Shikanathar
Temple Complex, Kudumiyanmalai – Legends
Kudumiyanmalai:
As per legend, a Pandyan king
used to visit this
temple daily in the evening to offer his worship. The priest used to give
flowers as prasada to the king after his worship. The priest had a lover who
would visit the temple for worship as well as for meeting his lover. One day,
the priest was waiting for the king and the king did not turn up, but his lover
came for the worship. The priest gave the flower intended for the prasada to
the king to his lover. After her worship, both were talking happily about
themselves. When she was about to leave, the king entered into the temple for
his regular worship.
The priest got scared and
hurriedly took the flowers from the head of his lover, offered to Lord and gave
as prasada to the king. The king noticed a strand of hair in the flowers and
enquired about the strand of hair in the flowers. The terrified priest lied to
the king that the hair might have come from the Kudumi (tuft) of Lord Shiva. The
king got curious and wanted to see the tuft by himself. The priest promised to
show the tuft next day. The king locked the priest inside the
temple and said that he would come tomorrow to see the tuft of Lord Shiva.
The frightened priest prayed to
Lord Shiva whole night to save him from the impending danger. The king arrived
next day and found a tuft on the Linga. When the king tried to pull the tuft,
the blood started oozing out from the Linga. Thus, Lord Shiva came to be called
as Kudumiyar / Shikanathar and the
place came to be called as Kudumiyanmalai
/ Shikanallur. Kudumi means mount in Tamil. As the
temple was located near a mount, he might have been praised as Kudumiyar.
Thiru Nala Kundram:
As per legend, Emperor Nala
suffered from the malefic effects of Saneeswarar worshipped Lord Shikanathar
for relief. Thus, the
place came to be called as Thiru
Nala Kundram. Those facing the adverse aspects of Sani Bhagwan pray here
for relief.
