or [[Shiva]]. The temple is considered one of the nine [[Navagraha temples in Tamil Nadu]]. Thingalur is the birthplace of [[Apputhi Adigal|Appothi Adigal]], one of the 63 [[nayanmars]] of lord Shiva and an ardent devotee of saint [[Appar|Thirunavukkarasar]], though the temple has no assets related to the saint.

The temple has four daily rituals at various times from 6:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., and four yearly festivals on its calendar. Mahasivarathri, Margazhi Thiruvadirai, Panguni Uthiram and Thirukartigai are the major festivals celebrated in the temple. The village finds cursory mention in the 7th century Tamil Saiva canonical work, the ''[[Tevaram]]'', written by Tamil saint poets known as the [[Nayanars]] and classified as ''[[Vaippu Sthalam]]''.

The original complex is believed to have been built by [[Cholas]], while the present masonry structure was built during the [[Madurai Nayak|Nayak]] during the 16th century. In modern times, the temple is maintained and administered by the [[Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department]] of the [[Government of Tamil Nadu]]. The temple is famous for first feeding of rice to infant children.

==Legend==
[[File:Kailasanathar Temple, Thingalur (9).jpg|250px|left|thumb|Newly built gopuram of the temple]]
Legend has it that there lived a merchant Appoodi Adikal, a [[nayanars|nayanar]] in the village of Thingalur who was a devotee of [[Shiva]]. Appoodi Adikal held [[Appar|Thirunavukkarasar]] in high regard. He had many establishments in the village named after Thirunavukkarasar. One day, Appar (Thirunavukkarasar) arrived at Thingalur and was surprised to see many establishments in his name. Apoodi Adigal was very ecstatic to meet the beloved saint in person and launched a grand feast. He sent his son to pick plantain leaves who was killed by a venomous snake bite while the saint was being hosted. [[Appar]], moved by Appoodi Adikal's devotion is said to have miraculously restored the lad to life.<ref name=hindu2>{{cite news|title=An exploration on foot|url=https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-fridayreview/an-exploration-on-foot/article3218036.ece|date=5 May 2006|access-date=25 November 2018|last=Thondaman|first=R. Vijayakumar|publisher=The Hindu|work=Friday Review}}</ref> During the [[Tamil calendar|Tamil month]] of Purattasi (Sep - Oct) and Panguni (March - April), moonlight falls directly on the image of the presiding deity.<ref name=Meena>{{cite book|title=Temples in South India|last=V.|first=Meena|publisher=Harikumar Arts|location=Kanniyakumari|year=1974|edition=1st|page=30}}</ref> As per another legend, [[Chandra]] (moon), the handsome looking deity, married 28 daughters of Dakkan. He showed preference only to the last one among them, which infuriated the others. They all complained to Dakkan, who cursed the moon to lose all his powers. Chandra is believed to have worshipped Kailasanathar at this place and was restored all his powers.<ref name=A/>

==Architecture==
The temple is located in the village of [[Thingalur]], {{convert|33|km|mi}} from [[Kumbakonam]] on the Kumbakonam - Thiruvayyar road and {{convert|18|km|mi|abbr=on}} away from [[Thanjavur]].<ref>{{cite book|title=The Top Ten Temple Towns of India|publisher=Mark Age Publication|first=S.C.|last=Karkar|location=Kolkota|isbn=978-81-87952-12-1|year=2009|page=80}}</ref> The temple has a recently built three-tiered raja[[gopuram]] surrounded by single ''[[prakaram]]'', closed precincts of the temple. The place is revered by the verses of [[Appar]], but since there is no mention of the deity, it is not classified as [[Padal petra stalam]]. The image of Chandra is located in the first precinct and houses the image made of black granite and usually clad with a white cloth.<ref name=A>{{cite book|title=Temples of South India|last=Anantharaman|first=Ambjuam|publisher=East West|edition=second|year=2006|isbn=978-81-88661-42-8|pages=43–47}}</ref> The temple tank is named Chandrapushkarani.<ref name=dinamalar/> The gopuram and the central shrine faces East, while the main entrance faces South. There are other shrines for Ambal, Subramanya, Gajalakshmi and Bhairavar. In modern times, the temple is maintained and administered by the [[Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department]] 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|page=17|access-date=6 September 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>
[[File:Kailasanathar Temple Panorama, Thingalur (1).jpg|600px|thumb|center|Panoramic view of the temple]]

==Religious importance==
The temple is one of the nine Navagraha temples of Tamil Nadu and is a part of the popular Navagraha pilgrimage in the state - it houses the image of Moon (called Thingal locally).<ref name="TN">{{cite web|title=Navagraha temples|url=http://www.thanjavur.tn.nic.in/navagrahas_m.html|publisher=Thanjavur District Administration|access-date=2013-07-07|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131112023302/http://www.thanjavur.tn.nic.in/navagrahas_m.html|archive-date=2013-11-12}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=Jothirlingam: The Indian Temple Guide|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CE55CgAAQBAJ&q=thiruvenkadu|page=92|publisher=Partridge Publishing|author=Suriya|year=2015|isbn=9781482847864}}</ref> The planets are believed to influence the horoscope computed based on time of one's birth and subsequently influence the course of life. Each of the planets is believed to move from one star to another during a predefined period and thus sway over an individual's fortunes. The Navagrahas, as per Hindu customs, are believed to provide both good and bad effects for any individual and the bad effects are mitigated by prayers. As in other Navagraha temples, the common worship practices of the devotees include an offering of cloth, grains, flowers and jewels specific to the planetary deity. Lighting a set of lamps is also commonly followed in the temple.<ref name=A/> As per contemporary Saivite belief, the energies distributed cyclically by Navagrahas can be channelled based on remedial measures. As per local legends, Shiva, the overlord of the nine planetary deities, allowed them to freely grant wishes based on the devotion of the devotees.<ref>{{cite book|title=Astrology in Time and Place|publisher=Cambridge Scholars Publishing|year=2015|isbn=978-1-4438-8381-8|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wtX6DAAAQBAJ&q=navagraha+temples+in+tamilnadu+map&pg=PA70|chapter=Astrology and its ritual applications|last=Friscia|first=Mario|editor1-last=Campion|editor1-first=Nicholas |editor2-last=Greenbaum|editor2-first=Dorian Gieseler |page=70}}</ref> The village finds cursory mention in the 7th century Tamil Saiva canonical work, the ''[[Tevaram]]'', written by Tamil saint poets known as the [[Nayanars]] and classified as ''[[Vaippu Sthalam]]''. The temple is frequented by devotees with mental illness and familial problems.<ref name=Saiva4>{{cite book|title=Saiva Encyclopaedia volume 4 - Thirumurai Thalangal|editor-last=Dr. R.|editor-first=Selvaganapathy|publisher=Saint Sekkizhaar Human Resource Development Charitable Trust|location=Chennai, India|year=2013|language=ta|pages=246}}</ref>

==Worship and festivals==
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| height2 = 2322 | width2 = 4128
|direction=horizontal
|image1=Kailasanathar Temple, Thingalur (4).jpg
|footer=Shrines in the temple
|image2=Kailasanathar Temple, Thingalur (8).jpg
}}
The temple priests perform the ''[[puja (Hinduism)|pooja]]'' (rituals) during festivals and on a daily basis. Like other Shiva temples of Tamil Nadu, the priests belong to the [[Shaivism|Shaivaite]] 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 8:00 p.m. and Ardha Jamam at 10:00 p.m. Each ritual comprises four steps: ''abhisheka'' (sacred bath), ''alangaram'' (decoration), ''neivethanam'' (food offering) and ''deepa aradanai'' (waving of lamps) for Surya, Usha and Chhaya. The worship is held amidst music with ''[[nagaswaram]]'' (pipe instrument) and ''[[tavil]]'' (percussion instrument), religious instructions in the [[Vedas]] read by priests and prostration by worshippers in front of the temple mast. There are weekly rituals like ''{{lang|te-Latn|somavaram}}'' and ''{{lang|te-Latn|sukravaram}}'', fortnightly rituals like ''[[pradosha]]m'' and monthly festivals like ''[[amavasya|amavasai]]'' (new moon day), ''kiruthigai'', ''[[pournami (festival)|pournami]]'' (full moon day) and ''sathurthi''. Mahasivarathri, Margazhi Thiruvadirai, Panguni Uthiram and Thirukartigai are the major festivals celebrated in the temple. The temple is famous for first feeding of rice to infant children.<ref name=dinamalar>{{cite web|title=Sri Kailasanathar temple|url=https://temple.dinamalar.com/en/new_en.php?id=897|publisher=Dinamalar|year=2011|access-date=13 September 2015}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*{{Commons category-inline}}
{{Navagraha Temples}}
{{Vaippu sthalam}}

[[Category:Hindu temples in Thanjavur district]]
[[Category:Navagraha temples in Tamil Nadu]]

Kailasanathar Temple, Thingalur - Revision history

Shubha at 07:38, 5 May 2025