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Thursday, February 6, 2020

Thandeswarar Temple, Kozhumam – Legends

Thandeswarar Temple, Kozhumam – Legends
Thandeswarar:
The king wanted to have Nataraja (Cosmic Dancer), as the procession deity in this Temple. The sculptor failed twice in making the idol. The angry king ordered capital punishment to the sculptor if he failed in making the idol perfect in the third attempt. The broken sculptor begged the Lord to end his life himself instead of by the executors of the king. The Lord, in all sympathy, offered the sculptor his darshan and set himself beautifully as an idol. This Idol was named as Thandeswarar, the processional deity of the Temple. The Temple was also named after the processional deity.
Chozheeswarar:
Once, King Veera Chola of Kongu Chola branch, was suffering from the adverse effect of planet Sun. The region lost its luster and fertility. Scared king approached his Guru for a solution. As advised by him, he built this Shiva temple clearing the jungle area dense with Vilwa trees. Hence, the temple was built by Veera Chola, Lord came to be called as Chozheeswarar.
Then Chidambaram (Chidambaram of South):
Lord Nataraja (Thandeswarar) appears here too with one leg upward as in Chidambaram temple. Hence, the shrine is known as Then Chidambaram (Chidambaram of the South).
Then Thanjai:
Kozhumam popularly called as Then Thanjai (Thanjavur of the south is noted for hoary past, rich antiquity, history and tradition.
Kozhumam:
It was earlier known as Kumanan Nagar as King Kumanan of Sangam Era was ruling this place. Later, a group (Kuzhu) of merchants were here doing trade, the place came to be known as Kuzhumur. Later, got corrupted to Kozhumam.