This Temple is located close to the Main Road in Thirumangalam which is near to Pondicherry.  The Temple is also called as Sivagama Sundari Udanamar Chidambareshwarar Temple. The Temple has a massive and gorgeously painted 5 tiered Rajagopuram which faces West.  There is another entry point from the South too.  The West facing Rajagopuram is so attractively built and polished and the Idols of Ekanathar and Sarabeshwarar are fixed on it in a stylish way. The wooden doors fixed in the Rajagopuram looks resplendent with the Images of various Gods etched in it.  At the outset there is a Bali Peedam and a tall Dwajasthambam and close to this is the Pradosha Nandhi or Surya Nandhi facing the Sanctum Sanctorum. The Main Deity is Shri Chidambareshwarar who is an incarnation of Lord Shiva and He occupies the Moolasthanam facing West as a Swayambhu Shiva Lingam.  The very sight of the Presiding Deity is awe inspiring. His Consort here is Sivagama Sundari Ambal and She is seen in a standing posture facing South and Blesses Her Devotees from Her Shrine. A Mahameru Yanthiram is kept beneath Her pedestal. It is believed that the Swayambhu Shiva Lingam was excavated from a lake bed and to begin with this Temple was started with this Shiva Lingam, Chandikeswarar and a Nandhi Bhagwan all three of them placed in a thatched roofing in those days.  Hence the Temple grew to this level by His Holiness Sri Ganesa Desika Swamigal who was single handedly instrumental in shaping and bringing the Temple to this level. It is believed that this Temple is geographically located in a straight line with Thiruvannamalai Arunachaleswarar Temple and Chidambaram Natarajar Temple.  Around the Koshtam of the Main Deity the are Vigrahams or Idols for Vishnu Durgai, Brahmma, Dhakshinamoorthy, Narthana Vinayagar and Maha Vishnu. Likewise the age old Chandikeshwarar Idol which was found and installed at the initial stages has been placed now in this Koshtam. There are Sub Shrines for Maha Lakshmi, Kasi Viswanathar, Visalakshi, Gajalakshmi, Saraswathi and facing them is a Vinayagar Shrine. There is a Nagalingam Tree beneath which two Naga Devathas Idols are kept.  An exclusive Shrine for Saneeswara Bhagwan along with His Consorts Jeshta Devi, Mantha Devi and Neela Devi.  There is a Palliarai next to which is a Sub Shrine for Lord Natarajar. The Sthala Viruksham of this Temple is a Kadamba Tree and this is planted and has grown next to the Natarajar Shrine. Then comes the Sub Shrine for Sahasra Lingam  and this is so attractive and Divinely to see.  The huge Sahasra Lingam is kept on an elevated platform and there are 1000 tiny Lingams around it and the remaining 8 Lingams are found on top of the Sahasra Lingam.  This is one of the most attractive features of this Temple. In fact the Sahasra Lingam is so huge that it was sculpted at the very same place and installed and the Sub Shrine and was later built over it.  Near to this are the Idols of Sage Agastiyar, Five headed Serpant King Nagarajar. There is a Shrine for Annamalaiyar and He is found in the form of a Shiva Lingam kept on an elevated platform. Lingothbhavar, Chandikeshwarar, Brahmma and Siva Durgai Idols are found around the Annamalaiyar Koshtam.  There is a Navagraha enclosure kept near this. The Idols of Maha Kaala Bhairavar, Anjaneyar, Suryan and Chandran are kept in a row.  Maha Kaala Bhairavar gains prominence during the Thei Pirai Ashtami days when Devotees throng to see Him and seek His Blessings. Likewise Anjaneyar too is prominent here since His Idol weighs almose close to two and half tonne. There is a huge painting of Ramar Pattabishekam drawn over these Shrines. Lord Dhanvanthri who monitors and controls all the health realted issues occupies a Sub Shrine just opposite to Anjaneya Swamy.  All the 63 Idols of Nayanmaars are seated and found together with the Idols of Thilagavathy Thaayar and Sekkizhar.  The Naalvar Sannadhi is seen after this.  Angaragan or Sevvai Bhagwan occupies a Sub Shrine.  Lord Vinayagar and Murugan along with Valli and Devasena are found in different Sub Shrines.  Close to them is a Sub Shrine where Pancha Lingams are kept denoting them for Pancha Bootham viz 1) Nilam, 2) Neer, 3) Kaatru, 4) Aagayam and 5) Neruppu. Lord Iyyappan is found in a seated posture on top of 18 steps. All the pillars found in this Temple are painted in grey colour bearing images of different Gods and Goddesses.  Even the ceiling of the Temple has been decorated with various colourful Images depicting different stories.

Within the Temple is a Hexagonal shaped Dyana Mandapam with 21600 roof tiles and this number denotes to the number of times a human breathes in 24 hours. The Meditation Hall has a huge Idol of Babaji sitting under a Tree and with various Saints and Siddhars all around the Wall. There is another higher Meditation Hall located closeby and a Nandhi Bhagwan Idol is seen facing it. There, on an elevated platform is Sage Agastiyar in a sitting posture and facing Him is a Navapashana Shiva Lingam which is enclosed in a Glass Panel.  There is an underground Meditation cell and the steps leading to this place is very steep and narrow. Within this Meditation Cell there is a another Navapashana Lingam and this Meditation Cell is full of Rudraksham.  This place is earmarked for Jeevasamadhi. 

There are around 50 cows tethered and maintained around the Temple Ghoshala.  The area opposite to the Temple can accomodate any number of vehicles to be parked there.  The Temple has a huge compound wall with the name of the Temple painted on it and this is catchy and visible even from a distance to any Devotee passing that way.  This is one of the best ever Temple maintained so meticulously and kept clean. This Temple is under the care and attention of Suryanar Temple Aadhinam.  Maha Shivarathiri, Pradhosham, Thiru Karthigai, Arudhra Dharisanam, Thei Pirai Ashtami are some of the festivals that are celebrated with great fan fare during which time the Temple is thronged by Devotees coming from far and near. 

Contact Details: V.Dharani  73731 31507, His Holiness Sri Ganesa Desika Swamigal   94862 68989

Temple Timing; 6.30 AM to 9 PM No Closures in the Afternoon

Distance from Tindivanam to Thirumangalam in Villupuram is 34 Kms

Distance from Villupuram to Thirumangalam (Villupuram) is 32 Kms

Distance from Pondichery to Thirumangalam in Villupuram is 21 Kms

Distance from Chennai to Thirumangalam in Villupuram is 161 Kms

Nearest Railway Station is Vikravandi R.S.

Courtesy: Thiru. P.Sakthivel, IPS., Inspector General of Police, Retired, 

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