Devara Paadal Petra Sthalam | 116th Shiva Sthalams(One of the Devara Paadal Petra Shiva Sthalam) |
Region | Chola Naadu - North |
Chola Naadu - North | 62th Shiva Sthalam |
Pathigam | Saint Thirugnanasambanthar and Saint Sundaramurthy
(Sundarar) |
HISTORY:
This temple is 1500
years old and was built and renovated by Kings of the Hoysala, Chola and
Pandiya dynasties. This temple is situated on the northern bank of the river
Kollidam (Coleroon). The historical name of this place is “Pachil Kutrathu
Achiramam” which has been changed to Pachilachiramam.
As per the stone
inscriptions, during the Chola and Pandiya period, the places on the northern
bank of the river Kollidam was called “Parchil Kutram”. The village around it
was called Thiruvachiramam. This was later changed to Thiruvasi.
Also, in ancient times
this place was densely populated with Vanni trees. For this reason, this place
is also known as Sameevanam and the lord here is praised as Sri
Sameevaneswarar. As Lord Brahma is believed to have worshiped the lord here,
the lord is also known as “Sri Brahmapureswarar”.
Mazhanadu:
This region was once
called Mazhanadu and it was ruled by king Kolli Mazhavan. His daughter was
suffering from a severe disease called Muyalagan (epilepsy), which could not be
cured by any the king’s doctors. The king decided to leave his daughter in this
temple with the hope that the lord would cure her. Saint Thirugnanasambanthar
came to this place during his pilgrimage and found the girl in the temple. The
king explained to the saint the sad story of his daughter and begged him for
help. Saint Sambanthar sang a pathigam in praise of Lord Natarajar. Pleased
with his pathigam, Lord Nataraja transformed the muyalagan disease into a
serpent and danced on it. The lord then blessed the princess and cured her
disease.
Based on this event,
Lord Nataraja appears here with his hair tied in a knot. Instead of his usual
depiction of standing on top of Muyalagan, in this temple he is seen standing
on a serpent. He is praised here as “Sarpa Nataraja” (“Sarpa” meaning serpent
in Tamil). This is a rare posture of Lord Nataraja.
Another legend is that
once a business man called Kamalan from Pachur, who was a staunch Shiva
devotee, was childless. One day when he was going home from this temple he
heard a child’s cry and found an abandoned baby. He took her home, named her
Amalai and raised her as his own. When the child was ready for marriage, he
wanted her to be married to his brother-in-law. Amalai was also an ardent
devotee of Lord Shiva and she desired to marry Lord Shiva. Pleased with her
prayers, Lord Shiva came to their house as Kamalan’s brother-in-law and married
Amalai.
After the wedding, the
newly wedded couple left the house informing Kamalan that they are going to the
temple. After they left, to the surprise of Kamalan his actual brother-in-law
came home. It was only then that they realised what had happened. They went to
the temple in search of Amalai. Lord Shiva appeared before them seated on his
bull mount (Rishaba Vahanam) and gave dharisanam with Amalai as Goddess
Parvathi. Goddess Parvathy threw her anklet and from the place where it hit the
ground, water started flowing as a river. This river came to be known as Silambu
river but its name was later changed to Panguni river.
Saint
Sundaramurthy Nayanar:
Saint Sundaramurthy
Nayanar got a bag of gold from Lord Shiva in this place. Saint Sundarar used to
get gold from Lord Shiva to feed his followers. After worshipping the lord in
Thiruvanaikaval, he came to this temple and sang in praise of the lord seeking
gold. Lord Shiva kept mum. Angred, Sundarar continued his Pathigam in a loud
voice questioning whether there was someone called Lord Shiva here or not.
Pleased with Sundarar’s hymn, Lord Shiva gave him a purse containing gold. Yet
he was doubtful about its purity and examined it closely. Two men came to him
and asked him why he was doing so. Sundarar sought their help in determining
the purity of the gold.
Both of them confirmed the purity of the metal after scratching it. Both disappeared instantly. Sundarar sang again saying that he did not mean to insult or doubt the Lord. Lord Shiva appeared before him and said that he himself had come as the assessor and his companion was Lord Mahavishnu. Hence the Lord here is named “Matru Urai Nathar” – God who confirmed the purity of gold – (“Matru” means quality, Urai” means “Urasi Parthal” - scratching and assessing while “Nathar” is a respectful suffix in Tamil).
Goddess
Balambikai:
Goddess Balambikai here
has a unique posture – her left hand looks like a crab (Nandu / Kadagam in
Tamil). It is also said that this is the only temple where you can see Goddess
Parvathy’s hand like this.
It is believed that taking the abishekam milk
of this goddess for three consecutive Sundays would give relief to children who
are born with the “Balarishta dosham” (The child who is afflicted
by Balarishta dosha will suffer from frequent inexplicable ailments
that will fail to respond to conventional medical treatment).
People
who worshipped here:
Lord Brahma, Goddess
Parvathi, Goddess Lakshmi and Sage Agasthiar have worshipped Lord Shiva of this
temple.
SALIENT
FEATURE:
·
Saint Sambanthar sang a hymn and cured a
girl from Muyalagan disease.
·
Lord Shiva gave a purse containing gold
to Saint Sundarar here.
·
This east facing temple has a 5-tiered
main tower (Rajagopuram)
·
This temple is considered to be
significant for its three important attributes – Murthy, Sthalam and Theertham
(glory of Lord, sacredness of the land and the auspicious temple tank).
·
Devotees pray to Lord Shiva here by
lighting lamps with “Iluppai” oil for welfare of their family and removal of
evil effects surrounding them. Those seeking “Santhana Prapthi” (child boon)
also pray to Goddess Balambikai here.
TEMPLE INFORMATION:
|
Moolavar |
Sri
Maatrurai Varadeeswarar, Sri Matrari Varathar, |
|
Ambal |
Sri
Balambikai Amman, Sri Balasoundari |
|
Theertham |
Annamam
Poikai, Kollidam river, Silambu (Panguni) river |
|
Sthala
Vriksham |
Vanni
Tree |
BELIEF:
Thiruvasi is considered
to be equivalent to visiting Kasi (Banaras).
This temple is famous
as a Parihara sthalam for those suffering from Balarishta Dosham.
Devotees believe that
worshipping the goddess here for 5 consecutive Fridays will remove obstacles
from their marriage proposals.
It is also believed
that devotees who are facing stomach related illnesses, nervous weakness,
epilepsy and paralysis can worship Lord Natarajar here for one mandalam (45
days) to get relief.
|
Tamil Month |
English Month |
Festival Name |
|
Vaikasi |
May-June |
11-day Brahmotsavam |
|
Markazhi |
Dec-Jan |
Arudra
Dharisanam |
|
Karthikai |
Nov-Dec |
Thirukarthikai |
|
Thai |
Jan-Feb |
Thai Poosam |
HOW
TO REACH:
Thiruvasi is located at
a distance of about 13 kms from Trichy on the Trichy-Salem route via
Ayyanpalayam. Nearest railway station is Uttamarkoil which is 5 kms away from
this place.
TEMPLE
ADDRESS:
Sri Matrurai Varadeeswarar Temple,
Thiruvasi,
Mannachanallur,
Trichy,
Tamil Nadu – 621216.
LOCATION:
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