Sattanatapuram temples - Sivan Kovil, Ayannar temple and Mariamman temple

Sections compiled by J.Sundaresan

Sattanathapuram is small hamlet.It is situated 3kms from Sirkazhi on the Sirkazhi-Mayuvaram main road.

Sree Kalyani Ambika Samedha Sree Kailasanathar - Sattanathapuram

Arulmigu Sree Kalyani amman Samedha Sree Kailasanathar temple (Sivan kovil) is situated towards the east of the village sattanathapuram. The presiding deities are Kailasanathar and Kalyani amman. The temple also has mandapams for lord Vinayakar, Lord Muruga with Valli and Deivanai, Dakshinamoorthy,Durgai,Suryan, Chandran and Bhairavar. Lord Sarabeshwarar was added in 2001 and Prithyankara Devi was added in 2007. Lord Sundaresawarar with Meenakshi amman is located outside the maha mandapam. The lingam of Sundareshwarar was found in the temple pond and pradhisthai done outside the main mandapam but within the temple premises.This was in 1930’s

The temple was built by Shiva Subbarayar 180 years back sometime in the early 1820’s.The original Lingam of lord Kailashanathar, was broken when our grand dad Ramani Iyer (elder brother of Subramani Iyer) did some renovation work and then the present day lingam was installed.



Shri S.S. Srinivasa Iyer, Bhooma Srinivasan and Village devotees inside the Shivan temple

In 1930 Kumbabhishekam was done

In 1961 Kumbabhishekam was done by K. Seetharama Iyer.

In 2001 Kumbabhishekam was done by S.S. Srinivasa Iyer

Sivan Kovil is not a private property. It is under HR & CE. However, hereditary trusteship is still given to the family, as the records show that the temple has been maintained by Shivasubbarayar and lands allocated to the temple for routine maintenance based on the revenue from lands. Seetharama Iyer (he has got it from J Venkatramani Iyer) handed over the temple documents and trusteeship to Seenu Iyer. The trusteeship of the temple so far is as follows. (This also gives an indication of our ancestry and co-relates the correctness of the family tree in a way !!!)

1. Shiva Subbaraya Iyer (Known founder of the family)
2. Narayanaswamy Iyer
3. Ramaswamy iyer
4. Jagadeesa Iyer
5. Venkataramani Iyer
6. Seetharama Iyer
7. S.S. Srinivasa Iyer

Currently, there is no Hundi in the temple or an official account , and as such does not attract HR&CE intervention for accounts. However, any Kumbabhishkam or addition of statues (by the by the number of Gods within the premises has increased from 2001 !!!!) or alteration within the premises, should be notified to HR&CE before it can be undertaken. For any functions or maintenance, the HR&CE will not fund a single pie,as it is not a revenue earning temple. It is notified to the HR&CE, that Subramani Iyer’s family is maintaining the temple, based on their personal income and revenue along with the support of Philanthropists and people from the SNP village.


Left to Right: Shiva, Sugu, Sudha,Sundaresan, Apoorva, S.S.Srinivasan, S.Chandrasekaran in the Shiva temple

The huge pond adjacent to the temple was the bone of contention between the village panchayath and temple after the death of Subramani Iyer. The huge pond adjacent to the temple has been taken over by the panchayath in 1961 and removed from the temple property. Seetha rama Iyer and Srinivasa Iyer, ordered fishing in the pond just before the Kumbabhishekam in 1961. This created a furore between the villagers and the Seetharama Iyer family. Karnikkar –K.S.Swaminatha Iyer, heard the case and ordered the judgment in favor of the villagers and the panchayath.

There are 2 more temples which are managed from the SNP house.


“Eeti Munai Maanika Ayannar” located in Sengamedu Village - 2km from Sattanathapuram
Ayannar temple – in Sengamedu village. Sengamedu village is about 2 KM from SNP village. This temple is under HR&CE. This is our Village “Kula Deviam”. The presiding deity is Sastha (Ayappan) and called as “Eeti Munai Maanika Ayannar”. The weapon for the deity is Eeti (Sphere) and one can find a huge sphere behind the deity.


Vaitheeswaran Kovil – Thaiyal Nayagi and Vaitheeswaran is also Kula Deivam for our family.

Note: The following tradition
1. If it is a male child, the first ‘Mottai’ (tonsure) is to Ayannar in our family and then only Vaithheswaran kovil mottai to be performed
2. If it is a female child, the first ‘Mottai’ (tonsure) is to Vaitheeswaran kovil in our family and then only Ayannar kovil mottai to be performed



Sattanatahapuram Mariamman
Mariamman temple – This temple was built, as a small mud construction,somewhere in the 1930’s by Venkatrama Iyer f/o Nagapattnam Krishnamoorthy’s family. (also called as Pottai (blind) krishnamoorthy iyer or Nagapattnam anna). It seems Krishnamoorthy iyer had problems with his eye sight during birth, and Venkatrama Iyer Prayed Goddess Shri Maha Mariamman and built the mud structure in his own land property, requesting for divine intervention . There, was some cure, but he had problems in one of his eyes.

Nagapattanam Krishnamoorthy Iyer’s wife is the daughter of (M.V.Iyer of Kaveripattnam and moved to Nagpur and latter was called as M.V.Iyer of Nagpur. Padma athai has been married to M.V.Iyer’s son Shri V Muthuswamy).

S.S.Srnivasan, took over the administration of the temple and temple is currently maintained by the SNP family. Lot of renovation work was done . S.S. Srinivasa Iyer was instrumental in building the a sanctum sanctorum and the outside structures, from the old mud structures and maintaining the temple.

Kumabhishekam was performed in 1990 by S.S.Srinivasa Iyer. Sethurama Iyer (S/o J venkat Ramani Iyer ) and Karnam K.S. Swaminatha Iyer played a key part.Every year Pushpanjali (reciting of Lalitha Sharasnama 1008 times) is performed in a grand scale under the able administration of S.S. Srinivasa Iyer. This activity attracts and bonds the villages on a big scale.


Recently, Kumbabhisekam was performed by S.S. Srinivasa Iyer on 14-07-2008 with substantial contribution from his own siblings,His brother’s and family members, Karnam K.S. Swaminatha Iyer’s son K.S.Balasubramanian , village elders and members played a key part.
In 1930 Temple was built and repair works done once in 15-20 years
In 1990 Kumbabhishekam was done by S.S. Srinivasa Iyer.
In 2008 Kumbabhishekam was done by S.S. Srinivasa Iyer.

Parambarai Dharmakartha Shri S.S.Srinivasan leading the Kumbabhisheka Proceedings amidst vedic chantings.

Behind the Mariamman sanctum, a meditation mandabam is built. Pictures of Shri Rama, Sita, Anjaneya are placed in the mandbam. Another native of the Sattanathapuram village Shri Periya Ramu Iyer and his family( currently settled in Bombay), sponsored for this mandbam and has taken a active part in its conception.


Shri S.S.Srinivasa Iyer with his family members :L-R: S.S.Srinivasan, Prerna, Sridhar,Rohit,Shiva, Prema,Sundaresan,Sugu