Sree Patanjalinathar Temple

Origin/History :-

1. Historical Timeline: The original temple was likely established before the 6th to 7th century, as praised by Sundarar. It was later reconstructed during the Chozha period and further expanded during the Vijayanagara period.
2. Inscriptions: Recorded in the Annual Reports on South Indian Epigraphy for the year 1926, Nos. 513-516. The inscriptions belong to Vikrama Chozha, Veera Rajendra, and Rajendra Chozha III. The place was historically known as Virutharajabayangara Vallanattu Keelka Nattu Mullur, also referred to as Thiruchitrambala Chaturvedi Mangalam.
3. Donations: An inscription records that Senthamarai Kannan of Ilamkandiram donated land for naivedyam and pooja to Dakshinamurthy. Thiruchitrambalathu Chathurvedi Mangalam Sabhai also donated land for Lord Shiva’s naivedyam.
4. Current Status (as of 2012): The temple was privately managed, with ongoing renovation works including the construction of compound walls, plastering, laying of granite slab pavements, and preparing for Kumbhabhishekam. Maha Kumbhabhishekam was conducted on August 20, 2000, and April 5, 2012.

Puranic Significance :-

 Sthalapuranam 1 :

The story of Chidambaram centres on Adiseshan, who desired to witness Lord Shiva’s cosmic dance, the Ananda Tandavam, after learning that Vishnu felt a profound sense of fulfilment from watching it. To fulfil this desire, Adiseshan took the form of Sage Patanjali. Accompanied by Sage Vyaghrapada, he was able to witness Shiva’s divine dance. Later, wishing to see this spectacle once more, Patanjali sought advice from Nandi, who suggested he worship Shiva at a specific location. Following this guidance, Patanjali performed his worship, and Lord Shiva appeared there exclusively for him, performing the Ananda Thandavam. This event earned Shiva the name Patanjaleeswarar.

 Sthalapuranam 2 :

A group of sages from Dandakaranyam visited this site to worship Lord Shiva. To accommodate their devotion, Shiva created numerous Lingams so that each sage could worship his own. However, the sheer number of Lingams was so overwhelming that the sages feared accidentally stepping on them, leading them to worship from a distance. The sight of these Lingams, as numerous as grains of sand, astonished the sages, who named the place “Adrishta Mruthika Kshetram,” which translates to "the town of fortuitous or lucky sand," referring to the Lingams. The sand from this temple is considered highly auspicious, and devotees often take a handful home, believing it will bring them prosperity.