Amirthakateshwarar Temple (Karakkoil), Melakadambur, Cuddalore
Amirthakateshwarar Temple (Karakkoil) is located in
Melakadambur, located 31 kilometres (19 mi) from Chidambaram, and located at a distance of 6 km from Kattumannarkoil, Cuddalore district, Tamil
Nadu, India. It was constructed during the reign of Cholas by Kulothunga Chola. The temple and the village
are well known in Ponniyin Selvan Novel written by Kalki, as they are over than
1,000 years old. The Sivan temple at Melakadambur is a paadal Petra Sthalam. This Sivalingam is Self-manifested
or Swayambu Linga.
This is the 88th Devaram Paadal Petra Shiva
Sthalam and 34th sthalam on the north side of river Cauvery in Chozha
Nadu. Thiruganasambhandar and Appar have sung hymns in praise of Lord Shiva of
this temple.
Legends
Devas who churned the nectar ocean began to consume it
without worshipping Lord Vinayaka who angrily took away the pot to teach them a
lesson. When he passed through this place, once a Kadamba forest, a
drop of nectar fell on the earth and it became a Swayambu
Linga. Realizing their folly, Indira and Devas came here and begged
Lord Vinayaka’s pardon who in turn advised them to worship Lord
Shiva. Lord Shiva, responding to their prayers gave them the nectar
and stayed here as Amirthakateshwarar – Amirtha-nectar, Kada the pot and
Easwara the Lord.
Athithi, mother of Devas was worshipping Lord
Amirthakateshwarar for granting the nectar to her children. Indira
did not want to see his mother coming to this place each day and wanted to take
the Lord to his Indraloka itself to help his mother. He changed the
temple as a car and tried to pull it towards his place. Lord
Vinayaka pressed the left wheel which got stuck to earth. Indira’s
attempts failed to lift the car-temple. He begged Lord Vinayaka for
help who agreed to let the temple if Indira installed a crore of
Lingas.
Indira took the challenge with pride but every piece got
damaged. Realizing his pride, Indira fell at the Feet of Lord
Amirthakateshwarar. Lord asked him to make one Shivalinga chanting his
name thousand times. Indira made the Rudrakoteeswara
Linga. Lord appeared before him and said that he wishes to stay here
itself and do the worship for his mother. Indira
obeyed. It is believed that Indira performs pujas to the Lord in
this temple each day.
Greatness of Temple
It is believed that all the nine planets pray to Lord
Shiva in this temple on their respective days. Accordingly, Lord
Shiva is dressed with clothes of different colours attributed to the
planets. The shrine is regarded as one meant to seek relief from
various planetary problems faced by devotees. The Navagraha shrine
is opposite to the shrine of Mother.
Mother Vidhyu Jothi Nayaki - Vidya-Saraswathi,
Jothi-Mahalakshmi, Nayaki-Durga) combining the powers of three Shaktis graces
as Saraswathi with Veena in the morning, with elephant as Mahalakshmi in midday
and with trident as Durga in the evenings. Hence Mother got this
name Vidyajothinayaki. Mother also has the name Jothi
Minnammai. Those seeking wedding and child boon worship Mother with
turmeric and bangles.
Saint Tirunavukkarasar’s hymn dedicating himself to the
service of Lord saying “My job is only to serve my Lord” was sung in this
temple.
Lord Vrishaba Thandavamurthy graces in a dancing form on
his Nandhi-Vrushab or bull vehicle- is the procession deity with 10
hands. Special pujas are performed to him on Pradosha days –
13th day of new moon or full moon day. His darshan is available
only on this day. In the peeta-stage below are Mother Parvathi, Lord
Vishnu, Bhairava, Veerabhadra, Lord Vinayaka, Maharshis Narada, Brungi and Mrigandu,
Nandhi Deva, Gandharvas a group in the celestial world known for musical skills
and Boodhaganas.
Lord Vinayaka, who destroyed the pride of Indira is in a
separate shrine with the name Aaravara Vinayaka as he created great noise by
pressing the Rath and taking the nectar pot-Amirta Kalasa. He looks
with an indignant face with head leaning left.
Place
for planet Mars: Before waging his
war against demon Surapadma, Lord Muruga visited this temple to worship mother
and get the bow. Hence, Muruga in the temple appears with a
bow. Planet Mars worshipped Lord Muruga here. Mars is a
procession deity here.
Lord Brhamma on the wall appears worshipping Lord
Shiva. Yama the Lord of Death and his assistant Chitra Gupta are on
both sides. Sage Patanjali is nearby holding Lord Nataraja on his
head showing his overwhelming joy of enjoying the dance darshan of the
Lord. Mother Durga appears without toe. Below her are the
Meru Mount and the Sri Chakra installed by Acharya Sankara.
Devara shrine
It is a Devara shrine of north shored Kaveri river. There are 63 shrines along the North bank
of River Kaveri, including Melakadambur that lists as the 34th. The
well known Nalvar praised the Lord of this shrine and made three Pathigams on
him. Also Arunagirinathar, Vannacharabamn Thandapani Swamigal, and Vallalar
came here to sing in praise of this Lord. In every Yuga some Deva's visited
this place to worship this Lord Amirthakateshwarar. In Threthayuga Surya,
Chandra, Indira, Romarishi came to worship. In Threthayuga, Ashtaparvathas and
Parvatharajan came to worship. In Kaliyuga, Patanjali came to worship this
sthala.
Temple Speciality
Shivalinga in the temple is made of Navapasana- nine
herbals. The rays of Sun fall on the Lord on 3, 4 and 5 of Panguni-March-April
and the rays of Moon on the Aippasi Annabishekam day. It is said that Sani Bhagwan
had eagle as his vahana the vehicle. It is said that Emperor Dasaratha gave him
crow then replacing the eagle. Hence, it is said that Sani Bhagwan-Saturn in
the temple with the eagle vehicle belongs to the period prior to Ramayana days.
Special pujas are performed to him on Saturdays in the month of
Purattasi-September-October.
Architecture
The temple is in the shape of a Ratham-Car. The
left wheel is stuck to the earth as Lord Vinayaka pressed it. Lord
Kunjithapada Nataraja graces with Mother Sivakami in a leaning
position. The life histories of the celebrated Saivite Nayanmars are
sculpted on the wall of the main shrine. The pleasing feature is
that Lord Ardhanareeswara graces with Nandhi the bull vehicle on the right wall
while Lord Ranganatha is below. Special pujas are performed to Lord
Ranganatha on Vaikunda Ekadasi day in December-January.
On the back wall, Lord Vishnu graces with a Shivalinga
on his hand with Sri Andal, Garudazhwar and Sri Anjaneya. Lord
Muruga, with his consorts Valli and Deivanai graces on the opposite
side. Saint Arunagiriar has sung the praise of Lord Muruga in this
temple. Lord Gangadhara and Lord Aalinganamurthy also grace from
this ghoshta walls. Lord Dakshinamurthi graces from the Vimana-tower
above the sanctum sanctorum with a flute and Veena. Lord Vinayaka
graces in the name of Aaravara Vinayaka.
Karakkoil:
There are nine types of Hindu temple structures. Amongst
them, Karakkoil is a structure that the vimana is in chariot like structure.
The structure is pulled by horses’ looks an enchanting appearance.
This Karakkoil has been built by the famous Chalukya
Chola Kulothunga-I in the year-1113 AD the king's 43rd governing year. This
temple is like a chariot like structure two horses pulling Ratha. The temple
was finely sculptured with many Purana stories like Ramayanam, Krishna Leela,
Nayanmar stories and other stories of Shiva. The basement is called Adhittanam
this temples Adhittanam is laid of 18 layered Adhittanam called pathmaga
pandham, and manjapathram.
Sun
Worship:
It is rare scene to view. During the 3rd, 4th, 5th day
of the Tamil month of Panguni, twelfth month of the Tamil
calendar, early during sunrise at
6.15 am, the Sun's rays will fall on Lord Amirthakateshwarar Lingam for
about fifteen minutes. At that time special Pooja’s are offered to the Lord.
The shrine Goddess Jothiminnammai seems as Kalaimagal in Morning and Thirumagal
in Evening and Malaimagal in Night.
Vinayaga
Statue:
When Narasimhavarman Pallavan won the war on Chalukya, a
Ganapati statue brought from the Chalukyan capital of Vatapi — by Siruttondar,
like that Chola’s made a war towards Ganga region by the King Rajendra I at
that time they taken a Ganapathy statue and Dvarapalakas statue from Vengi
region, that statue was positioned in Kadambur temple, the Dvarapalakas statue
kept in the entrance of Gangai konda Cholapuram temple.
Dasa
Bhuja Rishaba Thandavamurthy Idol:
A special idol kept in this temple, called Dasa Bhuja
Rishaba Thandavamurthy, depicts Lord Shiva dancing on a bull with all ten hands
spread and holding weapons, with all Devas surrounding his feet. This is
believed to be a Pala dynasty idol that came to Tamil Nadu-Melakadambur along
with victorious King Rajendra
Chola I of the Bengal war.
After Rajendra this idol has been kept in this Melakadambur temple built by the
king Kulothunga I, who donated this idol and some Vidangar's in 1110 AD.
Devotees can see this idol only on Pradosha days.
Kadamba
Tree:
The Kadambu tree is the sthala vriksha of the Siva
temple situated here. This village is named as Kadambur because of the Kadambu
tree, named in botany as Anthocephalus Cadamba of Rubicea family. This Kadambur then bifurcated into
Melakadambur and Keezhakadambur.
Dakshinamoorthy
Statue:
In Kadambur temple the moolasthanam is made up as a
chariot like structure, on that structure's south side a statue is the Dakshinamoorthy
who sat on a rishaba below a kal aalam (stone banyan tree) was a fine example
of stone made statue. This statue is one of a sculptural beauty it has a hole
on the left ear that extends up to the right ear.
Temple Opening Time
The temple is open from 7.30 a.m. to 10.00 a.m. and from
5.30 p.m. to 7.30 p.m.
Prayers
Those facing adverse effects of Mars planet pray in this
temple. Also those 60 years old (Sashti Aptha Poorthy) pray here for
longevity with Homas, People facing problems due to Mars aspects pray to Lord
Muruga with red vastras. Special pujas are performed to Lord Muruga on Tuesdays
with Homas.
Festivals
Shivrathri in February-March, Aipasi Annabishekam in
October-November, Arudra Darshan or Margazhi Tiruvadhirai in December-January,
feeding of Saint Gnanasambandar by Mother Parvathi in the month of Purattasi –
September-October are the festivals observed in the temple.
This village once upon a time called as Thirukkadambur
in 6th–19th century. We can know this by means of the Pathigams of Thirunavukarasar
and Tirugnanasambandar Nayanmars. Every month festivals are being celebrated in
good manner.
·
Chithirai — Tamil varuda
pirappu, Nataraja Abishegam Thirunavukarasar guru pooja
·
Vaikasi - Visaga Uthsavam
for Murugan, Tirugnanasambandar guru pooja
·
Aani - Aani Thirumanjanam,
Manickavasagar guru pooja
·
Aadi - Amman Abishegam in Pooram,
Sundarar guru pooja
·
Avani - Vinayagar
Chathurthi
·
Purattasi - Navarathri
·
Aippasi - Skandasashti, Thirukkalyanam
·
Karthigai - 108
sangabishegam in Somavaram
·
Margazhi -
Thirupalliyezhuchi in early morning
·
Thai - Pongal pooja
magarasangranthi
·
Maasi - Mahasivarathri
·
Panguni—Soorya pooja on
3,4,5 at early sunrise
Singers
The shrine is praised in the hymns of Saivite saints
Sundarar and Appar. This is the 34th shrine sung in Thevaram hymns on the
northern banks of Cauvery.
Ponniyin Selvan
Ponniyin Selvan is a historical novel written by Tamil
writer Kalki
Krishnamurthy, from Tamil Nadu, who is
also known as Krishnamurthy. This historical novel appeared in serial in the
Tamil weekly Kalki, in the name of the author, many times and attracted
many readers.
Features
·
Iraivan: Sri Amirthakateshwarar
·
Iraivi: Sri Vidhyu Jothi Nayagi, Sri Jothiminnammai
· Indiran worshiped and got
the Amirtha Kalasam & Sri Subramaniyar worshiped and got bow.
·
Angaragan dhosha nivarthi
sthalam
·
There is no kodi maram
·
Nagarathar Thirupanni for
this temple.
· In the outer prakaram Sannadhi
for Navagrahas. Natarajar Sabhai is in inner mandapam and Thirumeni is of very
old.
·
Moolavar is standing on
one side and paanam is sharp on the top. There is story for this. Indiran without
the permission of Pollapillayar tried to take Karuvarai with Moolavar for his
mother's worship. This act was stopped by Pollapillayar by pressing his right
leg on the ground. Due to this Pillayar is also in standing posture.
·
In prakaram moothangal for
Vinayagar, Naalvar, Mahalakshmi, Dhurvasar, Bairavar, Sanibhagavan, Chandran,
Suryan, etc.,
·
Ambal on the laps of Lord
Shiva as Alingana Moorthy in Pudai Sirpam on the Karuvarai wall. (Beautiful
to look).Karuvarai and vimanam are built like chariot with horses pulling.
Contact
Sri Amirthakateshwarar Temple,
Malakadambur-608 304
Cuddalore district
Phone: +91- 4144 - 264
638, 93456 56982.
Gurukkal
Selva Ganesan: 09715639212
Connectivity
Kattumannarkoil is 22 km from Chidambaram. The temple is
6 km from this place. Bus facility is available. Nearest Railway Station is
located at Chidambaram & Nearest Airport Is located at Chennai &
Pondicherry.
It is located
·
On the bus route Chidambaram
to Kaatumannar Koil via Eyyalur.
· On the bus route Kaatumannar
koil to Eyyalur after Keel Kadambur is Melai Kadambur.