Ilayathagudi Kailasanathar Nithyakalyani Temple, Chettinadu - Timings, Festivals, History, Darshan, Pooja Timings

At a distance of 28 Km from Chettinadu Railway Station, 37 Km from Pudukkottai, and 41 Km from Karaikudi, the Kailasanathar Nithyakalyani Amman Temple is an ancient shrine located in Ilayathagudi village in the Sivaganga district of Tamil Nadu, India. It is one of the top religious places to visit in Chettinad.

The Kailasanathar Nithyakalyani Temple, situated in Ilayathagudi, is dedicated to Lord Shiva, who is honored here as Kailasanathar alongside his consort, Nithyakalyani Amman. This temple is one of the nine temples collectively known as the Nagarathar temples in the Chettinad region. In Tamil, the term ilaippu signifies tiredness, aattram denotes relief, and kudi refers to any habitation. This location, where the devas found relief from their exhaustion, was named Ilai-atram-kudi. The name Ilayathangudi is a derivative of the original Ilaiyatrangudi, which is directly linked to the temple's sthala puranam.

According to legend, there was once significant conflict between the devas and the asuras in the celestial realm. Fearing that the asuras were becoming more powerful, the devas sought refuge in Bhulokam to find relief. They arrived here in a state of extreme fatigue but discovered the tranquility they were searching for. They promptly sculpted a Siva Lingam from sand and worshipped it. Instantly, their weariness vanished, and Siva aided them in defeating the asuras. Thus, the name Ilayathangudi was established.

The temple's origins date back to the 7th century, during the reign of the Pandyas in this region. A few decades later, many Nagarathars migrated here from Poompuhar and Chidambaram in the Chola territory. The Pandya king at that time acknowledged them and granted both the village and the temple to them. Consequently, this became the first of the nine prominent Nagarathar temples, which were acquired by the Nagarathar community in the early 8th century, specifically between 707 and 718 CE. The community subsequently expanded their influence throughout the region, establishing eight other temples, which, along with this temple, now form the set of nine principal Nagarathar temples.

It is believed that Ilayathangudi once housed nine temples, each featuring a distinct Teertham and Vinayakar situated by the banks of the Teerthams. At the entrance of the Kailasanathar temple, shrines dedicated to Siva and Parvati, known as Arasa Mangalanathar and Mangaleswari, can be observed. The gopuram of the temple is embellished with intricate stucco artwork depicting scenes from Vishnu's Dasavataram. The moolavar Lingam present here is not the original one for this temple. Historical accounts suggest that several centuries ago, a Lingam was discovered in the agricultural fields of Thanjavur, which was then under Chola rule. Subsequently, this Lingam was transported and installed in this temple.

The temple serves as a prarthana sthalam for individuals seeking marriage and is also a favored venue for celebrating 60th and 80th birthdays (sashtiabdhapoorthi and sadabhishekam). Besides the Kailasanathar Nithyakalyani Temple, Ilayathangudi is home to the Atmanathaswami temple, the Adi Kesava Perumal temple, and the Adhistanam temple dedicated to the 65th Shankaracharya of the Kanchi Matha, Pujyasri Sudarsana Mahadevendra Saraswati.

Timings: 6 AM - 12 PM & 4:30 PM - 7:30 PM

Entry: Free