Sankaralingaswami Temple, Kottarakulam, Ambasamudram,
Thirunelveli
Sankaralingaswami
Temple is located in Kottarakulam Village near Ambasamudram Town in
Thirunelveli District of Tamilnadu. The temple is for Raghu/ Kethu worship and
considered highly sacred. Kottarakulam is also called as Chinna Sankaran Koil.
Legends
Sankaralingam:
There
was a Shiva devotee here living on alms. Before eating, he used to place a
little rice to the crow as traditionally followed in Hindu families. One day,
the crow took the rice to a jungle nearby, placed it at a spot and worshipped
there with flowers. He dug the place and found a Swayambu Linga and began
to perform puja with flowers. As he did not return to the village, they
searched for him and found him when he immersed himself with the
Shivalinga. This came to be known as Sankaralingam.
Aadi Thapasu:
It is a
common fight in our families as to who is great – the bride’s or the bridegroom
family. Mother Uma is the first to establish the truth that both are
equal, none high, and none low. To confirm this truth, Lord Shiva gave her
a darshan in a combined form as Sankara Narayana. As such a darshan is not
that easy, Mother Gomathi undertook a severe penance.
This is
known as ‘Aadi Thapasu’ – penance in the month of Aadi –
July-August. This is a famous festival in Sankarankoil in this
district. This is followed in Kodarankulam also near Ambasamudram known
as South Sankarankoil. Kodarankulam is on the banks of the confluence of
Tambiraparani - Manimuthar Rivers. Lord Shiva holds the powers of the
planets Rahu and Ketu here.
The
Temple
Lord Sri
Sankaranarayana is the main deity in the temple. Vinayaka
is Anugnai Vinayaka. The temple has a 9 tier Rajagopuram. Lord
graces in this temple facing north. There are two snakes on his body both
in front and back. To avoid snake and scorpion bites, people use to place
metal plates embossed with figures of these creatures in the hundi. They
also put pepper and salt in the shrine. Lord Shiva graces here as a Swayambumurthy
representing the powers of Rahu and Ketu.
When
Mother was in penance, the Devas came there for his darshan in the guise of
cows. Seeing her looking so bright, they named the Mother Gomathi – Go
means cows and Mathi bright as full moon. As Mother protected the cows -
Aa in Tamil, She is also known as Aavudai Amman. During the Aadi Thapasu,
Mother Gomati graces from a Mandapam for the penance. Lord Shiva
appears as Sankara Narayanan and Sankara Lingam. The wedding with Mother
Gomathi follows then.
The
temple is such that both Lord and Mother grace from their shrines with separate
flag posts-Kodimaram. Adhikara Nandhi is at the entrance with his consort
Suyajadevi and the Nandhi before the sanctum is under a Rudraksha Pandal-tent. The
Adhikara Nandi traditionally seen before the shrine of Lord Shiva is before the
shrine of Mother Gomathi. Sankara Narayana graces from another shrine. The rays
of Sun fall on Lord Sankaralingam for three days from the 21st day
in the months of March and September.
Festivals
Aadi
Thapasu in July-August; 41 day Brahmmotsavam in Panguni-Chithirai covering
March to May; Aipasi wedding festival in October-November and Thai float
festival in January-February are the festivals celebrated in the temple. The
festival of Lord Shiva seated on his bull vehicle Nandhi granting Darshan to 63
Nayanmars takes place during Chithirai (April-May) and Margazhi
(December-January) months.
Prayers
Devotees
pray here to develop the quality of love for all promoting unity and to be
simple and austere in nature. Devotees perform abishek to Lord and Mother and
offer vastras. The ant-hill sand is offered as Prasad which the sick consume
along with water for cure. Devotees facing problems due to the
presence of poisonous creatures in their houses as lizards, scorpions and
snakes offer silver pieces embossed with the images of such creatures for
solution.
Contact
Sri
Sankaralinga Swami Temple,
Kodarankulam,
Thirunelveli District
Phone: +91 – 4634 – 223 821 / 221821
Mobile: +91 – 93602 19237 / 94891 19594
Connectivity
Kottarakulam
is around 3 Kms South-West of Ambasamudram. The devotee has to reach
Ambasamudram and then the bus passing through Manimuthar and get down at Kodarankulam
bus stop. The temple is 1 km from the bus stop. Buses are not frequent. Auto
facility is available. Ambasamudram is 37 Kms from Tenkasi, 12 Kms from Veeravanallur,
47 Kms from Thirunelveli, 206 Kms from Madurai and 143 Kms from
Thiruvananthapuram. Nearest Railway Station is located at Ambasamudram. Nearest
Airport is located Madurai and Thiruvananthapuram.