This shiva temple is one of the sapta sthana Shiva temples associated with Shri Adikumbheshwarar Temple of Kumbhakonam. This temple is famous as Shri Shweta Vinayaka Temple of Thiruvalanchuzhi. This temple is about 1 km from Kumbhakonam on Kumbhakonam- Tanjavur route via Papanasam. This is a Padal Petra Sthalam, on the southern bank of Kaveri praised by Shaiva saints Appar and Sambandhar. This temple must have existed even before the 7th century, believed to be constructed by Chola kings and extended by Pandya and Vijayanagar kings. Few stone inscriptions are available about the gift of land and other endowments.
Moolavar: Shri Kabartheeshwarar, Shri Valanchuzhinathar, Shri SenchataiNathar
Devi: Shri Mangalanayaki, Shri Periyanayaki Ambal
Sacred Teertha: River Kaveri, Arasalaru, Jada teertha
Kshetra Vruksha: Bilva tree
Puranik name: Shaktivanam, Thirunaavartham, Dakshinavartam
Kshetra Purana:
The Sage Yayarava had 100 sons. He prayed to Goddess Parvati for a daughter. Goddess Parvati decided to take birth as his daughter as she wanted to see herself getting married to Lord Shiva with matted hair. At a very early age she told her father about her wish and started doing penance. With her divine power, she made a Shivalinga out of sand. In order to make the Shivalinga she prayed and requested Lord Shiva to fetch water from Ganges. Lord Shiva obliged and created a sacred tank known as Jatatheertha with Ganges water from his matted hair. Since Goddess Parvati wished to marry Lord Shiva with matted hair, the name of Lord Shiva here is Lord Kabardeeshwarar (Kabar in Urdu also means jata). Lord Shiva appeared according to Goddess Parvati’s wish and married her at this place. As per Goddess Parvati’s wish Lord Shiva stayed at this place in the form of a ShivaLinga which is worshiped as Lord Kabardeeshwarar.
The following kshetra puran is obtained from a grantha known as Abhidana Chintamani. It gives in detail, how the name Thiruvalanchuzhi came into existence. During Samudra Manthan, they started churning the ocean of milk with Vasuki (snake) as a churning rope. She started spitting venom which became unbearable. When devas approached Lord Shiva for a remedy, he reminded them that they had forgotten to worship Lord Ganesha first. So they made an idol of Lord Ganesh from the foam of the ocean of milk. And after worshiping they got relief from venom. This idol of Lord Ganesha is known as Shweta Vinayaka.
Lord Indra desired to have Shweta Vinayaka for his worship. At the same time the other devas were also interested in the same. Finally it was decided to worship Shweta Vinayaka at everyone’s place for some time. Shweta Vinayaka was worshiped by Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati for some time at Kailash, and later by Lord MahaVishnu and Goddess Mahalakshmi at Vaikuntha, and by Lord Brahma and Goddess Saraswati at Satyaloka. Finally it came to Goddess Indrani and Lord Indra Deva at Indraloka. When Lord Indra had to leave Indraloka due to the curse of Ahalya, for an atonement he started on a pilgrimage. He took Shweta Vinayaka along with him. Lord Indra reached this place and decided to have a bath at Jatatheertha. Lord Shiva felt that Shweta Vinayaka should be installed at this place. So he appeared as a small brahmin boy. Lord Indra handed over the idol to the small brahmin for safe keeping while taking a bath. He forgot the instructions that the idol should not be kept on the ground. When Lord Indra Deva took a dip in the water the boy kept the idol on the ground and disappeared. Lord Indra tried to uproot it from the place but could not do so. A celestial voice instructed him to leave the idol in the same place and worship the idol on Mondays in the shukla paksha in the month of August (second fortnight August) to first fortnight of September. But still Lord Indra tried to move the idol with the help of chariot, horses and elephants and he failed miserably. The celestial voice of Lord Shiva again instructed him to stop his attempts. Lord Shiva told him that Lord Shweta Vinayaka will grace and fulfill desires of one and all by staying at Kailash in Krutayuga, at Vaikuntha in Tretayuga, at Satyaloka in Dwaparyuga, and on earth in Kaliyuga.
Once Shri Adishesha came from patal loka on Mahashivaratri day to worship Shri Shiva at this place creating a big hole. River Kaveri started flowing through this hole circulating Lord Shiva temple. The Chola king Haridhwajan felt that his people will be deprived of the water and there may be famine due to the Kaveri flowing into the patala loka. He prayed to Lord Shiva in order to get her back and flow through his kingdom. The divine voice of Lord Shiva told the king that Kaveri can be brought back only when a king or a sage sacrificed his life by entering the hole. The king decided to enter the hole himself for the sake of his people. Sage Atri (also known as HerandaMuni) who was performing penance at nearby Kottaiyur village stopped the king from entering the hole. He felt that the king's life is more precious than his and hence was ready to sacrifice for the people. He entered the hole and brought Kaveri back. The place where river Kaveri came out is known as Melakaveri. The sage came out of the hole at the place known as Thiruvalanpuram which is at present known as Melaperumpallam. Later Sage Atri did penance at Melaperumpallam and attained salvation.
Those who worshiped at this place:
Goddess Parvati, Lord Mahavishnu, Lord Brahma, Lord Indra, Lord Adi Shesha, and Shri Heranda Maharishi.
Special features:
1. Lord ShwetaVinayaka is made from sea-foam.
2. There are several beautiful mandaps with carved pillars and beautiful sculptures.
3. There is a panel (stone window) in front of Lord ShwetaVinayaka.
4. Lord ShwetaVinayaka is housed in a mandap of silver and gold.
5. There are certain buddhist idols in the temple belonging to the Chola period.
6. Lord Surya and Lord Chandra face each other in the NavaGraha shrine.
7. There are several beautiful and interesting idols in this temple.
8. A moat formation is around the sanctum which may be due to rise in ground level.
9. There are two shrines of Lord Muruga, namely one as Shri Shanmukha seated on his Peacock mount with his consorts and the other Lord Subramanya with his consorts.
10. Sanctum-sanctorum is in the form of a moat.
About the temple:
This temple is one of the 276 Padal Pethra Sthalams on the southern bank of river Kaveri. The temple is also addressed as Vellai (ShwetaVinayaka Temple). This is an east facing temple with three parikramas. It is spread over an area of 7.25 acres. The Rajagopuram is 5-tiered. It is considered to be beneficial and auspicious to worship in this temple. At this temple along with the shiva temples at Thirunallar, Patteeshwaram, Keezhapazhayarai and Avoor in a day during Dakshinayan. The shape of the sanctum sanctorum is semi circular. The ShivaLinga is a Swayambhu Linga.
Lord Shiva and Goddess Pravati shrines are facing the east. Goddess Parvati is on the right side of Lord Shiva. According to Shaiva saint Shri Sambandhar one must have done great punya for entering this temple and worshiping Lord Shiva.
Lord Vinayaka in this temple is made from the foam, hence no abhishek is done. Civet is sprinkled along with raw camphor powder as abhishek. As this idol of Lord Vinayaka is not touched by hand he is known as Theendatha Thirumeni (untouched body).
Koshtha murtis:
Lord Nardana Vinayaka, Lord Nataraja, Lord Bhikshatanar, Lord Dakshinnamurti, Lord Brahma, Lord Lingothbhavar, Lord Ardhanareeswarar, Goddess Durga, Lord Chandikeshwarar.
Idols of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati, shrine of Lord Vishnu, Lord Muruga, Lord Nataraja, Lord Somaskandar, Goddess Gajalakshmi, Brahma Linga, Lord Surya, Lord Chandra, Lord Kashi Vishwanath along with Goddess Vishalakshi, Twin (Irattiai) Vinayaka, Goddess Durga with sapta matrikas are found in the corridors. Shrine of Goddess Brihannayaki (Periyanayaki) is to the right of Lord Shiva’s shrine. We come across separate shrines for Goddess Ashtabhuja Mahakali, Heranda Maharishi and Lord Bhairav. According to the Puran, once sages and devas conducted a yagna at this place. Each of them installed a Shiva linga, hence we find 22 of them in a row along with the names of the sages who installed them in the outer parikrama.
There are two shrines of Lord Muruga namely one is Lord Shanmukha, and the other is Lord Subramanya with his consorts Valli and Deivayani. As per Marut purana, Mahalingeshwarar temple at Thiruvaduthurai has nine temples as pariwar sthalam and this is one of them. They are namely
- Shri Shwetavinayaka temple at Thiruvalanchuzhi
- Shri Subramanya temple at SwamiMalai
- Shri Dakshinamurti temple at Alangudi
- Shri Nandi temple at Thiruvaduthurai
- Navagraha temple at Suryanar Kovil
- Shri Chandikeshwarar temple at Seinganur
- Shri Nataraja temple at Chidambaram
- Shri Bhairava temple at Sirkazhi
- Shri Somaskandar temple at Thiruvarur
Prayers:
1. Devotees worship at this place for removal of marriage obstacles, for wealth and prosperity.
2. Devotees believe that by worshiping Lord Shiva at temple, they will be relieved of their sins.
3. Devotees worship Lord Shiva for excellence in education and knowledge.
Pooja:
Regular daily and monthly poojas, pradosha poojas are performed
Festivals:
Avani (Aug-Sept): Vinayaka Chaturthi
Purattasi (Sept-Oct): Navaratri
Aippasi (Oct-Nov): Skandashashthi and Annabhishek
Karthigai (Nov-Dec): Thirukarthigai festival (light festival)
Margazhi (Dec-Jan): Thiruvaduthurai (Arudra darshan)
Thai (Jan-Feb): Makar sankranti
Masi (Feb-Mar): Mahashivaratri
Pradosha puja is performed during Pradosha Kaal
Address:
Thiruvalanchuzhinathar Temple, At post Thirivalachuzhi via Swami Malai, Kumbhakonam, 612302
Telephone number:
91-4352454421, 91-4352454026
Courtesy: Various websites and blogs
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