Uchinathar Temple, Sivapuri (Thirunelvayil)
A Shiva temple at Sivapuri (Thirunelvayil), a village near Chidambaram, where the presiding deity is worshipped as Uchinathar, or Madhyaneeswarar. It is one of the 276 Paadal Petra Sthalams revered in the Tevaram hymns of the Saiva Nayanmars.
Plan Uchinathar Temple, Sivapuri (Thirunelvayil)
Check entry arrangements. Ask temple staff about visitor entry, dress requirements and access to the inner shrine before you travel, especially if you are visiting as a non-Hindu.
Dress respectfully and follow the institution’s admission and photography rules.
Uchinathar Temple, Sivapuri (Thirunelvayil) is planned from Sivapuri, one of the travel bases in Cuddalore district. Use Sivapuri for stays, food and local transport, then plan this place as a focused stop.
How to visit
- Base yourself in Sivapuri or nearby in Cuddalore, then confirm the last-mile route locally before travel.
- If access depends on temple, museum or seasonal rules, check on the day before you go.
Best time
October to March is the cooler, drier season in the Cauvery delta.
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Sun and moon are calculated for this location and shown in IST. Photography windows are the hour around sunrise and sunset; the sunset bearing is degrees clockwise from true north. Moon phase is accurate to about half a day.
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One more place around Sivapuri worth a day of its own.
220 m · 3 min walk
A Shiva temple at Thirukkazhippalai, about 5 km from Chidambaram near Sivapuri, where the deity is worshipped as Palvanna Nathar. It is counted among the 276 Paadal Petra Sthalams glorified in the Tevaram hymns of the Nayanmars. It lies within the Chidambaram temple cluster of the district.
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Add a nearby businessUchinathar Temple, Sivapuri (Thirunelvayil) — at a glance
Entry: Free
How to reach Uchinathar Temple, Sivapuri (Thirunelvayil)
Near Chidambaram (~8 km); nearest railway Chidambaram (~8 km); nearest airport Puducherry (~60 km) or Trichy TRZ (~120 km).
If you need step-free access, contact the site before travelling. Ask about a level entrance, steps along the route, the nearest drop-off point, seating and accessible toilets.
Emergency numbers are verified against official government and state tourism sources. 112 works anywhere in India.
What’s near Uchinathar Temple, Sivapuri (Thirunelvayil)
A Shiva temple at Thirukkazhippalai, about 5 km from Chidambaram near Sivapuri, where the deity is worshipped as Palvanna Nathar. It is counted among the 276 Paadal Petra Sthalams glorified in the Tevaram hymns of the Nayanmars. It lies within the Chidambaram temple cluster of the district.
220 m · 3 min walk · straight lineA temple on the northern edge of Chidambaram dedicated to Kali (Thillai Kaliamman), consort of Shiva. It was built by the Kadava chieftain Kopperunchinga, who ruled between 1229 and 1278 CE. Legend links it to the dance contest between Shiva and Parvati, after which Kali is said to have settled here away from the Nataraja shrine.
3.4 km · ~8 min by auto · straight lineA Shiva temple at Thiruvetkalam near Chidambaram where the deity is worshipped as Pasupatheeswarar, also called Abathsahayeswarar. It is one of the 276 Paadal Petra Sthalams glorified in the 7th-century Tevaram hymns of the Nayanmars. The site is associated with the legend of Arjuna receiving the Pasupata weapon from Shiva.
3.6 km · ~9 min by auto · straight line
Ancient temple of Shiva as Nataraja, the cosmic dancer, and one of the Pancha Bhoota Stalams representing Aakasha (space/ether); famed for its golden-roofed Chit Sabha and the mystery of the Chidambara Rahasyam.
3.6 km · ~9 min by auto · straight lineA Vishnu temple (Thiruchitrakoodam) that sits inside the Thillai Nataraja Temple complex and ranks among the 108 Divya Desams of Vaishnavism. Vishnu is worshipped here as Govindaraja Perumal alongside his consort Pundarikavalli. It is one of only two Divya Desams housed within a Shiva temple; the idol was removed under Kulothunga Chola II and later reinstated by Krishnappa Nayak in the 16th century.
3.7 km · ~9 min by auto · straight lineThe birthplace shrine of Sri Raghavendra Swami, born Venkatanatha in 1595 CE, the revered 17th-century Madhva Dvaita Vedanta saint and scholar. His ancestral home in Bhuvanagiri has been converted into a Raghavendra Swamy Matha with a mrithika Brindavan. It draws Madhva pilgrims for rituals and festivals through the year.
10.7 km · ~18 min by cab · straight line
One of the world's largest mangrove forests, explored by rowboat through backwater channels between Chidambaram and the sea, with rich birdlife along the Vellar-Coleroon estuary.
10.9 km · ~18 min by cab · straight lineHistoric Coromandel port settled by the Portuguese in the 1590s as "Porto Novo", later Dutch and British, site of India's first iron-and-steel works (1830).
14.0 km · ~23 min by cab · straight lineA Shiva temple at Thirunaraiyur village in Kattumannarkoil taluk, where the deity is worshipped as Soundareswarar, or Soundaranathar. It is one of the 276 Paadal Petra Sthalams praised in the Tevaram hymns.
14.9 km · ~25 min by cab · straight line
A 16-km-long 10th-century Chola-era reservoir near Kattumannarkoil that is one of the main sources of drinking water supplied to Chennai city.
18.9 km · ~31 min by cab · straight lineA large rain-fed reservoir near Tittakudi, formed on the Vellar River which rises in the Shevaroy Hills. It is the second-largest lake in Tamil Nadu after Veeranam Lake, which also lies in the same district. It supplies irrigation to the surrounding agricultural belt.
18.9 km · ~31 min by cab · straight lineA Shiva temple at Thiru Erukkathampuliyur (Rajendrapattinam) in Kattumannarkoil taluk, where the deity is worshipped as Neelakandeswarar. It is one of the 276 Paadal Petra Sthalams glorified in the Tevaram hymns of the Saiva saints.
19.4 km · ~32 min by cab · straight lineWhere Uchinathar Temple, Sivapuri (Thirunelvayil) is
Uchinathar Temple, Sivapuri (Thirunelvayil) — frequently asked
When is the best time to visit Uchinathar Temple, Sivapuri (Thirunelvayil)?
October to March is the cooler, drier season in the Cauvery delta.
What are the entry fee and timings at Uchinathar Temple, Sivapuri (Thirunelvayil)?
Entry: Free. Timings: 6:00 AM to 12:00 PM and 4:00 to 8:00 PM.
How do I reach Uchinathar Temple, Sivapuri (Thirunelvayil)?
Base yourself in Sivapuri or nearby in Cuddalore, then confirm the last-mile route locally before travel. If access depends on temple, museum or seasonal rules, check on the day before you go.
How much time do I need for Uchinathar Temple, Sivapuri (Thirunelvayil)?
About an hour.
What else is near Uchinathar Temple, Sivapuri (Thirunelvayil)?
Nearby you can pair Palvannanathar Temple, Thirukkazhippalai (220 m), Thillai Kali Temple, Chidambaram (3.4 km), Pasupatheeswarar Temple, Thiruvetkalam (3.6 km), Thillai Nataraja Temple, Chidambaram (3.6 km).
Uchinathar Temple, Sivapuri (Thirunelvayil) guides, stories & itineraries
We have not published a story about Uchinathar Temple, Sivapuri (Thirunelvayil) itself yet. These cover Sivapuri and the wider district, with separate journeys between stops.
Tamil Nadu-wide guides & itineraries
Route-level itineraries and practical guides for the rest of Tamil Nadu.
Image credits
Photographs: Ssriram mt, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0). Wikimedia Commons.