72. SRI PASUPATHEESWARAR TEMPLE AT THIRUKKONDEESWARAM

Devara Paadal Petra Sthalam	189th Shiva Sthalams(One of the Devara Paadal Petra Shiva Sthalam)
Region	Chola Naadu - South
Chola Naadu - South	72nd Shiva Sthalam
Pathigam	Saint Thirunavukarasar (Appar)

HISTORY:

Lord Shiva had cursed Goddess Parvathi that she would be born on earth in the form of a cow. When she pleaded for forgiveness, Lord Shiva told her that she would be rid of this curse at an appropriate time and place. Thereafter she would join him again.

Goddess Parvathi, in the form of a cow, roamed all over the earth before reaching this Vilvaranyam. Angered by this curse, she was tearing the earth with her horns at various places. At one place, her horns hit on a lingam that was under the ground. As soon as her horns hit the lingam, it split and started oozing blood.  On seeing the blood, the cow started pouring her milk on it to stop the bleeding. Once the cow started pouring the milk, it got transformed back to Goddess Parvathy and Lord Shiva appeared before her to lift the curse. The scar mark can still be seen on this lingam.

Hence the lord here is praised as “Sri Pasupatheeswarar” (“Pasu” means cow) and this temple’s Theertham is known as Ksheera Pushkarini. 

Goddess Parvathy is worshiped here in the form of Kamadhenu and this place is also known as “Kondeecharam” (“Kondi” means ferocious cow).

This ancient temple is located on the southern bank of the river Mudikondan. In ancient times, this region was densely covered with Vilwa trees. Hence, this place gets the name Vilvaranyam. The historical names of this place are Vilvaranyam and Thirukkondeecharam. However, now this place is known as Thirukkandeeswaram. There is a stone inscription in this temple which dates back to the period of Vijayanagara King Veera Krishnadevarayar.

Lord Guru:

This is the second of the four sthalams where Lord Guru (“Prahaspathy” also known as “Viyazhan” in “Navagraham”) worshiped Lord Shiva and received his blessings.

Sage Agasthiyar:

When Sage Agasthiyar visited this place, he was suffering from high fever. It is believed that Lord Shiva came in the form of Jurakeswarar and cured him.

Seven Lord Shiva temples:

There are seven Lord Shiva temples whose name ends with “Charam”. All of them are also Devara Paadal Petra Sthalams. They are –

·        Thiru Mundeecharam,

·        Thiru Patteswaram,

·        Thiru Naraiyur Siddheecharam,

·        Thiru Kondeecharam (this place),

·        Thiru Pugalur Vardhamaneecharam,

·        Thiru Ramadeecharam, and

·        Thiru Ketheecharam.

SALIENT FEATURE:

·        This temple’s tank is in the form of a semicircle around the temple (“Akazhi” in Tamil).

·        Beautiful paintings depicting the Sthala Puranam can be seen in the main hall.

·        In the sanctum’s tower, there is a sculpture depicting a cow pouring its milk on a Shivalingam.

·        There is a separate shrine for Goddess Jyeshta Devi, sister of Goddess Mahalakshmi. She is the wife of Saneeswarar. It is believed that by worshiping her, devotees are blessed with wedding boon, child boon and relief from black magic (“Pilli, Soonyam and Yeval”).

·        Behind the sanctum sanctorum, on either sides of Lord Lingothbavar, there are idols of Lord Mahavishnu and Lord Brahma in a worshipping posture. Devotees can enjoy the darshan of all the three lords (Trimurthys) – Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. This is considered to be very auspicious.

·        In the Navagraham, all the other idols are facing the Suryan. 

·        The front hall (Mandapam) of this temple is designed to look like the forehead of a bat (“Vovval Nethi Mandapam”). This looks very beautiful.

·        In the “Vovval Nethi mandapam”, there are beautiful reliefs of Abathsahaya Maharishi, Goddess Parvathy in the form of a cow worshiping the lord and Jurakeswarar with three legs.

TEMPLE INFORMATION:

Moolavar	Sri Pasupatheeswarar
Ambal	Sri Santha Nayagi
Theertham	Ksheera Pushkarani
Sthala Vriksham	Vilvam tree

 

BELIEF:

It is believed that worshiping Lord Shiva here will result in the reunion of estranged couples.

Devotees suffering from fever can worship Lord Jurahareswarar here by performing abhishekam using hot water and then making an offering of cooked rice with hot pepper water (“Rasam”). It is believed that by doing so, they will be cured of all kinds of fevers.

Thursdays in the Tamil month of Karthikai are considered important here and special poojas are performed on these days.

TEMPLE FESTIVAL:

Tamil Month	English Month	Festival Name
Chithirai	Apr-May
Vaikasi	May-June
Aani	June-July	Aani Thirumanjanam
Aadi	July-Aug	Aadi Pooram
Avani	Aug-Sept	Vinayakar Chaturthi
Purattasi	Sep-Oct	Navarathri
Aippasi	Oct–Nov	Skanda Shashti and Annabishekam
Karthikai	Nov-Dec	Thiru Karthikai
Karthikai	Nov-Dec	Theerthavari festival is celebrated on a Thursday  (during “emakandam”, between 06:00 AM and 07:30 AM)
Markazhi	Dec-Jan	Thiruvadhirai
Thai	Jan-Feb	Makara Sankranthi
Thai	Jan-Feb	Thai Poosam
Maasi	Feb-Mar	Maha Shivrathri
Panguni	Mar-Apr

HOW TO REACH:

Thiru Kondeecharam is situated at a distance of about 3 kms from Nannilam, en route Sanna Nallur (take the diversion road near the village Thoothukudi).

Nannilam is situated at a distance of about 30 kms from Kumbakonam on the Kumbakonam to Nagore route. It can also be reached from Mayiladuthurai (30 kms) on the Mayiladuthurai to Thiruthuraipoondi route (Via Nannilam).

From Thiruvarur, this place is about 17 kms on the Thiruvarur to Mayiladuthurai route (Via Nannilam).

Nearest Railway station is Nannilam which is about 3 kms away from this place.

TEMPLE ADDRESS:

Sri Pasupatheeswarar Temple,
Thirukkondeeswaram,
Sanna Nallur Via,
Nannilam,
Thiruvarur,
Tamil Nadu – 610 105.

LOCATION: