Devara Paadal Petra Sthalam | 187th Shiva Sthalams(One of the Devara Paadal Petra Shiva Sthalam) |
Region | Chola Naadu - South |
Chola Naadu - South | 70th Shiva Sthalam |
Pathigam | Saint Thirugnanasambanthar, Saint Thirunavukarasar (Appar)
and Saint Sundaramurthy (Sundarar) |
HISTORY:
Due to some conflict
between Goddess Sridevi and Boomadevi, Sridevi left Lord Mahavishnu. He then
came to this place and worshipped Lord Shiva here to seek his blessing to be
reunited with Goddess Sridevi. It is believed that Lord Shiva blessed him and
reunited the couple. Due to the “Vaanchai” (“vaanchi” means affection in Tamil)
this place gets the name Sri Vanchiyam.
This is one of the six
Shivasthalams on the banks of the river Cauvery which are considered to be very
sacred and are equivalent to Kasi (Banaras). These are Thiruvengadu,
Thiruvaiyaru, Chaayavanam, Mayiladuthurai, Thiruvidaimarudur and Thiruvanchiam
(this temple).
At the end of every
“Yuga”, there is a huge flood (deluge) that leads to the destruction of all
living beings on the earth. This is called the “Pralayam”. It is believed that
this place was not destroyed even at the end of the “Pralayam”.
It is believed that in
each of the four Yugas the idol of Lord Shiva takes a different form. It is
considered to be made out of gemstone (Rathinam) in Kretha Yuga, gold in
Thretha Yuga, silver in Dvapara Yuga and granite in Kali Yuga. The historical
names of this place are Vanchiyapathi, Santhanavanam, Thiruvaraiyur,
Bhukailasam and Gandhaaranyam.
Sri
Vazhavantha Nayaki:
Lord Shiva is believed
to have told Goddess Parvathi that he loves this place the most. She
visited this place and decided to stay here. Hence, she is praised here as “Sri
Vazhavantha Nayaki” (“vazhavantha” means “the one who came to stay” and
“nayaki” means goddess in Tamil).
Lord
Yama:
Lord Yama, the god of
death. In Hindu mythology, Yama is believed to be the one who decides the
afterlife for human beings based on their good or bad deeds. It is believed
that he was once very worried about himself. He was under the impression that
because of taking away many lives, he had accrued many sins. He felt that he
was destined to go to hell after his death. He sought the advice of Lord Brahma
for a solution to this problem. Lord Brahma asked Yama to go to earth and find
out a place on the banks of the river Cauvery, where Sandal wood trees were in
abundance. He asked him to perform penance there. He further advised Yama that
Lord Shiva will take care of him.
Yama found this place
(Sri Vanchiyam also known as “Gandhaaranyam”) to be the one that most suited
his needs. He performed his penance here. Pleased with his penance, Lord
Shiva blessed him with his dharisanam and told him that he had not done
anything wrong while performing his duties. The lord asked Yama to build a
temple for him which would also house a separate shrine for Yama. Lord Shiva
also granted him the status of the guardian of this temple - “Kshetra Palakar”.
The lord further informed that the people who visit this place should first
offer prayers to Yama. Lord Shiva advised Yama to bless the devotees who come
to worship him here with a long and peaceful life. Devotees would also be able
to break free from the continuous cycle of life, death and rebirth. Yama built
this temple and stayed here as the mount of Lord Shiva. Since this temple was
built in a forest of sandalwood trees, it is called “Gandhaaranyam” (the fragrant
forest).
Three
Theerthams :
There are three more
Theerthams associated with this temple - Lakshmi Theeratham, Naga Theertham and
Chakra Theertham. These were created by Goddess Lakshmi, Adhiseshan and Saint
Chakrathazhwar respectively. A dip in Lakshmi Theertham on Fridays in the Tamil
month of Aavani is believed to reunite a person with his estranged family. A
dip in Naga Theertham on “Thiruvonam” star day in the Tamil month of Vaikasi is
believed to liberate one from all the “Naga Doshas”. It is believed that by
taking a dip in Chakra Theertham on “Ekadasi/Dvathasi” days in the Tamil month
of Aavani, one is absolved of his “Brahmahathi dosham”.
River
Gange:
She thought that since many people take a dip
in her waters to cleanse themselves of their sins, she might have accrued all
of those sins. She prayed to Lord Shiva for relief and the lord advised her to
come to this place and take a dip in this temple’s tank. He also told her that
he had asked Yama to do the same when he had come to him with the same problem.
This tank is believed to have been created by Lord Shiva using his trident
(“Trisul”). Ganga visited this place, took a dip in the tank and worshiped the
lord. It is believed that she still stays in this temple’s tank. Hence this
tank is called “Guptaganga”.
Significance
of this temple:
Highlighting the
significance of this temple, Sage Agasthiyar said that one will get salvation
if one just thinks about this temple.
People who worshipped here:
Lord Mahavishnu, Brahma,
Indran, Suryan, Agni, Devas, Saptharishis, Sage Athiri and Sage Parasarar have
also worshiped the lord here.
SALIENT
FEATURE:
·
This temple is famous for Lord Yama’s,
poojas are performed first to Yama and then to the other gods.
·
This temple is famous as a Rahu-Ketu
parihara Sthalam.
·
This place is called as the “Mount
Kailash on earth” (“Bhoologa Kailash”).
·
This is one of a few Paadal petra
sthalams where the “Nalvar” (the four saints - Saint Thirugnanasambanthar,
Saint Thirunavukarasar (Appar), Saint Sundaramurthy (Sundarar) and Saint
Manickavasagar had rendered their Pathigams.
·
This east facing temple has 3 corridors
and its main tower (Rajagopuram) has 5-tiers.
·
The procedure to worship in this temple
is that one has to first take a dip in the Guptaganga, then worship Lord
Vinayakar on the banks of this tank, then go to Yama’s shrine for worship and
finally go to Lord Shiva’s shrine.
·
There is a “Yama Vahanam” (mount) in
this temple over which the procession idol of Lord Shiva is taken during
festivals.
·
The Sthala Viruksham of this temple is
Sandalwood tree. Here, Sandalwood leaves are used for pooja in place of Vilvam
leaves.
·
It is believed that by reciting Saint
Thirugnanasambanthar’s hymn, estranged couples will be reunited.
·
This temple is considered to be
significant for its three important attributes – Moorthy, Sthalam and Theertham
- glory of Lord, sacredness of the land and the auspicious temple tank.
·
Guptaganga Theertham is on the northern
side of the outer corridor. According to the Sthala Puranam, a holy dip in this
tank is equivalent to taking a dip in Varanasi, Rameswaram and the “Maha Maham
tank” in Kumbakonam. Lord Vinayakar on the banks of the Guptaganga is to be
worshiped after taking the holy dip.
·
It is believed that taking a dip in this
Theertham would help devotees get salvation and will help them break away from
the repetitive cycle of birth and re-birth.
·
In the first corridor, there is a relief
depicting Lord Vinayakar. He is praised as “Vennai (butter) Pillaiyar”.
People suffering from stomach ailments smear some butter on this Pillaiyar’s
stomach with the hope that they will be cured.
·
Another notable aspect in this temple is
that routine poojas are carried out even if a death occurs in this village.
Tradition mandates that the temple should remain closed if a death occurs in
the village. However, this is not the case in this temple.
·
This temple is also open during the time
of eclipse and special poojas are performed.
·
The sanctum sanctorum is in the form of
semi-circular tank (“akazhi” in Tamil).
·
One must visit this temple to experience
the grandeur and architectural beauty of the Chola and Nayakkar periods.
TEMPLE INFORMATION:
|
Moolavar |
Sri
Vaanchinathar, Sri Vanchi Lingeswarar |
|
Ambal |
Sri
Mangalambikai, Sri Vazhavantha Nayaki, Sri Sugandha Kundalaambikai |
|
Theertham |
Gupta
Ganga, Yama Theertham, Anandha Theertham, Deva Theertham, Lakshmi Theertham,
Naga Theertham and Chakra Theertham |
|
Sthala
Vriksham |
Sandalwood
tree |
BELIEF:
This is a famous
parihara sthalam for those afflicted with Rahu or Kethu dosham. By worshiping
Rahu and Kethu here devotees are blessed with marriage boon, progeny and cure
from nervous disorders.
It is believed that
devotees will be relieved from the fear of death if they worship Lord Yama
here.
Devotees worship the
lord here and seek his blessings for a long and prosperous life.
Devotees believe that
by worshiping Goddess Mahishasuramardhini here with 108 lotus flowers, they
will be relieved from all kinds of “doshas”.
|
Tamil Month |
English Month |
Festival Name |
|
Aadi |
July-Aug |
10-day Aadi Pooram festival |
|
Avani |
Aug-Sept |
Vinayakar Chaturthi and Aavani Moolam |
|
Purattasi |
Sep-Oct |
Navarathri |
|
Aippasi |
Oct–Nov |
Skanda Shashti and Annabishekam |
|
Aippasi |
Oct–Nov |
12-day “Kadai Gnayiru” festival |
|
Karthikai |
Nov-Dec |
Thiru Karthikai |
|
Karthikai |
Nov-Dec |
Theerthavari at Guptagangai on all
Sundays |
|
Markazhi |
Dec-Jan |
Thiruvadhirai |
|
Thai |
Jan-Feb |
|
|
Maasi |
Feb-Mar |
Maha Shivrathri |
|
Maasi |
Feb-Mar |
10-day Masi Maham festival |
HOW
TO REACH:
Thiru Vanchiyam (Sri
Vanchiyam) is located at a distance of about 30 kms from Kumbakonam on the
Kumbakonam - Natchiarkovil - Nannilam route. From Nannilam, it is about 6 kms
and from Thiruvarur, it is about 17 kms.
TEMPLE
ADDRESS:
Sri Vaanchinathaswamy Temple,
Sri Vanchiyam,
Nannilam,
Thiruvarur,
Tamil Nadu – 610 107.
LOCATION:
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