Tirunellikka Nellivananathar Temple – Legends
Nellivananathar
marrying Mangala Nayaki here:
A staunch Shiva devotee residing in Tiruvarur came to
this place to worship Lord. He noticed that wild beasts in the place living
together in harmony and the Devas from the celestial world visit the temple
each day and turn back before dawn. He informed the matter to the Chola
king. The king came to the place, cleared the land by destroying the
forests, made a city and built a great temple. Amala in Sanskrit means
Gooseberry, the sacred tree of the temple. Hence, Lord is also known as
Amalakesan.
The Chola king who built the temple was also referred to
as Amalakesa Chola. Amala Kesa Chola’s son Uthama Chola and his wife Paduma
Malai came to the temple and worshipped Lord Shiva seeking child boon. Mother
Bharathi as a child of three years appeared there and sat on the lap of the
king. A voice from the sky told the King that Mother herself had come to him as
the child and should be named Mangala Nayaki. The king followed the advice
obediently.
After Uthama Chola’s end, child Mangala Nayaki grew
under the care of the mother and attained the marriageable age. While
worshipping at the Tiruvarur temple one day, Mangala Nayaki heard the voice of
Lord telling her that he would come to Tirunellikka on the first Friday of
Aavani-August-September and marry her. Lord came to Tirunellikka and wedded Mangala
Nayaki amid chanting of Vedas.
Tiru
Nellikka:
There are five divine trees in the celestial world as
Parijatha, Karpaga, Saanthanam, Hrichandan and Mandhara capable of offering any
wish the devotee expects. This power made them proud and grew to the extent of
humiliating great Rishi Durvasa too. He cursed the trees to become gooseberry
trees on earth whose fruits would be citric in taste as tamarind. With all his
mercy, Lord Shiva granted them relief from the curse and enable them return
back to their place. He also gave this Nelli-gooseberry tree an importance
among trees. These trees thus became lucky of serving the Lord. As Lord
stayed under the Nelli tree, he came to be praised as Nellivana Nathar and
place as Tiru Nellikka.
People
worshipped Shiva here:
Lords Brahmma, Vishnu, Sun, Moon, Sani Bhagwan, Sage
Durvasa, Divyaroopan, Gandharvas and trees of the celestial world had
worshipped Lord Shiva in this temple.
Kushtarogaharapuram:
It is also believed that a Gandharva worshipped Shiva
here and was relieved of his leprosy, and hence the name Kushtarogaharapuram.