Suryanar Kovil - Temple of Surya

This navagraha temple is for the planet Sun (surya). It is parihar sthala not only for Sun but for other planets as well. This temple is about 2000 years old and is the only navagraha sthala where the main deity is not Lord Shiva but Lord Surya (Sun).

Mulavar (Main deity): Shivasuryan (Lord Surya)

Devi (Consorts): Ushadevi, Pratyushadevi (Chhayadevi)

Kshetra vruksha: Argha tree (Arghavan) (Rui in Marathi)

Sacred teertha : Surya teertha

Place: Suryanar Kovil, District: Tanjavur

How to reach the Temple:

One can travel by road to SURYANAR KOVIL from KUMBHAKONAM or MAYILADUTHURAI. One can also take a train to ADUTHURAI station but it is not so convenient. The temple is 3 km north of ADUTHURAI railway station by road.

Special features: 

This is one of the three famous Sun temples in India. In the sanctum sanctorum of this temple Lord Surya is facing the west with Usha Devi on his left and Chhaya devi on his right in her bridal form. He is in a standing position carrying a red lotus flower on his hands. His mount (horse) is standing in front of (his) idol. Lord Jupiter (Guru) is facing Lord Surya as if to pacify him i.e. reduce his heat. This is the only temple where we can come across all navagrahas in separate shrines at the same place. In this place all navagrahas are anugraha devatas and all of them are without their mounts. 

Legend(s):

History of Surya Graha Temple:

According to the Scriptures, once upon a time, there was a rishi named Kaal Rishi (Samaya/ Time) who studied his own horoscope. While studying, he found that he had Graha Doshas. To remove these doshas he performed penance and pleased the nine celestial bodies (NavaGraha) and got their blessings, that his descendants will not suffer from these Graha Doshas. Thus, he and his family were relieved from Pitru Dosha. Pitru Dosha comes from ancestry.

After knowing about this boon given by NavaGrahas, the presiding deities of NavaGrahas, namely Shiva, Parvati, Kartik Swami (Murugan), Thirumal (Vishnu), Brahma, Valli (wife of Kartik Swami) got angry. They chided the NavaGrahas that they (the NavaGrahas) do not have the right to grant boon to forgive the Graha Doshas. Therefore, their presiding deities ordained that the NavaGrahas will suffer from leprosy. Realizing that they had gone beyond their limits to grant the boon, the NavaGrahas asked for forgiveness from their presiding deities. Finding the NavaGrahas to be genuinely repentant, they were told to go to Arghyavanam and to perform penance there. They were told to take vow to fast, to take a bath in the Teertha (pond / lake) for 11 (eleven) Sundays and afterwards worship Lord Shiva and Parvati and on Monday take only curd rice on the leaf of Mandara. By doing these, they can get rid of their sin. The NavaGrahas did this penance and got rid of their sin. Thus there are 9 holy places, one for each of the Grahams, where they performed their penance and attained their salvation.

Lord Shiva bade them to stand at this place and help those devotees to get rid of their Graha doshas and other difficulties i.e. to act as anugraha devatas. 

Other deities: Shiva, Parvati, Ganesha

Festivals:

1. A 10 days festival is held on ratha saptami in February
2. Special abhishek and archana is done for Lord Surya on the first Sunday of every Tamil month
3. Special worships are done during the transit of Guru and Saturn

Navagraha sthalas in South India

Previously, last year, we posted information of Navagraha sthalas where we included information about grahas. Now we are posting information for each Navagraha temple as a part of Shiva temple series. All Navagraha temples are primarily Shiva temples.

All following temples can be visited in 2-3 days. All of them are located very close to Kumbhakonam. Besides these, there are other places also where we can find individual temples for the Navagrahas. In our subsequent articles we will be giving an account of each temple.

Navagraha	Location	Name of Lord Shiva	Name of His Consort	Other Name for Khetra
Suryan (The Sun)	Suriyanar Koil	Shri Suryanadar	Shri Prakash-ambikai	Arkavanam (Durva forest)
Chandran (The Moon)	Thingaloor	Shri Kailashnadar	Shri Periyanayaki
Angaraka (Sevvai)	The Mars Vaitheeswarankoil	Shri Vaidyanadar	Shri Thaiyal-nayaki	Pulliarukku-Velur
Budan (The mercury)	Thiruvenkadu	Shri Shwetaranyeshwar	Shri Bramhavidy-ambika
Guru (The Vyazhan-Jupiter)	Alangudi	Shri Apath Sahaya Eshwar	Shri Vallielavar Kuzali
Sukran (Velli-The Venus)	Kanjanoor	Shri Agnipurishwarar	Shri Karpagambal
Shani (The Saturn)	Thirunallar	Shri Dharbaranyeswarar	Shri Pranaambikai
Rahu	Thirunageswaram	Shri Senbagaaraneshwar	Shri Giribhuj-ambika
Ketu	Keezhaperumpallam	Shri Naagnadar	Shri Naag-ambika

Chidambaram Shiva Temple

This Shiva temple is one of the largest Shiva temple in the world (about 40 acres). It is the Pancha Bhoota sthala temple representing the element “Aakash”. It is also one of the 275 Shiva temples revered by Shaivaites Nayanmars. It is situated at Chidambaram in Kadalur district of Tamil Nadu. 

It is one of the place where Lord Shiva performed the cosmic dance (Pon ambalm i.e. Golden Sabai). It is Aatharasthala representing Ajnyachakra. Chidambaram is also referred as THILLAI (a type of mangrove), as this place was abundant with these type of plants. The temple is also known as Chidambaram Nataraja temple and it is about 2000 years old. 

Mulavar: Thirumollanadar, Koothanadar

Devi (Consort): Umayambika, Shivagamsundari

Kshetra Vruksha: Thillai plant

Sacred Teertha: Shivaganga, Vyaghrapada Tirtha, Anant Tirtha, Bramha Tirtha and about a number of others totaling about 10.

The preceding deity is Thirumulanadar which is a swayambhu linga. The ruling deity is Lord Nataraja. On the Western side of Thirumulanadar Shrine, there is a tree made of stone. The shrine of Lord Vishnu (Govindraj Perumal) and the shrine of Thillai-Kali are close by. From the mandap, in front of Lord Nataraja shrine, we can have darshan of Brahma Vishnu and Shiva at same time. This temple is also known as Chittrambalam.

At this temple we can have darshan of Lord Shiva in 3 forms namely in an idol form as Nataraja, formless as Aakash and as a spatika linga. Sage Vyaghrapada and Sage Patanjali did penance here for the darshan of Lord Shiva. Responding to their severe penance, He appeared here along with 3000 munis (sages) and gave darshan to them. This day, Tamil month Thai (Jan-Feb) on Pushya nakshatra is celebrated here. It is stated that for salvation, one should be born at Thiruvarur or live in Kanchi or think of Thiruvannamalai or die at Kashi. Similarly it is stated that if one worships Lord Nataraja or Lord Thirumulanadar, he is definite to get salvation. A Srichakra was installed by Aadi-Shankaracharya in the Ambika shrine. 

Legends from Puran: 

Sage Vashishta advised one of the sons (Maadyandinar) of his relative to worship the swayambhu lingam at Thillaivanam for getting complete wisdom. He could not pick the flowers before sunrise. They were considered as impure if picked-up after sunrise as honey in the flowers was sucked up by bees. He prayed to Lord Shiva that he was not in a position to pick the flowers in darkness and as he could not climb the tree in darkness. Lord granted him the legs of the tiger so that he could climb trees and gave sight which could see in darkness. Lord blessed him and stated that he would be known henceforth as Sage Vyaghrapada. 

The main legend is that, Lord Shiva appearing in Thillai vanam to teach a lesson to the rishi who felt that they can control God by their rituals and mantras. Lord Shiva appeared there as Bhikshadanar and Lord Vishnu appeared as Mohini (a beautiful lady) as His consort. The wives of rishis were enchanted by the beauty if Bhikshadanar and Mohini. The rishis who got enraged tried various ways to destroy Lord Shiva. They invoked a fierce tiger on Him. He tore the skin of the tiger and tied it around his waist. A fierce elephant which was invoked by the sages, was also killed and hence Lord Shiva is known as Gajasamhar murti. A demon who was invoked by the rishis was immobilized by Lord Shiva’s anand-tandav. Finally the rishis, surrendered to Lord Shiva and realized the truth that he is beyond magic, rituals and mantras. 

The Shrines in the temple:  

1. Thiruadimulanadar and Umaiyala – The Linga swaroop worshiped by sages Vyaghrapada and Patanjali.
2. The Shrines of 63 Nayanmars
3. Shrine of Shivagamsundari
4. Shrine of Vinayaka
5. Shrine of Lord Muruga

Besides these there are a number of smaller shrines. 

The halls (sabha, ambalams) – There are 5 halls namely, 

1. Chittambalam – This sanctum houses Lord Nataraja and Goddess Shivagamasundari
2. Ponnambalam or Kanaksabai – The rituals are conducted from here
3. Nrityasabai – This is the 56 pillar hall near the dhwajastambha. Here Lord Nataraja out danced Kali and established his superiority
4. Rajasabai – This is a 1000 pillar hall which symbolizes the yogic chakra, sashastraram. This hall is open only during festival days. 
5. Devasabai- This houses the panchamurtis, Lord Ganesh, Lord Somaskandha, Goddess Shivanandnayaki and Lord Chandikeshwar.

Significance of the temple – 

1. Of the 5 Pancha Bhuta sthalams, Shrikalahasti, Kanchipuram and Chidambaram stand on a straight line at exactly 79’41” East longitude. Thiruvannaikaval is located around 3’ to the South and 1’ to West of Northern tip of this axis whereas Thiruvannamalai is mid-way between these two.
2. The nine entrances of the temple signifies the 9 orifices in the human body. 
3. In the Ponnambalam, the sanctum sanctorum represents the heart which can be reached by the 5 steps, which represents the Panchakshari mantra - SI VA YA NA MA. The entrance to this sabai is from the side and not from the front as in usual manner. The roof of the sabai is supported by 4 pillars representing the 4 vedas. 
4. Ponnambalam is supported by 28 pillars representing 28 agamas (methods of worship). 64 beams of the roof represents 64 forms of arts. The cross beams represents the blood vessels in the body. 21600 golden tiles of the roof represent 21600 breaths. The tiles are fixed by 72000 golden nails representing the nadis in the human body. The 9 golden kalash represents the nine forms of energy. The artha-mandap has 6 pillars representing the 6 shastras.
5. The hall next to artha mandap, has 18 pillars representing 18 puranas. 

Festivals: 

There are 6 major festivals performed in a year for Lord Natraja. 

1. In the Tamil month of Margazi (Dec-Jan) – Thiruvaadhirai 
2. On the 14th day of the new moon in the Tamil month of Masi (Feb-March) festival is held
3. In the Tamil month of Chittrai (April-May) – the festival is held on Thiruvonam
4. In the Tamil month of Aani (June-July) – festival is held on Uttiram nakshatra
5. In the Tamil month of Aavani (Aug-Sept) – festival is held on Chaturdashi
6. On Chaturdashi day of the tamil month of Protasi (Oct-Nov) festival is held

The first 2 are considered to be the most important festivals of the year. 

7. Natyanjali is celebrated in February. Dancers gather to present Bharatnatyam to Lord Natraja as a mark of respect

It is very difficult to enumerate the greatness of these temples which we have been trying in the last few articles. With this article we conclude the summary of Pancha Bhuta Sthalams.

Courtesy: Following sites

1. https://tamilnadu-favtourism.blogspot.com/ and

2. https://temple.dinamalar.com/en/

3. http://www.indiatemples.in/