83 Friday Temple Visit
9th September 2022
வாரம் ஒரு கோவில் தரிசனம்
by S. Subramaniam
Sri Gneelivaneswarar (ஸ்ரீ ஞீலிவனேஸ்வரர்) Temple, Thiruppaigneeli, near Trichy, Tamilnadu
Location:
Sri Gneeli Vaneswarar temple is loca
ted in Thiruppaigneeli on the northern banks of River Kollidam and is about 18 Kms from Trichy, 13 Kms from Samayapuram and 8 Kms from Manachanalkur. Nearest railway station is Pitchandar Koil.
Uniqueness:
Lord Shiva reinstated the life of Lord Yama here after he was vanquished at Thirukadaiyur to save Markandeya.
There is a shrine for Lord Yama in the form of a cave.
Name of the place and the Lord:
Gneeli - ஞீலி - (Kal Vazhai) is a type of banana plant which can’t be eaten by human beings and is offered only to the god. This is the only place in the world where that rare variety of plantain is grown. This place was in ancient times called the Gneeli-vanam, (Forest of Kal Vazhai) and the name of the Lord Gneeli Vaneswarar. Other names by which the place was known earlier are Kathalivanam, Arambaivanam, Vimalaaranyam, Muthumalai, Swethagiri and Viyakrapuri. Presently the place is referred to as Thiru Pain Gneeli. The Lord here is known by 43 different names.
Salient features:
The presiding deity is known as Sri Viswanatheswarar (similar ti Kasi).Sri Gneelivaneswarar, Sri Chottrudaya Eswarar, Sri Meignana Neelakandeswarar and Sri Adhikara Vallar. Devi Parvati is known by the name Sri Visalakshi, Sri Neelnedungkanni. The Holy Plant (Sthala Vriksham) of the temple is the Plantain tree (Kal Vaazhai) and there are eight Sthala Theerthams (Holy water) associated with the temple, the names of which are Vimalaranya river, Visalakshi Theertham, Yama Theertham, Kalyana Theertham, Agni Theertham, Deva Theertham, Appar Theertham and Maniankarunai Theertham.
History:
The temple is very ancient and is more than 2000 years old. The temple’s main tower is believed to have been built by King Konerinmai Kondaan and it is only constructed up to the first tier leaving the construction incomplete. Lord Yama’s shrine, in the form of a cave was constructed by King Mahendra Varma Pallava in 640 AD.
The stone inscriptions available in this temple date back to the periods of Chozha kings Raja Raja Chozhan, Rajendran, Rajathirajan and Konerinmai Kondaan.
Legends:
Legend - 1 of 5 - the Southern Kailash
Once there was a Quarrel between Adiseshan, the divine serpent and Vayu bhagwan, the wind God. Adiseshan encircled Mt Kailash while Vayu bhagwan created chandamarutham, a kind of cyclone. A part of Mt Kailash was blown away in the process and one of the parts fell at this place getting it the name Then Kailasam (in Tamil) or the Southern Kailash.
Legend - 2 of 5 Lord Yama getting a New lease of life.
In order to save the life of Markandeya, a great devotee of Lord Shiva, the God kicked and vanquished Yama, the hod of death at Thirukadaiyur. After this incident, no deaths occurred in the world which increased the burden on earth to unmanageable level.
Mother Earth appealed to Lord Shiva of her pain of bearing unbearable weight. On a Thai Poosam day, the Lord made Yama re-appear under his feet as a child, instructing him to discharge his duties with impeccable sense of Dharma and reinstated him in the job.
Legend 3 of 5 - Relating to Sapta Kannikas.
The seven divine virgins – Saptha Kannikas – namely, Brahmi, Maheswari, Gaumari, Vaishnavi, Varahi, Indrani and Chamundi visited this temple before their wedding to seek the darshan of Devi Parvati. The Mother blessed them and granted a boon that they would be in the place in the form of plantain trees enjoying her darshan eternally. That's the story behind the rare variety of plantain, the Gneeli, being grown here.
Legend 4 of 5 - Relating to Thiru Navukku Arasar also known as Appar.
Saint Thirunavukkarasar (Appar) was on his way to worship Lord Gneelivana Nathar in Thiruppaingneeli. However, due to the oppressive heat, he became exhausted and hungry. A stranger appeared before him and looking at the condition of Appar, offered him food and water and later guided him to the temple. As soon as the two reached Gneeli Vaneshwar temple, the stranger disappeared and Lord Shiva gave darshan to Appar.
Thus the Lord here came to be known as “Sri Chottrudaya Easwarar” - the Lord who offered rice (“choru” means rice in Tamil). This event is celebrated every year on the day of Avittam star, in the Tamil month of Chithirai.
Legend 5 of 5 Sage Vasishter getting darshan of the cosmic dance.
When sage Vashistar came to know that the sages Vyagrapalar and Pathanji witnessed the Cosmic dance of Lord Shiva, he reached Mount Kailash and requested Lord Shiva to give him the opportunity to watch his dance. Lord Shiva advised him to go to “Gneelivanamakiya Thiruppaigneeli”. When he reached this place, Sage Vashistar was blessed with Lord Shiva’s dance performance in this temple. Thus, this temple is also revered as an additional Ratna Sabha (Hall of Gems), the main one being located at the famous Chidambaram temple and in this temple is referred to as “Melai Chidambaram” or the Chidambaram of West.
The Temple
The Temple is situated in a sprawling 12 acre area and is one of the Saptha Sthanam temples of Thiruvanaikaval. Walls of this temple are built with stones having a tiger skin pattern.
The main Gopuram here believed to have been constructed by King Konerinmai Kondaan looks incomplete and the reason for it is not exactly known. However, the Temple has a second Gopuram after the Raja Gopuram and it is known as Ravana Vaayil or the Gateway of Ravana.
Other Deities:
Other than the shrines of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvathy, there are shrines and idols of lords Vasantha Vinayaka, Muruga, Natarajar, Somaskandar, Dakshinamurthy, Arthanareeswarar, Brahma, Durga, Mahavishnu, Mahalakshmi and the Saptha Matha.
Lord Shiva appears in this temple along with Devi Parvati with Lord Muruga seated between the parents in Somaskanda form with Yama, as a child, under their feet.
There are two separate shrines for Devi Parvati here, one dedicated to Visalakshi and other to Neela Nedunkann Amman. The two shrines have a separate Dwajasthambam.
Next in importance to the above shrine is a separate shrine for Lord Yama built in a rock cut cave form by King Mahendra Pallavan. It is located next to the Ravana Vaayil.
This temple does not have any Navagraha idols. There are 9 steps leading from the Ravana Vayil tower inside the temple and this is built with the belief that the Navagrahas themselves.
Inside the shrine of Lord Vinayakar’s shrine there are idols of Lord Shiva and Lord Mahavishnu (Senthamarai Kannan).
Lord Dakshinamurthy of this temple is seen with Nandhi under his feet.
The rural guardian deities called Chinna Andavar and Periya Andavar are also located in the temple premises.
The sculpture of Sudha Maha Munivar, who did penance at this temple and obtained Mukti (salvation) lies in the outer precinct of the temple.
Literary Mentions:
The shrine is elaborately praised by the Saivite Trinity – Thiru Gnana Sambandar, Thiru Navukku Arasar and Sundara Moorthy Nayanar.
Contacts:
Shri Gneelivaneswarar Temple,
Thiruppainjeeli, Mannachanallur Taluk, Tiruchirappalli District,Tamil Nadu- 621005, INDIA.
Tele: +91- 431 - 2902654, 2560011,
コメント