Mangalanathaswamy Temple, Uthirakosamangai - Religious
Significance
The
temple is considered sacred along the lines of Ramanathapuram, Sethu Madhava
Theertham and Lakshmana Theertham. The emerald image of Nataraja is anointed
with sandal paste round the year except on Tiruvathidirai festival day when
special worship is practised. It is believed that even small vibrations can
damage the image and hence no percussion instruments are used during worship
practises. The front hall has lingams made of Padigam (Spatika) that are
anointed with cooked rice every afternoon.
As per
Hindu legend, Vishnu and Brahma contested for
superiority, Shiva appeared as a flame, and challenged them to find his source.
Brahma took the form of a swan, and flew to the sky to see the top of the
flame, while Vishnu became the boar Varaha, and sought its base. Neither Brahma nor Vishnu could
find the source, and while Vishnu conceded his defeat, Brahma lied with the
help of a thazhambu (a type of flower) and said he had found the
pinnacle.
In
punishment, Shiva ordained that Brahma would never have temples on earth in his
worship and all Shiva temples do not use thazhambu during worship
practises. This is one such temple where thazhambu is still used for
worship practises. Manickavasagar, the 9th century Tamil Saivite saint poet
and nayanar has revered Mangalanathar and the temple in his verses
in Thiruvasagam, compiled as the Eighth Thirumurai.
Arunagirinathar, a 15th-century Tamil poet has composed Tamil hymns
glorifying Murugan in the temple. As per Hindu legend, Muruga was
awarded the Airavata (white elephant) of celestial deity Indra at
this place.