Nellaiappar Temple – Legends
Legend
of Vedapattar:
According to historical facts, this town was known as
Venuvanam. There was a Siva devotee named Vedapattar. Lord Siva wanted to test
Vedapattar’s devotion. So he made Vedapattar lose his wealth and suffer. Still,
he did not give up the habit of praying to God.
One day, Vedapattar left some paddy in the sanctum of
Lord Siva and went to take bath in the river. Meanwhile, it started pouring.
Seeing this, Vedapattar rushed to the sanctum to save the paddy. To his surprise,
he saw that there was no rain around the paddy, and God had put a fence around
it and saved it.
He ran to inform the king, Rama Pandian, about the
miracle. From then on the city came to be known as Nel veli – paddy that was
saved by a fence. The name Nelveli got changed to Tirunelveli in time.
Legend
of Anavarata Khan:
There is another legend connected with this shrine. In
the south-eastern corner of the prakaram, a Siva Lingam, known as Anavarata
Khan, has been enshrined. It is said that the wife of one of the Nawabs was
suffering from some acute disease and consulted the Brahmins as to how she
might be cured of it. The Brahmins advised her to worship Nellaiappar and
perform some religious ceremonies in the temple. She readily agreed and did the
poojas through the temple priests. To the surprise of all, the Muslim queen not
only recovered from her disease but also gave birth to a male child. The boy
was named Anavarata Khan and the shrine with a Sivalingam known as Anavarata
Khan was built in a corner of the prakaram in memory of the Muslim queen and
the prince. An opening in the outer wall of the prakararn just opposite the
shrine was provided so as to enable the Nawab and his son to worship the
Lingam, standing outside the temple.
Legend
of Venuvananathar:
According to yet another legend associated with this
temple, Lord Siva once took the form of a Lingam, came to Tirunelveli and took
his abode here. All the four Vedas stood around him as bamboo trees and
provided him shade. So this Sthalam is came to be known as Venu Vanam (Venu
means bamboo tree and Vanam means forest) and the Lord came to be known as
Venuvananathar.
Legend
of Agastya witnessing Celestial Wedding of Shiva & Parvathi:
When Lord Shiva and Devi Parvati got married in the
Himalayas, the Northern portion became heavier because of the massive
congregation for the divine wedding. In order to maintain balance of the Earth,
Lord Shiva sent sage Agastya to the South promising to give him darshan in the
South in their wedding glory. It is believed that the Divine Couple, as
promised, gave darshan to sage Agastya here in Tirunelveli. The sage also got
such darshan in other places like Thirumaraikadu, Thirunallur, Papanasam and a
few other shrines.
Sage Agastya has worshipped Lord Siva in this temple.
The Lord is also called as Venunathar, Veithanathar, Nelvelinathar and
Salivanathar. The Ambal is also called Vadivudaiamman and Thirukamakottamudaiya
Nachiar. Lord Vinayaga is also called Polla Pillaiyar and Lord Muruga, as Arumuga
Peruman.
There is also a shrine to Vishnu near the sanctum,
signifying the belief that Nellai Govindan (Sri Vishnu) visited Tirunelveli to
officiate the divine marriage of Nellaiappar and Kanthimathi
Nellaiappar Temple has a shrine to Shiva and Parvathi.
Shiva is said to have been worshipped by Sage Agastya in a bamboo grove.
Legend
of Rama:
Lord Rama also worshipped at this temple after killing
the magical Mareecha some nine miles away at Manoor. Mareecha had lured
Rama away from Sita so that Ravana could kidnap her.
As per another legend, Lord Rama worshiped Nellaiappar
and got a weapon named 'Pasupathasthra' which was helpful for him to fight the
demon Ravana.