Sri Jambukeswarar Temple, Thiruvanaikaval, Tiruchirappalli / Trichy District, Tamil Nadu.

 24^th, May 2011.

114/60 -  SRI JAMBUKESWARAR TEMPLE - THIRUVANAIKAVAL 

This post was updated with Thevara hymns, History, Inscriptions, Legends, Sthala Purana, and architecture. For the updated post details please click this link. 

This is the 114th Devara Padal Petra Shiva Sthalam and the 6th Shiva Sthalam on the banks of River Kaveri in Chozha Nadu, Vadakarai. Moovar has sung hymns in praise of Lord Shiva of this temple.

Mandapam before 3rd level Rajagopuram -on the top stucco images of Sthala Purana

Moolavar   : Sri Jambukeswarar, Sri Appu Lingeswarar,

                 Sri Vennavalesar,  Sri Jambunathar,

                 Sri Aanaikka Annal, Sri Neerthiral Nathar.

Consort    : Sri Akilandeswari

Some of the important features of this temple are...

This is one of the pancha bootha sthalangal called Appu sthalam (Water). To signify water is coming from the base of the lingam even during summer. Moolavar is facing west. The Iraivan was worshiped by Brahma, Spider, Elephant, Ashtavasukkal, Ambal, Parasarar, and Ko Chenkat Chozhan. There is a 9-way salaram in front of moolavar and we cannot enter straightly to karuvarai like any other temple, instead, we have to enter through the sideway. 

Ambal is in a separate temple facing Iraivan ie east direction. Since Ambal worshiped Lord Shiva in this temple, archakar used to do the uchi kala pooja wearing a sari. Sri Sakkathodukal given by Sri Adhi Sankara is still being used for Ambal.

BRIEF HISTORY OF THE TEMPLE :

Thiruvanaikoil is a beautiful small urban village in the Tiruchirappalli district ('Trichy', 'Thiruchirappalli', 'Tiruchinopoly', 'Tiruchi') in Tamil Nadu of Southern India. Thiruvanaikoil is also familiarly known as Thiruvanaikoil, Thiruvanaikaval, Thiruvanaikaval, Thiruvanaikaval, Thiruanaikaa. Thiruvanaikoil is around 3 km away from the heart of Trichy city and adjacent to Srirangam another small historic town and one of the holy places in India. Thiruvanaikoil and Srirangam are on the banks of river Cauvery. Literally, these two places form an island, surrounded by river Cauvery and river Coleroon. 

This ancient temple dedicated to Shiva (Jambukeswara) and Parvati (Akhilandeswari) is one of the foremost Saivite shrines in Tamil Nadu. This large temple celebrates Shiva as Jambukeswara, an embodiment of the element water and is often referred to as Appustalam and is hence one of the Pancha Bhoota Stalams, the other four being Tiruvannamalai (fire), Chidambaram (Space), Kanchipuram (Earth) and Kalahasti (Air) respectively. The Sri Jambukeshwara Temple is dedicated to Lord Siva and has five concentric walls and seven gopuras. It is built around a Shiva lingam partly submerged in water that comes from a spring in the sanctum sanctorum. Non-Hindus are not allowed inside the temple.

According to the legend, there was once a forest of jambu trees in the place of modern Tiruvanaikka. Nearby was a tank called Chandratheertha which was filled by water from the river Kaveri. Lord Shiva appeared as a Lingam under one of the trees. The lingam came to be called the Jambulingam.

Due to a curse, the two  Shiva ganas Pushpadanta and Malyava, were born in the forest as a white elephant and as a spider. The elephant worshiped the Lingam with flowers and with water brought in its trunk. The spider too worshiped the Lingam, spinning out a web over the Lingam to prevent leaves of the tree from falling on it. The spider's web appeared to be unclean for the elephant and it destroyed the web. This led to a big clash between the two and ultimately resulted in their death. Lord Shiva granted Moksha (salvation) to both. The spider was born in a royal Chola family as the great king Ko Chenkannan, a Chozha King who built about 70 temples (Madakovil) including the temple of Jambukeswarar at Tiruvanaikka. Because the king remembered his earlier birth, he built the temples in a such way that no elephant could enter the sanctum sanctorum and come near the Sivalingam. The temple at Thiruvanaikaval is a big one covering an area of about 18 acres with high walls and gopurams on all 4 sides. The temple has 5 prakarams. The main sanctum sanctorum (the 5th praharam) can be reached by entering a series of Gopurams (Towers). The shrine for the female deity Akilandeswari is situated in the 4th praharam.

HOW TO REACH:

Frequent Buses are available from various parts of  Tamil Nadu.

Frequent Town buses are available from the Main guard gate, Malaikottai Thayumanavar temple tank, and 8 Km from the main bus stand, 

CONTACT DETAILS :

The landline Number is +91 431 2230257.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE

( A Rajagopuram at the back side )

A small mandapam on the praharam

Third level Rajagopuram

Mallappa gopuram

( Neerazhi mandapam  near the first Rajagopuram )

First 7-tier Rajagopuram on the west side 

----- OM SHIVAYA NAMA -----