Madhunadagaswami Temple, Elathur, Thirunelveli
Madhunadagaswami
Temple is dedicated to Hindu God Shiva located at Elathur Village in
Thirunelveli District of Tamilnadu. Sthala Vriksham is Tamarind tree. Theertham
of this Temple is Hanuman River.
Legends
The Name Elaithur:
On the
Great Wedding Ceremony day of Lord Shiva with Mother Parvathi at Mount Kailash,
North went far below due to the weight of a large number of rishis gathering in
Mount Kailash. As planet Earth lost its balance, Lord Shiva sent Sage Agasthya
(a dwarf in stature) to South to balance the level with his single weight. The
Hanuman River was on his way while the Sage came to South.
He
bathed in the river, made a Shivalinga with sand and worshipped it under a
tamarind tree. The sage saw honey dropping from the tree. The Shivalinga became
hard and solid mixing with the honey. Sage Agasthya called the Linga Madhunatha
(Madhu means honey). This is how the temple came into being. The Honey fell
through the leaves of the tree (leaves means Ilai in Tamil). Hence, the place
came to be known as Elaithur and shrunk as Elathur later.
Hanuman River:
The
ancient river that once flowed through place was called Hanuman River, as it
was created by Hanuman with his strong blow on a rock chanting the name of Lord
Sri Rama to quench his and the thirst of the Monkey army when they passed
through this place with Lord Rama and Lakshmana. Akash Ganga sprang up from the
rock and came to be known as Hanuman River. There is a tank before the temple
that doesn’t dry even during hot summer, even now. Elathur Shiva temple is one
among those in Tamilnadu with a tank.
The
Temple
Presiding
Deity is called as Madhunadagaswami and believed to be created by Sage
Agasthya. Lord Dakshinamurthy and Sani Baghwan occupy greater importance in the
temple. Generally, Sri Dakshinamurthy shrine is southward in all Shiva temples.
But the shrine in this temple is below the Vimana. It appears that such a
pattern is not followed in any other Shiva temple in the state. Sri
Dakshinamurthy appears on the towers in the temples. It is only in this temple,
there is a special shrine below the Vimana.
Sri Sani
Baghwan occupies a place of supremacy in this temple. It is only in this temple
that the deity appears in an abhayahastha (right hand assuring the devotee)
form. Though there are shrines separately for Sani Bhagwan (Planet Saturn) in
all Shiva Temples, He is installed close to the wall in the corridor-prakara,
making it not possible to go round the shrine. This is how the shrine is
designed even in Tirunallar, a special temple devoted to Sani worship. But, the
shrine for him in the Elathur temple is such that the devotee can go round for
the worship in clockwise way. While many are afraid of this planet, he is so
graceful in this temple. Hence, there is a belief that all problems due to Sani
aspects are solved here.
There is
also a facility to do Pradikshina (going around the shrine clockwise) for Agni
Bhairava. Shri Dharma Sastha graces in the temple in the form of a Linga. The
idol is with a bow and arrow on an elephant hanging down his two legs. There is
also a temple here for Lord Vishnu – Sundarajan Perumal – as the Kalazhagar
temple in Madurai. The Lord graces with his consorts Sridevi and Bhoodevi. Only
Sri Garudazhvar and Vishwaksenar grace along with Perumal. The temple is in a
calm environment, quite suitable for meditation.
Temple
Opening Time
The
temple is open from 6.00 a.m. to 12.00 a.m. and 3.00 p.m. to 9.00 p.m.
Festivals
Navarathri
in Purattasi (September-October), Kumarasashti, Thiruvadirai in Margazhi
(December-January), a festival for Mother Aram Valartha Nayaki (Mother who
fostered Dharma) on the Uthiram star day in Thai (January-February) are the
festivals celebrated in the temple.
Prayers
People
pray here for any problem arising due to Saturn aspects. Special poojas are
performed to Sani Bhagwan on Saturdays.
Connectivity
All
buses running from Tenkasi in Thirunelveli district to Sambavar Vada Karai
village pass through Elathur. The place is 4 km from Tenkasi. Nearest Railway
Station is located at Tenkasi and Nearest Airport is located at Madurai &
Thiruvananthapuram.
