Sri Thanthondreeswarar Temple, Chettinadu - Timings, Festivals, History, Darshan, Pooja Timings

At a distance of 6 Km from Karaikudi, and 9 Km from Chettinad, Sri Thanthondreeswarar Temple, also known as Illuppaikudi Vairavar Temple is an ancient Hindu temple located in Iluppaikudi near Karaikudi. It is one of the top Chettinad places to visit.

Sri Thanthondreeswarar Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva, revered here as Lord Thaanthondreeswarar, alongside his consort Soundara Nayaki. It is one of the nine Shiva temples associated with the Nattukottai Nagarathars in the Chettinad region. Additionally, it ranks among the most renowned Bhairava temples in Tamil Nadu. The temple is also referred to as Sri Swayamprakasha Eswarar Temple.

The sthala puranam of this temple is linked to the sthala puranam of the nearby Mathur Ainootreeswarar temple. Kongana Siddhar aspired to master the art of alchemy, specifically the transformation of iron into gold, utilizing a herbal concoction. He prayed to Siva for the ability to achieve this, and Siva instructed him to worship Bhairavar at Iluppai Vanam, which was a forest of Iluppai trees at that time, hence the name Iluppaikudi. Following Siva's guidance, the siddhar gained the power to produce gold. However, when he attempted to lift the gold he had created, it vanished and was instantly replaced by a brilliantly shining Siva Lingam. Due to the self-effulgence of the Lingam, Siva became known as Swayam Prakaseswarar in Sanskrit and Thanthondreeswarar in Tamil.

The temple is oriented towards the east and features a 5-tier Rajagopuram, while the Rajagopuram on the south side consists of 3 tiers. Following the Rajagopuram are the Dwajasthambam, balipeedam, and Nandi. The temple comprises a sanctum sanctorum, antarala, and ardha mandapam. Within the sanctum resides the lingam, which is guarded by dwarapalakas at the entrance. The ardha mandapam contains the Utsavars. The Amman is illustrated with a tiruvachi or prabhai surrounding Her head, and Varahi is represented on a pillar outside the Amman shrine. The inner prakaram includes shrines dedicated to Vinayakar, Perumal, Murugan, Chandikeswarar, Gajalakshmi, Sani, Chandran, and Suryan. Additionally, there is a distinct Navagraham shrine.

The Bhairavar worshipped by the siddhar is represented in this temple as Swarna Akarshana Bhairavar, depicted alongside two dogs and an Akshaya patram in place of the traditional begging bowl or skull. Consequently, worshipping Bhairavar in this location is considered a means to achieve wealth and prosperity in life. One of the pillars also showcases a bas relief of a dog, which locals venerate for relief and protection against dog bites, which are reportedly common in this area.

Beyond the representation of Bhairavar, the temple showcases remarkable examples of exquisite craftsmanship. Dakshinamurti in the koshtam is illustrated with a crown, which is quite uncommon. One of the pillars in the mandapam features a miniature bas relief of Vinayakar, known as Kutti Vinayakar, who stands at approximately 1.5 inches tall, yet is depicted with great beauty and clarity. There are other equally impressive miniatures located in the southern section of the garbhagriham koshtam, which include Vinayakar, an elderly woman with a walking staff, and Kamadhenu pouring milk on a Siva Lingam - each of these figures measures less than 2 inches in height!

Timings: 6 AM - 12 PM & 5 PM - 8 PM

Entry: Free