Devara Paadal Petra Sthalam | 205th Shiva Sthalams(One of the Devara Paadal Petra Shiva Sthalam) |
Region | Chola Naadu - South |
Chola Naadu - South | 88th Shiva Sthalam |
Pathigam | Saint Thirugnanasambanthar, Saint Thirunavukarasar (Appar)
and Saint Sundaramurthy (Sundarar) |
HISTORY:
Shiva
is worshiped as Vanmiganathar, and is represented by the lingam.
Daily poojas are offered to his idol referred to as Maragatha lingam. The
main idol of worship is Lord Thiyagarajar, depicted as a Somaskanda form.His
consort Parvathi is
depicted as Kondi. The presiding deity is revered in the 7th century Saiva
canonical work, the Tevaram, written in Tamil by saint poets known as the nayanars and
classified as Paadal Petra Sthalam.
The
temple complex covers 30 acres, and is one of the largest in India. It houses
nine gateway towers known as gopurams. The
tallest is the eastern tower, with four stories and a height of 30 metres
(98 ft). The temple has numerous shrines, with those of Thyagaragar
(Veethi Vidangar) and Neelothbalambal (Alliyankothai) being the most prominent.
The
temple has six daily rituals at various times from 5:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.,
and twelve yearly festivals on its calendar. The temple has the largest chariot
in Asia and the annual Chariot festival is celebrated during the month of
April.
The
present masonry structure was built during the Chola
dynasty in the 9th century, while later expansions are attributed
to Vijayanagar rulers of the Sangama
Dynasty (1336–1485 CE), the Saluva
Dynasty and the Tuluva
Dynasty (1491–1570 CE).
The
historic name of Thiruvarur was Aaroor (Arur) and it finds mention in
the 7th century saiva canonical work, Tevaram. The
term Thiru is added to all temple cities that are mostly revered by
the verses of Tevaram, which is the case
of Arur becoming Thiruvarur. Another name of Thiruvarur is
Kamalalayaksetra, meaning the "holy place that is an abode of
lotuses"; the town is also referred so due to the presence of the
Kamalalayam tank and the temple deity, Kamalambigai. During the British Raj,
the town was
termed Tiruvalur, Tiruvaloor, and Thiruvalur. As per
the district and municipality websites, the district has the spelling
"Tiruvarur", while the town has it as "Thiruvarur". As
per Hindu legend, the temple is the place where Kamalaambika's penance to marry
Thyagaraja remain unfulfilled.
The
Thyagarajar Temple at Tiruvarur is famous for the ajapa thanam(dance
without chanting), that is executed by the deity itself. According to legend,
a Chola king
named Mucukunta obtained a boon from Indra(a celestial
deity) and wished to receive an image of Thyagaraja Swamy(presiding
deity, Shiva in
the temple) reposing on the chest of reclining Lord Vishnu. Indra tried to
misguide the king and had six other images made, but the king chose the right
image at Tiruvarur. The other six images were installed in
Thirukkuvalai, Nagapattinam, Tirukarayil, Tirukolili, Thirukkuvalai
and Tirumaraikadu. All the seven places are villages
situated in the river Cauvery delta.
All seven Thyagaraja images are said to dance when taken in procession(it is
the bearers of the processional deity who actually dance). The temples with
dance styles are regarded as Saptha Vidangam(seven dance moves).
Muchukunda:
A Chola king
named Muchukunda obtained
a boon from Indra(a
celestial deity) and wished to receive an image of Thyagaraja Swamy(presiding
deity, Shiva in
the temple) reposing on the chest of reclining Lord Vishnu. Indra tried to
misguide the king and had six other images made, but the king chose the right
image at Tiruvarur.
The
temple is believed to have been initiated with a large complex by the Pallavas during
the 7th century. Contemporary history of the temple dates back to the time
of the Medieval Cholas. An inscription dated in the 20th regnal year of
Rajendra I(1012–1044) beginning with introduction "Tirumanni valara"
is found on the north and west walls of the Thyagaraja shrine.It gives a list
of gifts including a number of jewels and lamps to the god
veedhividankar(Thyagarajar).It records that the temple was built in stone in
the regnal years of the king by Anukkiyar Paravai Nangaiyar.Besides the same
lady liberally endowed gold for plating and gilding parts of the vimana, the
entrance and the four sides of the shrine.Copper was also donated for plating
the doors, corbels of the pillars of the mandapa in front of the shrine.This
inscription meticulously records the weight of the endowed gold and copper,
besides listing the various ornaments gifted to the temple with description
each of them.
The
temple complex seems to have acted as the cultural model for the big Brahadeeswarar temple at Thanjavur of Rajaraja
Chola I, wherein he enshrined a vitankar which shared with
the Adavallan of Chidambaram the status of state cult. The last Chola monarch
to play an important role in the affairs of the temple was Kulothunga Chola III in the early part of
the 13th century A.D. It attracted saivas of all
schools and was important centre of Golaki matha in the 13th and 14th
century. It was also an important Jaina dwelling
place, which was attacked by saivas, as is evident from Periya
Puranam, account of life of Dandiyadigal Nayanar.
Chariot festival:
Kulothunga Chola
II (1133–50 CE)
enlarged the temple ritual to have fifty six festivals, some of which are
followed in modern times. The annual chariot festival of the
Thygarajaswamy temple is celebrated during April – May, correspondong to
the Tamil month of Chitrai. The chariot is the largest of its kind in
Asia and India weighing 300 tonne with a height of 96 ft (29 m). The
chariot comes around the four main streets surrounding the temple during the
festival. The event is attended by lakhs of people from all over Tamil Nadu.
The chariot festival is followed by the "Theppam", meaning float
festival. The memorial for Thiruvalluvar, Valluvar
Kottam, is inspired from the design of the Thiruvarur chariot.
SALIENT
FEATURE:
·
The temple
complex occupies an area of around 17 acres (6.9 ha) with the Kamalalayam
tank to its west, which occupies the same area. The temple has nine gopurams,
80 vimanas,
twelve temple walls, 13 halls, fifteen large temple water bodies, three
gardens, and three large precincts. The major gopuram of the temple is
seven-tiered and raises to a height of 118 ft (36 m).
·
The two main
shrines of the temple are for Vanmikinathar (Shiva) and Thyagarajar. Of the two, the former is the
most ancient, and derives its name from tha anthill(putru), which takes the
place of linga in
the main shrine. Appar, the 7th-century poet saint, refers to the main deity in
his hymn as puttritrukondan(one who resides in the ant hill).
·
The Stala
vriksham(temple tree) is patiri(trumpet flower tree). The principles
and practises of tree-worship and ophilotary are ancient bases whereupon a
later date linga worship
seems to have been established.
·
As per folk
legend, Thiruvarur is mentioned as the capital town of a legendary Chola
king, Manu Needhi
Cholan, who killed his own
son to provide justice to a cow. The temple has a sculptural
representation of a stone chariot, Manuneethi Chozan, the cow and the kid under
the chariot in Vittavasal, against the northeast direction of the gopuram.
·
Here all the
nine Navagrahas (planetary
deities) are located towards south in straight line also located in northwest
corner of 1st (prakaram).
It is believed that all the planetary deities got relieved off their curse and
hence worshiped Thyagaraja.
·
This temple hold
the record of having maximum number of shrines (called sannithis in
Tamil) in India.
·
The foot of
Thyagaraja is shown twice a year and on other occasions it is covered with
flowers. The left leg of the deity is displayed during
"panguniuthram" festival and right leg on "thiruvathirai".
·
The temple has a
lot of halls, with six of them being the most prominent. Bhaktha Katchi hall is
located to the left of the image of Moosukuntha Nandi.
·
The festival
image of Thyagaraja arrives at this hall after the Panguni Uthiram festival.
·
Oonjal hall is
located opposite to the Kabatha Katchi hall. The festival images of
Chandrasekarar and Sekari Amman arrive at this hall during the Thiruvadhirai
festival.
·
Thulapara hall
is named after the legend in which king Mucundaka placed Thyagaraja image of
Thiruvarur in one and all others in another plate he received from Indra (the
king of celestial deities).
·
Purana hall is
located in the northern part of the temple. Rajanarayana hall is a public hall
for localities of Thiruvaru. Rajendra Chola hall, also called Sababathi hall
houses the museum of the temple.
·
The idol of
Thiyagarajar is covered with a piece of cloth and flowers, so that only his and
amman's face is visible. His right foot and parvathy's right foot are revealed
on Aarudhra Dharshan in
the month of Margazhi, while his left foot and amman's left foot are
revealed on Panguni Uthiram.
TEMPLE INFORMATION:
|
Moolavar |
Sri
Veedhi Vitankar, Sri Tyagarajar, Sri Tirumoolattanar |
|
Ambal |
Sri
Alliyankothai, Sri Kamalambika |
|
Theertham |
Kamalalayam Theertham |
|
Sthala
Vriksham |
Pathiri
tree |
BELIEF:
Attending
the Sayarakshai at Thiruvarur and then attending the Ardha Jamam pooja at
Chidambaram is considered to be highly auspicious and beneficial.
There
is a nandhi (bull) here called Brahmma Nandhi, behind Lord Veedi Vidanga
Vinayaka sanctum. Devotees pray to the nandhi and fill the tub near it with
water seeking rain. People offer 'paal saadham' (milk rice) to Mother
Kamalambal on Navami day in Purattasi (September-October) for good health.
Those suffering from fever and seeking longevity offer Pepper Rasam to Lord
Juradeva. For uplift in life, devotees perform Mukundarchana to Lord
Thiagarajar which was said to have been performed by Lord Vishnu Himself.
|
Tamil Month |
English Month |
Festival Name |
|
Aani |
June-July |
Aani
Tirumanjanam |
|
Aadi |
July-Aug |
Aadi Pooram |
|
Avani |
Aug-Sept |
Vinayakar
Chaturthi |
|
Purattasi |
Sep-Oct |
Navarathri |
|
Aippasi |
Oct–Nov |
Skanda
Shashti and Annabishekam |
|
Karthikai |
Nov-Dec |
Thirukarthikai |
|
Markazhi |
Dec-Jan |
Thiruvadhirai |
|
Thai |
Jan-Feb |
Makara
Sankranthi |
|
Maasi |
Feb-Mar |
Maha Shivrathri |
|
Panguni |
Mar-Apr |
Annual Brhmmotsavam |
|
Panguni |
Mar-Apr |
Panguni Uthiram |
HOW
TO REACH:
Sri
Vanmeekinathar Temple is a Shiva temple, located in the town of Thiruvarur in Tamil Nadu, India.
TEMPLE
ADDRESS:
Sri Vanmeekinathar
Temple,
Tiruvarur,
Tamil Nadu.
LOCATION:
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