Thirunageshwaram - Temple of Rahu

This Navagraha temple represents the planet Rahu. This is also one of the 275 temples revered by Nayanmars. This is about 2000 years old. This is situated at Thirunageshwaram about 8 kilometers from Kumbhakonam in Tamil Nadu. 

Mulavar (Main deity): Thirunageshwar, Thirunaganathaswami, Shenbaga Aranyeshwar

Devi (Consort): Shri Girigujaambigai, Shri Pirai Anival Nuthal Ambika (wearing crescent moon on forehead),

Sacred Teertha: Surya Teertha

Sthala Vruksha: Champa Tree (Shenbagam)

Shiva Linga is a swayambhu linga. This place is famous as Rahu Parihar sthal. The place was abundant with Champa trees. Hence this place was known as Shenbaga aranya or Champaranya.

Greatness: According to puran Lord Vinayaka worshiped Shiva at this place and was bestowed with the title Ganapati i.e. Lord of all Ganas. 

According to Puran the eight great serpents (ashta maha sarpa namely Ananta, Vasuki, Karkodaga, Sankalpa, Kulika, Padman, Mahapadman and Taksha) along with Adi Shesha (five headed serpent) worshiped Lord Shiva at this place. In Ramayana this place is mentioned as the place where Ahalya, wife of sage Gautama, was relieved of her curse and she was united with sage Gautama again.  

Goddess Parvati had cursed sage Bhrungi. As an atonement for this act she was advised by Lord Shiva to do penance. She selected this place to perform penance. As directed by Lord Shiva goddess Lakshmi and Goddess Saraswati accompanied her to this place. Pleased with her penance Lord Shiva took her back to Kailash. Parvati is worshiped here as Girigujambal and the idol is swayambhu and there is no abhishek for the idol. This idol is swayambhu. 

The five headed adishesha is believed to have come from patal loka to worship Lord Shiva. Rahu is believed to have worshiped Lord Shiva at this place. In the shrine of Rahu he is depicted in human form with his wives Nagavalli and Nagakanni on either side. 

According to Sthala Puran, Nandi, Chandra, Surya, King Nala, Sage Gautama and Parashar worshiped Lord Shiva at this place. It is believed King Nala regained his wealth due to the grace of Lord Shiva. Pandavas also worshiped at this place and got their kingdom back. Nandi got the status of Nandikeshwarar. Indra worshiped Goddess Girigujambal for getting rid of his sins. Sage Bhrungi got darshan of Goddesses Lakshmi, Parvati and Sarawasti at the same time at this place. 

Other shrines at this temple: Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati are facing east in separate shine. In the first prakaram (parikrama) adjacent to the sanctorum (gabhara) we have the shrines of Vinayaka, Muruga and Chandrasekhar. There were 12 sacred teerthas here originally, namely surya, himalaya, brahma, chandra, agni, durga, parashara, indra, bhrugu, kanva, and vashishtha teerthas. But at present only Surya teertha exists. The idols of Nrutya ganapati, Shenbaga Vinayaka, Nandi, Adi Vinayaka, Murugan with his consorts Valli and Deivanai, Nataraja, Somaskanda, Sapta Matrika, Mahalkshmi and Saraswati are in the main parikrama. 

In the koshtam (place surrounding sanctorum) we find the idols of Nardana Ganapati, Nataraja, Agasttya, Dakshinamurti, Lingodbhava, Brahma, Vishnu, Durga, and Chandikeshwar. 

There are two shrines of Goddess Parvati. 1) The shrine of Shri Girigujaambika. She is in yogic posture and the idol is made of clay. Hence there is no abhishek. By her side we find the idols of Goddess Lakshmi and Goddess Saraswati. The goddess Saraswati has a veena in her hand whereas Goddess Lakshmi has a flower in her hand. 2) The second shrine is that of Shri Pirai Anival Nuthal

Salient Features: 

1) Every year in the Tamil month of Karthigai (Nov-Dec) on full moon day, rays of moon fall on the idol of Shri Pirai Anival Nuthal.  2) On Sundays during Rahu Kaal, 4.30 pm to 6 pm, abhishek is done on Rahu idol with milk. This milk turns into blue color when it flows over Rahu idol, but becomes white when it touches the ground. 3) In Girigujambika shrine, there is a unique idol of Rahu known as Yoga rahu. 

This kshetra is a parihara sthal for sarpadosha, kalatradosha (wife), pitrudosha, kalasarpadosha.

According to Scriptures, the serpent king (Nagaraj) from Patal (Patal Lok), on one ShivaRatri day, selected four forests in KUMBHAKONAM to perform puja in four Prahars (segments) of the night (Ratri): 1. Bilwa Forest 2. Hibiscus Forest 3. Vanni Forest 4. Nagapatanam. Nagaraj constructed temples in each of these four places and worshiped Lord Shiva there. According to mythology, Ganapati, Nandi, Brahma, Sun-god, Vashishtha Muni and Indra also worshiped Lord Shiva here. It is also said that Gautam Muni got his wife back after performing worship here. Pandavas also visited this place during agyatvas (period in which they were to be incognito).

Festivals at this place:

1) Brahma utsav on third Friday of Karthigai is held for 10 days with a chariot yatra on the ninth day and surya teertha festival on the tenth day

2) In the month of Margazhi, Ardra festival for Lord Shiva.

3) Girigujambika festival on the first day of month Thai (14 or 15th of Jan)

4) MahaShivaratri

5) Chaitra purnima festival of Lord Muruga

6) Vaikashi festival for Somaskanda

7) Skanda shashthi and sura-samhar festival during Nov-Dec