Friday Temple Visit - Week # 90
28th October 2022
வாரம் ஒரு கோவில் தரிசனம்
by S. Subramaniam
Sri Airavateswarar Temple at Thiru Kottaram, Thiruvarur, Tamilnadu, India
Location:
Sri Airavateswarar Temple,
Thirukkottaram is situated on the banks of River Vanchiyaru in village Velangudi on the Kumbakonam to Karaikal route. Its about 6 Kms from Nannilam and 12 Kms from Karaikal.
Salient features:
The presiding deity of the temple is
Sri Airavateswarar and name of Devi Parvati in the temple is Sri Vandamar Poonguzhali or Sri Sugantha Kunthalambigai. The Holy water Sthala Theertham of the temple are Surya Theertham and river Vaanchiyaru and the
Sthala Vriksham (Sacred Tree ) are Parijatha tree and Vilwam tree.
Name of the place / Lord:
Historically this place was called Thiru Kottaram. Thiru Gnana Sambanthar in his pathigam on this temple refers to it as Kottaru. Previously the River was also known as Kottaru but now it is known as Vanjiaru.
As Lord Shiva in this temple is believed to have been worshiped by Airavatham, the elephant-vehicle of Indra, he has come to be known as Airavateswarar.
History:
This is a very ancient temple and Sambanthar's recorded visit confirms it's existence during the 6th Century. However the present structure is recorded to have been constructed by
Chozha King Maduranthagan Kulothungan in 1253 CE and the lord’s name is mentioned as “Rajendra Chozheeswaramudaiya Mahadevar”.
The Temple:
The Raja Gopuram is of three tiers. At the entrance, Dwajasthambam and Dwara Ganapathy can be seen. A mandapam, with sculpture of Lord Siva as Kailasanathar is located in front of Dwajasthambam.
Thevaram is inscribed on the walls of the temple within the sanctum sanctorum. In the Ardha Mandapam there is a very old beehive. Buzz of the bees can be heard in the main sanctum.
Legends:
Legend 1 of 2 relating to Devine Elephant Airavatham:
Once Sage Durvasa presented a lotus flower to Lord Indra who was coming in his ceremonial procession. The arrogant Indra received the flower and placed it on the head of the elephant. The elephant removed the flower with its trunk, threw it on the floor and stamped the flower with its leg.
The angry Durvasa cursed both Lord Indra and the elephant. Accordingly, Airavatam became a wild elephant and for one hundred years went to several holy places, worshipped the deities and finally got its original form at Madurai.
Tirukkottaaru is one of the holy places worshiped by Airavatam as a wild elephant. This is the legend narrated in the Tiruvilayadal Puranam.
Legend 2 of 2 relating to Sage Subha Maharishi.
Subha Maharishi, a contemporary of Sage Agastya, had the habit of paying his obeisances to the Lord of this temple every day. One day he was late and the temple doors were closed.
Seeing this Subha Maharishi took the form of a bee, went into the sanctum and worshiped the Lord. From then on he remained there. From that time onwards, the beehive remains in the sanctum of the Prime Deity.
It has now become a practice that the devotees visiting the temple, stand a little away from the hive and offer their prayers. It is said that honey is extracted annually from this hive and the Lord is adorned with that honey.
Other deities:
There are shrines for other deities in this temple such as Lords Bala Vinayaka, Muruga with his consorts, Dakshinamurthy, Brahma, Vishnu, Nalvar with Paravai Nachiyar, Sarba Rajan (Nagarajan), Agastheeswarar, Subhaka Maharishi, Kailasanathar, Devi Durga, Chandikeswarar and Bairavar. In this temple, there are two “Bali Pedam”, one in front of the Nandhi and the other one behind it.
Literary Mentions:
Saint Thiru Gnana Sambanthar has composed hymns on the Lord of this temple. From one of the stanzas in the pathigam we gather about the elephant Airavatham worshiping the Lord here and also creating the river by striking the clouds by its trunk.
Contact:
Arulmigu Sri Airavateswarar Temple,
Kottaram P.O.
Via Netdunkadu – 609 603,
Nannilam Taluk,
Thiruvarur District, Tamilnadu, India
Phone: +91 – 4368 – 261 447
Thiru Chitrambalam Thiru Thaal Potri
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