About trip

About Temple: Aiyarappar temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva located in the village of Tiruvaiyaru, Tamil
Nadu, India.

• Moolavar : Aiyarappan
• Amman / Thayar : Dharma Samvardhini
• Theertham : Surya Pushkarini
• Old year : 1000-2000 years old
• Location: Tiruvaiyaru,Thanjavur,Tamil Nadu.

History:

• The temple is incarnated by the hymns of Thevaram and is classified as Paadal Petra Sthalam. Thiruvaiyaru means Five Rivers around the city. The Five Rivers are Arisilaaru, Vennaaru, Vettaaru, Kudamuruttiyaaru and Kaaviriyaaru.
• Thiruvaiyaru is the headquarters of the Thiruvaiyaru taluk. Thiruvaiyaru is a small, quiet town.
  However, its modesty belies its importance as a pilgrim centre. On the highway from Thanjavur, you
  pass five bridges ' over the Vadavar, Vettar, Vennar, Kudamurutti and Cauvery, the five rivers from which
  Thiruvaiyaru gets its name (thiru = sacred; ai = five; aaru = river).
  
• The presiding deity of the Siva temple here, Panchanatheesvarar (in Tamil, Ayyarappan ' both mean the
  same thing, `the Lord of the Five Rivers') also gets his name from them. Thiruvaiyaru is considered as
  holy as Varanasi and bathing in the Cauvery here is as guaranteed to rid devotees of sins as bathing in
  the Ganges.
  
• This Shivasthalam is one of the 6 most sacred places on the banks of river Cauvery which is considered
  as equivalent to the temple at Varanasi. The other 5 Shivasthalams are Thiruvenkadu, Tiruchaaikkadu
  (Chaayaavanam), Mayiladuthurai, Tiruvidaimarudur and Tiruvanchiam. Tiruvaiyaru is one of the big and
  famous temples for God Shiva and is known as Dakshina Kailasam. 
• Tiruvaiyaru is considered to be the
  51st in the series of Tevara Stalams in the Chola kingdom located north of the river Kaveri.
  
• The temple, known as Dakshina Kailasam (Southern abode of Shiva), built in an area of approximately
  60000 square meters, has 5 prakarams (closed precincts of a temple) (outer precincts used for
  religious purposes) and many 'mandapams' (great halls). The Tiruvaiyaru temple has also a shrine for
  Aatkondar or Kalasamharamoorthy. A Homa Kundam started by Saint Adi Sankara can be found
  outside the shrine of Aatkondar.
  
• This grand temple with five prakarams and a 7 tiered Rajagopuram covers a 15 acre area. Somaskandar
  (Ologamaaaveedivitankar) is housed in a separate shrine in the 2nd prakaram, adjacent to the Japesa
  Mandapam (Kukti Mandapam). The Shivayoga Dakshinamurthy shrine is also of great significance here.
  
• The shrine to Ambal Dharmasamvardhini Amman has two prakarams by itself. . The outer prakaram
  houses the Dakshinakailasam, and the Uttara Kailasam. . To denote the primordial nature of Sound -
  Nada Bhrammam, there are spots in this temple designed to produce echoes. The Shivalingam here
  resembles that at Tiruvarur.
  

Itinerary

Day 1 - Thanjavur Sightseeing

Morning pick up from Theni. Proceed towards Thanjavur. Hotel Check in. Brahadeshwara Temple. Gangaikonda Cholapuram. Siva Ganga Garden. Vijayanagar Fort. Come back to Hotel. Overnight stay at Thanjavur.

Day 2 - Thanjavur Sightseeing

Morning Breakfast at Hotel. Bangaru Kamakshi Temple. Schwartz church. Swami Malai temple. Come back to Hotel. Overnight stay at Thanjavur.

Day 3 - Thanjavur Sightseeing

Morning Breakfast at Hotel. Check out from Hotel. To visit Sarasvati Mahal. Thanjavur Maratha Palace. Aiyarappar Temple, Thiruvaiyaru. Then proceed towards Theni. Finally drop at Theni.