page_title: Uthirakosamangai
section_title: Religious significance
hierarchical_section_title: Uthirakosamangai / Religious significance
caption_attribution_description: English: Uthiragosamangai
context_page_description: Uthirakosamangai, Mangalanatha swamy temple is a Shaiva temple situated near Ramanathapuram in the Ramanathapuram district of Tamil Nadu. The temple is believed to be built by the Pandya kings, Achutappa Nayak, Muthuveerappar and other kings of Ramanthapuram at various times. The temple has been glorified by the hymns of 9th-century saint Manickavasagar and 15th-century saint Arunagirinathar.
  The temple is considered sacred along the lines of Ramanathapuram, Sethu Madhava Theertham and Lakshmana Theertham.
  The temple has numerous shrines, with those of Mangalanathar, Mangalambigai and Natarajar being the most prominent. The temple houses a 6 ft tall ancient maragatha Nataraja idol carved out of emerald, being the one of its kind. The temple has six daily rituals at various times from 5:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., and six yearly festivals on its calendar. The temple is maintained and administered by the Hindu Religious and Endowment Board of the Government of Tamil Nadu.
context_section_description: The temple is considered sacred along the lines of Ramanathapuram, Sethu Madhava Theertham and Lakshmana Theertham. The emerald image of Nataraja is anointed with sandal paste round the year except on Tiruvathidirai festival day when special worship is practised. It is believed that even small vibrations can damage the image and hence no percussion instruments are used during worship practises. The front hall has lingams made of Padigam (spatika), that are anointed with cooked rice every afternoon. As per Hindu legend, Vishnu and Brahma contested for superiority, Shiva appeared as a flame, and challenged them to find his source. Brahma took the form of a swan, and flew to the sky to see the top of the flame, while Vishnu became the boar Varaha, and sought its base. Neither Brahma nor Vishnu could find the source, and while Vishnu conceded his defeat, Brahma lied with the help of a thazhambu (Pandanus odorifer flower / Screw Pine Flower / Ketaki flower) and said he had found the pinnacle. In punishment, Shiva ordained that Brahma would never have temples on earth in his worship and all Shiva temples do not use thazhambu during worship practises. This is one such temple where thazhambu is still used for worship practises. This story is found in Shaivaite scriptures and they are considered Thamasic Puranas and are not accepted by majority. So, the supremacy of Shiva exists only for a minority.
  Manickavasagar, the 9th century Tamil saivite saint poet has revered Mangalanathar and the temple in his verses in Thiruvasakam, compiled as the Eighth Tirumurai.Arunagirinathar, a 15th-century Tamil poet has composed Tamil hymns glorifying Murugan in the temple. As per Hindu legend, Muruga was awarded the Airavata (white elephant) of celestial deity Indra at this place.
caption: View of the temple towers
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