This temple is situated on Thiruvallur - Arakkonam road at Thiruvalangadu. This is one of the Pancha Sabhai sthalas representing Ratnasabhai. This is also a Padal Petra Sthalam in Thondai Nadu. This is one of the five places where Lord Shiva competed with Kali in a dance performance. The mandap where the dance took place is known as Ratnasabha. The place is revered by Appar, Sambandhar, Thirunavukkarasu and Karaikkal Ammaiyar (a female Nayanmar).
Mulavar: Sri Vadaranyeshwarar, Sri Devasinga Peruman, Sri Alavanathar, Oorthavananadar
Devi: Sri Alavanayaki, Sri Bhramaramba, Sri Vandarkuzhali
Kshetra Vruksha: Jackfruit, Banyan Tree
Sacred Teertha: Mukti Teertha, Shivakar Teertha
Puranik Name: Alankadu, Pazhayanur
Present Name: Thiruvalangadu
District: Thiruvallur, Tamil Nadu
The temple is about 1700 years old. There are inscriptions denoting the work of Chola, Vijayanagar and Pallava kings. The temple complex is spread over a very large area and the temple itself is very huge. This is an east facing temple. There are two gopurams and the rajagopuram is 5 tiered. At the entrance we have the shrine of Karpaga Vinayaka having 12 arms and Siddhi. And in the other shrine Lord Shanmukha is with his wives Valli and Devayani. The temple has three prakarams or corridors. The first corridor houses Annadan and Prasadalaya. The shrines of Vallabh Vinayaka and Muruga with Valli and Devayani are on either side of gopuram. Vallabh Vinayaka has his consort Siddhi on his lap. When we enter the second prakaram, we come across the shrine of Karaikkal Ammaiyar on the left. And Meenakshi Sundareshwarar on the right side. At the far end of this prakaram, we come across the shrine of Vandarkuzhali Amman.
The main prakara houses the sanctum sanctorum and its vimanam (shikhar or gopuram) is gajaprushtha. The shiva linga is a swayambhu linga facing east. It is very tall and wide. At the entrance of sanctum sanctorum we have Dwarapalakas and Lord Ganesha. The Lord Shiva (Shiva Linga) is under the roof (pandal) of rudraksha. The koshta murtis are Nardana Ganesha, Lord Dakshinamurti, Lingodbhavar, Lord Brahma, Durga Parameshwari, Chandikeshwarar, and Durga. The idol of Durga Parameshwari is very unique.
About Devi shrine: She is facing south. And four hands with lotus in two hands and the other two hands with abhaya and varada mudra. There is a yagashala near her shrine. This is one of the 51 shakti peethas and is known as Kalipeeth.
There is a mandap known as Arthamandapam. Idols of Nataraja, Ganesha, Shani and Surya are found in this mandap. There is a shiva linga with Nandi in front of him.
Nandi mandap, Balipeeth and Dwajastambha face the south. Mahamandap: It is a Nataraja sabha known as Ratnasabha.
At this place, the Lord is addressed as Ratanasabhapati Ishwarar. His consort Shivakamasundari is addressed as Sameesanambika. The left leg of Nataraja idol is seen raised and almost touching the left ear. This tandava is known as Urdhwa-tandava. We observe astonishment in the face of Devi. There are two shiva lingas at this place. One is sphatik and the other is emerald (maragada). The hall has a copper roof with five kalash representing five elements.
Other shrines and idols: Idols of Surya, Chandra, Nandi, Vijayaraghav perumal with Sridevi and Bhudevi, Lord Muruga with Valli and Devayani, Aghor Veerabhadra, Maruntheishwarar, Ganesha, Sapta Matrika, Shasta, Nalavar, Karaikal Ammaiyar, Karakotaka, Sage Pantanjali, Muneekesha, Anandan, Chandesa, Anugraha Murti. A small idol of Vadaranyeswarar is also found there. Following Shiva Lingas are also found in the corridor - Agastheeswarar, Kailasanathar, Rameshwarar, Valmikanadar, Kashi Vishwanath, Ekambaranathar along with Kamakshi. There are three shiva lingas which are together with Saarparaja and Nagaraja. We come across 8 different forms of Ganesha, Upasana Dakshinamurti and Gajalakshmi in the inner corridor. Besides this we have separate shrines for Ganesha, Sapta Lingas, Kuzhandeishwarar Linga and idol of Saundarya nayaki, Sahasralinga, and utsav idols of Uma and Satyajyoti Muni, Bhairav, utsav murti of Bhadrakali and Aghora Veerabhadra. In the inner parikrama we have Pancha Linga, Nalavar and Navagraha. In the outer prakaram we have the sthala vruksha with a Shivalinga and Nandi.
Once this place was a forest full of Banyan and jackfruit trees. Hence they are the sthala vruksha.
There is a separate shrine of Thirumulanayaki Samet Muktishwarar in a mandap known as Rashi Mandap. The 12 pillars of this mandap represent 12 rashis. There is a kali temple which has to be visited before going to the shiva temple. The Kali is seen in a dancing posture in this temple. The temple rath is shaped like a lotus flower.
Kshetra Puran:
According to Kshetra purana, two asuras, namely Kushala and Nishula, were residing in the forest at this place. They used to torment and torture the sages and others. The sages complained to Goddess Parvati. She manifested Kali from her eyes. And destroyed the asuras. She made Kali the queen of this forest. As Kali had tested the blood of asuras, she became uncontrollable. She started quarreling and behaving arrogantly. When the sages Munikesha Karakodaga requested Lord Shiva to control Kali, Lord Shiva took Aghora form and came to this forest. Kali challenged Lord Shiva to dance. She told him that he can take over the forest after defeating her. Lord Shiva performed 17 types of dance which Kali repeated but could not repeat the Urdhva Tandava. Goddess Paravti was astonished at this Urdhva Tandava performance. She is praised here as the goddess who witnessed the spectacular dance performance (In Tamil this is described as arugil erunthu biyantha nayaki). During this dance, he made his left earring fall on the ground and picked it with his left leg finger and fitted it in his ear. Kali accepted the defeat as she knew that she can not perform this act. In order to pacify Kali on her defeat Lord Shiva told her that he would be performing a pleasing dance known as Raksha Dance at Thiruvirkolam and she could have his darshan and told her that he alone was equal to her.
Lord Shiva manifested in front of her that there is no one equal to her except him. He gave her a boon that those who came to this place to worship him must first visit her and then only they can derive the benefit of his darshan. From that day Kali has a separate temple and people visit her first.
The dance competition was witnessed by Goddess Parvati, Narada, Karkotaga, Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu. It is believed that Swayambhu Linga was discovered in the forest under a banyan tree and then the temple was constructed.
This Urdhva Tandava was also witnessed by Karaikkal Ammaiyar. It is believed that she went to Kailash by walking on her head. She was addressed as a mother by Lord Shiva who advised her to go to Thiruvalangadu to witness the Urdhva Tandava. When she reached the place shiva linga started appearing wherever she put her foot down. She witnessed the dance and sang a hymn and attained salvation at this temple. It is believed that her resting place is at the feet of Nataraja.
Since Karaikkal Ammaiyar walked on her head, Sambandhar was afraid to set his feet on the ground. He stayed in a nearby village and spent the night viewing the temple. Lord Shiva appeared in his dream and asked him that he had forgotten to praise him. Next day he visited the temple and sang a hymn. According to another purana, a lady called Neeli was killed by husband as he suspected her of fidelity. After her death she could not move to the next birth hence she stayed here and started tormenting the people as ghost. When her husband was visiting this place in his next birth, she decided to take revenge. She assumed the form of his present wife and cried to accompany him. The husband was surprised to see the present wife and he sensed that something was wrong. He did not allow her to accompany him. Neeli complained to the local leader (Velalara). They interfered and advised him to stay with her in a nearby place. They told the husband that they will give up their life if anything happened to him. Next day morning they found him dead and they decided to end their life to keep up their promise. They gave up their life by self-immolation. Lord Shiva gave salvation to all of them. The hall where they gave up life is at about 1 km from this place.
According to another purana, Shaneshwar advised his son Mantheeshwar to worship Lord Shiva at this place as he had incurred a dosha due to a lizard falling on him. When he worshiped at this place, Lord Shiva appeared and absolved of his sin.
Those who worshiped at this place: Lord Shiva came to be known as Sri Vadaranyeshwara and the place was called Thiruvalangadu. Since the devas worshiped Lord Shiva here Lord Shiva is known as Devasingha perumal. Lord Muruga, Goddess Lakshmi and the Saint Thirumular also worshiped Lord Shiva here. Sage Sunanda witnessed Lord Shiva’s Tandava. Bharatmuni and wife Sunanda praised Lord Shiva at this place and got a son.
Salient features:
Jeeva Samadhi of Karaikkal Ammaiyar nearby Bhadrakali temple. This is a parihara sthalam for marriage obstacles and for shanidosha and also for Bharani nakshatra.
Festivals:
Masi (Feb-Mar): 10 days festival on Magha nakshatra.
Margazhi (Dec-Jan): Thiruvadhirai is the most important festival celebrated here.
Purattasi (Sept-Oct): Navratri festival
Karthigai (Oct-Nov): On Somwar, special worship is done at night and yantra pooja of yantra in sanctum sanctorum.
Aadi (July-August): Pooram festival
Panguni (Mar-April): Uthiram festival, Mahashivaratri, New Moon Pradosha pooja
Daily worship - 6 times in a day. Weekly worship - Monday and Friday. Fortnightly worship - Pradosha puja. Monthly puja - New moon, Full moon, Chaturthi, Krittika nakshatra.
Address:
Shri Vadanyeshwarar Temple, at post Thiruvalangadu, Thiruthani Taluk, Thirunelveli district, Tamil Nadu 631210.