Kailasanadar Sernthamangalam

Kailasanadar, Sernthamangalam

Saivite Temples - Thoothukudi

God

Kailasanadar, facing east

Goddess

Soundarya Nayaki, facing south

Other Deities

Adhikara Nandi, Surya, Naalvar, Juradevar, Saptamadar, 63 Nayanmar, Kanni Vinayaka, Nagabala Murugan, Chokkanadar, Meenakshi, Muruga with consorts, Nava Lingam, Veerabadhra, Bhairava, Chandran. Sanctum niches – Dakshinamurthy, Lingotbavar, Durga, Chandikeswara

Kailasanadar Sernthamangalam is an east-facing temple with an entrance gateway mandapam in the east and south, the east one being open normally. A single prakaram houses the sanctum sanctorum and the shrines. There is a common mandapam before the sanctums. The Tamiraparani River flows north of the temple and fans out here to mix with the ocean nearby. Kailasanadar Sernthamangalam is the ninth of the Nava (9) Kailasha Temples where Lord Shiva represents one each of the Nine Planets. Here he represents Sukran – Venus. The others are in Papanasam (Sun), Cheranmahadevi (Chandran – Moon), Kodaganallur (Mars), Kunnathur (Raaghu – shadow planet, North Lunar node of the moon) in Tirunelveli District and, Muruppanadu (Guru – Jupiter), Srivaikuntam (Sani – Saturn), Then Thiruperai (Budhan – Mercury), Rajapathi (Ketu – shadow planet, South Lunar node of the moon) and Kailasanadar Sernthamangalam (Sukran – Venus) in Thoothukudi District.

Holy Water (Theertham) – Tamiraparani River

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

History

Kailasanadar Sernthamangalam is an ancient temple as is evident from the many inscriptions found around the sanctum sanctorum. The details of the inscriptions are not available as of now.

Legend

The ninth of a set of nine flowers floated by Sage Romasa, a disciple of Sage Agastya, from upstream of Tamiraparani landed here at Kailasanadar Sernthamangalam and is thus considered the ninth Nava Kailasam Temple.

Directions

Kailasanadar Sernthamangalam is 28 Kilometers south of Thoothukudi off the Tiruchendur Road. From Authoor ask for the main road (bus route) going to Sernthamanmgalam to reach the temple. There is a small road from Authoor along the Tamiraparani River which we do not advise taking as it is too narrow and impossible to manage if a vehicle comes in the opposite direction.

Stay and Food

None locally. The closest is Thoothukudi (28 kms) and Tiruchendur (18 kms) depending on your travel plan.

Saivite Temples

Tamilnadu Temples