Thenthiruperai

Thenthiruperai
village
Thenthiruperai Location in Tamil Nadu, India
Coordinates: 8°36′38″N 78°00′05″E
Country	India
State	Tamil Nadu
District	Thoothukudi
Population  (2001)
• Total	5,092
Languages
• Official	Tamil
Time zone	UTC+5:30 (IST)

Thenthiruperai is a panchayat town in Thoothukudi district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is one of the nine temple shrines that constitutes Nava Tirupathi temples. Thenthiruperai also hosts one of the Navakailasams, Sri Kailasanathar Temple, Then Thirupperai, the seventh in the series.

Demographics

Thenthiruperai is a Town Panchayat city in district of Thoothukkudi, Tamil Nadu. The Thenthiruperai city is divided into 12 wards for which elections are held every 5 years. The Thenthiruperai Town Panchayat has population of 4,934 of which 2,425 are males while 2,509 are females as per report released by Census India 2011.

Population of Children with age of 0-6 is 454 which is 9.20% of total population of Thenthiruperai (TP). In Thenthiruperai Town Panchayat, Female Sex Ratio is of 1035 against state average of 996. Moreover, Child Sex Ratio in Thenthiruperai is around 1018 compared to Tamil Nadu state average of 943. Literacy rate of Thenthiruperai city is 89.49% higher than state average of 80.09%. In Thenthiruperai, Male literacy is around 93.27% while female literacy rate is 85.83%.

Thenthiruperai Town Panchayat has total administration over 1,276 houses to which it supplies basic amenities like water and sewerage. It is also authorize to build roads within Town Panchayat limits and impose taxes on properties coming under its jurisdiction.

Temples

Makara Nedunkuzhaikathar Temple

Thenthiruperai is famous for the Makara Nedunkuzhai Kannan Temple, is one of the Nava Tirupathi, nine Hindu temples dedicated to Lord Vishnu located in Tiruchendur-Tirunelveli route, Tamil Nadu, India in the banks of Thamiraparani river. All these 9 temples are classified as Nava Tirupathi, the 108 temples of Vishnu revered by the 12 poet saints, or Alwars.

Sri Kailasanathar Temple, Then Thirupperai

This is the seventh in the Nava Kailasam temples, which is dedicated to the God Budha (Planet Mercury). Among the Nava Kailasam, it lies in the upper Kailasam. The temple is nearly 500–1000 years old. The primary deity of the temple, Lord Shiva is worshipped as Ponnammai Sametha Kailasanathar or simply Kailasanathar. Mother Goddess Shakti is worshipped as Alakiya Ponnammai. Shrine of Mother Alakiya Ponnammai is located on the right side of Sanctum facing east.

Nandi murti is found facing the main Shivalingam. Here Nandhi with turban is a special feature. Shrines for Vallabha Ganapati, Sakthi Vinayaka, Kannimoola Ganapati, and Sidhivinayaka can be found in the Temple premises. In this temple, a shrine of Kalabhairava with six hands can be found; here Lord is considered to be in the form of Vedas, he doesn't have his usual vehicle dog. The other subsidiary deities worshipped here include Muruga and Navagrahas. Lord Muruga here looks like Sri Shanmuganathar of Thiruchendur with Valli and Devasena. Moon, Guru, Venus on horse chariot, Guru and Venus with eight horses, the sun with 7 horses and moon with 10 horses this is very unique in this temple. This temple is dedicated to the Sri Budhan (Mercury) and is called as Budhan Sthalam. Vilwa is the tree associated with the temple. The Agamam or pooja of this temple is known as Kameeyam.

According to the advice of sage Agasthiya his disciple Romasar let nine lotuses flower to float in the river Thamiraparani. In that, the seventh flower docked here, in the form of Linga, here the lord graces in the form of lotus. As a proof we can see the base of Linga is shaped like a lotus flower, hence follows the name Ponnammai Sametha Kailasanathar. The popular legend of Nandhan is associated with this temple.

See also

• P. Sri Acharya