Posted
by Shamala Krishnan
- Kundrakudi: Subramanya Swamy Temple.
The temple is 9 kms to east from Tirupathoore. The temple is on a hillock and in the main sanctum, shanmuga nadhar is seen with 6 faces and 12 hands.
Main Deity: Shanmuga nadhar.
Brahma, indra, Suryan, Naradhar, Vasishtar, and Pandavas worshipped Subramanya of this place. Peacock penanced and worshipped Murugan of this place to get rid of his curse and was blessed.
Arunagiri nadhar sang Thiruppugazh on Murugan of this place.
Other deties seen in the temple are Swarna Ganapathy, Natarajar, Bairavar, Navagraham, Nalvar, Veerabaghu, Somaskandar, viswanadhar and Visalakshi. There is a beautifully carved wooden chariot for the temple.
- Vairavanpatti: Bairavar temple.
The temple is 7 kms NE toThiruppatur, and 2 kms from Pillayarpatti.
Main deity: Swayambu linga known as Valarolinadhar and Goddess Vadivuda ammai.
Importance: Though Bairavar is Parivara deviam he is important here and called as Raja Marthanda vairavar.
As per Purana, for vairavar, Tiruppathur is considered as Home town and Vairavan patti is Idyasthanam{heart) and Illupaikudi as padasthanam.
The temple belongs to tretha yugam period. The temple was taken care by Pandya Kings and in 14th century the temple was handed over to Nagarathar {Nattukotai chettiars who settled in Pandya kingdom in718 AD.
Pandya King handed over 9 temples to Nagarathar of which one is Vairavanpatti. Origanally the construction of temple was of mud, in 1864 Nagarathar changed it into stone construction. The main front hall is of beautifully sculptured pillars. The temple is well maintained with beautiful sculptures, carvings and paintings.
Sthala Vruksham: Erazinchil tree. One thing unique about the tree is fruit of the tree when it falls down it sticks back to the tree once again. Once the place was full of this tree and now of course we do not find it. They have started cultivating the tree once again. We find stone sculpture of the tree in the temple.
Teertham is vairava teertham. The greatness of the place is noted for Moorthy sthalam and teertham.
[Idya sthanam][Padha sthanam][Nattukottai Chettiar]
- Arul migu Immayil Nanmaitharuvar Temple:
One of the pancha boodha sthalam of Madurai district.
Main Deity: Siva linga known as Immayil Nanmaitharuvar and Goddess Naduvoor Nayaki.Sthala vruksham is Vilvam and teertham is Siva teertham in this temple.
Importance: According to Thiruviladayal puranam this is the place where Siva played a role as bangle merchant.
Sthala purana says, Lord Siva and sakthi made a Linga and worshipped in this place, so we see Lord Siva and Parvathi sculpture at the back of the Lingam in the form of worshipping, which is something unique in this place.
Purana says one who worship Lord Siva of this place, attain mukthi in the same birth, hence he is known as Immayil Nanmaitharuvar.
Brahma, Thirumal, Sakthi and Devas worshipped Lord Siva of this place.
- Madana gopala Swamy:
The temple is in melamasi veedhi, Madurai.
Main deity: Madhana Gopala swamy and goddess Maduravalli thayar. Sthala Vruksham is Plaintain.
Sthala purana says Lord Siva worshipped and penenced in front of a sivalinga which he installed. The intensity was too much for the living beings in the world, so Vishnu played his flute to divert Lord Siva’s attention and he was able to get the thing done. They say one who wants to become well versed in music worship Madhana gopala swamy and get the blessings of Lord.
- Azagar Temple or Koodal Azagar:
This is One of 108 Divya Desam. The temple belongs to krutha yugam. The temple is between Kruthamala River and Vaigai River
Main Deity: Koodal Azagar in sitting posture known as Vuga Sundarajar, Vaikundanadhan and Goddess Madura valli Nachiyar, in different sanctum.
Sthala Vruksham is Kathali. {Plaintain}. Teertham is Hema Pushkarani.
Importance: The main sanctum vimanam here known as Astanga Vimanam which means eight sides and it represents eight letters Narayana. The temple is of three floors and we see koodal Azagar in three different forms.
As we enter we see the main deity in standing posture known as Koodal Azagar, Second floor he is in standing posture as Soorya Narayanar and in third floor in sleeping posture as Ranganadhar. We see Navagrahas in the temple which is a rare thing in Vishnava temples.
Purna says Deva architect Viswakarma designed and constructed the temple in Krutha yugam.
Name: once there was heavy rainfall and living beings suffered a lot. They prayed almighty and he was pleased with the prayer and sent four clouds which joined in four directions, in this place and protected them. Hence the place is known as Thiru koodal.
- Thuvarimaan Agraharam:
The temple is 10 kms distance from Madurai. This place is considered as South Dwaraka.
Main Deity: Ranganadha perumal in standing posture. This place is Avathara sthalam of Machya Avathara Moorthy. It is on the bank of Kruthamala River. We find jeeyar madam next to the temple.
- Cholavandhan: Siva temple.
Main deity: Siva linga known as Pralaya Nadhar and Soundara Nayaki.
The place is 26 kms NW of Madurai.Teertham is vaigai River.
Name: Lord Siva helped to control the flood in the River Vaigi, so the main deity is known as Pralaya Nadhar. The Lingam is Bana lingam, and Goddess Pushpakesi Amman.
Janaka penenced here and Lord was pleased with his prayer, and his wish was fulfilled. Janaka wanted Narayanar to become his son-in-law, and this was fulfilled during Ramavatharam.
Other deities in the temple are Ganesha, Subramanyar, Natarajar, Dakshina moorthy, Nalvar, Navagraham and Mannikavachakar sannidhi.
- Chitra Radha Vallabar: Perumal temple. The temple is at Kuruvithurai, Madurai
Main Deity: Sri Vallabar, and Goddess Sanbaga Devi.
Importance: There is a separate temple for Guru Bhagavan in front of chitra radha vallabha perumal temple. Guru is in meditating form.
We see chakkrathazwar beside him in the sanctum which is unique. Teertham is Vaigai River.
Purana says Deva Guru’s son Kanchan went to Asura Guru Suckracharya to learn the Mridhasanjeevini mantra. Kanchan was arrested by asuras when they came to know he was Deva Guru’s son. So Deva Guru mediated and prayed Lord Sriman narayanar to help him in getting his son released from Asura’s.
Lord Narayanayar asked Chakkrat Azwar to help Guru in his mission. This is the reason we see them both in same sanctum.
- Jaya Veera Anjaneyar: Anaypatti, Madurai.
Main deity: Veera Anjaneyar.
Sthala purana says Beeshmacharayar of Dwapara Yugam worshipped Hanuman of this place.
- Iravadeeswarar temple:
This temple belongs to 9th century, and it’s well maintained.The temple is Anaiyoor, near Usilampatti.
Main deity: Swayambu Linga known as irabadeeswarar And Sivakami Ammai in separate sanctum.
Importance: Iravadam worshipped Siva here and was blessed. We see sculpture of Jeshta Devi with Mandi and Agni.
Posted
by Shamala Krishnan
Posted
by Shamala Krishnan
- Thiru Vadhavoor:
Vaippu sthalam of Lord Siva.
The place is 9 kms from Melur, and 19 kms to NE of Madurai.
Main deity is Swayambu linga known as Thirumarai nadhar and his consort Goddess Thirumarai nayaki in a separate sanctum.Magizha maram is sthala vruksham in this place. Teertham is Baragava teertham and Kapila teertham.
Importance: This is birth place of Manickavachakar, one of samaya kurvar nalvar.
Purana saya Vayu bagwan worshipped Siva here for blessing of a child.
Sani bagavan was relieved of muscle pain, after worshipping Lord Siva of this place.
Here Sani Bagwan is in separate sanctum folding one of his legs and seated on his vahana.
This is the place, were Nandi Devar was born and named as Thiruvadhavooran.
With the blessings of his guru he was called as Manikavachakar.Siva leela story of fox transforming to horse is related to this place.
Other deities in the temple are Chintamani Ganapathy, Murugan, Kaliswarar, Viswanadhar, Natarajar, Vyagyapadha muni, Patanjali muni, bairavar, Manikkavachakar and sundarar.
- Thiru koshtioor: One of 108 Divya Desam.
The place is about 10 kms from Thirupatoore.
Main Deity: Uragamellanian in reclined posture, urchavar Sowmyanarayana perumal in standing posture and Goddess Thiru Mamagal Nachiar.Teertham is Deva pushkarani.
Importance: The temple is of four floors. Main deity is in sleeping posture in first floor, to the second and third floor we see deities in sitting and standing posture, and the final fourth floor is the terrace from where Ramanajur announced the secret moola mantra of OM NAMO NARAYANA for the benefit of one and all.
We see Ramanujar and Thirukoshitur Nambi sculptures facing the city in front. Indra and Kadamba muni were blessed by lord of this place.
[Manikkavachakar][vaippu sthalam][Ramanujar][Thirukoshitur Nambi][Divya Desam]
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