This is one of the seven Saptasthana Shiva temples of Kanjanur. It is located at Thirumangalakudi which is about 17 kms from Kumbhakonam on Kumbhakonam Mayiladuthurai highway via Kathiramangalam. This is very near to Kanjanur. It is closely associated with Shaivacharyar Haradatta. This is one of the Padal Pethra sthalam on the northern bank of Kaveri. The present temple is about 1500 years old. Was built and renovated by the Chola kings.
Mulavar: Shri Prananatheswarar, Shri Pranavaradeshwarar
Devi (Consort): Shri Mangalanayaki
Sacred Teertha: Mangala teertha, Surya Teertha, Chandra Teertha
Kshetra Vruksha: Mandar (Vellerukku), Kongu (Kallam in Marathi), Illavu (Kevni in Marathi).
Shaiva saint sambandhar, Thirunavakarasar (Appar) have revered this temple in their sacred hymns.
This is an east facing temple with a five tiered rajagopuram and two parikramas. The linga is a swayambhu linga. The base or pitha (avudaiyar in Tamil) is smaller than the linga (or cylindrical) portion (Bana in Tamil). Traditionally the shape of the linga is the other way round. The sanctum is in the form of linga. Shri Mangalanayaki is housed in a separate south facing shrine. This kshetra is also known as Panchamangal kshetra (Mangalakudi). We find in this place everything is Mangala. That is why the teertha is known as Mangala Teertha, Shri Vinayaka is known as Shri Mangala Vinayaka and as Ambika bestows prosperity she is known as Shri Mangalambika.
The koshta murtis are Shri Vinayaka, Shri Dakshinamurty, Shri Rishabharudhar, Shri Brahma, Shri Vishnu Durga Devi. The utsav murty is Shri Chandrasekhar, Shri Muruga on peacock mount, Nalavar and Shri Pradosha Nayakar.
We come across the idols of Shri Ganesha, Shri Muruga, Shri Bhairav, Sage Agastya, Shivacharyar Haradatta and Meikandar and Shri Gajalakshmi Devi. We come across the idol of two Natarajas with Shri Shivakami Devi. A bhutagana is seen near the Shri Nataraja playing a musical instrument. There are 11 shiva lingas in a row. There is no Navagraha shine in this temple. In the Shri Nataraja shrine we come across a maragada (Emerald) linga. Abhishek is done on this Linga during midday with a right handed conch shell. There is a very rare idol of river Kaveri. At the entrance to the sanctum we come across the idols of Shri Mahalakshmi Devi and Shri Saraswati Devi in Padmasan as Dwarapalikas. But Shri Saraswati Devi is without her Veena. Behind Somaskanda shrine we come across a shrine of Shiva Durga. Thus we come across two Durga idols in this temple and in both the cases there is no Mahishasur under their feet. In this temple we come across a unique mount which is used in the procession during the festival. This mount is a mixture of a human being, a bird and an animal.
Special Feature:
This is a pancha mangala kshetra. The shikhar (viman) is also known as Mangala Viman.
Navagrahas worshiped at this place. Once Shri Brahma cursed the Navagrahas as they stopped Sage Kala from getting afflicted with leprosy as per destiny. Shri Brahma stated that Navagrahas had no right in interfering with anyone’s destiny and cursed Navagrahas to get afflicted with leprosy. The Navagrahas came to Bhulok ie. this place and worshiped Shri Shiva and got rid of the curse. Hence Shri Shiva is worshiped here as the Navagrahas.
About the Shiva Linga: Sage Agastya came to this place to worship Shri Shiva. At that time the Bana of Shiva Linga appeared to be taller than the normal size. It is believed that Sage Agastya worshiped the Shiva Linga by raising his hand above his head for placing the flowers on the Shiva Linga.
It is customary to worship at this temple first before worshiping the Navagrahas at Suryanar Kovil. It is believed that these two temples are one and the same and hence there is no separate Navagraha temple at this place.
The special feature of the Maragada linga is that its puja and Abhishek is done only during the midday. The abhishek is done with a right handed conch on the Shiva Linga with milk, rose water, honey and Sandalwood. It is believed that anyone partakes in this abhishek as Prasad gets cured of all diseases. During puja, betel leaves, betel nut and banana are offered as Naivedya.
It is believed that the Navagrahas offered curd rice on Mandar leaves to Shri Shiva. Hence every Sunday during midday worship curd rice without salt is offered as Naivedya to Shri Shiva. At this place those people who had not performed the rights of their ancestors offer curd rice without salt as Naivedya in this place as atonement.
About Devi Mangalambika: Goddess Mangalambika is considered as the Goddess who bestows boons especially to women. On the right hand of the idol of Ambika we always find a Mangalsutra. This is given as prasad to ladies.
Sandalwood alankar: During Navaratri in all temples different alankars are done for the Utsav murthy of Devi Ambika. At this place only sandalwood paste is applied as alankar. They prepare the sandalwood paste by mixing it with various colors. We can have darshan on the second sunday in the tamil month Thai.
Kshetra Purana:
In the eleventh century AD, there was minister named Alaivanar in the service of Chola king. He built this temple from the tax collections of the Kingdom without taking permission from the King. The King punished him for this by beheading him. As the minister had requested that his final rites should be conducted in Thirumangalkudi, his body was brought here. When the body reached borders of Thirumangalamkudi the ministers wife went to the temple and prayed to Ambika to give life to her husband. A divine voice stated that her husband will become alive. At that very instant the husband came to life. She was overjoyed and she embraced shiva linga. From that day Shiva linga came to be known as Shri Prananatheshwarar (Jiva dayagan, meaning one who gave life). The devi came to be known as Shri Mangalambika.
Greatness of temple:
Devotees worship Shri Shiva for eleven consecutive days by offering curd rice on Mandar leaf. It is believed that distributing this prasad to eleven others one will be relieved of Navagraha dosha, Kalatra dosha and Mangalya dosha. Besides this he will also be relieved of ailments.
Festivals:
Panguni (March-April): Panguni Uttaram festival is held for 10 days as Brahmotsav
Ani (Jun-July): Thirumanjanam
Avani (Aug-Sept): Vinayak Chaturthi
Purattasi (Sept-Oct): Navaratri
Margazhi (Dec-Jan): Thiruvathirai
Aadi (July-August): On the 18th day of this month a festival is held in honor of river Kaveri.
Monthly pujas: Sankashta chaturthi, Karthigai nakshatra puja and Pradosha puja.
On ashtami special puja is held for Bhairav
Address: Shri Prananatheshwarar temple
Thirumangalkudi post, Thiruvidaimaruthur Taluka, Tamil Nadu 612102
Telephone: 91-04352470480
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