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{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2020}}
{{Infobox Hindu temple
| name = Narthana Vallabeswarar Temple
| image = Thirukoodalaiyatrur - Narthana Vallabheshwarar (2).jpg
| alt =
| caption =
| map_type = India Tamil Nadu
| map_caption = Location in [[Tamil Nadu]]
| coordinates = {{coord|11|24|57|N|79|28|38|E|type:landmark_region:IN|display=inline,title}}
| other_names =
| proper_name =
| country = [[India]]
| state = [[Tamil Nadu]]
| district = [[Cuddalore district|Cuddalore]]
| locale =
| elevation_m =
| deity = Narthana Vallabeswarar([[Shiva]])
| festivals=
| architecture = [[Dravidian architecture]]
| temple_quantity =
| monument_quantity=
| inscriptions =
| year_completed =
| creator =
| website =
}}

'''Narthana Vallabeswarar Temple''' is a [[Hindu temple]] dedicated to the deity [[Shiva]], located in Thirukoodalaiyathoor, a village in [[Cuddalore district]] in the [[South India]]n state of [[Tamil Nadu]]. Shiva is worshipped as Narthana Vallabeswarar, and is represented by the ''[[lingam]]''. His consort [[Parvati]] is depicted as Gnanasakthi and Parasakthi. The presiding deity is revered in the seventh-century Tamil Saiva canonical work, the ''[[Tevaram]]'', written by Tamil saint poets known as the [[Nayanars]] and classified as ''[[Paadal Petra Sthalam]]''.

The temple complex covers around half acre and entered through a three tiered gopuram, the main gateway. The temple has a number of shrines, with those of Narthana Vallabeswarar and his consorts Gnanasakthi and Parasakthi being the most prominent. All the shrines of the temple are enclosed in large concentric rectangular granite walls.

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. The Brahmotsavam festival is celebrated during the day of the Magam (February–March) is the most prominent festival.

==Legend==
[[File:Thirukoodalaiyatrur - Narthana Vallabheshwarar (3).jpg|thumb|left|200x200px|The gopuram of the temple]]
As per Hindu legend, sage [[Agastya]] had a son named Karthyanan who was also a great sage. Agastya prayed Shiva to attain a girl child. On account of divine grace, he found a child floating on a lotus leaf in Manimutharu river. He named her Ambujavailli brought up the child. It is believed that Vishnu's consort Lakshmi was born as Ambujavalli and married Vishnu during his [[Varaha]] avatar. As per another legend, a [[Chola]] king who ruled the region suspected his wife and killed her. He attained Brahmahatti Dosha for the wrongdoing. He sustained skin disease and also began to wander like a lunatic. On arriving at the confluence of this place where rivers Manimutharu and Vellaru flow, he saw a dog with disease attaining relief after taking a dip in the river. The king followed the dog and attained relief. Shiva came to be known as Koodalaiyitroorar as he is believed to rule the place ({{Lang|ta-latn|koodal}} means {{Gloss|confluence}} in [[Tamil language|Tamil]]).<ref name=dinamalar/>

==Architecture==
[[File:Thirukoodalaiyatrur - Narthana Vallabheshwarar (1).jpg|200px|thumb|A stucco image indicating the legend of Sundarar worhsiping Shiva|left]]
The temple has a three-tiered gateway tower and all the shrines of the temple are enclosed in concentric rectangular granite walls. The temple occupies an area of around {{convert|0.5|acre|ha|abbr=on}}. The central shrine houses the image of Narthana Vallabeswarar in the form of [[Lingam]]. The shrine of Ishta sakthi and Parasakthi, the consorts of Shiva, facing West is located in the Mahamandapam leading to the sanctum. The central shrine is approached through the flagstaff and Mahamandapam, both which are located axial to the gateway. As in other Shiva temples in Tamil Nadu, the shrines of [[Vinayaka]], [[Murugan]], [[Navagraha]], Chandikesa and [[Durga]] are located around the precinct of the main shrine. There is a shrine of [[Chitragupta]], the accountant of [[Yama]] located in the temple.<ref name=R/> Unlike other temples, there is no separate shrine for [[Navagraha]], the nine planetary deities. The panels of the walls around the sanctum houses the Koshta images like [[Dakshinamurthy]], [[Lingodbhava]], [[Brahma]] and Ashtabhuja [[Durga]]. The shrine of [[Nataraja]] houses the metal image of Nataraja while there is a festival image of [[Chitragupta]] holding pen in one hand and script in the other.<ref name=Saiva4/>

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]].<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=10 January 2021|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>

==Religious importance==
It 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]] [[Sundarar]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Koodalaiyitroorar|url=https://www.thevaaram.org/thirumurai_1/koil_view.php?koil_idField=105|publisher=Thevaaram.org|year=2011|accessdate=14 March 2016}}</ref> As per Hindu legend, Sundarar, while traveling to [[Vriddhagiriswarar Temple, Vriddhachalam]] forgot this place and asked about the way to the Vridhagiriswarar temple to a saint who was going in front of him. The saint directed him to the Koddalaiytrur temple. Sundarar on reaching the temple realised that the saint was none other than Shiva himself. Sundarar has made a mention of the event, calling the deity as Narthana Vallabeswarar.<ref name=dinamalar/> The presiding deity is also called Narthana Vallabeswarar as he is believed to have danced in front of [[Brahma]] on his request.<ref name=Saiva4>{{cite book|title=Saiva Encyclopedia 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|page=184}}</ref>

==Festivals==
The temple priests perform the ''[[Puja (Hinduism)|puja]]'' (rituals) during festivals and on a daily basis. The temple rituals are performed four times a day; ''Kalasanthi'' at 8:00 a.m., ''Uchikalam'' at 12:00 a.m., ''Sayarakshai'' at 6:00 p.m, and ''Arthajamam'' at 8:00 p.m.. Each ritual comprises four steps: ''[[abhisheka]]'' (sacred bath), ''alangaram'' (decoration), ''[[Naivedhya|naivethanam]]'' (food offering) and ''deepa aradanai'' (waving of lamps) for Narthana Vallabeswarar, Itcha Sakthi and Parasakthi. 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), ''kiruthigai'', ''[[pournami (festival)|pournami]]'' (full moon day) and ''sathurthi''. The thirteen-day Brahmotsavam during the [[Tamil calendar|Tamil month]] of ''Masi'' is the most important festivals of the temple.<ref name=dinamalar>{{cite web|title=Sri Narthana Vallabeswarar temple|url=https://temple.dinamalar.com/en/new_en.php?id=850|publisher=[[Dinamalar]]|year=2014|access-date=24 November 2015}}</ref><ref name=R>{{cite book|title=An introduction to religion and Philosophy - Tévarám and Tivviyappirapantam|url=https://archive.org/details/dli.jZY9lup2kZl6TuXGlZQdjZY2lZpy.TVA_BOK_0006115|last=R.|first=Dr. Vijayalakshmy|publisher=International Institute of Tamil Studies| location=Chennai|year=2001|edition=1st|pages=174–5}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Narthana Vallabheshwarar temple}}

{{Famous Shiva temples|state=collapsed}}

[[Category:Hindu temples in Cuddalore district]]
[[Category:Padal Petra Stalam]]

Narthana Vallabeswarar temple - Revision history

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