Deivanatheswarar Temple / Sri Arambeswarar Temple / Elimiyankottur / Elumiyankottur / Ilambayankottur, Tiruvallur District District, Tamil Nadu.

Now this place is called "Elimian Kottoor" or "Elimiyankottur". This is the 13^th  Devaram Paadal Petra Shiva Sthalam in Thondai Nadu. During my earlier visit, a Veda Patasala was functioning at the entrance of the temple. Sekkizhar mentioned in Periyapuranam that Thirugnanasambandar reached this place with his disciples after worshipping Lord Shiva of Thirumarperu.

    அங்குள்ள பிறபதியில் அரிக்கு அரியார் கழல்வணங்கிப்

    பொங்குபுனல் பால்யாற்றின் புடையில் வடபால் இறைவர்

    எங்கும் உறைபதி பணிவார் இலம்பையங்கோட்டூர் இறைஞ்சிச்

    செங்கன் விடை உகைத்தவரைத் திருப்பதிகம் பாடினார்

Thirugnanasambandar has sung hymns in praise of Lord Shiva of this temple. In that, he mentions that these words do not belong to him but belong to lord Shiva.  

    

    மலையினார் பருப்பதம் துருத்தி மாற்பேறு
    மாசிலாச் சீர்மறைக் காடுநெய்த் தானம்
    நிலையினான் எனதுஉரை தனதுஉரையாக
    நீறுஅணிந்து ஏறுஉகந்து ஏறிய நிமலன்
    

    கலையினார் மடப்பிணை துணையொடும் துயிலக்
    கானலம் பெடைபுல்கிக் கணமயில் ஆலும்
    இலையினார் பைம்பொழில் இலம்பையங்கோட்டூர்
    இருக்கையாப் பேணிஎன் னெழில் கொள்வது இயல்பே

... திருஞானசம்பந்தர் தேவாரம்

Moolavar  : Sri Deivanayakeswara, Sri Arambeswarar Swamy.
Consort    : Sri Kanakagujambigai, Sri Kodendhumulaiyammai.

Some of the important features of this temple are….

The temple faces east, and there is no Rajagopuram, only an entrance from the west. The Dwajasthambam is standing separately without kavasam. Rishabam and Balipeedam are at the ground level under a small mandapam. Moolavar is made of Sandstone, a Theenda Thirumeni, and is covered completely with Nagabaranam. For garlanding, priests used to do the same with a stick. Through the vibhuti hole, the red colour of the moolavar is visible. In koshtam Nirutha Ganapathy, Yoga Dakshinamurthy (Right hand in chin mudra on the left chest touching the Brahma knot  – a rare image), Maha Vishnu (in place of Lingothbavar), Brahma and Durgai.

There are two Ambal sannidhi one in the inner praharam and the other in the outer praharam. In the inner praharam sannadhi for Ambal (Kanakagujambigai – a Sri Chakra was installed at the feet of Ambal by Mahaperiyava), Arambeswara (16 flat surfaces Dhara Linga), Suryan and Chandran.  In the outer praharam, Vinayagar and Subramaniyar.

The Sun rays fall on Moolavar between April 02 and 07 and Sep 05 to 11, each year. During that time, Moolavar will look golden in colour.

HISTORY & INSCRIPTIONS

The original temple was constructed during the Pallava period, and it was later reconstructed by the Chozhas and later by the Vijayanagara. During the Kulothunga-II period, this place was called Chozhavichchadira Chaturvedi Mangalam in Kanruru Nadu. Lord Shiva was called Ilambayankottur Udayanayanar (234 of 1910).

The Rajadhiraja-II (1175 CE), period inscription (231 of 1910) records that the original brick temple was reconstructed with stone, by Pandari Sivacharanaalayan alias Sivapadasekara Muvendavelan.

The Vijayanagara King Vijayagandagopala period inscription records the gift of Village Kaliyanallur in Tiruvelur nadu.

The Pandya Konerimaikondan Jadavarman Sundarapandyan period inscription (232 of 1910)  records a gift of this village, Ilambayankottur of Kanrur Nadu, to this temple. As per another inscription (234 of 1910) This place was also called Chathurvedimangalam Ilambayankottur of Kanruru Nadu during the Thribhuvana Veeradevan period.

Ref

Annual Report on South Indian Epigraphy, Year 1910.    

LEGENDS

A Guru Parihara sthalam, and on Guru Peyarchi day, devotees used to gather in large numbers. People pray for the Child boon, marriage, Education, good health, and dosha nivarthi sthalam.

As per the legend, the three apsaras Rambha, Menaka, and Urvasi, celestial dancers of the court of Indra, are worried about the fading of their beauty. Known for their beauty wanted to regain their beauty and approached Brihaspati to get a solution. Brihaspati advised them to go to earth and worship Deivanayakeswara. A total of 8 Apsaras came to this place on the banks of the river Palar, created a tank, took a bath, and worshipped Lord Shiva Deivanayakeswara. They regained their beauty and thejus. They also installed another 16 flat surface Dhara Linga in memory of their visit, and the same is called Arambeshwara. The same is mentioned in Koova Puranam.

                        

         பன்னரும்புகழ் மேயகூவ புரத்தினின்குட பாலினில்
       கின்னரம்புரை கொங்கை மேனகை கெண்டையங்கண் உருப்பசி
       முன்அரம்பையர் இளமைநல்லெழின் முற்றுஉறா துஅரம் பேசனாம்
       என்னஒண்சிவ லிங்கம் ஒன்றை இயற்றியேவழி பட்டனர்

The other legend is associated with the Koovam Thripuranthakeswara temple story. When Lord Shiva started for the Tripura samhara, without worshipping him, Vinayagar broke the axle of Shiva’s Chariot. While the Chariot fell down, Lord Shiva landed, keeping his bow on the ground. His sarakondrai (சரக்கொன்றை - Cassia fistula) garland had fallen at this place and formed a Swayambhu Linga. Since Lord Shiva went out for Tripura Samhara with the demons Tarakaksha, Kamalaksha, and Vidyunmali, to save Devas, Lord Shiva is known as Deivanayakeswara.  

In another legend, Thirugnanasambandar, while he was passing Elumiyankottur, Lord Shiva, in the form of an old man, asked him to sing about Lord Shiva of this temple. Since he could not find Lord Shiva's temple in the forest of jasmine and trees. When he asked where the temple was, Lord Shiva, in the form of a wild bull, led him to the temple. Thirugnanasambandar mentions in his hymn that if anybody worships Lord Shiva will attain mukti without rebirth.

POOJAS & CELEBRATIONS

Apart from regular pooja, Pradosham, Mahashivaratri, Arudra Darshan, and Thirukarthigai are celebrated grandly.

TEMPLE TIMINGS

The temple will be opened only for oru kala pooja/one-time pooja. Devotees are advised to go to the temple before 10.00 hrs or contact the Gurukkal before going to the temple.

CONTACT DETAILS : 
Sivam Gurukkal may be contacted on his mobile at 9600043000 and 9444865714. 

HOW TO REACH : 

From Koovam Elumiyankottur is 5 km via Narasingapuram. The route is a little tough, and there is no proper road.

Auto is available from Perambakkam.

This temple is about 4 km from Koovam / Cooum.

The temple is 27 km from Arakkonam, 26 km from Kanchipuram, 24 km from Tiruvallur, and 57 km from Chennai.

The nearest railway stations are Arakkonam and Tiruvallur.  

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE

---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---