Thursday Temples - Thiyagarajaswaamy Temple , Thiruvarur

( All the details given below are very elaborate in the Tamizh language version. Lot of photos are also available in Tamizh version. This english version covers the most important details and is only for people who cant understand tamil . All others are encouraged to read Tamizh version .)

Serial Number	204	Place	ThiruVaaroor
Name of the temple	VanmeekaNaathar Koyil
God	VanmeekaNaathar		Goddess	Kamalaambigai
Sung By	Appar / Sundharar / GnanaSambandhar
Railway station	ThiruVaaroor
Nearby City/Town	ThiruVaaroor	Distance	0 k.m(s)
Temple faces	east	Lingam is	swayambu
This temple is a east facing temple
Other info about this temple , Veedhi Vidangar , Ajapa Nadhanam
This temple is a Saptha VidangaSthalam

Location info

Called as Thiruvarur , Aarur , Aaroor etc .
This temple is situated on the banks of the river Odam pokki. Can be reached from all major towns in Thanjavoor district and from places like Trichy , Chennai etc .From Thanjavoor and Kumbakonam a lot of buses are available . A big town situated on Nagappattinam - Kudalur highway .
Everyone knows the temple by name Thiyaagaraajaswaamy temple.

Temple Structure

This temple has entrances from all 4 sides and the east one is the main entrance . This goepuram is 118 feet tall . There are 5 prakaarams in the temple including the outer street . A lot of sub temples are inside which wouldnt let us release our hands out of the worship sign . This temple has a big tank adjoining it which is 5 veli ( approx 20 acres ) in size . It is called Kamalaalayam .

Some of the special sannidhis inside include Achalaeswarar , Dakshaeswarar , Bageeradhaeswarar , Manuchakkareswarar , Chera , Chozha , Pandiya lingams , Arunaachalaeswarar , Saptharisheeswarar , Viswamithraeswarar , Puroorvachakkareswarar , Mahaabaleeswarar , Varuneswarar , Routhra Dhurgai etc.

Some of the Mandapams ( Halls used for gathering and dance in olden days ) include ChitraSabhaa Mandapam , BakthaKatchi Mandapam , Onnjal Mandapam , Dhaevaasiriyam alias Hall of 1000 pillars etc .

Achaleswarar sub temple itself is sung in Thevaram by Appar . A very plesant and appealing sannidhi . Here the shadow of the Shivalingam falls only on the eastern side .

Temple tree is Paadhiri ( A kind of Mango ) tree .

KamalaambaaL is the speciality here and she resides on the north eastern side of the temple in a temple of her own . With 4 hands , she is in a standing pose. One of the ShakthiPeedams in South India .

On our pradhakshinam ( Sacred rounding of prakaaram ) we reach VanmeekaNaathar the main deity . Swayambu lingam . NeelothpalaambaaL is the goddess . There is an idol where she is placing her hands on the head of God Subramanya who is held by a servant . A rather peculiar and one of a kind sculpture to see . A very old lingam that even saints could not figure out when it got formed .

On to his left is Thiyaagaraajaa . The main speciality in the temple . He adores a Simhasan made of all the jewels and has a bouquet in his arms . Goddess next to him is called Kondi. To his right is a small box where VeedhiVidangar alias the special lingam of the temple is kept. Abishaekam is performed only to this lingam everyday .

Only the face of Thiyaagaraaja is shown. His left leg is shown during Margazhi - Thiruvadhirai and right leg during Panguni - Uthram stars . Other portions of his body are never shown . They are top secret. There are 2 Chandikeswarars in this temple. One is Eman as Chandi and the other is Regular Chandikaeswarar .

Thiruvarur temple Ther ( Chariot ) is very famous thruought India . A very big chariot .

Thala Puraanam ( Temple Myths and stories )

VanmeekaNaathar
Long time ago Dhevas , Bramma , Vishnu etc decided to perform a Yagnam ( A ritual conducted with fire ) . It was decided that whoever is able to sustain it for a long time is the best of all. Indran and other devas couldnt do it for a long time . It was Vishnu who performed it for a time longer than others . Vishnu proud of his achievement started to chase the devas with a bow he obtained from the YagaKundam ( Sacred pit where the ritual is performed ) . Devas ran for shelter and eventually reached this place . Vishnu reached this place and was tired as a result of Shakthi's influence . He kept the bow on the ground and was leaning on it . Devas asked their guru Jupitar for advide . He told them to get down to the floor where the bow was placed and become ants and corrode the string . They did it and the sudden release of bow beheaded Vishnu . Devas were afraid of the act when the god Vanmeekanaathar risen in form of Lingam from the place . Devas then pleaded god to bring Vishnu alive . God did it for them and blessed everyone with his presence there.

Thiyaagaraajaa
Vishnu worshipped lord shiva for a long time to get a beautiful child withstanding inclement weather . Shiva very satisfied with his penance appeared before him with his wife Umadhaevi and asked what he wanted. Vishnu conveyed his message and while doing this he forgot to even salute her . Devi obviously aggravated of his disrespect cursed him with a son who would die of his bad deeds. Vishnu realizing the sin he commited , pleaded again to god and goddess to show mercy on him . Umadevi then blessed him with a child who would die of Shivas anger and then take rebirth .While then Shiva was with Devi and Skanda in between them . Vishnu very pleased with that form of appearance requested Shiva that they blessed him with a icon of that form . That is Thiyagaraaja . He kept the icon in his mind and every breath in and out would make the icon dance in rhythm resulting in what is called "Ajabaa Nadanam ( Dance like a frog )"

Then Devalokam was tortured by Asuras. Indira came to vishnu for help . Vishnu then gave the idol to Indhira and told him to worship that to get rid of Asuras. He did so and defeated all the Asuras . A very happy Indhran worshipped the idol for a long time .

Then again another asura by name Valan battled Devalokam and was causing all kinds of hardfship for the devas . Indhran could not defeat him alone ; so decided that he would take the help of Muchukundan , a Choezha king ruling Thiruvarur then . He brought him to Indralokam and fought the war and won it. Indran then asked Muchukundan what he wanted as a gift for the victory . Muchukundan was an ardent devotee of Shiva and Shiva said to his ears alone to ask for the Thiyagaraaja idol . He asked promptly . Indhra , half-mindedly , not willing to lose Thyagaraaja at the same time trying to keep his word showed a total of 7 idols with 6 other copies or forms of the same original . Muchukundha , due to his divine blessing correctly identified the original . Indharan then gave all the 7 idols to him. This is how Thiyagaraaja came to Thiruvarur . The 7 idols are installed in Thiruvarur , Thirukkuvalai , Thiruvaimur , Thirukkaravasal , ThiruNallar , Vedaranyam and Nagappattinam . These temples are called SapthaVidanga Temples .

Temples nearby

Karayapuram , Aaroor-Paravayunmandali , Vilamal , Oegai-Pereyil , Thirukkaravasal , Keevaloor etc

Sung by

Appar , Sundharar and Sambandhar in Thevaram all Thirumurais .
Maanickkavasagar in Thiruvasagam
Chekkizhaar in Periyapuraanam and so on....

Other Info

It is told that Indharan worships VanmeekaNaathar every evening. So the priest goes with that dress to perform the pujas.

A lot of Nayanmars ( Shiva devotees ) worshipped god here and were blessed/. Some of them are Sundharar , NamnandhiyadigaL , ThandiyadigaL , Viranmindar , Cheraman PerumaaL etc .

This is where Manuneedhi choezhan laid his son on the chariot wheels to kill as his son killed a calf by mistake and its mother complained to the king.

There are innumerous other stories which belong to this temple which would take a year to probably publish ....