This place is about 40 kms from Trichy. It is about 41 kms from Karur on the Trichy-Karur route. This place was earlier known as Kadambavanathurai as this area was full of Kadamba trees. This is a Padal Pethra Sthalam on the southern bank revered by Shaiva Saint Appar. This temple has been revered by Saint Arunagirinathar. Muthuswamy Dikshitar has composed a kriti on Lord Shiva of this temple. As mentioned in an earlier blog, this is one of the three temples to be visited in a day in the morning. The original temple must have existed even before the sixth century and must have been renovated by Medieval Cholas. It was later renovated and extended by Nayaks and Vijayanagar kings. This temple must have existed even before Pallava kings. The temple faces the north, hence it is considered as Dakshin Kashi.
Moolavar: Shri Kadambavaneshwarar, Shri Kadambanathar
Devi: Shri BalaKujambal, Shri Mutrilamulayal
Kshetra Vruksha: Kadamba Tree
Sacred Teertha: River Kaveri, Brahma Teertha
Puranik Name: Kadambathurai, Kuzhithandalai
Present Name: Kulithalai
Utsav Murti: Somaskanda Murti
Kshetra purana:
1. According to purana, celestial devas, rishis and munis were terrorized by demon Dhumralochana. They appealed to Goddess Ambika to protect them from the atrocities of the demon. Goddess Ambika took the form of Goddess Durga, and fought with the demon. Because of the boons obtained by the demon by doing penance, Goddess Ambika could not overcome him. At that time Lord Shiva directed sapta matrikas to assist Goddess Ambika. Demon could not withstand the attack of combined force, so he hid himself in the hermitage of Sage Katyayana. The sapta matrika mistook the sage for the demon and killed him. By this act they incurred Brahmahatya dosha. Because of this dosha, they became dark with gruesome faces. They approached Goddess Ambika who advised them to do penance on Lord Shiva. They did penance at this place and were relieved of Brahmahatya dosha. Lord Shiva granted them darshan by emerging from the Kadamba tree. Hence he is praised as Kadambavaneshwarar. We find the Sapta Matrikas behind Shiva Linga in the main shrine.
2. According to the purana, Lord Brahma was tired of the task of creation. He prayed to Lord Shiva for relief (mukti). Lord Shiva praised him for the work done by him and advised him to worship him at this place. He asked him to bathe in the sacred teertha Kaveri thrice in a day and worship him. Lord Brahma did as he was directed by Lord Shiva at this place for several years. It is believed that he attained mukti at this place. Lord Brahma conducted the chariot festival at this place. As Brahma worshiped Lord Shiva here, the place is known as Brahmapuram.
3. According to sthala purana, one will attain mukti if he worships Kadambavananathar in the morning, Ratnagirishwarar of Ayyarmalai in the noon and Lord Engoimalai Nathar in the evening.
4. According to sthala purana this is one of the five Kadamba shrines installed by Lord Muruga. The other four are Kadambar, Adi Kadambar, Ilan Kadambanoor and Peru Kadambanoor.
5. According to Purana, Lord Vishnu prayed at this place before recovering the four Vedas from Somasura. Hence this place is praised as Chaturvedpuri.
6. A staunch shaiva devotee named Deva Sharma is believed to have got Darshan of Lord Sundareshwar along with Ambika Meenakshi in this temple of their divine wedding which took place at Madurai.
7. Lord Muruga worshiped Lord Shiva to get rid of the sin of killing Surapadman.
Those who worshiped this place:
Lord Vishnu, Lord Muruga, Lord Brahma, Sapata matrikas, Sage Kanva, Deva Sharma, Sage Agastya, Shaiva Saint Appar, Ayadigal and Kadavarkon.
Special Features:
1. In this temple, the uniqueness is that Lord Shiva faces North, Lord Chandikeshwarar faces west, Lord Dakshinamurti faces south and Lord Brahma faces east.
2. The presence of Sapta Kannigas behind Lord Shiva is very rare.
3. Above the Navagraha shrine we find Lord Subramanya with his consorts.
4. There is no separate Goddess Durga shrine at this place. Hence people worship Goddess Chamundi as Goddess Durga. They worship her from the shrine of Lord Shiva. Special pujas are performed for her and Lord Shiva during Rahu Kaal.
5. There are two idols of Lord Nataraja in which one of the idols does not have Mulaygan at his feet. Lord Nataraja has a crescent moon on his forehead.
About the temple:
This temple is one of the Kadamba shrines installed by Lord Muruga. The temple is facing north with a five tiered Rajagopuram and two prakarams. There is a mandap in front of the Rajagopuram with stucco idols of Lord Shiva, Goddess Parvati, Nandi, Lord Muruga and Lord Vinayakar.
Dhwajastambha passes through a hole in the mandap. Balipeeth and Nandi are after the Rajagopuram. The sanctum sanctorum consists of sanctum, antarala, ardha mandap and mukha mandap. At the entrance of the sanctum, Dindi and Mundi are Dwarapals. Shiva linga is swayambhu linga facing north. Sapta Matrika idols are behind Moolavar.
Koshtha murtis are Lord Vinayakar, Lord Dakshinamurti, Lord Lingodbhavar, Lord Brahma, Goddess Durga.
Lord Chandikeshwarar faces west instead of south. Lord Brahma faces east instead of north. There is a large idol of Lord Ganesha in the artha mandap. Goddess Ambika is in a separate shrine facing east with Dhawajastambha, balipeeth and Nandi. It is outside the Mahamandap. There is a relief of small Pramanathar facing her. He is the guardian of her shrine.
Other shrines:
There is a shrine of Anugraha Vinayakar, shrine of Lord Shanmukha with Valli and Deivanai, shrine of Lord Shanishwarar, two idols of Panchaloka (bronze) of Lord Nataraja are in parikrama of which, one is without usual Muyalagan (ignorance). There is no separate shrine of Durga but Goddess Chamundi is considered as Durga at this place. In the inner prakaram, we come across Chandikeshwara, Aghora Veerabhadra, Panchabhuta Linga, Jyestha devi, Shaiva saint Naalvar, 63 Nayanmars, Sekkizhar, Lord Vishanath, Lord Vinayakar, Lord Somaskanda, Goddess Gajalakshmi with Vinayakar, Navagraha. The second outer parikrama is open space. There are no shrines but only a kshetra vruksha. Brahma teertha is a temple tank. This is a very old temple which is maintained very well but very difficult to ascertain its age.
Prayers:
1. It is believed that Lord Shiva protects the women at this place, hence women devotees pray to him for relief from their troubles.
2. Lord Muruga is the Athi Devata of planet Mars. Hence devotees worship him at this place to get rid of Angaraka dosha.
3. Lord Shiva faces the north, hence the place is praised as Dakshin Kashi. Hence the devotees worship him in the morning to get the same benefit as that of worshiping in Kashi.
4. In the shrine of Goddess Ambika, Lord ParamaNathar is acting as her god. Devotees worship him by performing abhishek with honey under the belief that he will protect them from calamities.
Pujas:
Daily four rituals at 6.30 am Thiru Vananthal, 8.30 am Kaalshanti, 12 noon UtchiKala puja, 5.30 pm Sayaraksha
Besides this pradosha puja and other monthly pujas are conducted regularly.
Some important festivals:
Vaikasi (May-June): 10 days Brahmotsavam
Aadi (July-August): 10 days Adi Puram festival
Purattasi (Sept-Oct): 10 days Navaratra
Aipassi (Oct-Nov): 10 days skanda shasthi festival
Karthigai (Nov-Dec): special puja on Mondays
Margazhi (Dec-Jan): Thiruvathirai
Thai (Jan-Feb): ThaiPusam (pushya nakshatra)
Masi (Feb-Mar): Magha nakshatra festival
Panguni (Mar-April): Panguni Uttiram
About the festivals:
In the month of Aippasi, the first phase of Tula snanam takes place on the bank of river Kaveri which is known here as Aganda (broad) Kaveri.
During ThaiPusam festival, Goddess Parvati and Lord Shiva grace the devotees on the bank of Kaveri along with the other idols from surrounding temples at Ayyarmalai, Thiruengoimalai, Karupattur, Musri, Velur and Rajendram. It is believed that Lord Shiva gave darshan to Sapta Matrikas on this day on the bank of Kaveri. Hence he gives Darshan to devotees on that day
Timing: 6 am to 1 pm, 5 pm to 9 pm
Address: Shri Kadambvaneshwarar Temple at Kulithalai, District Karur, TN 639104
Phone: +91 -4323225228
Courtesy: various blogs and websites
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