Jambukeswarar Temple, Thiruvanakavil
Star : Swaathi
Temple timings : 5.30 a.m. to 1.00 p.m. 3.00 p.m. to 8.30 p.m.
Phone : 91-431- 2230 257
Location : Trichy
Nearest town : Edayathamangalam 19 kms
Important days : Aadi Friday, Brahmotsavam, Annual star day
Other temple/s : Prasanna Kundhalambika and Tantreeswarar Koil Sittukadu about 10 Kms from Poonamallee
It is one of the Pancha Bootha sthalams known for the worship of Lord Shiva representing the element of water (appulinga).
An Elephant was blessed here after and hence this temple came to be known as ‘Thiruvanaikka’. Lord Siva is seated below Jambu tree at this temple, Hence its name Jambukeswaram. Mother Ahilandeswari penance here was blessed by Lord Shiva here and hence this temple is also known as Gnanashethram. Kochengat cholan, who constructed this temple more than 2500 years ago and who as a spider worshipped Lord Jambukeswarar in its previous life, was blessed to be born as a king in its next birth.
Thirugnana Sambanthar, Appar, Sundarar, Arunagirinathar, Iyyadigal kadawarkon, Thayumanavar have enchanted the glory of Lord Jambukeswarar in theirliterary works. Goddess blessed poet Kalamega Pulavar with the talent to write poems at this temple.
This temple has with 5 corridors and since Lord Siva himself built the 5th praharam, appearing in the form of Spider, it is known as ‘Thiruneettan thirumathil’. He blessed a spider and elephant to attain moksha here.
Brahmma once incurred Sthree Dosha by falling in love with a woman he created. To Provide relief to Brahmma Lord left Mount Kailas and Mother Ambica wanted to accompany Him. When Lord advised Her to stay back considering Brahma’s weakness, Mother suggested that She would take His form and Lord may follow in Hers. This event proves the philosophy that Lord and Mother are but one. They granted darshan and pardon to Brahmma .
During the Brahmmotsavam this event is celebrated on the banks of Brahmma Theertham. As it is time of Brahmma’s prayer to Lord and mother, no hymn music is played.
It is said that Ambica performs puja to Lord during middays. Hence the priest performing puja to Mother at this time, is dressed in sari, with the crown of Ambica, with music playing to perform the midday puja thus signifying that Ambica Herself prays to Lord. He then performs abishek to Lord and Gomatha (cow) and returns to Ambica shrine. At this time the priest is considered as Ambica Herself.
During Aadi Friday, the temple is open from 2.00 a.m. to 12.00 a.m. and the Mother graces as Mahalakshmi in the morning, as Parvathi in the afternoon and as Saraswathi in the evening. As Lord is a teacher-Guru and Mother a student in the place, there are more student devotees in the temple.
There are no doors in the sanctum sanctorum of Lord Jambukeswara but a stone window with nine holes, representing the nine holes in the body, through which he will be worshipped. Here the traditional Annabishek is performed on the full moon day in Vaikasi-May-June and the Lord is covered with sacred ash. The perennial spring in this shrine will have more water in the sanctum in the rainy season in Aipasi-October-November.
A Chola king while constructing the fifth corridor-prakara of the temple, had to to go for to war to fight his enemy when his mind was in the temple construction and with the Lord. Lord Shiva came to the place in the guise of Vibhuti Chitthar and completed the work which has since been named Vibhuti Prakara and the walls around as Tiruneetran Tirumadhil. Sacred ash is Vibhuti in Sanskrit, Tiruneeru in Tamil and Madhil is wall in Tamil. There is a shrine for Vibhuti Chitthar on the banks of Brahmma Theertha.
There was a time when Mother Ambica was in a frurious form. Normally installing a srichakra is believed to control the fury. Jagadguru Shankaracharya made two ear rings, applied the Sri Chakra power on them and adorned Ambica with them Mother became all merciful and smiling to devotees. He also installed Her sons Lord Vinayaka and Lord Muruga before Her as a Mother can never be angry when she sees her kids.
Two Shiva Ganas Pushpadanda and Maliavan began to fight with each other to decide their rank in the service of Lord and they ended cursing each other to be born as a spider and elephant. Maliavan became the spider and Pushpadanda the elephant. Both prayed here for relief but not without fighting each other. The spider entered into the ear of the elephant and killed it. Lord Shiva granted salvation to elephant only and made the spider to be born again for its attempt to murder.
Spider was born to Chola king Subaveda and queen Kamalavathi as Kochengat Chozhan. He built Mada temples to Lord Shiva and renovated in such a way that elephants cannot enter.
It should be noted that the Wedding Festival (Thiru Kalyanam) is not celebrated in the temple. Lord Shiva granted darshan to Ambica when She was in penance here but did not marry Her. Hence no Palli Arai Puja even though it exists. Lord Chokkanatha and Mother Meenakshi in the temple are taken to this shrine at nights. No wedding festival is celebrated for other deities too in the temple.
When a Brahmin prayed to Mother Akhilandeswari to bless him to become a noted poet, she appeared before him as an ordinary woman chewing betel leaves. When She asked him if she could spit the betel juice in his mouth, The Brahmin grew angry. At that time, another devotee, Varadhan came to the temple and when mother asked him, He gladly said that she can very well do it and opened his mouth. He became the celebrated poet Kalamegam in later days. Based on this event, those ambitious of becoming scholars, offer Thamboolam (betel and nuts) as nivedhana to Mother.
Saint Arunagiriar prayed to Him that he should be protected from thoughts of lust. Lord Muruga appears furious on the banks of Jambu Theertha with a demon under His feet with the demon personifying lust. This is a very rare form of Lord Muruga.
nd also Bhairava. The power of his penance was in his palms and was considered the authority for all Akshada angels flying in the air with garlands. Based on this, The custom of printing wedding invitation with the pictures of deities came into practice. It is believed that the Rishi prays for the marrying couple in this temple invisibly.
