Abodes of Siva 2

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OM Namah SivayaTiruvetkalam

 

 

 

Location

 

 

Chidambaram (Tamil Nadu, India)

 

 

 

 

Name of Siva

 

 

Pasupateswarar

 

 

 

 

Name of Sakti

 

 

Nalla Nayaki

 

 

 

 

Theertham (Water tank)

 

 

Siva Gangai

 

 

 

 

Patikam (devotional songs) sang by saints :

 

 

Appar

 

 

 

 

Tiruvetkalam is the 2nd

in the series of Tevara Stalangal (sacred temple) is revered by on the

northern banks of the river Kaveri in the Chola region of Tamilnadu. Also near

this temple is the Shivastalam Tirukkazhippalai. It is associated with legends

from the Mahabharata.

 

Legends: Siva is said to have appeared in the form of a

hunter and then blessed Arjuna with the Pasupatastram & this event is

enacted during the festival in the month of Vaikasi. The bows Gandipam and

Pinakam are said to have been formed here. There are festival images of Arjuna,

and Siva with the Pasupatastram.

 

Many villages around this shrine are associated with the

legend of Arjuna's encounter with Siva. Usuppoor is where Arjuna is said to

have chased a wild boar which disturbed his meditation; Nakkar Ugandakudi is

another (Nakkattankudi). Eesanporveli is where Arjuna is believed to have

fought with Siva, and Villeruttaan Kuttai is where Arjuna's bow is said to have

been broken by Siva.

 

Sambandar, considering the entire town of Chidambaram

to be the holy temple, resided in Tiruvetkalam, and visited the Chidambaram

temple from here. It is said that Appar visited this shrine after visiting

Chidambaram; he is than said to have visited Tirukkazhippaalai and then

returned to Chidambaram.

 

The Temple:

Inscriptions from the Nayaka period (16th century) are seen in this temple.

This east facing temple has a Naagalinga tree and a temple tank in front. There

are shrines to Siddhi Vinayakar and Somaskanda in the outer circumambulatory

passage. There are also shrrines to Sundareswarar, Murugan and

Mahalakshmi. In addition to the festival

images described above there are also images of Nataraja, Sivakami and the four

Saivite Saints.

 

In the mandapam in front of the shrine, there are sculptural

depictions of Siva and Parvati in the guise of a hunter and a huntress

accompanied by hounds, the battle between Siva and Arjuna etc.

 

The annual festival in this temple is celebrated in the month

of Vaikashi on the Vishaka asterism where the stalapuranam of the temple is

enacted. Festivities are also held during Sivaratri and during the Navaratri

season. Mondays in the month of Kartikai are considered sacred.

Sivaya Namah