Uttarakosa Mangai - Emerald Shiva

Tiru Uttarakosa Mangai - First Gopuram

Tiru Uttarakosa Mangai - Gopuram

Significances:

• Six feet emerald Nataraj statue is present in this temple, called Maragatha Nataraja.  This is  a separate sannathi. The main deity is Mangalanathar.

•  The Maragatha Nataraja is visible only on Arudra day (full moon day on Tamil month margazhi or Margazhi Tiruvvadirai). Otherdays entire statue is covered by sandal paste. Only Arudra day morning paste is removed and again applied back on the same night. The reason behind sandal paste being applied on the statue is that the idol could not bear the vibrations (sound).

•  The urchavar is spadiga(crystal) lingam.

•  The temple covers almost 20 acres including a large pond and there are 16 gopurams(towers).

Tiru Uttarakosa Mangai - Emerald Shiva

•  Separate mandapam for Nandi, which is a rare thing.

•  The ancient temple tower is believed to be built by Nala Chakravarthy.

•  3000 years old Ilandhai Tree(Ziziphus jujuba) is present here. This tree age is certified by Archeological edpartment. This tree is the sthala virichagam(temple tree). So this temple is considered to be 3000 years old.

•  In this place, the secrets of Vedagamas were told to Parvathi by Lord Shiva.

•  Lord Shiva married Parvathi in this place. According to Tiruvilaiyadal puranam, Parvathi was born as a fisherman’s daughter and later married by Lord Shiva.

• Manickavasagar visited this place and sung a song representing this temple.

•  Ravanan wife Mandodari prayed at this temple. The inscriptions on the temple wall has Mandodari’s name mentioned.

•  This place is also believed to be “Elavanthigai palli” mentioned in Sangam literature.

• This town is famous for Kaaga Pujandar siddhar samathi.

•  This temple has been patronized by the royal family of Ramanathapuram.

  

Deities:

• Shiva: Mangalanaathar or Kalyananayakan
• Parvathi: Kalyananayaki

Pariharams:

• Unmarried people come here to do Poojas to get Lord Kalyananayakan blessings.
• Mangalanathar blesses the people who visit this temple with all types of goodness (mangalam).

Tiru Uttarakosa Mangai - Amman Sannathi Gopuram

 Festivals:

• Tirukkalyanam on Tamil month Chittirai.
• Margazhi Tiruvvadirai festival.

Location:

• 21 kilometes southwest of Ramanathapuram.
• From Ramanathapuram, catch a bus to reach this place. Most of the buses to Muthukulathur should go via this town. Please make sure before you hop on any bus.

 Near by Attractions:

• Rameshwaram Temple
• Tirupullani
• Sethukarai
• Dhanushkodi
• Melakodumbalur murugam temple