This shiva temple is one of the sapta thana Shiva temples associated with Shri Adikumbheshwarar Temple of Kumbhakonam. This temple is famous as Shri Shweta Vinayaka Temple of Thiruvalanchuri. This temple is about 1 km from Kumbhakonam on Kumbhakonam Tanjavur route via Papanasham.
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 very early age she told her father about her wish and started doing penance. With her divine power, she made a shiva linga out of sand. In order to make the Shiva linga she prayed and requested Lord Shiva to fetch water from Ganges. Lord Shiva obliged and created sacred tank known as Jatatirtha 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 Shri Kabardieeshwarar (kabar in Urdu also means jata). Lord Shiva appeared according to Goddess Parvati’s wish and married with her at this place. As per Goddess Parvati’s wish Lord Shiva stayed at this place in the form of a Shiva Linga which is worshiped as Shri Kabardeeshwarar.
The following kshetra purana explains why the name is Thiruvalanchuzi. The detail is obtained from a grantha known as Abhidana Chintamani. During Samudra Manthan they started the churning the ocean of milk with Vasuki (snake) as churning rope. She started splitting venom which became unbearable. When devas approached Lord Shiva for a remedy, he reminded them that they have forgotten to worship Lord Ganesha first. So they made an idol of Lord Ganesha from the foam of ocean of milk. And after worshiping they got relief from venom. This idol of Lord Ganesha is known as Sweta Vinayaka.
Lord Indra desired to have Sweta Vinayaka for his worship. At the same time the other devas were also interested in same. Finally it was decided to worship Sweta Vinayaka at everyone’s place for some time. Sweta Vinayaka was worshiped by Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati for some time at Kailash, by Lord Maha Vishnu and Goddess Mahalakshmi at Shri Vaikuntha, by Lord Brahma and Goddess Saraswati at Satyaloka and then finally it came to Goddess Indrani Devi and Lord Indra at Indraloka. When Lord Indra had to leave Indraloka due to curse of Ahalya, for an atonement he started on a pilgrimage. He took Sweta Vinayaka along with him. Lord Indra reached this place and decided to have a bath at Jatatirtha. Lord Shiva felt that Sweta Vinayaka should be installed at this place. So he appeared as a small brahmin boy. Lord Indra Deva handed over the idol to small brahmin for a safe keeping while taking a bath. He forgot the instructions that the idol should not be kept on the ground. When Lord Indra took 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 Sweta Vinayaka will grace and fulfill desires of one and all by staying in Kailash in Krutayuga, at Vaikuntha in Tretayuga, at Satyaloka in Dwaparyuga, and on earth in Kaliyuga.
Once Lord Adishesha came from patal loka on Mahashivaratri day to worship Lord Shiva at this place creating a big hole. River Kaveri started flowing through this hole circulating Lord Shiva temple. The Chola king known as 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 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 Heranda) who was performing penance at nearby Kottaiyur village stopped the king from the entering the hole. He felt that king's life is more precious than his and hence was ready to sacrifice for the people and 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.
This temple is one of the 276 Padal Petra 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 about an area of 7.25 acres. The Rajagopuram is five tiered. It is considered to be beneficial and auspicious to worship in this temple. At this temple along with the shiva temples at Thirunallar, Pattishwaram, Keezhapazhayarai and Avoor in a day during Dakshinayan. This temple is about 1700 years old.
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 Somaskandaha, 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, Sage Heranda Maharishi and Lord Bhairav. According to Puran, once sages and devas conducted a yadnya 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.
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 worship Lord Shiva.
There are two shrines of Lord Muruga namely one is Lord Shanmukha, and the other is Lord Subramanya with Valli and Deivayani. The shape of sanctum sanctorum is semi circular. As per Marut puran Mahalingehswarar temple at Thiruvaduthurai has nine temples as pariwar sthalam and this is one of them. They are namely
- Shri Shwetavinayaka at Thiruvalanchuzhi
- Shri Subramanya at SwamiMalay
- Shri Dakshinamurti at Alangudi
- Shri Nandi at Thiruvaduthurai
- Shri Navagraha at Suryanar Kovil
- Shri Chandikeshwarar at Seinganur
- Shri Nataraja at Chidambaram
- Shri Bhairava at Sirkazhi
- Shri Somaskandhar at Thiruvarur
Those who worshiped at this place: Goddess Parvati, Lord Mahavishnu, Lord Brahma, Lord Indra, Lord AdiShesha, and Sage Heranda Maharishi.
In continuation we will be writing Shwetavinayaka temple.
Festivals:
Avani (Aug-Sept): Vinayaka Chaturthi
Purattasi (Sept-Oct): Navaratri
Aippassi (Oct-Nov): Skandashashthi and Annabhishek
Karthigai (Nov-Dec): Thirikarthigai festival (light festival)
Margazhi (Dec-Jan): Thiruvaduthirai (Arudra darshan)
Thai (Jan-Feb): Makar sankrant
Masi (Feb-Mar): Mahashivaratri
Pradosha puja is performed during Pradoshakaal
Address:
Thiruvalachzhinathar Temple
At post Thirivalachuzhi via Swami Malai
Kumbhakonam, 612302
Telephone number: 91-4352454421, 91-4352454026
Courtesy: Various websites and blogs
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