Thiruppangneeli near Mannachanallur/Tiruchirapalli

Thiruppangneeli near Mannachanallur/Tiruchirapalli

                                   GNEELI VANANATHAR of TIRUPPANGNEELI

     

Tiruppangneeli is about 7 kms from Mannachanallur and around 15 kms from Tiruchirapaal Town buses connect this temple as well as the Thiru Pundareekasha Perumal at Thiruvallarai.  The two temples are connected by road and can be reached by that route not touching Mannachanallur again.   From Tiruchy chathiram bus stand, town buses connecting to Moovanur can be taken to reach Tiruppangeeli.   Siva in this temple is known as Gneelivaneswarar and a Swayambu linga.     Gneeli is banana, hence the lord also is called as Kathali Vasanthar.   The Shiva in this temple is also referred with the other names such as Aarania Vallavar, Paramasambu etc.,   The Ambal is Visalakshi and there are two sannidhis for her.   It is said that the first ambal statue had a defect and it was removed and new one installed.   Ambal appeared on the dream of Thuraiyur Zamindar and asked would he throw his mother, if she were handicapped.  Hence the removed statue was reinstalled.  The Ambal is also known by the tamil name- Neelnedunkan Nayaki. 

This temple gets its importance with reference to prayers by a whole of Gods and devas.      Mahavishnu, Adiseshan, Indiran, Kamadenu, Vayu and Agni, Ramapiran, Arjunan and also Vashista, Sudhamamunivar and Saptha Rishis worshipped this Lord.   Siva who vanquished Yama at Thirukkadavur to save Markandeyan restored the powers to Yamadharmarajan here so as to continue the dharma of death. Hence Siva here is also known as Adikaravallar.   There is a Yama Theertham in the temple.    The Yamadharmarajan sannidhi is outside the main temple and one has to pray first here and wash the legs well and then only proceed to the main temple.     There is no Navagraha statues in the temple but nine kuzhis (blind holes) near the Nandhi represent Navagrahams.

Ratna sabha

Since Lord Siva fulfilled the wishes of Vashista, (Since in Chidambaram the wishes of Viyakirapada and Padanjali Munis were fulfilled) performing the cosmic dance at thirupangneeli, this place also has a Ratna sabha similar to Chidambaram and Thiruppangneeli is also called by the name Mela Chidambaram.

Kailasam

On a dispute of superiority between Vayu Baghwan and Adiseshan, the latter encircled Kailasam.   To remove this, Vayu Bhagavan created santamarutham (twister) and because of that, 8 parts fell from Kailasam in different parts. They are Thirugonamalai, Thirukalahasti, Thiruchiramalai, Thirunenkoimalai, Rajathagiri, Neerthagiri, ratnagiri and Swethagiri. Swethagiri is Thirupangneeli and also called as Thenkailasam.

Temple Timings:
6.00 AM to 12.00 noon
4.00 PM to 08.30 PM

Thiruvellarai Senthamarai Kannan

It is said that the Lord Vishnu at Thiruvellarai wanted to worship Thirupangneeli Lord with 1000 lotuses and as one lotus was missing, he used his one eye as the 1000th lotus and did the Pooja.   Pleased with this, Siva gave him the Chakrayutham and asked Vishnu to stay nearby Thirupangneeli and Vishnu stayed at Thiruvellari with the name Senthamarai Kannan or Pundarikasha Perumal.  (See also posting on Thiruvellarai).