Thonda Nadu Temple 15. Thiruvalankadu

SIVAYA NAMA

Location:

Thiruvalangadu is 16 KM  south west of Thiruvallur. Thiruvalngadu railway station is in the railway route betwean Chennai and Arakkonam. The temple is around 5 KM from Thiruvalangadu station. Buses are there from Arakkonam, Thiruvallur and Kanchipuram.

Swamy:           Arulmigu Devar Singapperuman

Ambal:            Arulmigu Vandar Kuzhali Ammai

Theertham:      Mukthi Theertham

Sthala Viruksham:   Palaamaram ( Jackfruit Tree)

Temple:

The temple was built in 6.22 acres of land with three pragarams facing east. The Rajakopuram is in the front has five tiers. In the entrance there are Varasiddhi Vinayakar and Arumugar with Valli and Deivanai on either side. Further inside on the left is separate sannathi for Ambal , facing south. There is no koshta murthy  in the Ambal sannithi. Uthsava Murthys are kept here.for safety. Among those, Pitchadanar, Vinayagar, Karaikkal Ammaiyar, Sunanda Munivar, Karkodan and Naalvar are extremely beautiful.   

Rathnasabai of Lord Natrajar is the speciality of this temple. The Natrajar in Urthava Thandavam is very beautiful. Along with Natarajar Sivakami Ambal, Karaikkal Ammiar and Manikkavasaka murthy are there.

In the inner pragaram Suryan, Adhikara Nandhi, Vijayaragava Perumal with Deviars, Shanmugar, Agora Veerabadrar, Sabtha Knniyars, Naalvar, Karaikkal Ammiyar, Karkodakan. Munjikesar, Pathanjali, Anandar, Sandesaanugrahar and eight type of Vinayagars Sannithis are there.

The sanctum built with black stones. Koshta murthys are Vinayagar, Dakshnamurthy, Lingothbavar, Brahmma, Durgai, Durga Parameswari, Sandikeswarar, Pancha Boothas are there. One should not miss Sahasara Lingam. There is also a beautiful Upadesa Dakshnamurthy. Bairavar is there without his vahanam. 63 Nayanmars are there.

In the entrance to Moolavar sannathi Vinayakar and Murugan are there. On entering right side Ananda Thandava Natarajar is in a Sapparam (Decorated Platform) facing south. Moolavar is Suyambu Lingam with a Rudhraksha canopy above. Next to the Moolavar on the side,  Bogasakthi Amman uthsavamurthy is there. On the Siva Lingam there are lines.

Speciality of Temple:

Lord Siva graces here as a Suyambu Murthy in this temple. The Natarajar shrine here is the Rathna Sabai and it is one of the five (Pancha) Sabais of Lord Natarajar. It is in this temple that Lord Siva addressed the great Siva devotee Karaikkal Ammaiyar as “Ammaiye” (Mother). Karaikkal Ammaiyar wanted to visit Kailasam (Mount Kailash) by head as she thought walking by feet to Kailasam was a sin. On her way Lord Siva stopped her and asked her to come to Thiruvalngadu instead of going to Kailasam. He also promised her to dance in front of her. She was blessed to watch the dance performance of Siva and got his blessing. She attained 'Mukthi' (the state of bliss) here. Lord Siva addresses only Karaikkal Ammiyar as Mother. Ammaiyar sung her 'Mootha Tirupathigam' in this temple. She is one among the 63 Nayanmars. There is a separate shrine for her in Karaikkal near Nagappattinam.

 

Sthala Puranam:

 

As per the Puranam, the main reason for lord Siva to conduct the Urthava Thandavam (Dance) in this place was the sage Munjikesar and the snake Karkodaan. Sage Ananthar was in penance at Kailash worshiping Lord Siva. Siva appeared in front of him and asked him about his requirement. The sage wanted to see Lord Siva’s dance. As per Lord Siva’s instruction he went to Thiruvalangadu and did penance. When he was in the penance he was covered by ant mound and on his hair Munjal grasses were growing. Hence he was called as Munjikesar.

Karkodan (Snake), which used to be always on the body of Lord Siva as an ornament, once spit the venom on the Lord’s palm by mistake. For which Siva instructed the snake to do the penance at Thiruvalngadu. When Karkodan realised his mistake and felt bad, Siva told the snake that he will accept him back at the time when he will perform the Urthava Thandavam in front of Sage Ananthar (Munjikesar).

As per puranam Munjikesar is Vyakrabathar and Karkodan is Pathanjali Muniver

Two demons Sumban and Nisumban chose this banyan forest (Thiruvalangadu) for their stay and began harassing the Devas and sages.  Devas and sages appealed to Goddess Parvathi for protection. Parvathi created a furious Kali from her eye sight and destroyed the demons.  Kali consumed the blood of the demons and their army and grew more furious.

At the request of Sage Naradar , Lord Siva reached this place.  Kali challenged the Lord for a dance and said that she would give her right in the place to the Lord, if he won.  The dance began.  Lord dropped his ear ring on the ground, picked it by the toe of his left leg and fixed it back on his ear in the dance.  Kali accepted her defeat and said that she could not do such a marvellous dance.  Lord Siva said that he alone was equal to her and said further that those coming to worship him here, should worship her first to reap the full benefit of the worship.  Since then, Kali has her own temple to grace the devotees. Lord Siva also blessed Manjikesar and Karkodar to be with him always.




Festivals : 

Margazhi Thiruvadhirai ( Arudhra Festival ) is the important festival of this temple. It will be held around December - January.

Pathigam:

Thirugnanasambandar, Thirunavukkarasar and Sundarar sung pathigams on this deity.

மூவர்  பாடிய  ஸ்தலம்.

துஞ்சவருவாருந்  தொழுவிப்பாரும் .வழுவிப்போய்
நெஞ்சம்புகுந்தென்னை நினைவிப்பாரும் உனை நட்பாய்
வஞ்சப்படுத்தொருத்தி வாணாள்கொள்ளும் வகை கேட்
பஞ்சும் பழையனூர் ஆலங்காட்டெம் மடிகளே

--------- திருஞானசம்பந்தர் 1st Thirumurai



வெள்ளநீர்ச் சடையர்போலு விரும்புவார்க் கெளியர்போலும்  
உள்ளுளே யுரிகி நின்றங் குகப்பவர்க் கன்பர்போலும்
கள்ளமே விணைகள் எல்லாங்  கரிசறுத்  திடுவர்போலும் 
அள்ளலம் பழனைமேய வாலங்காட் டடிகளாரே

--------- திருநாவுக்கரசர்    4th Thurumurai   



ஒன்றா வுலகனைத்து மானார் தாமே 
ஊழிதோ றூழி உயர்ந்தார் தாமே 
நின்றாகி எங்கும் நிமிர்ந்தார் தாமே 
நீர்வளிதீ  யாகாச மானார் தாமே 
கொன்றாடுங் கூற்றை யுதைத்தார் தாமே 
கோலப் பழனை உடையார் தாமே 
சென்றாடு தீர்த்தங்க ளானார் தாமே 
திருவாலங் காடுரையுஞ் செல்வர் தாமே 

---------- சுந்தரர்    6th Thirumurai 



Address:

Executive Officer
Arulmigu Vada Aaranyeswarar Temple
Thirvaalangadu Post
Thiruvallur Dt. 631210



Timings:

Morning :  6.00 AM to 12.30 PM
Evening  :  4.00 PM to 08.30 PM


Contact:   Mr. Sabarathna Gurukkal - 9791593564 / 9444039290
                                                       044 - 27872443

Pazhaiyanur:

Pazhayanur, a ancient village and as good sacred place as Thiruvalangadu, is situated at a distance of about 1.5 kilometers from Thiruvalangadu village. The contribution of Pazhayanur to the great tradition and glory of Tamils is unique. It was here that seventy Tamil Saiva vezhalars together sacrificed their lives to uphold a promise. The opinion of the scholars is that nowhere could they come across such a unique incident involving the sacrifice of so many lives at an appointed hour.

The famous Pazhayanur Neeli story!

A married merchant while travelling in North India, marries another beautiful girl, loving her at first sight. He along with his new wife and her brother come back to his village near Pazhayanur. On reaching this place, the merchant remembers his first wife and fears for showing his new love to her. Without hesitation, he takes his brother in law to a nearby pond and drowns him. When his new wife enquires about her brother, the merchant takes her to the pond acting as if they are out for search, unabashedly kills the new wife too in the same pond.

The dead woman comes out as a wandering spirit (Neeli in tamil), and carrying the brother' ghost as her kid, follows the merchant. When the merchant nearing Pazhayanur it was dark. Night falls and the merchant had to take rest. The Velaazhars (today's Saiva Velaazhar community) of Pazhayanur are known for their wisdom and integrity. They welcome the guest of their village, feed him and request him to take rest there and go to his native the next day.

The "Neeli", the ghost appears in the disguise of his true wife along with the kid (ghost of his brother) and requests before the Village heads that the merchant had ignored her and is running away from her. She pleads with them to unite them. The merchant knows very well that there is no chance of his first wife appearing at that spot, fearing the worst, refuses to have the woman with him. The guests are intrigued and ask the merchant to have his wife and kid with him that night, in the same room, as it was already late night. Neeli, the ghost is smart and asks the village head men to make her husband remove the sacred knife he carries along to thwart evils, saying that it is disgusting that a man does not even believe his own wife and carries a sword! She also adds that she fears for her life and that of her kid, that this man may kill them when they are fast asleep! Seeing her sob and narrate a pathetic story, the village head men believe her and order the merchant to have her in his room.

The village head men and other Saiva Velaazhars back the Neeli for staying with the merchant. With no other choice, the merchant agrees, but asks guarantee for his life. The village head and others (70 of them) promise that if something untoward happens to the merchant, they will also perish themselves, jumping into the fire, before the Shivalingam of Pazhayanur Temple! And as expected, the worse happens! The Neeli kills the merchant and disappears! The village headmen, on seeing the gory death of their guest, feel they are responsible for his death. All Saiva Velaazhar community of the village, plunge into the big fire before the Shivalingam.

The place of their death, the Satchibudeswarar temple where the oath was taken, are still seen in this village The very site which witnessed this story of courageous village headmen, who kept their promise to uphold their promise and village law, also the place where the Neeli crushed the ghost kid, all are seen still today.
A memorial is built in the place where the village head men jumped to death, and was opened for common public. Thirugnanasambasndar, Sekilar and Umapathi Sivam have sung in praise of this sacrifice.

In Tamil, there is a hymn sung by the Saint Thirugnanasambandar explaining this story as well as Sekhizaar in his Periya Puranam narrates this story elaborately.

"முனை நட்பாய் வஞ்சப்படுத்தொருத்தி வாணாள் கொள்ளும் வகைகேட்டு அஞ்சும் பழையனூர்"

-- திருஞானசம்பந்தர்.

Photographs:  
  

 



On the entrance of main temple





Urthava Thandavam



திருச்சிற்றம்பலம்