Kailasanadar Udayalur

Kailasanadar Udayalur

Saivite Temples, Thanjavur District

God

Kailasanadar, facing east

Goddess

Sankara Parvathy Ambal, facing south

Other Deities

Ganesha and Muruga at the entrance, Vinayaka, Muruga

Kailasanadar Udayalur is a very ancient and historic temple said to be built by Rajaraja Chola originally. The entrance is through a gate on the south for this east facing temple.

Holy Water (Theertham) – Kumara Theertham

Sacred Tree (Sthala Vriksham) – Vilwam (Aegle marmelos)

History

Kailasanadar Udayalur is 1000 years old and it is learned that this temple was built by Raja Raja Cholan I. The temple has some excellent sculptures and a lot of stone inscriptions. It is believed that the Chola Emperor had gifted this village to Ulagamuzhuthudayal, one of his wives and named the village as  Ulagamuzhuthudayalur. This name gradually transformed as Udayalur. Udayalur was also said to be the final resting place of the ashes of Raja Raja Chola I based on a stone inscription from the Paalkulathu Amman temple nearby. Actually, it turned out convincingly that this is a false news based on a detailed study taken up by experts in front of the villagers. However, there is a memorial for Raja Raja Cholan nearby.

Legend

Lord Muruga being cursed by Shiva, when he interrupted the Brahma Thattuvan being imparted to Goddess Parvati, was instructed to come here to Kailasanadar Udayalur and perform penance. He is believed to have dug the holy tank with his lance and hence the Holy Water here at Kailasanadar Udayalur is Kumara Theertham. A king called Ajamaharaja is said to have been advised by Sage Vasishta to bath in this holy tank to relieve himself of Leprosy which did not happen. A divine voice told him that the holy cow Kamadhenu will bath and make this a tank of milk. The king took a holy dip after this, smeared the Lord’s holy ash and he was cured.

Directions

Kailasanadar Udayalur is about 7.5 Kilometers south of Kumbakonam. You can go via either Patteeswaram or Korukkai.

Stay and Food

None locally. Closest is Kumbakonam.

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