Kadambavaneswarar Temple, Kulithalai – Literary Mention

Kadambavaneswarar Temple, Kulithalai – Literary Mention

The shrine has been praised in the hymns of Saints Tirunavukkarasar and Arunagirinathar. This Temple is the 119^th Devaram Paadal Petra Sthalam and 2^nd Sthalam on the south side of River Cauvery in Chozha Naadu. Muthusamy Deekshitar's Kriti Neelakantham Bhaje sings the glory of this shrine. Saint Arunagirinathar had praised about Lord Murugan of this Temple in his Thirupugazh Hymns.

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முற்றி லாமுலை

யாளிவ ளாகிலும்

அற்றந் தீர்க்கும்

அறிவில ளாகிலுங்

கற்றைச் செஞ்சடை

யான்கடம் பந்துறைப்

பெற்ற மூர்தியென்

றாளெங்கள் பேதையே.  1

தனகி ருந்ததொர்

தன்மைய ராகிலும்

முனகு தீரத்

தொழுதெழு மின்களோ

கனகப் புன்சடை

யான்கடம் பந்துறை

நினைய வல்லவர்

நீள்விசும் பாள்வரே.  2

ஆரி யந்தமி

ழோடிசை யானவன்

கூரி யகுணத்

தார்குறி நின்றவன்

காரி கையுடை

யான்கடம் பந்துறைச்

சீரி யல்பத்தர்

சென்றடை மின்களே.  3

பண்ணின் இன்மொழி

கேட்கும் பரமனை

வண்ண நன்மல

ரான்பல தேவருங்

கண்ண னும்மறி

யான்கடம் பந்துறை

நண்ண நம்வினை

யாயின நாசமே.  4

மறைகொண் டம்மனத்

தானை மனத்துளே

நிறைகொண் டந்நெஞ்சி

னுள்ளுற வைம்மினோ

கறைகண் டன்னுறை

யுங்கடம் பந்துறை

சிறைகொண் டவினை

தீரத் தொழுமினே.  5

நங்கை பாகம்வைத்

தந்நறுஞ் சோதியைப்

பங்க மின்றிப்

பணிந்தெழு மின்களோ

கங்கைச் செஞ்சடை

யான்கடம் பந்துறை

அங்க மோதி

அரனுறை கின்றதே.  6

அரிய நான்மறை

ஆறங்க மாயைந்து

புரியன் தேவர்க

ளேத்தநஞ் சுண்டவன்

கரிய கண்டத்தி

னான்கடம் பந்துறை

உரிய வாறு

நினைமட நெஞ்சமே.  7

பூமென் கோதை

உமையொரு பாகனை

ஓமஞ் செய்தும்

உணர்மின்கள் உள்ளத்தாற்

காமற் காய்ந்த

பிரான்கடம் பந்துறை

நாம மேத்தநந்

தீவினை நாசமே.  8

பார ணங்கி

வணங்கிப் பணிசெய

நார ணன்பிர

மன்னறி யாததோர்

கார ணன்கடம்

பந்துறை மேவிய

ஆர ணங்கொரு

பாலுடை மைந்தனே.  9

நூலால் நன்றா

நினைமின்கள் நோய்கெடப்

பாலான் ஐந்துடன்

ஆடும் பரமனார்

காலால் ஊன்றுகந்

தான்கடம் பந்துறை

மேலால் நாஞ்செய்த

வல்வினை வீடுமே.  10

Kadambavaneswarar Temple, Kulithalai – Religious Significance

Kadambavaneswarar Temple, Kulithalai – Religious Significance

Significance of Thai Poosam:

The Thai Poosa Tiruvizha (festival) is celebrated on a grand scale. Kadambavaneswarar & Mother Mutrillamulayal give darshan at the banks of the Cauvery along with the idols from the surrounding temples - Pettaivaithalai, Rajendiram, Ayyarmalai, Thiruengoimalai, Karuppathur, Musiri and Vellur. It is a rare opportunity for the devotees to worship 8 Lord Shiva’s simultaneously.  

Mukthi Sthalam:

There is a belief that devotees are ensured of Mukthi if they worship Kadambar at this temple in the morning, followed by Ayyarmalai Rathnagiriswarar and Thiruengoimalai Nathar in the evening of the same day.

Pancha Kadamba Sthalams:

It is considered as one of the five Kadamba shrines installed by Lord Subramanya. The other four shrines are Kovil Kadambar, Aadi Kadambar, Ilankadambanoor and Perunkadambanoor.

Dakshina Kasi:

Since this temple in South India is facing North, it is also known as the Dakshina Kasi.

Kadambavaneswarar Temple, Kulithalai – Legends

Kadambavaneswarar Temple, Kulithalai – Legends

Kadamba Vaneswarar:

Devas of the celestial world had appealed to Mother Ambika to protect them from the atrocities of Demon Doomralochana. Mother took the form of Durga and fought with the demon. As his boons were very strong, he fought with equal might with Mother. Mother began to feel weak. Lord Shiva deputed Saptha Kannikas to fight him. The demon could not stand their force and hid himself in the hermitage of Maharshi Kathyayana.

The virgins mistook the Rishi as the demon and eliminated him and thus incurred Brahmmahathi Dosha – a sin that would make the sinner dark with a gruesome face. As advised by Ambika, they performed penance on Lord Shiva and got relieved of the sin when Lord granted them darshan from the Kadamba tree. Hence, the bas-relief images of Sapta Kannis are installed behind the idol of Shiva Linga in the main shrine. Also, he came to be called as Kadamba Vaneswarar.

Lord Muruga worshipped Lord Shiva here:

Lord Muruga worshipped Lord Shiva here for washing off the sin caused by killing of demon Surapadma.  

Brahma attained Mukthi here:

Lord Brahma, tired after his task of creation prayed to Lord Siva for Mukthi. Lord Siva praised Brahma for his wonderful job of creation and instructed him to worship Kadambavaneswarar. Also advised him to bathe thrice a day in the sacred Cauvery river and perform abishekam & pooja to the Lord. Brahma continued to worship Lord Siva for several thousands of years. Finally, Lord Shiva granted darshan along with Mother. Thus, Brahma is said to have attained Mukthi at this sthalam.

Mukthi Sthalam:

There is a belief that devotees are ensured of Mukthi if they worship Kadambar at this temple in the morning, followed by Ayyarmalai Rathnagiriswarar and Thiruengoimalai Nathar in the evening of the same day.

Pancha Kadamba Sthalams:

It is considered as one of the five Kamba shrines installed by Lord Subramanya. The other four shrines are Kovil Kadambar, Aadi Kadambar, Ilankadambanoor and Perunkadambanoor.

Dakshina Kasi:

Since this temple in South India is facing North, it is also known as the Dakshina Kasi.

Brahmapuram:

The site was named as Brahmapuram as Lord Brahma conducted the chariot festival here.

Chatur Veda Puri:

Vishnu prayed to Shiva prior to recovering the Vedas from Somasuran; hence the site was also called as Chatur Veda Puri.

Lord Shiva darshan to Kanva Rishi:

Lord Shiva of this Temple appeared before Kanva rishi under the Kadamba tree.

Meenakshi Sundareswarar:

Devasarma is supposed to have got the darshan in this temple of the Lord Sundareswarar marrying Meenakshi (the wedding that took place in Madurai). Hence the deity in this temple is also known as Sundareswarar & the Ambal as Meenakshi.

Etymology:

The town derives its name from the presiding deity of the Kadamba Vaneswarar temple. The 7th century Nayanmars (Saiva saints) Appar, revered the place as Kadambandurai and Kuzhithandalai in his works in Devaram. The word Kuzhithandalai, in modern times, is denoted as Kulithalai.

People worshipped Lord Shiva here:

Vishnu, Muruga, Brahma, Saptha Kannigas, Kanva, Devasarma, Agastya Tirunavukkarasar, Aiyadigal, Kadavarkon have worshipped Lord Shiva at this sthalam.

Kadambavaneswarar Temple, Kulithalai – The Temple

Kadambavaneswarar Temple, Kulithalai – The Temple

The Temple is facing north with five tiered Rajagopuram. The temple has two prakarams (corridors around the main shrine). There is a mandapam in front of Rajagopuram. The Dwajastambam passes through the hole made in the roof. Balipeedam and Nandhi are immediately after the Rajagopuram. The sanctum sanctorum consists of Sanctum, Antarala, Arthamandapam and a Mukamandapam.  Vimana over the sanctum is of Vesara type. Dindi and Mundi are the Dwarakapalas located at the entrance of the sanctum.

Presiding Deity is called as Kadambavaneswarar / Kadambavana Nathar. Lord Shiva graces in the sanctum as a Vamadeva Swayambhu Linga facing north. Idols of Seven Virgins (Saptha Kannikas) can be found at the back side of presiding Deity. The main shrine faces north which is very rare. Hence, it is named as Dakshina Kashi. Vinayaga, Dakshinamurthy, Lingothbhavar, Brahma and Durga are the Koshta idols located around the sanctum walls.

Lord Shiva is facing north while Lord Dakshinamurthy on the Koshta (wall around the sanctum) is facing south. Lord Chandikeswarar is facing west against traditional south and Lord Brahma is facing east against traditional north. Lord Lingodbhava is on the Sanctum Koshta-wall around the shrine. The Ardha mandapam has a slightly bigger idol of Ganesha.

Mother is called as Bala Kujalambal / Mutrillamulayal. She is housed in a separate shrine facing east with a separate Dwajastambam, Nandi and Bali Peedam. Her shrine It is located outside the Mahamandapam. There is a small bas-relief image of Paramanathar facing the Goddess shrine. Paramanathar is the guardian deity of this shrine with his hand on the forehead in a saluting form.  People perform abishek to Paramanathar with honey and offer porridge made of Pasi corn, praying him to be a guardian of their houses too.

There is a shrine for Anugnai Vinayaka in the temple premises. It has its Vimana, tower above the sanctum sanctorum is of Tridala design. Lord Muruga graces from a shrine in the prakara with his consorts Valli and Deivanai with his six faces. There is also a separate shrine for Sani Bhagawan (Saturn). There are two Pancha Loha Idols Natarajas with Muyalagan under one and one without. Crescent moon shines on the head.

Devotees consider Mother Chamundi here as Mother Durga.  Hence, there is no special shrine for Mother Durga.  Worships to Mother Durga are offered in Shiva shrine itself.  Pujas during Rahukala time are performed to Lord Shiva and Mother Durga simultaneously. There is a Vahana Mandapam housing the processional vahanas (vehicles) for the deities with exquisite workmanship in the Temple premises. It is situated in the inner side, to the east of the second prakaram. Navaratri Mandapam is situated on the north west corner of the inner prakaram.

There are shrines for Viswanathar, Bhairava, Vinayaga, Subramanya with consorts Valli & Deivanai, Somaskanda, Gajalakshmi, Jeshta Devi, Naalvar, 63 Nayanmars, Nagas, Utsava Idols, Various Lingams, Surya, Agora Veerabhadra, Sekkizhar, Chandikeswarar, Nataraja and Navagrahas in the inner prakaram. The Bhairava idol is very popular among the locals.

The second prakara is an open space. There are no idols or shrines located here except for Sthala Vriksham and few idols below the tree. Sthala Vriksham is Kadamba Tree. The temple tank, Brahma Theertham is situated in the south east corner of the Temple. There is a path round the temple for the processional chariot. Though the temple is very old, there is no inscriptions found in temple walls to ascertain the age /antiquity of the temple.