Saivite Saints Appar
and Tirugnana Sambandar had sung the glory of Lord of the temple in their
Thevaram hymns. This is the 52nd
Shiva temple on the northern bank of Cauvery praised in hymns.
Festival:
Masi Maha Shivrathri in February-March and Margazhi Tiruvadhirai in December-January are the festivals celebrated in the temple.
Temple's Speciality:
Lord Shiva in the temple is a swayambumurthy. The special feature of the temple is that abishek to Lord is offered with ghee followed by hot water abishek.
Opening Time:
The temple is open from 10.00 a.m. to 11.00 a.m. and from 5.00 p.m. to 7.00 p.m.
Address:
Sri Neiyadiappar Temple, Thillaisthanam (Tiruneithanam), Tiruneithanam Post, Via Tiruvaiyaru, Thanjavur-613 203.
Phone:
+91- 4362-260 553.
General Information:
The temple has a
Rajagopuram facing east with a spacious first prakara.Ambica shrine is in a separate temple facing
south.Shrines for Lords Vinayaka and
Muruga are in the inner prakara.Lords
Dakshinamurthy, Lingodhbava and Brahamma are in the goshta wall.
Prayers
People pray here for
noble characters and to be free of greed not aiming at temple and others’
properties.
Thanks giving:
Devotees contribute what they could for the maintenance of the temple.
Greatness Of Temple:
Mother Balambika, as the name suggests is ever young in appearance. This is the only temple in the hymns of Tirunavukkarasr praising Ambica for Her beauty. Lord Iyarappar visits this temple thrice a year from Tiruvaiyaru. Of the Sapthasthana (seven important temples of the district) Thillaisthanam is the seventh. During festival days, devotees can enjoy the darshan of the seven palanquin processions simultaneously in this place. Saint Sundarar had included this place in his Thevaram hymns. Arunagiriar had praised Lord Muruga of this temple in his Tirupugazh hymns. The place is praised by other poets as Pugazhendi and Ottakoothar. The sculpture of Nardana Ganapathy does need a mention. Lord Dakshinamurthy graces the devotees in a standing form. Pallavas had paid their due share for the renovation of the temple. Kings of Sri Lanka had worshipped Lord as their Kuladeiva-family deity.
Temple History:
A cow in this region was habitually pouring its milk at a specific place. The milk impacted by Sun heat and rain changed into ghee. When a shepherd tried to check the cow, it disappeared. He could not know that it was the very divine cow Kamadenu. When people came to the spot and dug the place, they found a Shivalinga here. The news reached the King. He built a temple, performed consecration and arranged abishek with ghee each day. The ghee abishek is followed even now. Ghee means Nei in Tamil, hence the name of the Lord Neiyadi Appar. The place has another story too. A Shiva devotee had the habit of picking the palak leaves (keerai in Tamil) while returning after lighting lamps in the temple. He told Lord one day that he was lighting lamps in the temple each day and sought his mercy as he was aging. Lord replied that what mercy remains to be shown to him as he had taken the Palak leaves grown in the temple as wage for the job, according to sthala purana.
Special Features:
Miracle Based:Lord Shiva is a Swyambumurthy in the temple.
Location : Thillaisthanam-Tiruneithanam is 2 km from Tiruvaiyaru on way to Tirukattupalli.
Near By Railway Station :
Thanjavur
Near By Airport :
Chennai
Accomodation :
Thanjavur:
Oriental Towers: +91-4362-230 724; 231 467 Hotel Parisuddham: +91-4362-231 801; 231 844 PLA Residency: +91-4362-278 391; 274 713 Hotel Gnanam: +91-4362-278 501-508 Hotel Lion City: +91-4362-275 650; 275 926 -927