Tiruppainneeli Sri Neelivananthar Temple

This ancient temple is located 2okm away from Trichy and about 5km from Sri Uthamar Temple.  It is considered to be the 61st in the series of Tevara Stalams in the Chola kingdom located north of the river Cauvery.

Sthala Purana

Shiva is said to have blessed Tirunavukkarasar (who had arrived from Tirupachilasramam with a sumptuous meal on a banana leaf (Painneeli –Vaazhai).  It is here that Yama is believed to have worshipped Shiva, to retrieve his power over mortal souls, after Shiva vanquished his powers at Tirukkadaiyur in saving Markandeyan.
Here the Lord is called as Neelivananathar, Neelakantar, and Ambal is Visalakshi.  There are 2 shrines to Ambal here. There are no navagrahams here, only 9 pits adjacent to the north of the temple is the Deva Theertham, while the Vishala Theertham is a well.  There is a shrine to Yama in the third prakaram.
This is a vast temple with 4 prakarams a 100 pillared hall, and a Vinayaka Vasanta Mandapam among other mandapams.  The 3rd prakaram houses Sorudaiya Eeswarar, Viswanathar.  The second prakaram houses the stalavriksham.

 

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