Sree Brahmapureeswarar Temple — Attraction in Tamil Nadu

ஆங்கிலத்தில் எழுதுவதற்கு மன்னிக்கவும்.

After, visiting Thirukurugavur, we came to this temple. This was the last temple on our trip, before we headed back to chennai.

Dont know what to say, it was kind of shock, surprise, awe, anger all coming one after the other. Shocked and surprise to see such a huge beautiful temple. Literally out of the world feeling when you take the first step into the temple compound, but then a kind of anger fills in to see the way they have made it a mockery.

People walking with their chappals in their hand, using the temple as a walkway. People literally playing / fishing / bathing etc etc in the massive temple pond inside the temple complex.

Not sure when i visited it the last time, but i am very sure i didnt see the temple to the fullest, or was not focussing that keenly the last time. Because, never knew about the Lord "Thonniappar" and Lord "Sattainathar" sitting one on top of the other above Lord Brahmapureeswarar .

As we stepped into the main temple, it was so beautiful to see the oil lamp lit all over the sanctum sanctorum. We recited our sivapuranam and thevaram songs, had a wonderful aarti darshan of the lord.

When we went around, we found the steps going up the temple. Aptly they call this a small hill, because climbing is like trekking upward, the degree of climb is definitely steep.

Once you are on the first floor, you will be literally blown away, when you have darshan of the Lord Thoniappar. I was literally speechless, dumbfounded and stood motionless looking at the 20 odd feet of Lord Thoniappar sitting so majestically with the ambal on his left hand side.

There are some other temple where you have the statue of Lord Shiva, but not this tall, with such sheer beauty.

Took me some time and i started to sing the thevaram songs. The priest was happy , inquired where i am from and gave me prasadam, and explained the importance of the Lord.

It is one of the blessed places i would say, since it is the birthplace of Saint Thiruganasambandar who literally gave Hinduism the much needed push for glory. It was in this temple that the Goddess came and gave him the milk when he was two years old and he began to sing such wonderful beautiful Thevaram songs. When his father asked him who gave the milk he pointed to the lord on the temple gopuram and began to sing the first pathigam in the thevaram 1.001

தோடுடைய செவியன்விடை யேறியோர் தூவெண்மதிசூடிக் காடுடையசுட லைப்பொடிபூசிஎன்1 உள்ளங்கவர் கள்வன் ஏடுடையமல ரான்முனைநாட்பணிந் தேத்தஅருள் செய்த பீடுடையபிர மாபுரம்மேவிய பெம்மானிவ னன்றே. 1

Even as i write, my hairs are literally standing up.

They even say that this is the temple with maximum no of thevaram songs, namely 71 songs sung by the moovar's. Out of the 71, 67 songs were sung by Saint Thiruganasambandar himself. Not only did he sing such wonderful songs about the Lord but he also created a beauty singing songs with different grammatical ideas from the tamil language, there by i would say he took the TAMIL language to great heights.

This was not only his hometown, it was his favorite temple and he considered the Lord and Goddess as his own father and mother.

Periyapuranam says that Saint Thiruganasamabandar visited this temple each and everytime before he undertook an temple yatra, requested permission from the lord, and he came back prayed again thanking the lord once he finished his particular temple yatra.

Just like Saint Thiruganasambandar, Saint Arunagirinathar has sung many Thirupugazh songs on Lord Muruga of this temple. Song 772 is

சிந்துற்றெழு மாமதி அங்கித் ...... திரளாலே

தென்றற்றரு வாசமி குந்துற் ...... றெழலாலே

அந்திப்பொழு தாகிய கங்குற் ...... றிரளாலே

அன்புற்றெழு பேதைம யங்கித் ...... தனியானாள்

நந்துற்றிடு வாரியை மங்கத் ...... திகழாயே

நஞ்சொத்தொளிர் வேலினை யுந்திப் ...... பொருவேளே

சந்தக்கவி நூலினர் தஞ்சொற் ...... கினியோனே

சண்பைப்பதி மேவிய கந்தப் ...... பெருமாளே.

It is definitely a MUST VISIT TEMPLE IN ONE'S LIFE TIME, just to see the beauty of the "Lord...

The temple dedicated to Lord Shiva is right in the middle of Sirkazhi town. It is a huge temple with four big gopurams on every side. It is a three tier temple similar to the popular Vishnu temple - Sundara varadar temple Uttiramerur, Parameshwara vinnagaram at Kanchi, Thirukoshityur Sowmya Narayana perumal temple and Thirukoodalur at Madurai. Lord Shiva at the first level is in the form of a Lingam and is called Brahmapureeswarar and Goddess Parvati in a seperate sannadhi is called Thirumala Nayaki. Lord Shiva at the second level is in human form and is really huge. He gives darshan with goddess Parvati and is called Thoni appar wherein Thoni is boat in Tamil. The Lord in the final and third level is called Sattanathar and pooja is done here only on Friday midnights. Sirkazhi is the birth place of Thirugnana Sambandar- the Shaivite saint and the 14th Thevara sthalam. The place is popular for Goddess Parvati having fed the milk of wisdom to Gnana sambandar when he was a child. There is a seperate sannadhi for the saint in the temple. There is a big tank inside the temple complex and is known as Brahma Theertham.

Sri Sattainathar Temple (or) Brahmapureeswarar Temple (or) Sri Thoniyappar Temple has located at Sirkazhi taluk of Nagapattinam district. The main God of this temple is Lord Shiva known as Sattainathar, Brahmapureeswarar and Thoniyappar. The Goddess has known as Periyanayaki and Tirunilai Nayaki.

Once the Maha Pralaya happened, at that time Lord Shiva dressed with 64 arts and Mother Parvathi on the boat(Thoni in Tamil).Lord Shiva reached this place using Thoni so this Lord Shiva known as Thoniyappar. Lord Brahma worshipped Shiva in this place to destroy the pride and arrogance. So, the Lord Shiva has known as Brahmmapureeswarar.

After punishing the Mahabali, Lord Vishnu had dhosam so Lord Shiva wears Vishnu?s skin as top. Mother Mahalakshmi misapprehend that Lord Shiva destroyed Lord Vishnu. Therefore, Devi Mahalakshmi stopped using flowers.Thatswhy the women, who coming to this temple avoid to wear flowers and men avoid to wear shirt. Lord Shiva is the superior of all rules and regulations. So the Lord has known as...

One of the most highly underrated and understated temple of South india. Such a divine and beautiful place in the east coast. This is the place where one of the foremost nayanmara of tamil saivism, ThiruGnana sambandar was born, and was also fed divine milk by none other than goddess parvathi devi, besides the temple tank. They even give us a spoonful of milk as the temple prasada, symbolically denoting the milk of wisdom fed by Goddess parvathi to 3 yrs sambandar. The temple is very unique as its a three tiered complex. On the lower floor shiva is in linga form. And by climbing the stairs of the vimana of the main shrine, on the first floor is a beautiful mega life size diety - couple of shiva and parvathi in standing posture. And finally on the 2nd floor, below the shikara of the vimana is shri sattainathar who seems to be an amalgamation of lord shiva and vishnu. The temple complex is medium sized with vast prakara walls and complex. The temple pond is big but looks polluted due to lesser sensed people throwing plastics and whatnot in the water. Fishes seems to thrive well though as one can easily spot many and feed them. Nevertheless the temple despite its financial crunches is very well maintained by the authorities and the temple priests too are very friendly in explaining the temple history and legend. So, if u happen to visit cbidambaram temple or passing by thirukadaiyur,thirunallaar, vaitheeswaran temple, pondy ,cuddalore or even mayiladuthurai, u could easily visit this temple and cherish the divine blessings...