Aavarani Pudhuchery Nateswarar

Shri Nateswara Swamy Temple, Aavarani Pudhuchery

Some temples are unique and the joy one gets while visiting them is immense. The purpose of Aalayam Kanden is to identify these lesser known gems and to highlight them so that those in search of such temples can visit and experience them easily.

A couple of years ago, I had written an article on the Aavarani Ananthanarayana Perumal temple in Nagapattinam district, where the gigantic 21 feet Perumal is bedecked with beautiful jewels rendered through the hymns of  Thirumangai Azhwar. The link to the article is here. Just on the outskirts of Aavarani is a hamlet called Pudhuchery (not to be confused with Pondicherry). It is here that the unique Swayambu Nateswara Swamy temple is found.

So what is so unique about this temple? To know it, we need to go into its legend.

Sage Vashista and Devathachan

Lord Ganesha at the Aavarani Pudhuchery Temple

On the banks of River Pasumpuli, lived a young boy called Devathachan. Right from childhood, he was very fond of Lord Shiva and would bathe in the river, and collect water while singing hymns in praise of the Lord. He also made a Shivalingam out of sand and started performing abhishekam with milk every day. Over time,this sand lingam tightened up and formed like an anthill.  

One night, the river was in spate. As the water levels rose, Sage Vashista who was on a pilgrimage and had set up his temporary shelter near the river, was worried that the rising water would soon dissolve the lingam so passionately worshipped by young Devathachan and therefore somehow wanted to save it. So he embraced it, attempting to shield it with his body. In the meantime, Devathachan was restless in his house. He was worried about his lingam and if he would be able to save the Lord from being dissolved in the rain. He begged his widowed mother, to allow him to go and check. However, the mother was worried about sending her young son out alone in the dark, particularly when it was raining heavily and the river was in spate. She pleaded with him to hold on till dawn. The boy wept bitterly, unable to disobey his mother and at the same time worried about the status of his loving Lord.

At the crack of dawn, the rains stopped and the river started flowing as if nothing had happened. The boy ran towards the river and found Sage Vashista in an embrace with the linga. The little boy ran towards the rishi and fell at his feet in gratitude for having saved his Lord. The Rishi opened his eyes to look at what he was holding.

To both their surprise and astonishment, the baanam (top portion of the lingam) now looked like the Shiva Kayilai and Sakthi Kayilai as it appears to those who perform the inner parikrama of Mount Kailash. It was as if Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati had appeared as the divine couple from the waters of the river to answer the prayers of their young devotee. The Sage was over joyed with the grace of the Lord and so were the villagers who had then all gathered by the river. They built a small shrine at where the Lord had chosen to stay and it came to be called "Puthira chery", the place where God had appeared for the young boy (Puthiran).

The Shivakayilai Shakthikayilai Swayambu lingam at Aavarani Pudhuchery

Over time, the name has morphed into Pudhuchery and since found on the outskirts of Aavarani, it has come to be known as Aavarani Pudhuchery. The Pasumpuli river that surrounded the lingam built by Devathachan to change it into the Shivakayilai and Shakthikayilai has shrunk into a tank known as the "Puthrakaameshti Theertham". Those seeking noble children bathe in this tank (which currently needs renovation and repairs) and worship Nateswara Swamy on Thiruvathirai day. Worshipping the deity continuously for 64 days is recommended for those having problems with conceiving naturally. The temple is commonly known as Shivakayilai Shakthikayilai. No one really knows why and how the deity came to be called Nateswarar.

Goddess Akilandeswari at Aavarani Pudhuchery

Goddess Akilandeswari is a later addition to the temple. A seperate shrine seems to have been built for her in the 14th century. Unique Chola bronzes belonging to this temple are in safe custody. The sthala puranam says the deities were worshipped by Kali and A Kali bronze has been unearthed a few years ago, while making some civil alterations in the temple. Several people throng here to worship her for Rahu Dasa Pariharam on New Moon days (Amavasai) when she is taken out on procession around the temple in a small chapparam. There is a seperate shrine for Shanaichara, facing East.

Goddess Kali at the Aavarani Pudhuchery Temple

How to reach here: The temple is close to Sikkal on the Nagapattinam - Thiruvarur Route. GPS coordinates (10.73420144,79.77142729)

Temple Timings: 8 - 11.30, 5 - 8 pm

Contact: S Kalidasa Gurukkal - 97865 82492

Adi Annamalai - where Tiruvempavai was born!

 

The Adi Annamalai Temple in Tiruvannamalai

Come Margazhi - Tamil Households, temples and sabhas come alive to the hymns of Thirupaavai and Thiruvempavai, songs that sing the glory of Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva respectively. While the former was rendered by Andal, the latter is to the credit of Saint Manickavasagar, one among the quartet of Shaiva saints who sang hymns in praise of Lord Shiva. 

Thirupaavai and Thiruvempaavai have a couple of similarities - the singer along with female friends is observing the "Paavai Nonbu", a ritual followed by unmarried girls during the month of Margazhi in order to obtain virtuous husbands. Manickavasagar is believed to have taken the "Nayaki Bhavam" to render the Thiruvempaavai.

Saint Manickavasagar

Born in Thiruvadhavur in the 9th Century, as Vadhavooraar, Manickavasagar was minister to King Arimarthana Pandian (Varagunavarman II). The king entrusted him with a large amount of money to buy horses for the army. When the Minister set out on his task, he was met with by Lord Shiva in Thiruperunthurai (Avudaryarkoil) and upon receiving enlightenment, spent all the money on renovating the temple. When the king asked Vadhavoraar to present the horses, he did not know what to do and sought the help of  Lord Shiva who played a divine drama (Thiruvilaiyaadal) and converted all the foxes around Madurai into horses and sent them to the King's stables. At dawn, the foxes turned into their original selves and ran away.

(Photo Courtesy: Adbh266 - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0)

On hearing this, the king imprisoned Vaadhavooraar. In jail, he rendered several hymns that would melt even the heartless, in praise of the Lord. Finally, the Lord made the King realise the truth. Freed from prison, Vadhavoorar who had received the title Manickavasagar from the Lord himself, for each of his verses was like a precious gem,set out on a pilgrimage, visiting several shrines, before coming to Adi Annamalai in Tiruvannamalai.

Adi Annamalai is known by other names such as Aadhi Annamalai (as sung by Arunagirinathar in his Thirupugazh - Aadhi Arunachalam Amarndha Perumaane and Ani Annamalai, a jewel decorating the foothills of Annamalai. The deity here is believed to have been installed by Lord Brahma. 

Lord Brahma and Adi Annamalai

Brahma and Thilothama

When Brahma created Thilothama, a celestial being, with the finest particles of heaven, earth and the underworld (another version says Brahma asked Vishwakarma to create her) he was smitten by her beauty. Faces evolved in all directions of his head just to see her, as she circumambulated him after being created. Overcome by lust, Brahma asked Thilothama to be his. However, she was shocked, as by virtue of creating her, he was her father. She started running away in fear. With Maya shrouding his intellect, Brahma took the form of a male deer and started following her. 

When she could run no longer, Tilothama took the form a female pigeon and started flying towards Thiruvannamalai, where the Lord had risen in the form of a pillar of light when Brahma and Vishnu were unable to find his feet and tresses. Brahma also took the form of a male pigeon and tried to catch up with her. On Tilothama entering the holy land of Thiruvannamalai, that provides mukthi to those who merely think of it, Lord Shiva took the form of a hunter, and shot down the male pigeon . Brahma was brought out of Maya as soon as his body touched the holy ground. He realised with shame, the foolishness and impropriety of his behaviour and was very repentent. He sought the forgiveness of Thilothama. In order to atone his sins, he installed a Shivalingam on the foothills of Annamalai, to the West of the main shrine, at the spot where he had been relieved of Maya. He created a Brahma theertham next to it and a tank known even today as Ayyankulam (Ayan is another name of Brahma).

Brahma Theertham, now known as Manickavasagar Theertham

It was on the banks of the Ayyankulam that Ramana Maharishi reached on arriving at Thiruvannamalai. He bathed in its holy waters and when he stepped out, he knew his calling. It was the time to renounce all that he had. He threw away the food he had carried from home, and discarded his clothes, but for a piece of dhoti to be worn as a loin-cloth. On seeing this, a barber asked if he wanted his head to e tonsured . He gave up his hair and was ready for his sadhana. A shrine for Arunagirinathar is also found on the banks of this tank.

Ayyankulam Tank

On arriving at Adi Annamalai, Manickavasagar set himself up a few metres from the temple, bathed in the Brahma Theertham which came to be known as the Manickavasagar Theertham and worshipped the Kuzhumani Vinayakar and the Lord every day. The 8th Century Thirupaavai has thirty hymns of Andal calling out her friends to wake up, bathe, observe the paavai nombu and serve/worship the Lord.

Kuzhumani Vinayakar worshipped by Saint Manickavasagar

Manickavasagar, sang twenty songs grouped together as the Thiruvempaavai, in the month of Margazhi urging the young girls to bathe in the Brahma Theertham and serve the Lord of Adi Annamalai. This along with the ten songs of Thirupalliezhuchi make up the Thiruvempaavai. All verses end with the word "Empaavaai", giving it its name. Pleased with his devotion, Lord Shiva appeared before Manickavasagar. The Manickavasagar Matam (Mutt) stands at the place where this happened. 

Manickavasagar Mutt (Photo Courtesy: arunachala-live.com)

This Margazhi, let us attempt to read and enjoy the essence of Thirupaavai and Thiruvempaavai.