Sundareswarar Temple, Kovur – Legends
Kovur:
According
to legend, Goddess Kamakshi was performing Thapas on Panchagni (fire) in Mangadu
praying Lord Shiva to marry her. Her penance was so intense that the whole
surroundings became too hot and all living beings suffered because of enormous
heat. But Lord Shiva was meditating deeply with his eyes closed. Sages and
Devas worshipped Lord Vishnu to save the world from the heat of the penance.
Lord Vishnu directed Mahalakshmi to save the world.
Goddess
Sri Mahalakshmi came down here to this place in the form of a cow and
worshipped Lord Shiva to make him open the eyes, so that the world is saved.
Pleased with her prayers, Lord Shiva opened his eyes, after which the heat of
the place subsided and became cooler. As Mahalakshmi worshipped here in the
form of a cow, the place came to be known as Kopuri (In Thamizh, Ko means cow)
and later corrupted to become Kovur. At later stages Kulothunga Chozha had
built this temple beautifully.
Saint Thyagaraja composition on Lord Shiva:
Saint
Thyagaraja has visited this temple on his way to Thirupathi. It is said that
Saint Thyagaraja traveled on a palanquin towards Thirupathi and passed through
this place. He also visited this temple on his way. A local headman called
Sundharesan asked the saint to compose and sing some songs on him. Thyagarajar
refused and said that he won’t sing praise of any individual and he will sing
praise of God only and left Kovur.
While
going from Kovur, his palanquin was obstructed by a group of bandits who threw
stones on the palanquin and his servants to stop him from going further. The
saint Thyagaraja stopped and got down from the palanquin to explain the bandits
that he was not so rich to be robbed and also, he was on a pilgrimage to
Thirupathi. The bandits came near Thyagaraja and asked him who threw the stones
back at them.
Thyagaraja
told them that there were no other people with them except the carriers of
palanquin. But the thieves told that they saw 2 youngsters furiously throwing
back the stones on them to save Thyagaraja. Saint Thyagaraja realized that they
were none other than Sri Rama and Sri Lakshmana who came to his rescue.
Saint
also realized that there is some holy power to this place and again came back
to Kovur temple and sung 5 compositions (Keerthanas) called ‘Kovur
Pancharathnam’. The local headman was too proud thinking that Saint Thyagaraja
sung in praise of him only. But the saint explained him that the 5 compositions
were made in praise of the Lord Sundareswarar and not the individual called Sundareswaran.
The
Kovur Pancharatnams are "Ee Vasudha" (Sahaana Raagam), "Kori
Sevimpa" (Karaharapriya
Raagam), "Sambo Mahadeva" (Pantuvarali Raagam), "Nammi
Vachina" (Kalyani Raagam) and "Sundareswaruni" (Sankarabharanam
Raagam). Most of the compositions of Saint Thyagaraja are in praise of Lord
Rama only. This is one of the few places where he had composed Keerthanas on
other Gods.
Sekkizhar wrote Periyapuranam here:
Sekkizhar,
who was born in the nearby place ‘Kunrathur’, started writing ‘Periya Puranam’
from this temple only.