Othandeeswarar Temple, Thirumazhisai – Legends
Kai Thandha Piran:
Chola
king Karikal Peruvalathan was proceeding on his elephant to worship Shiva in
another place. On the way, one leg of the elephant was caught in a creeper.
Despite efforts, it could not pull out from the bush. The king tried his hands
to remove the bush but could not. He began cutting the bush with his sword
which began to bleed. Shocked king, found a Shiva Linga hidden under the
bushes. Realizing that he had offended the Lord, he unhesitatingly cut his hand
with the same sword when Lord appeared before him with Mother on his Nandi and
fixed the hand as before.
Remembering
the event, Lord is praised as Kai Thandha Piran – Lord who gave hands. Lord
consoled the king. The presiding deity at the temple is still believed to have
a scar on it. Mother narrated to king the stories of Shiva devotees and cooled
his mind. Kulirvithal in Tamil in this context means cooling the sorrows of
devotees, hence, she is praised as Kulirvitha Nayaki.
Thirumazhisai:
As this
place was full of Azhinjal trees, it was called as Azhisai in olden days.
Later, after God took abode here, the word ‘Thiru’ was added to it and came to
be known as ‘Thiru Azhisai’, which later corrupted to become ‘Thirumazhisai’.
Sage Agasthiyar worshipped Lord Shiva under Azhinjal
Tree:
During
the Shiva Parvathi wedding ceremony at Kailash, all the Devas, Gods, Rishis and
Ganas gathered to witness the holy event. As everyone gathered at the North,
that is Kailash, the whole earth tilted to one side towards North, because of
the weight. To balance the Bhoomi, Lord Shiva directed Sage Agasthiyar to go to
the southern part of the country. As Sage Agasthiyar felt sad that he would
miss seeing the holy wedding of Lord Shiva and Parvathi, Lord Shiva granted him
a boon that, from wherever Agasthiyar worships him, he would get the Dharshan
of God’s complete wedding ceremony.
While
traveling in Southern region, Sage Agasthiyar worshipped Lord Shiva at
Velankaadu (today’s Thiruverkadu), where he wished to see Sri Shiva Parvathi
wedding ceremony. The Lord too gave Dharshan of the whole wedding ceremony to
Agasthiyar there. On realizing this, Pulasthiyar, who is the primary disciple
of Agasthiyar and all other disciples, requested Agasthiyar that they too wish
to see the wedding of the Lord.
Sage
Agasthiyar along with his disciples came walking towards south of Thiruverkadu and stayed in this place, which was a forest
filled with Azhinjal trees. As Azhinjal tree is considered most sacred, Sage
Agasthiyar installed a Shiva Lingam and worshipped Lord Shiva here. God,
pleased with Agasthiyar’s prayers again gave Dharshan of His wedding ceremony
to Agasthiyar and all his disciples.
Sage
Agasthiyar overwhelmed by the mercy of the God, requested God to take abode in
this place in Kalyana Kolam (posture as just wed couple). As wished by
Agasthiyar, Lord Shiva and Parvathi took abode here as Uma Maheshwara just
behind the Shiva Lingam, worshipped by Agasthiyar. There are 3 places of then
‘Thondai Mandalam’, where Sage Agasthiyar had worshipped Lord Shiva under
Azhinjal tree. They are Azhisoor near Kanchipuram, Thirumazhisai near
Poonamallee and Chinnakkaavanam near Ponneri. The divine coincidence is all the 3
temples lie on a straight line.