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{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=August 2020}}
{{Infobox Hindu temple
| name = Tirumaanturai Amravaneswarar Temple
| image = Manthurai-1.jpg
| alt =
| caption =
| map_type = India Tamil Nadu
| map_caption = Location in [[Tamil Nadu]]
| coordinates = {{coord|10|51|0|N|78|52|0|E|type:landmark_region:IN|display=inline,title}}
| native_name = Manthurai Sivan Temple
| country = [[India]]
| state = [[Tamil Nadu]]
| district = [[Trichy]]
| location = Manthurai
| elevation_m =
| deity = Maanthuraiyappar, Amravaneswarar ([[Shiva]])
Azhagammai, BalaAmbigai ([[Parvathi]])
| facade_direction =
| temple_tank = Gayathri Nadi
| tower =
| festivals=
| architecture = [[Dravidian architecture]]
| temple_quantity =
| monument_quantity=
| inscriptions =
| year_completed =
| creator =
| website =
}}

'''Maanturai Amravaneswarar Temple''',<ref name="templenet">{{cite web|title=Abodes of SHiva - Shivasthalams glorified by Tevaram hymns|url=http://www.templenet.com/Tamilnadu/s133.html|publisher=Templenet}}</ref> is a temple dedicated to Hindu deity [[Shiva]], located in [[Manturai]], a village in the outskirts of [[Trichy]], in the [[South India]]n state of [[Tamil Nadu]]. It is one of the 275 ''[[Paadal Petra Sthalam]]s'', where the three of the most revered [[Nayanars]] ([[Saivite]] Saints), [[Appar]] and [[Campantar|Tirugnana Sambandar]] have glorified the temple with their verses during the 7th-8th century. The temple has been widely expanded by [[Chola]] kings during the 11th century. The temple has three tiered gateway tower and a tank. Since Shiva bestowed a deer with a mango, this place is called Manthurai.

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. The Chittirai festival during the Tamil month of Chittirai (April - May) is celebrated for fifteen days, portraying the various incidents associated with the temple legend. The temple is maintained and administered by the Hindu Religious and Endowment Board of the [[Government of Tamil Nadu]].

==Legend==
Shiva bestowed a deer with a mango here. Since Shiva bestowed a deer with a mango, this place is called Manthurai (''maan'' is deer in [[Tamil language|Tamil]]). [[Surya]], [[Chandra]], Kanvar and [[Vishnu]] are said to have worshipped Shiva here. Mrikandu Munivar (father of [[Markandeya]]) and a deer are said to have worshipped Shiva under a mango tree, and this legend is illustrated in stucco in the temple. [[Brahma]], the Hindu god of creation, is said to have brought the Gayatri Nadi at the completion of his worship here, and his act of having made the false claim of having seen the top of the column of fire in which Shiva had manifested himself, was absolved here.<ref name="dinamalar"/> It is believed that sage Mrikandeeswara is believed to have performed penance at this temple and hence it is also called Mrikandeswarapura.<ref name=R>{{cite book|title=An introduction to religion and Philosophy - Tévarám and Tivviyappirapantam|last=R.|first=Dr. Vijayalakshmy|publisher=International Institute of Tamil Studies| location=Chennai|year=2001|edition=1st|page=377}}</ref>

[[Indra]], the king of celestial deities, is said to have worshipped [[Shiva]] to absolve himself of the sin of having deceived [[Ahalya]], the wife of [[Gautama Rishi|Gowtama Rishi]]. Bhrama and [[Vishnu]] adorn the niches in the walls of the sanctum. This place has been referred to in ''[[Thevaram]]'', the Saiva anthology written by Saint Poet (7th Century AD) [[Thirugnana Sambanthar]] and [[Appar]].<ref>{{Cite web
|url= http://www.projectmadurai.org/pm_etexts/pdf/pm0162.pdf
|title=campantar tEvAram -2
|work=projectmadurai.org
|accessdate=16 July 2011
}}</ref>

==Architecture==
This temple is situated 15 km from Trichy in Maanthurai, a village in Trichy - Lalgudi road. The nearest railway station is at Lalgudi and the nearest airport is [[Tiruchirappalli International Airport]]. The Shiva temple at Manturai is spread over an area of {{convert|1.5|acre|m2}}. The main rajagopuram is on the east side with three tiers. Inside the temple, there are two corridors. At the main entrance, the sculptures of [[Ganapathy]] and [[Muruga]] can be found on both the sides. The main shrine accommodates the image of Shiva known as Amravaneswarar and the Ambal his consort is known as Balambigai. There are lot of inscriptions in the walls of the temple revealing Chola architecture.<ref name="dinamalar">{{cite web|url=http://temple.dinamalar.com/en/New_en.php?id=151|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131031041837/http://temple.dinamalar.com/en/New_en.php?id=151|url-status=dead|archive-date=31 October 2013|title=Sri Aamra Vaneswarar temple|publisher=Dinamalar|accessdate=1 January 2014}}</ref> There is a separate shrine for Balambigai to the right of Vedapureeswarar's sanctum. The first precinct on the four sides of the sanctum sanctorum are decorated with the images of [[Nayanmars]], [[Murugan]] Sannadhi in the northwest and [[Durga]] Sannadhi on the northeast. The temple has [[Navagraha]], which is sculpted in a lotus pedestal.<ref name=R/>

==Worship practices and festivals==
[[File:Manthurai-2.jpg|200px|thumb|Images of horse sculptures outside the main entrance of the temple|left]]
The temple is one of the shrines of the 275 [[Paadal Petra Sthalams]] - [[Shiva Temples of Tamil Nadu#Sthalams|Shiva Sthalams]] glorified in the early medieval ''[[Tevaram]]'' poems by Tamil Saivite [[Nayanars|Nayanar]] [[Sambandar]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Maanthurai|url=http://www.thevaaram.org/thirumurai_1/koil_view.php?koil_idField=231|publisher=Thevaaram.org|year=2011|accessdate=14 March 2016}}</ref> The temple is frequented by Hindu devotees with birth star of [[Mula (nakshatra)|Moola]] praying for marriage and the temple is locally referred as Moola Nakshatra Parikara Stalam.<ref>{{cite web|title=மூல நட்சத்திரக்காரர்களின் திருமண தடை நீக்கும் கோவில்|url=https://www.maalaimalar.com/devotional/devotionaltopnews/2020/03/28104523/1373140/Amravaneswarar-Temple.vpf|date=28 March 2020|accessdate=13 December 2020|publisher=Malaimalar|language=ta}}</ref>

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 both Mathuraiyappar and Azhagammai. 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''.<ref name="dinamalar"/> Annabishekam during the Tamil month of ''Aipassi'' (October–November), Karthikai Deepan during November–December and Adi Sankaracharya Jayanti in ''Vaikasi'' (May–June) are the festivals celebrated in the temple.<ref name="dinamalar"/>

==References==
{{reflist}}
{{Famous Shiva temples}}
{{HinduMythology}}

[[Category:Shiva temples in Tiruchirappalli district]]
[[Category:Padal Petra Stalam]]

Maanturai Amravaneswarar Temple - Revision history

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