This temple is one of the PanchaKrosha sthalam associated with Kumbhakonam. It is on the bank of river Kaveri. This is about 4 kms from Kumbhakonam on KumbhaKonam-Chennai route. This Shiva temple is popularly known as PettiAmman Kovil. The temple was built and renovated by Chola kings. It is more than 1500 years old. Shaiva saint Shri Sundarar has made reference in one of his hymns sung by him on Shri Shiva. Hence this temple is revered as Thevavaippu.
Mulavar: Shri Sundareshwarar
Devi: Shri Abhirami
Puranik Name: Patala Vanam
Kshetra Vruksha: Pathari tree (Yellow Trumpet temple flowers)
Sacred Teertha: Brahma Teertha
This is an east facing temple with five tiered Rajagopuram, and has two prakarams. The Shiva Linga is a swayambhu linga. Devi is housed in a shrine facing south. Idol of Devi has four hands. In the upper right hand she holds a garland of beads, upper left hand she holds a lotus flower, the lower hands bear Abhaya and Varada mudra. On the eastern side of the main temple, we come across a big box in which the Kali Amman known as Shri PettiKaliAmman is kept. She is named as Shri Sundara Kali amman. She has eight hands. The four right hands bear Trishul, a sickle (arrival in Tamil), a small drum (udukku in Tamil) and a parrot. On the fourth left hand she has paash (noose), shield, a bell, and a skull. She has fiery eyes, two protruding teeth (like fangs) and reddish face. She is worshiped by applying civet (punugu in Tamil) and a sacred ash.
In this temple, the articles like flowers, kumkum (vermillion), lemon etc which the devotees submit to the deity are not given back. After the naivedya like a sweet rice (pongal in Tamil) is shown to the deity, the box containing idol is opened. The deity is taken in procession only once during the uttarayana.
Other shrines:
We come across the shrines of Shri Dakshinamurti, Shri Sapta Matrikas, Shri Muruga, Shri Lakshmi Devi, Shri Durga Devi, Shri Bhairav, and Shri Navagrahas in the temple complex.
Kshetra Puran:
Once the villagers had gathered on the banks of river Kaveri. At that time, they saw a wooden cascade floating in the river. They recovered the box, and opened it. They found a wooden bust of Shri Kali (Devi). A divine voice informed them that it was the idol of Shri MahaKali worshipped by King Vikramaditya. They were also advised by the divine voice how to worship that idol. They followed the directions by keeping the idol in a thatched house. One night the house was destroyed in the fire, however villagers could save the cascade from the fire. They sought the advise of his holiness Shri Shankaracharya of Kanchi Peetha. He directed them to a place in a nearby Shiva Temple where there was already a place meant for this idol. He advised them to name her as Shri Sundar Mahakali. They were directed to worship her by keeping it in the cascade itself and he also stated that they should continue there earlier method of worship. This place was earlier known as Thiru Patalavanam (this was a forest of Padiri trees). Later on the place came to be known as Koranattukarupur.
It is believed that this idol was originally with King Vikramaditya.
Shri Brahma worshiped Shri Shiva daily by installing a Shiva Linga in the dense forest of Padiri trees. He received dnyana upadesha from Shri Shiva at this place.
Shri Indra worshiped Shri Shiva along with his mount Airavat on the full moon day of Chitrai. He got rid of the curse by worshiping Shri Shiva.
Sages Agastya, Kanva, and Vakilya worshiped Shri Shiva and Shri Mahakali at this place.
At this place daily pujas are performed four times in a day.
Festivals:
Chitrai (April-May) - Brahmotsav
Adi (July-August) - Puram festival
Avani (August - September) - Ganesh chaturthi
Purattasi (Sept-Oct) - Navratri
Aippasi (Oct - Nov) - Skanda shashthi festival
Karthigai (Nov-Dec) - Karthigai Deepam
Besides this, special pujas are performed on the full moon day, new moon day, ashtami, and navami.
Contact: Shri Sundareshwarar Temple, Koranattukarppur, Kumbhakonam Taluka, 612501. Telephone: 91-4352443460
Courtesy: Various websites and blogs
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