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{{Short description|Shiva temple in Tamil Nadu, India}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2020}}
{{Infobox Hindu temple
| name = Kalyanasundaresar Temple
| image = Tirunallur1.jpg

| caption = View of the Kalyanasundaresar temple tower
| alt = View of the Kalyanasundaresar temple tower
| map_type = India Tamil Nadu
| map_caption = Location in Tamil Nadu
| coordinates = {{coord|10|55|N|79|19|E|type:landmark_region:IN|display=inline,title}}
| native_name = Tirunallur Temple
| country = [[India]]
| state = [[Tamil Nadu]]
| district = [[Thanjavur district|Thanjavur]]
| locale = Nallur
| deity = Kalyanasundaresar ([[Shiva]])
| architecture = [[Dravidian architecture]]
| temple_quantity =
| monument_quantity=
| inscriptions =
| year_completed =
| creator =
| website =
}}

'''Kalyanasundaresar Temple, Nallur''' ({{Langx|ta|கல்யாணசுந்தரேஸ்வரர் கோயில், நல்லூர்}})<ref name="ta.wikipedia.org">[[:ta:திருநல்லூர் பஞ்சவர்ணேசுவரர் கோயில்]]</ref> or '''Thirunallur''' is a [[Hindu temple]] dedicated to the deity [[Shiva]] in Nallur, [[Tamil Nadu]], [[India]]. It is located {{convert|10|km|mi|abbr=on}} away from [[Kumbakonam]], {{convert|6|km|mi|abbr=on}} east of [[Thirukkarugavur]], and {{convert|30|km|mi|abbr=on}} south of [[Thanjavur]].

At the temple, Shiva is worshiped as Kalyansundaresar and is represented by the ''[[lingam]]''. His consort [[Parvati]] is depicted as Girisundari. The presiding deity is revered in the 7th-century-CE Tamil Saiva canonical work, the ''[[Tevaram]]'', written by Tamil saint poets known as the [[Nayanars]] and classified as ''[[Paadal Petra Sthalam]]''. The legend of the temple is associated with sage Agastya and Amaraneethi Nayanar, one of the 63 Nayanars. The ''lingam'' in the temple is believed to change colours five times during the daytime.

The temple complex has three precincts and houses two gateway towers known as ''[[gopurams]]''. All the central shrines of the temple are located in an artificial hillock, while the shrine of [[Kali]] is located in the third precinct in the basement. The original masonry structure was built during the [[Chola dynasty]] in the 9th century CE, while later expansions are attributed to Vijayanagar rulers of the Sangama Dynasty (1336–1485 CE), the [[Saluva Dynasty]], and the [[Tuluva Dynasty]] (1491–1570 CE). The temple has six daily rituals at various times, from 5:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., and twelve yearly festivals on its calendar. Devotees are blessed with ''Sadari'', a practice followed only in Vishnu temples. The temple has been maintained and administered by the [[Thiruvaduthurai Adheenam]] since the early 13th century.

== Legend ==
According to the Hindu legend, the god [[Shiva]] sent the sage [[Agastya]] to this place to balance the weight of the deities attending his marriage with [[Parvati]]. At the spot where the temple now stands, Agastya witnessed the marriage of Shiva and Parvati. The sage installed a ''[[lingam]]'' (symbol of Shiva) behind the main ''lingam'' to worship Shiva.

As per another legend, one of the 63 [[Nayanars]], [[Amaraneedi Nayanar]], spent his life supplying [[Kaupinam|loincloths]] to the worshipers of Shiva. Shiva wanted to test his devotion and came to him, disguised as a [[Brahmin]]. The Brahmin deposited his loin-cloth in the custody of Amaraneethi, which was lost by a divine trick. The Brahmin demanded equal weight in gold as a replacement for his loincloth. The Brahmin placed another loincloth on one side of a scale pan, and Amaraneedi deposited all his wealth on the other side, but it did not balance. Finally, he submitted himself and his wife on the scale pan. Shiva was pleased by the devotion of the Nayanar and bestowed him with all his wishes.<ref name="Ayyar">{{cite book|title=South Indian shrines: illustrated|author=P. V. Jagadisa Ayyar|publisher=Madras Times Printing and Pub. Co.|year=1920|pages=360–369|isbn=9788120601512|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NLSGFW1uZboC&q=nallur+temple&pg=PA362}}</ref><ref name="dinamalar" />

==History==
[[File:Kalyanasundaresar Temple, Nallur.jpg|Image of the [[Vimanam (tower)|Vimanam]], the shrine over the sanctum|150x150px|left|thumb|alt=a spiral structure of the [[Vimanam (tower)|Vimanam]], the shrine over the sanctum]]
The 7th-century [[Nayanars|Nayanar]] saints [[Sambandar]] and [[Appar]] wrote of the temple in their poetic work, ''[[Tevaram]]''. The original masonry and towers date back to the 9th century CE, as seen from an inscription in the structure made by [[Chola]] kings. The Chola kings ruled over the region for more than four centuries, from 850 CE to 1280 CE, and were temple patrons. The temple complex dates from the time of the 10th century [[Medieval Chola]] king [[Uttama Chola]] whose inscriptions are found in its walls. An inscription dated to the fifteenth year of [[Raja Raja Chola]] makes a reference to "Panchavanmahadevi chaturvedimanagalam", which is another name for Nallur. There are also inscriptions by [[Later Chola]] kings and [[Hoysala]] monarchs. The inscriptions from the Chola kings record various gifts like land, sheep, cows, and oil to the temple commemorating various victories of the dynasty. There are a lot of inscriptions from the [[Sangama Dynasty]] (1336–1485), [[Saluva Dynasty]], and [[Tuluva Dynasty]] (1491–1570) of the [[Vijayanagara Empire]], reflecting gifts to the temple from their rulers. The majority of the gift-related inscriptions are for land endowments, followed by goods, cash endowments, cows, and oil for lighting lamps.<ref name="Ayyar"/> The temple has been maintained by the [[Thiruvaduthurai Adheenam]] from the early part of the 13th century.<ref>{{cite web|title=List of Padalpetra stalam maintained by Thiruvaduthurai Adheenam|publisher=Thiruvaduthurai Adheenam|url=http://www.thiruvavaduthuraiadheenam.com/7_1padalpettrasivathalangal.html|access-date=2013-07-04|archive-date=29 September 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130929013055/http://thiruvavaduthuraiadheenam.com/7_1padalpettrasivathalangal.html|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=History of Thiruvaduthurai Adheenam|publisher=Thiruvaduthurai Adheenam|url=http://www.thiruvavaduthuraiadheenam.com/5guruparamparaivivaram.html|access-date=2013-07-04|archive-date=29 September 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130929013049/http://thiruvavaduthuraiadheenam.com/5guruparamparaivivaram.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Architecture==
The temple is constructed in [[Dravidian architecture|Dravidian style of architecture]]. It is classified as Perunkoil (also called Madakkoil): a big temple built on a higher platform of a natural or man-made mounds. Literary evidence is found in the works of Tirugnanasambandhar, who refers the temple as Madakkoil.<ref>{{cite book|title=Alayam - The Hindu temple - An epitome of Hindu Culture|page=31|publisher=Sri Ramakrishna Math|location=Mylapore, Chennai|last=Reddy|first=G.Venkatramana|year=2010|isbn=978-81-7823-542-4}}</ref>

The temple has a five-tiered ''[[gopuram|Rajagopuram]]'' (gateway tower). The main shrines of the temple are located in an artificial hillock. The images of the presiding deity, Kalyanasundareshwar, in the form of ''[[lingam]]'' (iconic form of Shiva) on a pedestal, occupies the main sanctum. The second ''lingam'', believed to be installed by sage Agastya, is in the sanctum. The walls on the interior of the sanctum have sculptural representations of Shiva and [[Parvathi|Parvati]] on the west, [[Vishnu]] on the north, and [[Brahma]] on the south. The shrine of Girisundari Amman, the consort of Kalyanasundareshwar, is located in the first precinct facing west. The temple also has a bronze image of [[Nataraja]], the cosmic dance form of Shiva. Nataraja in the temple is depicted with eight hands and in a standing posture over the head of a demon. The image is considered to be one of the nine dance poses of Shiva, called ''Nava tandavam''. The temple has sculptural and metallic images of [[Ganapathi]] (elephant god), sage Agastya, and the three Shaiva saints: [[Appar]], [[Sambandar]], and [[Sundarar]]. The temple also has an image of [[Somaskanda]] (a representation of [[Shiva]] with his consort [[Parvati|Uma]], and [[Murugan|Skanda]] as a child), which is considered similar to the one present in the [[Thyagaraja Temple, Tiruvarur|Thyagaraja temple]] in [[Thiruvarur]]. The third ''[[prakaram]]'' downstairs houses a separate shrine for the Hindu god [[Kali]].

The temple has a large tank called Saptasagaram, located outside the main entrance. The temple complex is enclosed by granite walls, built around the third precinct.<ref name="Ayyar" /><ref name="dinamalar" />

==Worship and religious practices==
[[File:Tirunallur4.jpg|Sapthasagaram, the temple tank located outside the main entrance of the temple|200px|thumb|right|alt=image of a water body of a temple]]
The temple priests perform the ''[[Puja (Hinduism)|puja]]'' (rituals) during festivals and on a daily basis. Like other Shiva temples of Tamil Nadu, the priests belong to the [[Shaiva]] 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 5:00 p.m., Irandamkalam at 7:00 p.m., and Ardha Jamam at 8:00 p.m. Each ritual comprises four steps: ''[[abhisheka]]'' (sacred bath), ''alankaram'' (decoration), ''[[Naivedhya|naivedyam]]'' (food offering), and ''deepa aradhanai'' (waving of lamps) for both Kalyanasundareshwar and Girisundari. The worship is held amidst music with ''[[nagaswaram]]'' (pipe instrument) and ''[[tavil]]'' (percussion instrument), religious instructions in the [[Vedas]] (sacred texts) read by priests and prostration by worshippers in front of the temple mast.

There are weekly rituals like ''{{lang|te-Latn|somavaram}}'' (Monday) and ''{{lang|te-Latn|sukravaram}}'' (Friday), fortnightly rituals like ''[[pradosha]]m'' and monthly festivals like ''[[amavasya|amavasai]]'' (new moon day), ''kritika'', ''[[pournami (festival)|pournami]]'' (full moon day) and ''chaturthi''. [[Shivrathri]] in February–March and Margazhi Tiruvadhirai in December–January are the major yearly festivals celebrated in the temple. Masi Magam celebrated during the [[Tamil calendar|Tamil month]] of Masi is considered the most prominent festival of the temple.<ref name="Meena">{{cite book|title=Temples in South India|last=V.|first=Meena|publisher=Harikumar Arts|location=Kanniyakumari|year=1974|edition=1st|page=28}}</ref> During Masi Magam festival, the Somaskanda Murthy is taken in procession around the temple.

Pregnant women conduct bangle ceremony in the temple, praying to the central deity of the temple and Kali for smooth delivery. Tonsure ceremony for getting children shaved for the first time to promote proper growth is a very common worship practice. Shiva is believed to have shown his feet to saint Thirunavukkarasar and hence the practice of blessing with ''Sadari'', which is otherwise practiced in Vishnu temples, is followed in the temple.<ref name="dinamalar">{{cite web|url=https://temple.dinamalar.com/en/new_en.php?id=367|title=Sri Kalyanasundaresar temple|publisher=Dinamalar|access-date=2013-07-04}}</ref>

==Religious significance==
[[File:Tirunallur2.jpg|200px|left|thumb|A shrine in the second precinct of the temple as seen from the hillock|alt=A shrine in the second precinct of the temple as seen from the hillock]]
[[Campantar|Tirugnana Sambandar]], a 7th-century Tamil ''Shaivite'' poet, venerated Kalyanasundaresar in eleven verses in ''[[Tevaram]]'', compiled as the ''[[Tirumurai|Second Tirumurai]]''.<ref name="sambandar">{{Cite book |last=Thirugnanasambandar |title=Irandam Thirumurai|url= http://www.projectmadurai.org/pm_etexts/pdf/pm0157.pdf|year=2004 |publisher=Project Madurai | location =Online |pages=81–82|access-date=2013-07-04}}</ref> [[Appar]], a contemporary of Sambandar, also venerated Kalyanasundaresar in ten verses in ''Tevaram'', compiled as the ''Sixth Tirumurai''.<ref name="appar">{{Cite book |last=Thirunavukkarasar |title=Aaram Thirumurai|url= http://www.projectmadurai.org/pm_etexts/pdf/pm0192.pdf|year=2004 |publisher=Project Madurai | location =Online |pages=33–35|access-date=2013-07-04}}</ref> As the temple is revered in ''Tevaram'', it is classified as ''[[Paadal Petra Sthalam]]'', one of the 276 temples mentioned in the Saiva canon. The temple is counted as one of the temples built on the banks of [[River Kaveri]]. It is located on the banks of [[Kudamurutti River|Kudamurutti]], a tributary of river Kaveri.<ref name=Ka>{{cite book|title=River cauvery the most battl(r)ed|last=Ka. Vi.|first=Kannan|page=32|publisher=Notion Press|year=2019|isbn=9781684666041|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4CGFDwAAQBAJ&q=thiruvavaduthurai}}</ref> The temple is counted as the 20th temple on the southern bank of [[Cauvery]] that are recorded in the canon.

{| style="margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto; width: 60em;"
|- style="text-align:center;"
|<poem>
[[Tamil script|Tamil]]
பெண்ணமருந் திருமேனி யுடையீர் பிறங்குசடைதாழப்
பண்ணமரும் நான்மறையே பாடியாடல் பயில்கின்றீர்
திண்ணமரும் பைம்பொழிலும் வயலுஞ்சூழ்ந்த திருநல்லூர்
மண்ணமருங் கோயிலே கோயிலாக மகிழ்ந்தீரே.
</poem>
| <poem>
[[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]]{{not a typo start}}
pɛ̝˞ɳɳʌmʌɾɨn̺ t̪ɪɾɨme:n̺ɪ· ɪ̯ɨ˞ɽʌjɪ̯i:r pɪɾʌŋgɨsʌ˞ɽʌɪ̯ðɑ˞:ɻʌp
pʌ˞ɳɳʌmʌɾɨm n̺ɑ:n̺mʌɾʌjɪ̯e· pɑ˞:ɽɪɪ̯ɑ˞:ɽʌl pʌɪ̯ɪlgʲɪn̺d̺ʳi:r
t̪ɪ˞ɳɳʌmʌɾɨm pʌɪ̯mbo̞˞ɻɪlɨm ʋʌɪ̯ʌlɨɲʤu˞:ɻn̪d̪ə t̪ɪɾɨn̺ʌllu:r
mʌ˞ɳɳʌmʌɾɨŋ ko:ɪ̯ɪle· ko:ɪ̯ɪlɑ:xə mʌçɪ˞ɻn̪d̪i:ɾe· . {{not a typo end}}</poem>
|-
| colspan="2" |
{{ quote |You have a holy body in which a lady stays.
When the glittering caṭai is hanging low, you are practising dance singing the four Vēdas in which there are melody-types.
In Tirunallūr which is surrounded by fields and verdant gardens of great strength.
You are rejoicing in dwelling in the temple which is desired by the people of this world.<ref name="sambandar"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://thevaaram.org/thirumurai_1/songview.php?thiru=2&Song_idField=2057&padhi=122+&button=%E0%AE%9A%E0%AF%86%E0%AE%B2%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%95 |title=Irandam Thirumurai Translation|year=2012|access-date=2013-07-04|publisher=Thevaaram.org}}</ref>
}}
|}

The temple tank, Sapthasagaram, is considered sacred. [[Kunti]], the mother of [[Pandavas]] from the [[Mahabaratha]] period, is believed to have taken a holy dip in the tank, worshiping Kalyanasundaresar. This incident is recorded in some of the inscriptions in the temple, but this story is not even mentioned in Mahabharatha.

The ''lingam'' in the temple is believed to change colours five times during the day. It takes the colour of copper from 6:00–8:24, light red from 8:25–10:48, molten gold from 10:49–15:12, unknown colour from 13:13–15:36, and emerald green from 15:37–18:00. The ''[[Aegle marmelos|vilwa]]'' tree in the temple is believed to be the first of its kind in the planet and hence called "Aadhi tree". Gananatha, a form of Shiva, in the form of ''balipeeta'' (platform for offering), is located in the temple. It is the only other place outside [[Varanasi]], where Gananatha is found in the form.<ref name="Ayyar" /><ref name="dinamalar" />

==References==
{{Reflist|25em}}

==Gallery==
<gallery>
Tirunallur kalyanasundaravesvarar temple1.jpg
Tirunallur kalyanasundaravesvarar temple3.jpg
Tirunallur kalyanasundaravesvarar temple4.jpg
Tirunallur kalyanasundaravesvarar temple5.jpg
Tirunallur kalyanasundaravesvarar temple6.jpg
Tirunallur kalyanasundaravesvarar temple7.jpg
Tirunallur kalyanasundaravesvarar temple2.jpg
</gallery>

{{Famous Shiva temples}}
{{Hindu Temples of Kumbakonam}}

[[Category:Padal Petra Stalam]]
[[Category:Shiva temples in Thanjavur district]]
[[Category:Maadakkoil]]

Kalyanasundaresar Temple, Nallur - Revision history

KristiBruno654: Starting a location first draft!