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History of Navakailaya Temple

Romasa Maharishi was one of Agasthiyar Maharishi's disciples. He wanted to get salvation by the grace of Lord Shiva. He told his wish to his guru Agasthiyar. Guru tells him to bathes in the river Thamiraparani and worship Lord Shiva for the wish to come true. Agasthya told "You go across the river to the face of the conch(sang). I leave nine lotus flowers in the river to guide you. Wherever these flowers reach the shore do a Shiva Prathishta and worship him". Accordingly Agasthiyar let the nine lotus flowers float in the Tamiraparani, and each lotus flower was set aside on the shores of each town. In such remote places, the Romasa Maharishi dedicated the Shivalingam and worshiped everything. Eventually the sage prayed at the confluence of the Tamiraparani sea and attained salvation by the grace of the Lord. The Shiva lingams which he consecrated remained as Navakailayas. Later temples were built in their respective places.

1. Papanasam - Sun.
   
2. Cheranmadevi - Moon
   
3. Kodakanallur - Tuesday
   
4. Gunnathur - Rahu
   
5. Murappanadu - Guru
   
6. Sri Vaikundam - Sat.
   
7. Thenthiruperai - Mercury
   
8. Rajapati - Ketu
   
9. Sernthapoomangalam - Venus
   

Papanasam is the place where the first lotus flower is hidden. Papanasam is therefore the first planetary sun temple among the Navagrahas.

This is the second Nava Kailasam temple in and around Tirunelveli. It is considered a Chandra Sthalam, important for Chandra, the Moon.

Romasa Maharishi was the grandson of Lord Brahma. As suggested by his Guru, Agastya, he dropped nine flowers in the river Tambirabharani and installed  a Shiva Lingam in all the nine places where the flowers reached.

All the nine Shiva Lingams are named Kailasanathar and the places are called Nava Kailasam. Cheranmhadevi is the second in the list of nine places.

The popular legend of Nandanar, a great devotee of Lord Shiva, is associated with this temple. Nandanar was born in a Dalit family but he was a great devotee of Lord Shiva. In those days, the people from his community were not allowed inside the temple. So, he used to worship and pray standing outside the temple entrance.

He came to Ammainathar temple and prayed from outside. He obviously could not see Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva ordered his mount Nandi to move away so that his devotee could get direct sight of Him. Hence, in this temple, Nandi is found slightly moved away from the center.

According to another reference, the Navakailaya temples are also said to be different. Other temples referred to as Adi Navakailayas in the Thirukurtala Thala Purana and the Kanda Purana. They are, Brahmadesam, Ariyanayakipuram, Tirunelveli, Kezhnatham, Murappanadu, Thiruvaigundam, Thenthiruperai, Sernthapoomangalam, Gangaikondan, Swami Papanasanathar.

This temple was built by two poor female farmers. Both the ladies were labourers and they used to collect rice daily and offer it to Shiva Lingam in this site. They were worried that the Shiva Lingam did not have a temple. Lord Shiva made them very rich and both of them used their wealth to build this massive temple, which is about 1100 years old. Later, this temple was reconstructed by Kulothunga Chola I.

The temple address: Lord Ammainathar temple, Cheranmahadevi Road, Cheranmahadevi, Tamil Nadu 627414. The temple is 0.5 km from Cheranmahadevi Railway station. Cheranmahadevi is 22 km from  Tirunelveli town.

சிவார்ப்பணம்

The east-facing temple has a recently renovated simple five-tier tower. The main shrine has a slightly bigger Shiva Linga named as Lord Ammainathar or Kailasanathar. The entrance of the Ardha Mandap has a Ganesha idol . 

 The Nandi idol in the Maha Mandapa is slightly moved from the center. In the flag staff, the bas relief of Nandanar is found.