24th January 2020.
The visit to this rock-cut Bhootha Linga Swamy cave
temple at Bhoothapandi in Kanyakumari District was a part of the Nanjil Nadu
Heritage Walk organized by Yaaooyaakay and Celebrate Kanchi in association with
Tamil Nadu Tourism and Development Department, Kanyakumari, scheduled on 24th
to 26th January 2020.
After the Kurathiyarai cave temple visit, our
next destination was Bhoothapandi, which was about 5.4 Km from Kurathiyarai.
This place Bhoothapandi is on the banks of the Pazhayar River, at the foothills of Thadaga
Malai. The freedom fighter Mr P Jeevanandham, hails from this place.
Moolavar : Sri
Bhoothalingaswamy / Bhoothalinga Swamy
Consort :
Sri Sivagami Amman
Some of the Salient features of this temple are...
This is a Rock-cut cave temple facing east with a 3-tier Rajagopuram on the west side. Sri Bhootha Vinayagar is just opposite to
the Rajagopuram. The Sanctum Sanctorum is Rock rock-cut cave Temple in a small hillock
without trees. Two stucco images
of Bhoothas are on the Rajagopuram. The temple has a circumambulatory path to
reach the temple, around the hillock. Balipeedam, Dwajasthambam, and Rishabam are
in front of the temple.
Sanctum sanctorum is a Rock cut cave and the moolavar is also excavated from the mother rock
( Banam cannot be taken out from the avatar). There is no circumambulatory
path around the sanctum sanctorum.
In the praharam, Sri Sivakami Amman is in a separate
temple like sannadhi with sanctum sanctorum, antarala, and ardha mandapam. In addition to this sannadhis for Kanni Vinayagar, Chandikeswarar, Sri Valli Devasena Subramaniar, Sastha (Iyappan with Ekathala Nagara Vimana
), and Dakshinamurthy.
ARCHITECTURE
The Temple complex consists of sanctum Sanctorum,
artha mandapam, maha mandapam and a mukha mandapam. The pillars have bas-reliefs like Ravana Anugraha Moorthy, Ulagalantha Perumal, Dancers, Rathi,
Manmathan, and erotic sculptures. Even though
the temple complex has 4 entrances, only the west entrance has the 3 tier Rajagopuram.
The base of the Rajagopuram was built with stone and the superstructure was built
with brick and mortar. The Sanctum doesn’t have the Vimana.
Bhoothaganas are in-front of artha mandapam as
Dwarapalakas. Murugan’s arupadai veedu
images are on the wall like mural. There are mandapams which includes Chettiar
mandapam and Kalyana mandapam.
Ayyappan sannidhi was built with a Nagara Vimanam. The Somaskandar
is in a Temple sannadhi with Sanctum sanctorum and Artha mandapam. A Nagara
Vimanam is over the sanctum sanctorum. Ambal Sri Sivakami Amman faces east in a
temple, like sannadhi with sanctum, antarala, and ardha mandapam. The adhistanam is of kapota bandha adhistanam with brick superstructure.
Bhutas in-place of Dwarapalakas
HISTORY
& INSCRIPTIONS
This place is called in the name of Sangam period
King Ollaiyur Thantha Bhootha
Pandyan. The Rock Cut Cave temple is
believed to be from the 7th Century CE, based on the architecture and Sculptures. The cave measures 1.71 meters
by 1.38 meters with an entrance of 1.6
meters high and 0.67 meters wide. There are 11 inscriptions, recorded and all belong
to the 16th to 18th Century CE. Most of the inscriptions are inscribed
on the walls of Ambal Temple.
1578 CE inscriptions, record the the donation of 25 lamps and
naivedyam offered to Lord Shiva, by one Ayyappan.
The 1581 CE inscription mentions the donation of one
measure of ghee and 10 bananas and arranges for the celestial dance of the prime
deity. For this an amount of 100 panam was deposited by Kali-paappan of
Perumanguzhi desam in Mudala Nadu of Malaimandalam ( மலை மண்டலத்து முடாலா நாட்டுப் பெறுமாங்குழி தேசத்துக்
காளிப்பாப்பான் ) with
the temple staff. And pooja to be conducted on every month Apara (Pitru ) Paksham, Ashtami thithi day.
Another 1581CE inscription records the land
endowment for Poojas and offering to
Lord Shiva on the Vasantham day, Tamil Month Chithirai by one Eswaran Kesavan
of Makizhanjeru house in Kadaikkasu Desam (கடைக்காசு தேச மகிழஞ்சேறு இல்லத்து ஈஸ்வரன் கேசவன் ). The
Village name of Azhagiya Pandipuram, Kadukkarai, Pallacha Peru and Veeraneri
Kulam.
The 1583 CE inscription mentions the endowment for Morning
Thirupalli ezhuchi and pooja to
Dakshinamurthy by Pasumpirathu Gangaiyadi Bhattar of Azhagan
Chozha of Padmanabha nallur.
A 1607 CE inscription records the deposit of 300
panam for the Thirupalli ezhuchi, Abhishekam, and offerings to Lord Shiva by Sooranai Vendra Adithan of Padmanabha nallur
also called Murugur of Nanjil Nadu.
A 1614 CE inscription records the deposit of 700
panam for the pooja rituals and offerings for the Chandrasekar procession on the new moon day by Velayudha Perumal of
Mulainallur of Nanjil Nadu.
The 1618 CE inscription records the deposit of 900
panam for Lord Shiva and Parvati procession of Bharani star day of Chithirai
month, by Setti Silaiyan Ariyakutti of
Thiruvidangur Ravi Varmar Street. This gives more details on the expenses for
the feeding of Brahmins, rituals of Maheswara pooja, rice flakes, Nambimar Adangal, Salasambavanai, Nambimar Tantra Selavu, evening abhishekam, Camphor, etc,.
The 1658 CE, the inscription mentions the royal
order of Venattu King Ravivarman alias
Mootha Thambiran, while he was staying at Bhoothapandi Palace. This speaks about the pooja rituals of this
temple.
The inscription near the Jeeva Library records information about Anjinan Pukazhidam (who gave shelter who were frightened).
The 1691 CE Inscription was inscribed on behalf of Adi
Chandeeswara endowment. This inscription
records that Vadakku Saliyar, the weaving community people ( Padmasalai ) of this
Village migrated to Vadaseri. After a lot of suffering, they were colonized back
to this Bhoothapandi Village.
The 1789 CE inscription mentions the installation of
Dwajasthambam.
Inscriptions
Inscriptions
LEGENDS
A boy was taking care of the cow herds. He observed
that one cow gives less quantity of milk.
Suspected of the cow’s action he followed and found a demon/ Bhootha, drinking
the milk directly inside the cave. It was informed to the Pandya King who in turn sent his officials to investigate and find out the truth. They found, that the Cow went inside the cave and showered the milk on a Shiva Linga. The
mysterious action of the Cow was unfolded and the King ordered to build a Temple
and named it Bhoothalinga Swamy. The locals call as Salian Kanda Thirumeni.
A Stucco image of a Cow showering milk on Shiva Linga is on the boulder.
TEMPLE
TIMINGS:
The temple will be kept open between 06.00 hrs to
11.00 hrs and 16.00 hrs to 19.30 hrs.
HOW
TO REACH:
The temple is 13 km from Nagercoil, 27 km from
Kanyakumari, 85 km from Tirunelveli, and 750 km from Chennai.
The nearest Railway Station of Nagercoil.
LOCATION
: 8.16.22 latitude and
77.26.24 Longitude CLICK HERE
The left side hill peak looks like Lord Shiva's head.
---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---
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