Temples of Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry #114: Kailasanathar or Chandiranaar Temple, Thingalur
- Sudharshan
- 1 hour ago
- 3 min read
கைலாசாதர் அல்லது சந்திரனார் திருக்கோயில், திங்களூர்
This popular Sivan temple near Thanjavur is the Navagraham temple associated with Lord Chandran or the Moon. Thingal means the moon in Tamil and Oor is a village. Thus Thingalur is the village of the Moon. The temple is in a rural setting on the eastern edge of the hamlet. Lord Sivan as Kailasanathar presides in majestic Sivalingam form in the sanctum. There is a special sanctum for Lord Chandran which is much revered,
The contemporary significance of the temple stems from its place as the Moon temple in the Navagraham temple circuit. It is visited by many to mitigate the negative influence of Lord Chandran in their lives and has become an important stop on the Navagraham pilgrimage route. It is mentioned in passing in the 7th century Thevaram canon and is thus classified as a Thevara Vaippu Sthalam. Although Thirunavukkarasar visited here and composed a pathigam, the pathigam does not mention the Lord here by name. Hence, it is not classified as a Paadal Petra Sthalam.
There is a legend here that is associated with Apputhi Adigal and Thirunavukkarasar. Apputhi Adigal was a merchant in this village in the early seventh century and is among the 63 revered Tamil Saivite saints, the Nayanmar. He was a pious Saivite and a great admirer of Thirunavukkarasar. He once invited Appar to his home for a meal. In fervent anticipation of the great saint's visit, Apputhi Adigal sent his son to the garden to fetch a plantain leaf. There the young boy was bitten by a snake and fell unconscious. When Appar reached the house the boy was near death. Appar appealed to the Lord here and composed a pathigam and the young child miraculously revived and recovered. Even today, people in the surrounding villages rush to this temple when someone gets bitten by a snake.
The temple is adorned with a 3 tier rajagopuram, which has been built recently. There are two prakarams. The sanctum faces east. Lord Chandran has a shrine facing southeast. The temple is so designed that in the months Purattasi (September/October) and Panguni (March/April) , during the 3 days spanning the Pournami or Full Moon, the rays of the rising moon fall in the sanctum. The Thaayaar Periyanayaki Amman has her own shrine. With recent renovations and a fresh coat of paint, the temple looks resplendent these days. The vimanams and sannidhis have been reconstructed in modern times. The temple is tastefully landscaped.
The core of the temple is clearly of Chola origin. It was renovated in the Nayakkan era in the 16th century. It has undergone extensive renovations in modern times giving it a brand new look. Although I am not a fan of complete or near complete renovations, as they tend to destroy irreplaceable historical features such as inscriptions and the finer archeological elements, I have to admit the renovations here have been done well. Sometimes preservation of the site is better than total decay and loss. The temple is controlled and administered by the HR and CE Department of the Government of Tamil Nadu these days.
The temple is popular for the ritual associated with the first feeding of rice to an infant. Villagers bring their infants to this temple for this important ritual called the Annaprasanam. It is considered auspicious to visit the temple on a Monday. The sthalavirutcham is the Vilvam The main theertham is the Chandra Pushkarani. There are 4 main festivals, Mahasivairathri in Maasi (February/March), Margazhi Thiruvadhirai (December/January), Panguni Uthiram (March/April) and Thirukarthigai ( November/December).
Although not a Paadal Petra Sthalam, as the Lord here is not praised in Thevaram, Appar visited here and composed a pathigam in the early seventh century. It is classified as a Thevara Vaippu Sthalam. The pathikam composed by Thirunavukkarasar is called the Vidam Theertha Pathigam (the pathigam that cured the poison) :
ஒன்றுகொலாமவர் சிந்தை யுயர்வரை
ஒன்றுகொலாமுய ரும்மதி சூடுவர்
ஒன்றுகொலாமிடு வெண்டலை கையது
ஒன்றுகொலாமவர் ஊர்வது தானே
(Lord Sivan has many attributes: one, his mind is as high as a tall mountain, one is the bright crescent he wears on his head, one is the white skull that he carries in his hand, one is that he resides in this village)
Thevaram 4.018
The temple is located 60 km or 1.5 hours east of Tiruchirapalli and 170 km or 3.5 hours southeast of Pondicherry. It is 16m or 30 minutes north of Thanjavur and 35 km or 1 hour west of Kumbakonam. We visited in June 2025. We were based in Kumbakonam.
Sources:
Dinamalar Temples - Kailasanathar Temple Thingalur
N. Chockalingam 1971, Census of India 1961. Volume IX. Part XI -D. Temples of Tamil Nadu: Thanjavur Page 309
Thevaram
Shaivam.org
Periyapuranam 5,5 Sekkizhar. 12th century. Apputhi Adigal Puranam verses 1788-1832
Courtesy Google Maps