Jambukeswarar Temple, Thiruvanaikaval – History
The
Jambukeshwarar temple in Tiruvanaikaval alongside the holy river Cauvery is one
the Panchabootha sthalam where the Lord manifests as the element of water. The
temple is believed to have constructed by King Kochengata Chola. The shrine was
then widely expanded by Hoysala king, Someswara, the son of Vira Narasimha. The
tiered gopuram is also believed to have constructed by the Hoysala king.
The
temple has inscriptions from the Chola era showing their endowments to the
place. The four most revered Nayanars have sung praises of the Jambukeshwarar.
The temple has been maintained by Nattukkottai Chettiars during the later
centuries.
The
Lingam is believed to be 'Swayambu'. The temple is believed to have built by
Kochengata Chola in the 2nd century. This temple has records of patronage from
the Cholas, Pandyas, Hoysalas and the Madurai Nayak kings. Ko Chenganan
had been praised in Tamil literature for having built more than seventy temples
- and he is historically placed in the Sangam period (the very early years of
the Christian era).
Inscriptions
from the tenth century AD testify to later Chola patronage.
The Hoysalas who had a base near Samayapuram (near Tiruchi) built four temples in Northern Tiruvanaikaval
(Vallaleeswaram, Padmaleswaram, Narasimheswaram and Somaleswaram). The Pandyas
and the Hoysalas contributed to the Eastern tower.
Adi Sankara is
said to have visited the Akhilandeswari shrine. He is said to have adorned her
with ear-rings bearing the symbol of the Chakram. There is a shrine to Adi
Sankara in this temple.
The
image of Ekapada Tirumuthi, the trinity of Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma, is present in the temple, which can be seen only
in Thyagaraja Temple,
Tiruvottriyur.
There is
lot of inscriptions from various Chola kings from 11th - 12th century
indicating grants to the temple. The temple was widely expanded by Hoysala king, Someswara, the son of Vira
Narasimha. During 1236-37 CE, he built a lot of shrines namely
Vallaliswara, Padumalisvara, Vira Narasingeswara and Somleswara evidently named
after his grandfather Ballalla II, grandmother Padmaladevi, father Vira
Narasimha and Aunt Somala Devi. The 7-tiered Rajagopurams also
believed to have constructed by the Hoysala king.
There
are separate shrines beyond the temple compound namely Aadhi having a typical
structure as the main shrines. The temple and its pagodas were subject to
frequent conquest between French and English forces between 1751 and 1755
CE. The temple has been widely maintained by Nattukkottai Chettiars during the 19th and early 20th centuries.