Dakshinamurthy Temple,
Pattamangalam – Legends
Pattamangalam:
Once, Lord Shiva was teaching
Ashtama Siddhi to Sage Bhringi, Nandi and Bhooda Ganas in Kailasa. Karthigai
maidens (Nidardani, Aparakendi, Dekanthi, Vardhayendhi, Amba and Thula), who
brought up Lord Murugan as a kid came and requested Lord Shiva to include them
also. Lord Shiva was initially hesitant but at the recommendation of Mother
Parvati, he agreed to teach the Karthigai maidens. But the maidens did not
listen to the teaching sincerely and lost focus.
Thus, they lost an opportunity
of learning this rare art. Lord Shiva got angry and cursed them to become
stones. The maidens fell at his feet and sought relief from the curse.
Lord Shiva said that they would be stones for 1000 years and he would provide
relief to them after 1000 years. The maidens came to Pattamangalam and
performed penance on Lord Shiva in the form of stones for 1000 years.
Lord Shiva came in the form of
Dakshinamoorthy from Madurai, gave back their original form of girls and
preached Ashtama Siddhi under the banyan tree. As the feet of Lord Shiva touched
(patta in Tamil) this place for providing relief to Karthigai maidens (Mangai in
Tamil), the place came to be called as Pattamangai and later got corrupted to
Pattamangalam. While cursing the Karthigai maidens, Lord Shiva also cursed
Mother Parvati for her recommendation to the undeserved.
She also came here and performed
penance as Kali under the Naval tree. When the Karthigai maidens were cleared off
their sins, Kali was also cleared off her sin and got back to the Parvathi devi
form. There is a separate temple of Navayadi Kali at a few hundred meters from
the main temple. This story is regarded as the 33rd of the 64
Thiruvilayadals (or divine plays) of Lord Shiva.
Adaikalam Katha Ayyanar:
As per legend, Kadamba rishi had
his ashram inside Kadambavanam (Kadamba forest) at Pattamangalam during ancient
times. Once, the demon Hiranyakasipu disturbed the penance of Kadamba rishi.
The sage cursed him that his fall would start if the demon comes to this place.
The devas seek refuge at Kadamba rishi as they were driven away from heaven by
Hiranyakasipu. On searching the devas, he reached this place without thinking
about his curse.
As per the curse, Hiranyakasipu
was annihilated by Lord Narasimha at nearby Iraniyur. As Kadamba rishi gave
refuge to devas when they were suffering due to Hiranyakasipu, he came to be
called as Adaikalam Katha Ayyanar. He is present here in a separate shrine with
all his parivara deities under the Erazhinjil tree. Kadamba rishi is closely
associated with the legend of Thirukoshtiyur Divya Desam nearby.