Kailasanadar Ariyanayakipuram

Kailasanadar, Ariyanayakipuram

Saivite Temples - Tirunelveli District

God

Kailasanadar, facing east

Goddess

Ariyanayaki Amman, facing south

Other Deities

Outer Prakaram – Sastha, Kasi Viswanathar, Visalakshi, Naagar. Inner Prakaram – Suryan, Adhikaranandi, Juradevar, Sapthamadar, Naalvar, 63 Nayanmar, Vinayaka, Neelakandar, Murugan, Kannimoola Ganapathi, Sivakozhundeeswarar, Sivakami, Saliwaliswarar, Kasi Viswanathar, Chokkanadar, Meenakshi, Muruga with consorts, Saneeswarar, Bhairava, Navagraha, Chandran. Sanctum Niches – Dakshinamurthy, Chandikeswara, Natarajar

Kailasanadar Ariyanayakipuram is a large temple with 3 Prakarams. The entrance is through a beautiful gateway mandapam in the east. In this mandapam are the Balipeedam, Flagstaff, and a Nandi. Outside this is the outer Prakaram in a state of neglect. There is a separate temple for Kasiviswanathar and Visalakshi on the north side of this prakaram. Both are in separate shrines in one combined structure facing east and south respectively. The inner Prakaram houses the sanctum sanctorum and the shrines. A large Mahamandapam is common to both the god and goddess sanctums. Both sanctums have separate Ardha Mandapams and Antralaya leading inside. The inner most prakaram of the main deity is for circumambulation. There is a large temple tank outside in the northeast of the temple. The Tamiraparani River flows south of the temple.

Holy Water (Theertham) – Siva Pushkarini (Temple Tank), Kabinjala Theertham (well inside) Bhairava Theertham (in Tamiraparani River)

Sacred Tree (Sthala Vriksham) – Kaattathi (Casuarina?)

History

Kailasanadar Ariyanayakipuram is an old temple built during the Nayak Period as per inscriptions and legend information. Ariyanatha Mudaliar a prominent minister and commander in the Nayak Period who served under three generations in the 16th Century CE (Viswanatha Nayak, Krishnappa Nayak, and Veerappa Nayak) is said to have built up this temple. The inscriptions also mention the place as Kailasapuram, the lord as Kailasamudaya Nayanar, and the goddess as Sivakami. Obviously, the name change has happened after Ariyanatha Mudaliar’s involvement in Ariyanayakipuram. This could also indicate that a small temple existed before and was expanded by Ariyanatha Mudaliar.

Legend

The village is believed to have been gifted to Kumaragurubarar (founder of one of the Kasi Madams which later transformed into Thirupanandal Kasi Madam) by a Nayak King. A brahmin saw a little boy playing on the banks of a river and told him that he will become a very big official. The child took it as a joke, but the brahmin was adamant and suggested that he enter into an agreement to provide whatever he or his successors asked for if the boy became a big official. Playfully the boy agreed and the agreement was recorded on a palm leaf. This boy would grow up to become the famous Ariyanatha Mudaliar who served under three generations of Nayak Rulers. The brahmin’s son went to meet him with the agreement and was met by Ariyanatha who had forgotten all about the incident. The man asked for a Shiva Temple to be built up in this place and his request was happily honored as per the agreement.

Directions

Kailasanadar Ariyanayakipuram is about 23 kilometers west of Tirunelveli on the Mukkudal Road.

Stay and Food

None locally. Closest is Tirunelveli.

Saivite Temples

Tamilnadu Temples