He Came As My Mom, Tirichirapalli

Long ago, when the Chozhas ruled over the regions of Central Tamil Nadu, there lived near the present city of Tiruchi a wealthy merchant Thanakuthan and his wife Rathnavathi.  Blessed with all the comforts required for life, their hearts brimmed with devotion for the Lord who presided over the land, across the wide Kaveri. They visited his temple every day and prayed for a peaceful life of devotion and service. The temple was none other than the magnificent shrine to Shiva, built on the crests of the RockFort at Tiruchi.

Their lives went on, as they lived for each other with the enormous bounty that God had blessed them with. Bhagavan, however, had a surprise for the unassuming couple and to their elation; they came to know that they were soon to become parents. “That will be so sweet”, exclaimed Thanakuthan, “my child is growing within you”. Blushing, Rathnavathi turned in the direction of the temple, and offered a silent prayer “Hey Mahesha, protect us and our child from all dangers”. 

The nine months of pregnancy rolled by, with Rathnavathi receiving the best care possible from Thanakuthan. Gradually the day of the delivery drew near. “Perhaps you must call your mother dear, to help with the child birth. We can always do with some elderly advice, you know” said the worried to-be father. The ever dutiful wife that she was, Rathnavathi answered “I will send for her right away”.

That night, the monsoon clouds burst open with all their fury and a strong wind kicked up a fine storm. The river Kaveri ran wild, water splashing around, threatening to destroy the settlements on its banks. Thanakuthan and Rathnavathi remained indoors the whole day. There was not a single soul which braved the storm and went out into the open.

In the early hours of the morning, Thanakuthan woke to the screams of his wife writhing in pain. The baby was coming out!!! Knowing that his mother-in-law would never make it in time, he rushed to her side and taking her arm, comforted her “Dear, can you hold on for a little while I go out in the rain to look for someone to help??” Receiving a weak nod from her in answer, he ran out in search of help. Rathnavathi once again turned towards the temple and pleaded “I did ask you to protect us, you know?”

At that very moment, a knock sounded on the door and her mother walked in. “Amma”, she cried out in a mixture of pain and surprise. ”How did you make it so soon? I sent the word only yesterday”.  Her mother gave her a caring glance, “I know when my daughter needs me. No one needs to remind me of that” and settled down besides her, the perfect mid-wife aiding in pregnancy. With a final shriek of excruciating pain, Rathnavathi fainted.

When she woke up, she found herself beside a beautiful baby boy, kicking out his teeny-weeny legs. But her mother was nowhere to be seen. Assuming that she must have gone out, the lady waited, playing with the new born. 

The rain had just let up when her husband walked in with a mid wife, pale with the fear that he could have been too late. His joy knew no bounds when he saw both the mother and child lying down, perfectly healthy. “Amma came early you know, she helped me through”, said Rathnavathi looking down at the baby, with pride in her eyes.

 A third knock sounded on the door just then. “That must be your Amma”, said Thanakuthan as he opened the door and Rathnavathi’s mother strolled in. “So you gave birth already?? Did it pain much??” she asked, happy at the sight of her grandson sleeping besides her daughter.

“Amma, don’t kid. You were the one who helped me deliver the baby”, coaxed Rathnavathi.

“Are you hallucinating dear”, asked her mom, “I know that the labor pain can do strange things at times. I couldn’t come as soon as I got word because of the dratted storm. And here I am just now. How could I have delivered your child??” reasoned out her mother.

Perplexed, Thanakuthan looked at his wife, worried about her. And then, wonder of wonders, realisation dawned upon Rathnavathi. At that moment Parameshwara appeared before them with Mattuvarkuzhalammai at his side, seated majestically on his Nandi. He brimmed with the love of a mother. Rathnavathi was ecstatic. “Was it really you who came as my mother??” she exclaimed, “Just because I had asked you to protect my child. Oh Eshwara, how will I ever be able to thank you for your grace at the time of need? Oh Father of this creation, did u come as my Mother too (லோக தந்தையான ஈஸ்வரனே, நீ என் தாயும் ஆனாயோ)? Namah Shivaya Om, Namah Shivaya Om”.

Rathnavathi’s mother and Thanakuthan went down on their knees at the sight of Rishabharudar (He who sits astride a bull). They wondered at the extreme fortune of Rathnavathi to have been doctored by Vaidhyanathan himself. With a smile on his face, Shiva blessed the mother and child. And then in an eye-blink he was gone.

A wall painting at the temple giving the details of the descent of Thayumanavar

The Thayumanavar (He who came as the mother) temple is a famous shrine situated at the crests of the famous RockFort in Tiruchirapalli. It is believed that the hillock itself is a piece of Mount Kailasa. Once when Adisesha and Vayu had a fight over their superiority over each other, they decided to settle it by means of a competition that would test their strengths. Adisesha offered, “Oh mighty Wind, I will cling on to the Maha Kailasa Mountain. If you are able to loosen my grip on the mountain I will submit to your superiority, else you must submit to mine. Is it a Deal?” Vayu pondered over it and finally agreed. Anantha gripped Kailasa, wrapping one coil after another of his long body around the sacred mountain. Vayu then got into the field, and summoning all his strength, blew full force across the face of Kailasa. Due to the intensity of the wind, the top of Kailasa chipped off and fell on to earth in three places. But even after repeated tries with cyclones, tornados and gales, Adi Sesha did not even budge and Vayu gave up accepting the superiority of Anantha.

One of the tiny parts of the Kailasa which fell off is believed to be the one that we see in Tiruchi today, the Rock Fort (The other two are Thirukkonamalai in Lanka and Thiru Kalahasthi). The RockFort today houses the Ucchi Pillayar temple (maybe I will write a post on this one too!!!) at its crest and the Thayumanavar Kovil just below the top. The Thayumanavar shrine has two Prakara Veedhis (Roads for Circumambulation) – one which is located midway to the top of the mountain, called the Mel Veedhi (the upper street) and the other one running around the foothill, called the Keezh Veedhi (the lower street). Like Kailasa, it is also built at three levels, with the Manikka Vinayagar shrine at the foothill, the Thayumanavar Temple midway up and the Ucchi Pillayar temple at the peak. Hence it is often referred to as Dakshina Kailasa.

Legend has it that the Linga was worshipped by Tirisiraasuran, the three-headed brother of Ravana. After many years of rigorous worship he was disappointed that Shiva had still not appeared. Furious at his failure, he started hacking off his heads one by one and fed them to the Sacrificial Fire. When he was about to chop off his last head Shiva took pity and appeared before him. Consenting to his request Shiva agreed to stay at that very spot blessing the lands of the kingdom. He also returned Tirisiran’s two other heads back to the Asura. Since he was worshipped by Tirisiran, Shiva came to be known as Tirisiranathar and the place was named Tirisiraamalai. Over the years the name evolved into Tiruchirapalli.

Ages later, when the Cholas ruled from Uraiyur, Sarama Rishi had set up a small ashrama near Tirisiranathar’s shrine and offered his daily worship at the temple. He established a beautiful garden of Sevvanthi (Chrysanthamun indicum) flowers. He had specially obtained the flower from Nagaloka for use in his pooja. One day, a flower merchant who passed by the garden saw the beautiful flowers and decided to present them to the queen. He stole some of the flowers without Sarama’s approval and presented them to the queen. The queen fell in love with the flowers at once and demanded that she should be presented with more every day. To please the queen and obtain her favours, the merchant stole the flowers from the garden at sunrise every morning. Sarama Rishi was greatly perplexed by the robbery. He was disturbed about having obstacles in his Shiva Pooja and appealed to the Chozha King to inquire into this matter. Knowing the truth, the King remained aloof to Sarama’s petition. Extremely angry at the King’s lack of moral conduct, Sarama finally appealed to Shiva.

Taking pity upon his devotee and extremely disgusted at the King’s behavior, Shiva turned his burning sight onto the Chozha Capital Uraiyur. The whole of Uraiyur was tormented with Sand Storms as a result of this. The King died at his palace, suffocated from the swirling sands. The queen was however saved by a Brahmin while she was about to jump into the flowing Kaveri. Historians inform us that she bore a child who was later to become the much praised KariKaala Chozhan.

Mattuvarkuzhali Sametha Shri Thayumanavar

The presiding deity at the shrine is of course Thayumanavar or Mathrubhutheshwarar along with his consort Mattuvarkuzhalammai also known as Sugandha Koondhalaambigai. Parvathi is said to have incarnated as the daughter of Kaatyaayana Maharishi in accordance with the Rishi’s wished. Since her hair (Kuzhal) was naturally fragrant with the smell of honey (Mattu)-filled blossoms, she was christened Mattuvarkuzhali. Eventually, she worshipped Shiva and once again took his hand in marriage. This marriage ceremony is celebrated every year in the month of Chithirai (April-May).

Though the temple itself dates back to more than two thousand years (The Agananooru sings in praise of the kshetra), the construction of the RockFort was started under the patronage of Viswanatha Nayakkar in the 16^th century. It had served as a stronghold for the British during the Franco-British wars in the 18^th Century. In memory of the victory against the French, an embossed picture depicting the Fort still hangs in the Westminster Abbey in England. Interestingly, when viewed from the East the mountain appears like Ganesha. When viewed from the south it appears like a seated bull and takes the appearance of a lion when seen from the north. When looking down from the doors of the Ucchi Pillayar shrine, the steps and the mountain appear like the trunk of an elephant. The Mountain is 273ft above sea level at its highest point which can be reached upon climbing 417 steps.

Rockfort, Thayumanavar Temple and Ucchi Pillaiyar Kovil

At the foot hill is the shrine dedicated to Manikka Vinayagar. Upon climbing up we pass by various other shrines and Mandapas. Some of the important ones are the Sahasralinga Mandapa that literally contains a number of Lingas, the sixteen pillared hall which served as a watchtower for the French, and the Hundred Pillared Hall or the Nootru Kaal Mandapa. Within this Nootrukkal Mandapam, on a marble dais, is celebrated the incident of Rathnavathi’s delivery. Every Chithirai month, in a special utsavam known as Chetti Penn Maruthuvam, Thayumanavar and Rathnavathi are seated on the platform. The screen is then drawn and when opened Rathnavathi is shown to have a baby in her arms. Thousands come to witness this re-enactment of the Lord’s play. During this utsavam a special medicine containing Dried Ginger (Sukku) and Jaggery is given as Prasad, which pregnant women take to ensure an easy child-birth.

Chetti Penn Maruthuvam

In the central shrine, Shiva gives darshan as a gigantic Linga, one of the biggest in Tamil Nadu. A fascinating fact is that here, the Dwajastamba is not in front of the Linga but behind it. It is believed that the Linga originally faced the Dwajastamba, but when Shiva turned towards Uraiyur to punish the King for his injustice, the Linga ended up facing the other way. Even today, during poojas, all the instruments are played and the Thevaram is recited at the back (or is it the front?) of the shrine. In a fitting manner to the huge Linga, a separate Nandhi, equally gigantic in size, is housed in a temple at the foot hills. This temple is often referred to as Nandhi Kovil. Since he was worshipped with Sevvanthi flowers, the lord is also known as Sevvanthi Nathar. Thayumanavar is worshipped by the Sun on the 23^rd, 24^th and 25^th days of Panguni when the sun’s rays shine onto the Linga. The vimanams of both Thayumanavar and Ucchi Pillayar are covered in gold, shimmering brightly against the midday sun.

Thayumanava Swamy Vimanam

Mattuvarkuzhali is housed in a separate shrine facing west. Just opposite to her shrine is the shrine of Pathala Iyyannar who resides in a hall under the ground. People usually worship him before going to worship Devi. A beautiful wooden Mahalakshmi is also housed within the temple precincts. People worship her with milk and lotuses to grant them with wealth and prosperity. In the Navagraha Mandapa, in a very unique manner, all the Navagrahas are shown to be facing Surya who appears with his wives Usha and Chaya. Again, in the Dakshina Moorthi shrine, in addition to just the four Sanakadi Munis at his feet, there are also present Sivayogamamuni, Patanjali, Vyagrapadar and Thirumoolar. Here Dakshinamoorthi is shown to be seated on a mat of Dharba grass. It is believed that Shiva himself appeared in the form of Dakshinamoorthi to teach the secrets to grammar to the famous Tamil poet Thayumanavar Swamy.

Dakshinamoorthi and his eight disciples

The temple also houses the Gangala moorthi of Shiva which is one among the 64 Shiva Moorthis. He is shown to be taking the fury of Ganga as she fell from the heavens - a very beautiful piece of work indeed. There are also some remarkable pieces of architecture in the temple like chain-links carved in stone and balls that rotate within the mouth of a lion and so on. Many people also believe that somewhere in the upper reaches of the RockFort are preserved the footprints of Vibheeshana (He was involved with the SriRangam temple as well as the Ucchi Pillayar temple).

The sthala Vriksha is Vilva and there are a number of theerthas including the Kaveri, Sivaganga theertham, the Nadrudaiyan theertham and the Theeyathillan theertham.

Men and women flock to the temple to pray for a safe pregnancy and the birth of a healthy child. When their wishes are granted, the couples return to the temple and offer whole stalks of bananas to the deity and thank him for his protection during pregnancy. Just like a banana tree never perishes and grows one generation after the other, the offering of these bananas signify the prayers for an unbroken lineage to follow the couples. Women also worship Thayumanavar with ghee and eat it for 48 days to be blessed with a child. Many devotees also circumambulate the hill on every full-moon night.

The temple follows two codes of worship called the Kaaranam and Kaamegam. The main festival is in Chithirai which is held for 10 days. The Thayumanavar shrine is the 6^th Kshetra on the southern banks of the Kaveri to be sung in the Thevaram and hence it is also a Paadal Petra Thalam.

A place worth the visit, it is located bang in the center of Tiruchi and is pretty hard to miss out on. A temple where every expecting mother must pray at, seeking a safe delivery, its story beautifully bringing out the tender hearted nature of the supreme being who came down to help an ordinary devotee just like her mother would have done.

हे शंकर स्मरहर प्रमतादी नाथ 

मन्नाथ ! शाम्भ ! शशिचूड ! हर ! त्रिशूलिन |

शम्भो ! सुखप्रसवकृत ! भव ! दयालो !

श्री मातृभूत शिव पालयमां नमस्ते ||

"Oh Shankara, I think of you, Oh Primordial One.

My Lord, Shaambha, The wearer of the crescent. Victory to you, bearer of the Trishoola!

Shambho, Bless me with a painless childbirth. Oh gracious one, full of compassion.

I bow to you Shiva, who is also Mathrubhutheshwara. Bless me oh Lord" 

- Shri Govinda Damodhara Swamigal

In Fires Will I stand to Gain Your Hand, Mangadu

I had this plan to dedicate my first six posts to the deities of the six main paths of Hinduism, the Shanmadas. And with all respects I now cast my mind at the lotus feet of the Divine Mother, by the shadow of one of her ksethras that I have visited time and again, never getting bored, and ever being thrilled with the grace and benevolence of her divinity.

Mangadu is a small suburb of Chennai near Poonamallee (a vulgarized form of Poovizhuntha Malli). Literally Mangadu can be translated in two ways - Maangai (mango)+ Kaadu (forest) or Mana (marriage)+Kaadu (forest), both having ample reasons to be the name of this place. The place is sometimes wrongly thought to be a Shakthi Peetha, for no body part of the burnt Dakshayini ever fell here. However, the place is as divine and sacred as any Shakthi Peetha and has its own interesting story to tell.

A view of the Adi Kamakshi Temple

In all of our Puranas, Ithihasas and Upanishads, the fights between Shiva and Parvathi occur time and again, with an unnerving repeatability. Rather than taking it in a negative sense, the broad mind should think beyond and realise that these tiffs were indeed ‘played’ for the benefit of us, our prosperity and our well being. The Sthala Purana of Mangadu too begins with one such fight, when Shiva and Shakthi were strolling around in the beautiful gardens of Kailasa. Parvathi, in a playful mood as ever, cupped her gentle palms over Shiva’s eyes, throwing all of creation into a cataclysmic darkness and for a second, risking the sustainability of the Universe. Vexed with her playfulness, Rudra flared up and in a voice that made Parvathi drop to her knees, he cursed Parvathi to be gone from him.

Ambal's Penance

Devi, accepted her mistake and descended to Bhooloka to serve her period of separation from Maheshwara.  There, attracted by calmness and beauty of the mango groves near the sea, Devi decided to stay there and undergo fierce penance to regain the hand of Shiva. She started her thapas, setting up an ashrama and serving the Shiva Bhakthas who went that way. Ages passed but there was no sign of the arrival of Shiva. Parvathi increased the intensity of the thapas and meditated on Shiva sitting amidst burning fire, but alas – no reply. Finally she set up five Agnis and in the center one she stood on a single leg, her toe touching the licking flames. The five fires could represent the Five syllables of the Panchakshari (Na Ma Shi Va Ya) or could represent the Pancha Indriyas (the five senses) which are to be kept under control during the penance. The penance went on for a very long time and it is believed that Lakshmi and Saraswathi came down to give her company for the period of the penance. The Panchagni thapas finally had its desired effect and Shiva’s voice ordered her to proceed to Kanchi and continue her penance, where he would appear before her to accept her hand in marriage. But why didn’t Shiva appear before Shakthi at Mangadu itself? Why delay the process? Believe it or not, it was due to the penance of Sukracharya, the Guru of all the Danavas.

When Vishnu had taken the form of Vamana, Sukracharya - realizing that the Brahmin was none other than Mahavishnu - had prevented Mahabali from offering the three steps of land to Vamana.  Howevr when Bali had refused his advice, Sukracharya took the form of a wasp and blocked the spout of the Kamandala from which Bali was to pour water for the charity. Angered by this, Vishnu tried to un-block the spout with a blade of Dharba grass. The grass struck Sukracharya in his left eye, blinding it. Extremely annoyed by Vishnu’s conduct Sukracharya came to the same Mango grove as Devi and meditated on Shiva to get back his vision. When Shiva finally appeared before Sukracharya, overwhelmed with happiness Shukra started an elaborate Shiva pooja. Not wanting to disappoint his devotee, Shiva stayed there but at the same time realizing the danger of further delaying his appearance before Shakthi, Shiva ordered her from where he stood, to go to Kanchi.

Having heard the good news of his sister’s approaching marriage, Vishnu rushed down from Vaikuntha bearing all the gifts to send her off to her new home. However, when he arrived Shakthi had already left for Kanchi. Not being able to find her, Vishnu felt disheartened. At that instant, Markandeya Mahrishi appeared before Vishnu and narrated to him the departure of Kamakshi. Also he prayed that Vishnu should also stay in the Mango grove to grace devotees with his presence. Vishnu too agreed happily, and continued to stay at Mangadu.

Sri Mangadu Kamakshi - Art by Deepak Saagar

When Kamakshi had departed for Kanchi, in the haste and joy of her impending marriage, she had forgotten to put off the yogic fire, the panchagni at Mangadu. Fed by the yogic power of Devi the fire radiated its heat all over Mangadu, making it uninhabitable. Years went by and the lands surrounding Maangadu became parched. No grass grew and animals refused to go near the place. It was then that Adi Shankara happened to pass that way. Immediately sensing the presence of Shakthi, he braved the heat to make it to the place where Devi had set up her Panchagni. He felt the power that pervaded over the place and wanted to make it a Shakthi Kshetra for the good of humanity. To bring the heat under control he established a wondrous structure that is seen nowhere else on this planet- The ArdhaMeru. The Meru, in essence, is the three dimensional projection of the Shri Chakra which is the ultimate sacred symbol in Shakthi Upasana. The Ardha Meru on the other hand, is a half projected version of the Chakra where the Madhya Bindu (the dot) and the triangles and circles around it remain in two dimensions, with the rest projected in the third dimension. Rather than making it out of metal, Shankara built the Ardha Meru from a mixture of eight herbs called Ashtagandha and installed it. The sthapana of the ArdhaMeru reduced the soaring temperatures and started drawing devotees to the divine spot of penance.

Today Mangadu has become a major temple where devotees throng in large numbers on Sundays, Tuesdays and Fridays to get a glimpse of Devi and the Ardha Meru. The sanctum houses a statue of Kamakshi behind the Ardha meru. Since she had first stayed here before proceeding to Kanchi, she is known as Adi Kamakshi. But all the main poojas and offering are to the Ardha Meru alone. Abhisheka is, however, not done to the Ardha Meru as it is herb based. The sanctum also enshrines a beautiful Panchaloha idol of Thapas Kamakshi. Devi is shown standing on one leg over the Panchagni, her other leg folded to her waist, with one arm raised above her head holding the Japamala and the other at the level of her stomach in a meditative pose. With the Ardha Meru, the idols of Adi Kamakshi and Tapas Kamakshi and the constantly lit Kamakshi Lamp near Adi kamakshi, one can have a darshan of four forms of the goddess at the sanctum. Apart from the moolavar, there is also the idol of the Utsavar Kamakshi who is flanked by Lakshmi and Saraswathi. The three goddesses enjoy a ride in the golden chariot every evening. The chariot itself is driven by Brahmi and is surrounded by the Nava Kanniyars. It is truly a sight to behold.

Utsavar Kamakshi flanked by Lakshmi and Saraswathi

The ArdhaMeru is gigantic in appearance. The entire structure is shown to be resting on a tortoise, from which three steps lead up to hold a sixteen petal lotus, followed by an eight petal lotus over which the Shri Chakra is drawn. It is constantly kept covered by a Silver Kavacha, except on Vijayadasami when the Ardha Meru receives its annual anointment with Ashtagandha. On that day alone it shimmers in a golden Kavacha. Devotees offer sarees to the Ardha Meru, most of the sarees being eighteen hand-spans in length. Performing Kumkumaarchana to the Ardha Meru is very famous here.

Unmarried women and men alike come to the temple on Sundays and take part in the poojas praying for a worthy life partner. Six Sundays of regular worship is believed to bestow one with marital bliss. Worshipping Devi for six weeks on the same day is also said to grant any wish that the devotee has in mind. Go-pooja or cow-worship is quite famous in this temple. On every Sunday, Tuesday and Friday Devi first casts her benevolent glance on a cow. The cow stands with its tail facing the deity when the screen is drawn and Shri Kamakshi gives her first darshan for the day at 5 am. The hindquarters of the cow are believed to house Lakshmi and taking part in this Go-Pooja is supposed to shower one with prosperity. Every full moon day sees the observance of a Navakalasa Homam with pushpanjali to the Ardha Meru. On the full moon day in the month of Purattasi, the Ardha mandapa and Thapas Mandapa are decorated with fruits, grains and vegetables. Visiting the temple on this day is believed to grant an eternal supply of food in the devotee’s household.

Velleeswarar Swami                                  Ambal Paadam                                      Nerkadhir Vinayakar

A stone’s throw away from the Kamakshi temple is the temple dedicated to Velleeswarar (Velli means Venus (Shukra) in Tamil). It was here that Shiva had granted darshan to Sukracharya and hence it is considered to be equal in status to Kanchanur, the Navagraha Kshetra that is dedicated to Shukra. Like at Kanchi, there is no shrine to Parvathi at this temple. Adi Kamakshi is believed to be first priority at Mangadu and hence the arrangement. Opposite to Swami’s shrine there is a small shrine housing the foot-prints of Devi. In the front mandapa there is a shrine dedicated to Ganesha who is seen to be carrying a sheaf of paddy and a mango in his arms. Known as Nerkathir (paddy grains) Vinayakar, farmers offer their first yield of paddy to him and pray for a good harvest. Interestingly, there is yet another Ganesha on the wall of the Swami shrine who is seen holding an umbrella and a yak-tail whisk.  These two forms of Ganapati are not seen elsewhere. Since Shiva had come to bless Sukracharya (a devotee) before he had attended to Kamakshi (his wife), the Swami is praised as Bhakthavatsala for having given first priority to the devotee.

The Ring Bearing hand of Vaikuntavasar and the Utsava Moorthi

Apart from these two temples, there is a temple dedicated to Vishnu who had come to see his sister’s marriage and had remained there due to Markandeya Maharishi’s request. Worshipped as Vaikunthavasa Perumal, he gives darshan with Sri Devi and Bhoo Devi. In his right hand he bears a ring, a reminder that he had actually come to give gifts to his sister on the joyous occasion of her marriage. Besides them Markandeyar is seated in a worshipping posture. The sthala vriksha in all the three temples happens to be the mango tree. Since Vishnu had come directly from Vaikuntha, there is no Paramapada Dwaram (Swarga Vaasal) here. And instead of Jaya and Vijaya guarding the doors to the sanctum, Agni (with three legs) and Avirakshagan perform the duty. Garudaazhwar is seen to be seated directly opposite to the sanctum and his wings are in a closed state which is another anomaly from the other Vishnu temples. It is believed that Vaikuntavasar removes financial obstacles that come in the way of marriages.

Thus Mangadu overflows with the divine grace of not one but three deities. It is an unwritten statement that people who visit the Kamakshi shrine should also visit the temples of Velleeswarar and Vaikuntavasa Perumal to complete their yatra to this Kshetra. And again it is a popular belief that there is nothing without reason that goes un-granted here, as Devi remains in the Kshetra in an elated mood of winning her Lord back. Mangadu is easily reached from Chennai and is one of those places that remains unspoiled by the madness of development all around.

शिव: शक्त्या युक्तो यदि भवति शक्त: प्रभवितुं

न चेदेवं देवो न खलु कुशल: स्पन्दितुमपि |

अतस्त्वामाराध्यां हरिहरविरिंचादिभिरपि

प्रणतुं स्तोतुं वा कथमकृतपुण्य: प्रभवति ||

"Lord Shiva, only becomes able.

To do creation in this world along with Shakthi.

Without her, Even an inch he cannot move,

And so how can, one who does not do good deeds,

Or one who does not sing your praise,

Become adequate to worship you

Oh , Goddess mine, Who is worshipped by the trinity." 

- Adi Shankara in SoundaryaLahari

The Mystery of the Sweating Idol, Sikkal

SIKKAL. Huh? What a word? Why would a place even be named so? (To the tamil uninitiated it means “Dilemma”, as also “Caught”). And why does this tiny town go crazy with stampeding people every year sometime in October-November? Fitting answers await in this post to these perplexing questions about a shrine located near Nagapattinam dedicated to Skandha, the Commander of the Deva Army and the chief god of Kaumaram of the Shanmadas, just like Ganesha is that of Ganapathyam.

The legend takes us back to the times of Vashishta. Once, when there was a severe drought in the Devaloka, Kamadenu, the celestial cow, was forced to eat some meat to satisfy her hunger. Angered by her un-bovine actions, Shiva cursed her to be born as a tiger on earth where she could eat as much meat as she pleased. Shocked at her mistake, Kamadhenu repented, whereby Shiva took pity on her and asked to perform penance towards him, at the end of which she would be awarded suitably. Kamadhenu too, obediently headed earthwards and chose to live near the present location of Sikkal, which was abound with sweet smelling jasmine creepers thus earning it the name Mallikaaranyam. There, Kamadhenu shed all her milk from her generous udders, which overflowed to form a small pond. Then turning herself into a tiger she started her penance.

Ages passed before Vashishta, the kula guru of Ikshavakus, passed that way. Attracted by the smell and the stunningly white milk-pond, he decided to rest and offer his evening prayers at that place. He gathered the butter floating on the lake and very lovingly fashioned a Shiva Linga out of it. To this Butter Linga he offered his prayers. Since the lord was caught in the butter of Vashishta’s devotion, the place earned its name Sikkal. Some people also say that when Vashishta found that his Linga could not be moved he was caught in a dilemma (Sikkal again). The dilemma was however cleared when the lord himself appeared and granted him his darshan.

Shri Navaneetheswarar

With the arrival of Vashishta, Kamadhenu found herself to be relieved of her curse. Out of overflowing gratitude towards him, she chose to remain with Vashishta to provide him with all the requirements for an ascetic life. Thus presiding deity of the place, having been made out of butter, is known as Navaneetheswarar or Vennainaathar (The Butter Lord). The Linga, to this day bears the impression of Vashishta’s fingers which were used to model the Linga.

All this forms one interesting part of the Sthala Purana. The other part is slightly more interesting and surely intriguing.

Shri Singara Velavar

Subramanya was created by Shiva for the sole purpose of destroying Surapadman, the demon king who was giving a very hard time to the Devas. Having reached a suitable age, Skandha, chose this very place to meditate upon his parents, to pray for sufficient mental and physical strength to overcome the demon king. Parvathi, pleased with her son’s prayers created a lance or the Vel from a part of her shakthi and presented it to Skandha along with her heartfelt blessings for his success. Since the lance was given by Shakthi, it is called Shakthi Vel and the Devi in this sthala is named as Velnedunkanni Amman (She whose eyes are as shapely and sharp as the Vel).

Skandha does manage to win over Surapadman, but unfortunately, he is afflicted with the Brahmahathi Dosha. Though Sooran was an asura, he was a brahmin by birth and an ardent devotee of Shiva. Killing a brahmin is one of the geatest sins according to the Vedas, and Skandha was no exception to the rule. He returned to Sikkal and once again meditated on his parents. It is believed that when he took his perfunctory bath in the holy Ksheera Theertha or the milk pond that Kamadhenu had created, he emerged out of the pond, liberated from the Brahmahathi and shining like a million brilliant suns, all traces of his war wounds gone. Very true to this, the presiding deity of Murugan here is named Singara Velavar (the Handsome Vel bearer) and is very beautiful to behold by the shining light of a camphor. And hence the Ksheera Theertha is thought to be able to deliver a person from the worst of sins and make him a new man all over again.

Shri Velnedunkanni Amman (L) and Shri Kolavamana Perumal (R)

It is also believed that when Vishnu took his Vamana avatara to subdue MahaBali Chakravarthy, he had come and worshipped Vennainaathar at Sikkal to give him the required prowess to defeat Mahabali. He still resides in the temple precincts as Kolavamana Perumal and continues to bless the devotees who visit him. The temple has been visited by Narada, Vishwamitra Maharishi, Agastya, Kaatyaayanar, Muchukunda Chakravarthi and many others. Arunagirinathar has sung about Sikkal Singaravelavar in his Thiruppugazh as also have the Nayanmars. Hence the Vennainathar shrine too occupies its place on the list of the 274 Paadal Petra Shiva Thalangal.

The main festival celebrated is the Maha Skandha Sashti which comes in the Tamil month of Aippasi (Mid October-Mid November) and celebrates the victory of Karthikeya over Soorapadman. The festival is celebrated for six days, commemorating the six days of war with Soora Padman. On the fifth day of the festival Skandha receives his Vel from his mother Velnedunkanni, amidst much gaiety and colors, to vanquish the Asura. This is velebrated with great gusto as the “Vel Vaangum Thiruvizha” and is the highlight of the festival. The amazing fact is that when Skandha prepares to receive his Vel, the utsavar idol of Singara Velavar breaks out into profuse sweating, showcasing the tension and the anger of the lord who is ready to kill the Asura. This happens every year to this very day and defies explanation. The priests continuously wipe the idol’s face with silken handkerchiefs and the sweat is sprinkled on the crowd gathered as divine Theertha. People throng the streets to witness this miracle and hope to possibly get a drop of that sweat on themselves. The sweating subsides when Velavar returns to his sanctum, the owner of the divine Vel. On the sixth day, the Soora Samhaaram takes place. Though it is not as grand and large-scale as is celebrated at Thiruchendur, the slaying of the demon king still drives home the point ‘Evil, Beware! Guha in all his divinity will protect us’.

Vennainathar Vimanam

Sikkal is located near Nagapattinam in Tamil Nadu and happens to be a must see on my temple list. It still remains a major pilgrim center for people who find themselves in difficult situations (Sikkal) in their life. Every full moon and new moon day sees Vennainathar adorned with pure butter at the Ucchi kaala Pooja. Also the Shatru-Samhara pooja in which one prays for deliverance from one’s enemies is supposed to be very potent here. The Devas are believed to have performed the Shatru Samhara Trisathi Archana to Skanda, requesting him to deliver them from the terror of Soorapadma. Every one of us should perform the Trisathi Archana in our very hearts, asking Singaravelavar to deliver us from the worst of enemies – Kama (Lust), Krodha (Anger), Lobha (Greed), Moha (Attachment) and Ahankara (Ego). மேவிய வடிவுறும் வேலவா போற்றி! தேவர்கள் சேனா பதியே போற்றி! குறமகள் மனமகிழ் கோவே போற்றி! திறமிகு திவ்விய தேகா போற்றி! இடும்பா யுதனே, இடும்பா போற்றி! கட்மபா போற்றி கந்தா போற்றி! வெட்சி புனையும் வேளே போற்றி! உயர்கிய கனக சபைக்கும் ஓர் போற்றி! மயில் நடம் இடுவோய் மலரடி சரணம்; சரணம் சரணம் சரஹண பவஓம், சரணம் சரணம் சண்முகா சரணம் சரணம் சரணம் சண்முகா சரணம் "Oh one with the loving form, Praise be to thee. Oh Lord, the General of the Devas, Praise be to Thee! Oh Lord, who captivated Valli, Praise be to Thee! He whose form is strong and dazzling, Praise be to Thee! He who conquered Idumba, Praise be to Thee! He who wears the Kadamba flowers and is known as Kandha, Praise be to Thee!  Oh Lord of the Vel, who is garlanded with Vedchi flowers, Praise be to Thee! Oh Lord, the King of the Mountains, Praise be to Thee! I surrender at the Lotus Feet of the Lord who rides the Peacock. I surrender to Thee Lord Saravanabava . I surrender to Thee Lord Shanmuga.  I surrender to Thee Lord Shanmuga." - Devaraya Swamigal in Skanda Sashti Kavasam ©kshetrapuranas.blogspot.com, Rights reserved on specific contents

For Every Auspicious Beginning, Thiruvalanchuzhi

वक्रतुंड महाकाय सूर्यकोटि समप्रभ:।
निर्विध्नं कुरु मे देव सर्वकार्येषु सर्वदा॥ 
"O Lord with a curved trunk and a large body, and the brilliance of a million suns, 
I pray to you to remove all the obstacles in every work that I undertake"

Any practicing Hindu would be quite familiar with the ancient tradition of invoking the fan-eared, elephant-faced god, Gajanana, before kick-starting a new task. Wherever we may be from, it has been a passed-on custom to honor Ganesha and ask him to remove the obstacles that may come in the path of our eventual success. From breaking coconuts at the roadside temple before the public exam to starting off a document with a Pillaiyar Suzhi to the Gana-Homam performed at the temples before the commencement of the week-long festivals, the chubby lord is bribed in various ways in exchange for a taste of success. Therefore, in keeping up with the tradition, I offer the first post of kshetrapuranas to the eldest of Shiva's sons, the remover of obstacles, Vigneshwara.

It was the year 2004 and I had very enthusiastically come to Kumbakonam, a town near Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu, to take part in the famous Maha Magham festival that the town hosts once every 12 years. As I got crushed and churned and carried away by the humongous sea of humanity milling around me, my heart was doing its own little tap-dance, for every direction I turned in (or rather the crowd made me turn to), I could catch a glimpse of the soaring Gopurams of several temples silhouetted against the rising sun. Kumbeswarar, Sarangapaani, Chakrapaani, Raamaswamy, Naaganathar, Vishwanaathar, Someswarar... the list is virtually endless.

Being this true temple freak (this blog wouldn't have materialized otherwise), I wanted to visit each and every one of them around Kumbakonam, little realising that the figure would have easily run into four digits.  One among those billion temples that I had on my to-visit-list was Thiruvalachuzhi.  I remember Babu’s father saying “Dei, Thiruvalanchuzhikku nichayam pongo”. They were my gracious hosts at Kumbakonam and Babu, my friend, was the official tour guide. But by a stroke of misfortune I was not able to go there, having given higher priorities to Swamimalai and Patteswaram. And boy, do I regret it. Nevertheless, the Kshetra boasts of an interesting Sthala Purana and since I am not aware of any law that requires me to have visited the temple to write about it, I place before you the first story of my blog!!!

Thiruvalanchuzhi Vellai Pillaiyar

Thiruvalanchuzhi, as the name indicates (thiru-sacred, valanchuzhi-right handed curve), is a holy place where the river Kaveri takes a gentle curve hugging the divine sthala to her bosom. When Kaveri, having been freed from Agastya’s kamandala (water pot), had rushed towards Chozha Desha, she went around the ancient temple of Jataimudinathar in an act of respect to the lord, thus giving Thiruvalanchuzhi its name. Adding further glory to the sacred place is an age old temple dedicated to the leader of ganas, revered in this sthala as Swetha Vinayagar or the Pure White Vinayagar. So how did he come here?

It all begins with what is perhaps a very well known incident in the Hindu Puranas - Amritha-Manthan or the churning of the milk ocean.

Long ago, when Indra was at the peak of his power, Durvasa Maharishi had come to pay him a visit. The blessed sage had come directly from Vaikuntha, bearing with him a gift for Devendra - a garland that was presented to him by  MahaLakshmi. Beholding Indra riding on his Airavatha (Four-tusked white elephant) at the forefront of a grand procession outside Amaravathi, he offered the garland to the king of Devas. Indra, however, was in one of his proud moods. With a smirk, he carelessly took the garland and placed it on Airavatha’s head. The elephant, as proud as its owner, was highly irritated with the garland obscuring its vision. With one swift twirl of its trunk, it whisked the garland from its head and stamped viciously on it.

Anger shot through Durvasa, whose wrath was both famous and highly feared. With blood-shot eyes he cursed Indra. “Oh foolish proud King, you have just shown disrespect to Lakshmi herself. May all your prosperity melt away. May your strength disappear and may you rot in disrespect.”. With a huff, he departed from Amaravathi, leaving all the Devas to shiver in fear.

Indra, now ashamed of his haughty behavior, and seeing the first signs of the Rishi's curse unfolding before him, rushed along with the Devas to Maha Vishnu and pleaded for his help. “Oh Divine Protector,” they cooed, “please show us a way out”. The ever benevolent Vishnu cast his eyes on them and said, “Devendra, it has become a regular pastime of mine to get you out of trouble for your obnoxious behavior. You have but one way left. Churn the Milk Ocean to obtain the Amrutha. The intake of this divine nectar will free you from the curse and restore you back to power”. The relieved Devas prostrated before him and took leave of Vaikuntha. 

Back at Amaravathi, the Devas had a round-table conference to chalk out plans for the churning of the milk ocean. Two items were at the top of the shopping-list -  a gigantic churn and a tremendously long rope. After much head-scratching, the Devas decided to use the Meru mountain as the churn. By divine will, Vasuki, the king of snakes, offered himself to act as the rope. Now that all the preparations were done and all the meticulous details worked out, the Devas still couldn’t begin, for all their strength had been sapped out by the Rishi'scurse. Even in their dreams they couldn't have been able to handle the thick, slippery Vasuki and the heavy Meru.

After prolonged consideration, Indra finally sent out a missive to his step brothers, the Asuras, asking them to join them in this effort, promising them a portion of the Amrutha in return for their help. The Asuras, ever greedy for the nectar and the boon of immortality that was promised to anyone who partook of it, agreed to help out with the churning. On one fine Dwadasi day, the churning began.

The Devas held the tail of Vasuki and the Asuras held the serpent's head. Vasuki had coiled himself around the Meru and had brazed himself up for a really tough time. The churning started out slowly and step-by-step, the momentum increased. As the churning quickened, the deadly poison Hala Hala slowly reeked out from the milky waves. These poisonous vapors along with the toxic fumes panted out by a famished Vasuki had catastrophic effects on the churners. Like always, they once again turned towards divine help and by a stroke of good fortune, the Devas got Shiva to drink the Hala Hala. The churning then resumed with a renewed zest, until the next catastrophe struck. To the biggest dismay of the churners, the Meru, having no support  from underneath, slowly began to sink.

Totally stumped, the Devas were just wondering why they were being subject to such untold miseries when a booming laughter pealed across the heavens. “You forgot Me, the Remover of Obstacles. Surely, you should know better!” Realization dawned on Indra and he immediately went in search of Ganesha. The chubby lord had however disappeared from everyone’s sight, leaving Indra to writhe in anguish. Seeing no way out, Indra returned to the milk ocean and hurriedly gathered the cream floating on the waves. He fashioned an idol of Pillayar out of the cream and offered his prayers by the shores of the ocean. “Oh Gajamukha, forgive us for not invoking you. Accept our apologies and bless us in our endeavour”. Once again the booming voice echoed from the skies, “I am pleased Devendra. You may now proceed”. The rest of the story is of course well known, with the Devas finally managing to get the Amrutha, and with it their lost strength and power too.

Indra, however, continued to worship the cream idol of Ganesha, and took it with him when he went on a pilgrimage to absolve himself of the curse of Gauthama Rishi. When Indra had once exhibited immoral conduct towards Gauthama’s wife Ahalya, the furious Rishi had cursed Indra to become a eunuch. Grossly ashamed of his piteous plight, Indra had hidden himself in the stalk of a lotus flower. Finally, Gauthama, took pity, and imparted to Indra the knowledge of the Maha Ganapathi Mantra. He then asked Indra to visit various Shiva temples on the earth. Indra too obediently followed his instructions and started on his yatra.

When Indra reached the banks of the Kaveri, he requested a cowherd boy to keep the box containing the Ganesha while he went to offer his prayers at the temple of Kapartheeswarar. The boy, who was none other than Shiva quietly kept the box under the Dwajasthamba (flag staff) and disappeared. Returning back, Indra saw that the idol had firmly attached itself to the ground and refused to budge. Understanding the divine will of the lord he prostrated in front of the idol. “Who am I to take you around when your desire is to stay here? All I ask is one boon. May I be allowed to perform pooja to you every day?”, he asked. Pleased with Indra's devotion, Vinayagar gave his approval and also cured Indra of his curse. Extremely elated with the recent happenings, Indra returned back to Amaravathi leaving the cream white idol to be worshipped by generations of devotees in what is now Thiruvalanchuzhi. 

Swetha Ganapathi

On entering the temple of Thiruvalanchuzhi, one is immediately welcomed by the Ganesha Shrine located bang in the center. Just outside the main sanctum is a mandapa that is made up of unpolished, uncut stones, carelessly fitted together as though it was built in great hurry. Legends tell us of the story of Haridwaran, the King of the land, who had once stopped by the temple to offer his worship. Placing a plate full of abhisheka materials in the hands of the priest, the king ordered the priest to perform abhisheka to the idol. “Bathe the lord in these fragrant powders and anointed waters. Let him be cooled.” The priest was now caught in a dilemma. The temple protocol required that no abhisheka be done to the delicate idol, while the king had just ordered for one. Either way he was doomed. Silently invoking Ganesha, he begged for help. In answer to his prayers, a voice reached out from the sanctum, “Oh King, I am made of cream and bubbles. Would you want me to be dissolved in the fragrant waters that you just gave?” The king, realising the mistake he would have otherwise committed, begged for forgiveness. “Then build a mandapa in front of the sanctum by sunset today to atone for your mistakes. May it remind people of the mistakes that they make in life and instigate them to pray for forgiveness”. The king obliged and built the mandapa in the given time period, putting together rough stones into an approximate hall. This mandapa stands even today and is called the Mannippu mandapam or Aparadha Mandapa. People who visit the temple meditate in this mandapam and ask Ganesha to forgive their sins and grant them eternal bliss. 

The beautiful pillars of the Gayathri Mandapa

Beyond the Aparadha mandapa is the Gayathri Mandapa, built to signify the 24 alphabets of the Gayathri mantra. It is a beautiful structure with meticulous details carved in stone. Its most wondrous feature is the Karungal Palagani or stone window that is carved with 16 viewing portals through which one can worship Ganesha. The 16 portals are said to signify the 16 names of Gajanana as mentioned in the Ganapathi Shodasa Nama Shloka in the Ganesha Purana.

सुमुखश्चैकदन्तश्च कपिलो गजकर्णक:|
लम्बोदरश्च विकटो विघ्ननाशो गणाधिप:||

धूम्रकेतुर्गणाध्यक्षो भालचंद्रो गजानन:|

वक्रतुंड शूर्पकर्णो हेरम्ब: स्कन्द पूर्वज:||

The Karungal Palagani is a marvelous architectural feat. It is said that when architects of yore signed their contracts, they committed to build the very best apart from five exceptional pieces of architecture that could never be replicated at all. Along with the Stone carved Veranda (Kodungai) of Aavudayaar Kovil, the Wall of Kadaarankondaan, the Gopuram of Tanjavur Periya Kovil, and the Vavval Otti Mandapam of Thiruveezhimizhalai, the Karungal Palagani of Thiruvalanchizhi remains one of those marvels.

The Vavval otti Mandapam of Thiruveezhimizhalai, The Kodungai of Aavudayaar Kovil, The Gopuram of Thanjavur and the Karungal Palagani of Thiruvalanchuzhi

Walking past the Gayathri mandapam, we then enter the sanctum. The cream idol in the sanctum, adored as Vellai Pillayar, Swetha vinayagar or Nurai Pillayar, is pure white and is protected very fiercely by silver and gold frames. No abhisheka or flowers are offered to the deity, lest the cream is washed away. All adornments and garlands are offered to the surrounding frames alone. The only offering made to the idol is Pachai-Karpooram (a fine edible form of camphor), which is pulverized (using a temple owned pestle and mortar which date back to the olden times) and sprinkled over the image on a regular basis. This alone is the main offering by the devotees to the temple.

The utsava moorthis are housed in a separate chamber. Ganesha, surprisingly gives darshan as a grihastha with Vani and Kamalambikai as his consorts. They are believed to have been born from the tongue of Brahma and the eye of Vishnu respectively. Interestingly, the trio is flanked by Indra and Mahavishnu, both of whom have their hands folded in prayer. The story of Indra has been seen already, but why is Vishnu here in this meditative pose?

Shankaranarayanar at the entrance

Once, when Shiva and Parvathi were playing dice, Maha Vishnu consented to be the judge. At the end, when Parvathi won, Vishnu jokingly declared Shiva to be the winner. Fuming at his unethical behaviour, Parvathi at once cursed her brother to be born as a blind python on earth. Stunned by her harsh curse, Vishnu took birth as a python and meditated on Ganesha for delivering him from the curse. It is believed that when Ganesha returned from his war with Gajamukaasuran, he liberated Vishnu from the curse at Thiruvalanchuzhi. Hence, Vishnu too is seen to be worshiping Gajanana here. On the other hand, utterly perplexed by the relation between Shiva and Vishnu and the unnecessary lie that Vishnu had uttered, Parvathi performed tapas at this kshetra and was blessed a vision of Shankaranarayanar (Shiva with half his body occupied by Narayana). Since Shiva and Parvathi were reunited at this kshetra, the place is believed to offer relief to couples whose marriage has been a bumpy ride.

Beyond the Ganapathi shrine is the main temple dedicated to Brihadnayaki (Periyanayaki) sametha Kapartheesar (Jataimudinathar). The temple legends celebrate the marriage of Parvathi, the daughter of Yayava Munivar, to Shiva. Yayava had obtained Parvathi as his daughter through a boon from Shiva. However, when Parvathi had reached a marriageable age, Yayava had simply refused to let her marry Maheshwara, claiming that he was an ugly ascetic who wore animal skins and rode on a bull. Shiva finally appeared before Yayava, removed the Maya that was clouding his intellect and gave him moksha. Parvathi married Parameshwara amidst much celebrations, thus setting an outstanding example to all womenfolk that the outer appearance of the husband doesn’t matter and one should always be devoted to him regardless of his beauty or the lack of it. 

The temple myths also tell us an interesting tale of the time when the thousand-headed Adisesha came out from the netherworlds at Thiruvalanchuzhi. However, the gigantic snake had to drill a large hole to make his way from the netherworlds to the earth's surface. So large was the hole that the river Kaveri flowed right into it, up to the very last drop. With the Kaveri gone, the dwellers of Chozha desha struggled a lot with their everyday lives. Neither was there enough water to drink nor was there sufficient moisture in the ground to sustain the crops. Extremely saddened by the plight of his subjects, the Chozha king rushed to the Thiruvalanchuzhi temple and begged the Lord to restore the Kaveri. Deeply touched by the king's love for his subjects, Shiva spoke through an oracle and ordered the king to sacrifice a Rishi at the site of the abyss. On hearing these words of relief, the king at once traveled to Kottaiyur, where he narrated the entire story to Heyranda Maharishi. Heyranda, the enlightened soul that he was, was only too happy to sacrifice himself for the well-being of a kingdom, and without a second word, he jumped into the deep abyss. At once, the Kaveri bubbled up from the hole again, after which the abyss closed itself and totally disappeared. Even today, Heyranda Maharishi is worshiped at the temple for his selfless sacrifice. It is also believed that Adisesha visits the temple to worship Shiva on every Shivaratri day in the year.

The Shiva temple also houses uniquely positioned Navagrahas, where Surya and Shani are seen to be facing each other as Mitra-Grahas. Also of special interest is the shrine dedicated to Ashtabhuja MahaKali, a shrine like no other. Thirugnanasambandhar has sung a beautiful pathigam on the lord of the temple as well as on Swetha Vinayagar, thus adding this temple to the list of 274 Paadal Petra Shiva Thalangal. 

There is a custom in vogue amongst the devotees according to which the entire Chozha Desha is considered to be a Shivaalaya, with the main deity enshrined at the Thiruvidaimaruthur Mahalinga Swamy temple. The various other Parivara devathas are worshiped at individual temples around Chozha Desha. In this arrangement, Thiruvalanchuzhi is the Vinayagar shrine in the Shivaalaya and is the first to be visited in the series. In due order, the other shrines are - Swamimalai for Karthikeya, Chidambaram for Nataraja, Aaduthurai for the Navagrahas, Alangudi for Guru, Sirkazhi for Bhairavar, Thiruvavaduthurai for Nandi, Thiruvarur for Somaskandar, and Thiruvaypaadi for Chandikeshwarar.

The most important festival in the temple is of course the Chathurthi Vizha in Aavani, celebrating the birth of the elephant-faced one. Another interesting celebration is the one in which the utsavar of Swaminatha Swami is brought down from Swamimalai. The Valli Kalyanam episode of Skandha purana is then enacted out with great fervor. In this episode, Ganesha comes as an elephant to scare Valli into marrying his brother Skandha. Also, on one particular day every year (in the month of Aavani again) the temple is closed at mid day after the priest lays out all the items for worship. It is believed that Indra himself performs the pooja for the day, according to the boon that was granted to him (One year on earth equals a day in the heavens). Apart from these utsavas, all Fridays, Tuesdays and Chathurthi Thithis see an increase in the pilgrim count. Sakkara Pongal (sweet rice with lentils) and Modakam (stuffed sweet dumplings) happen to be the predominant naivedyam at the temple. People often make them at home with love and devotion, and carry it to the temple to be offered to the cherubic Ganesha

The temple is located at a distance of eight kilometers from Kumbakkonam, enroute to Swamimalai, and is served by a number of private and public buses.  It is a fitting visit for anyone who is looking forward to achieve success in every step that they take. May the Long bellied one (Lambodhara) give us every pleasure in life. and also bless this blog with unhindered publishing

ஐந்து கரத்தனை ஆனை முகத்தனை

இந்தின் இளம்பிறை போலும் எயிற்றனை

நந்தி மகன்தனை ஞான கொழுந்தினை

புந்தியில் வைத்து அடி பணிந்கின்றேனே. - திருமூலர்
"The five limbed one, bestowed with an Elephant visage,
And tusks that are curved and shining like the crescent moon.
The son of Nandi and the embodiment of supreme knowledge,

We emplace your sacred feet in our minds, Bless us" - Thirumoolar

©kshetrapuranas.blogspot.com, Rights reserved on specific contents