Sirkazhi

D1

Sirkazhi (Tamil: சீர்காழி Cīrkāḻi [ si ː ː rka ɻi ]; well Sirkali, formerly anglicised Shiyali ) is a city in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The population is around 35,000 ( 2011 census ).

Sirkazhi belongs to the district of Nagapattinam of the state of Tamil Nadu and is located approximately 250 kilometers south of Chennai in the northern part of the Cauvery Delta to the hinterland of the Coromandel Coast. South flows past one of the many Mündüngsarme of the Kaveri River, about five kilometers north is the Kollidam, the largest estuary. The coast of the Bay of Bengal there are twelve kilometers. The next largest cities are 20 km north of Chidambaram, Mayiladuthurai 22 km south-west and 44 km south of Karaikal.

Situated on the main route from Chennai to Tiruchirappalli, Sirkazhi has good rail links. Furthermore, the National Highway 45A, which runs from Viluppuram on Pondicherry coming along the coast to Nagapattinam leads through Sirkazhi.

Sirkazhi is the site of an important Hindu sanctuary of Brahmapuriswarar or Sattainathar Temple. The name of the temple ( "Lord of the city of Brahma " ) refers to a myth, according to which the god Brahma is said to have worshiped Shiva here. The five and a half acre temple complex with seven gopurams ( gate towers ) houses three shrines dedicated to three different manifestations of Lord Shiva. In Brahmapuriswarar Shrine Shiva is worshiped in the form of lingas in Toniappar Shrine is a idol of Shiva along with his consort Uma ( Parvati ), the Sattainathar Shrine finally Shiva appears as a terrifying Bhairava. In addition to a shrine of the saint poet Sambandar is worshiped, who was born in the 7th century in Sirkazhi.

Nearby Sirkazhis are with Vaitheeswarankoil, Tiruvenkadu and Keezhperumpallam three of the nine Navagraha Temple, a well known group of Hindu temples in the Kaveri delta, which are associated with the heavenly bodies.