- Special FeaturesFoundation Year1000 - 2000 years oldSthala TreeShenbaga TreeTheerthamNandhi pushkariniRathamArchitectureOther SpecialityOpen 24 hours, (Divya Desam)
- Sthala Puran
Nathan Kovil or Thiru Nandipura Vinnagaram Temple in Nathan Kovil, a village in the outskirts of Kumbakonam in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, is dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu. Constructed in the Dravidian style of architecture, the temple is glorified in the Divya Prabandha, the early medieval Tamil canon of the Azhwar saints from the 6th–9th centuries AD. It is one of the 108 Divyadesam dedicated to Vishnu, who is worshipped as Jagannathan and his consort Lakshmi as Shenbagavalli.
Nandi, the sacred bull of Lord Shiva, is believed to have got His curses relieved by worshipping Lord Vishnu here and hence the place is called Nandipuram.
As per Hindu legend, Nandi, the sacred bull of Shiva, did not respect the Dwarapalakas, the gatekeepers of Vishnu.
They cursed Nandi that his body would suffer oppressive heat. Nandi informed it to his lord Shiva, who advised him to do penance in Shenbaranyam.
It is the place where Goddess Lakshmi, the consort of Lord Vishnu was doing penance to get into the chest of Lord Vishnu.
Lord Vishnu was impressed by the penance of Nandi and got his curse relieved. Lord Vishnu also took Goddess Lakshmi in His chest.
The main sanctum houses the image of the presiding deity, Lord Srinivasa Perumal, the metal image of the festival deity, Jagannathan, the images of Bhoodevi and Sridevi on either sides of Srinivasan.
The image of Nandi, which is otherwise part of Shiva temples, is present in the main sanctum.
There is a separate shrine for Goddess Shenbagavalli Thayar.
- Architecture
The temple has a 3-tier gateway tower, the rajagopuram. Since Nandi got relieved of his curse here, the names of the temples bodies are named after Nandi; the temple tank is called Nandi Theertham, the vimanam as Nandi Vimanam, the place called Nandipuram and other water body as Nandi Pushkarani. The main sanctum houses the image of the presiding deity, Srinivasa Perumal, the metal image of the festival deity, Jagannatha, the images of Bhoodevi and Sridevi on either sides of Srinivasa. The image of Nandi, which is otherwise part of Shiva temples, is present in the main sanctum. There is a separate shrine for Shenbagavalli Thayar. The rectangular walls around the temple enclose all the shrines and some of seven water bodies associated with the temple.
The place was once the capital of Cholas who did benevolent contributions to the temple. During the regime of Thanjavur Nayaks, the temple received contributions from Vijayaranga Chokkappa Nayak. The temple is maintained and administered by the Vanamamalai Mutt.
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