Temples of Tamilnadu - 22 - Rasi Temples - Part 7 - Katakam

Sri Karkadeswarar temple – Thirundhudevankudi  

Rasi                       :        Katakam

Temple timings    :         9.00 a.m. to 1.30 p.m. 4.00 p.m. to 7.00 p.m.  

Phone                    :        0435 - 2000 240, 99940 15871

Location               :        Pasupathikoil 35 kms 

Nearest town        :        Thiruvidaimaruthur 5 kms Kumbakonam 11kms

Important days    :        Mahasivarathri  in Feb – Mar, Thirukarthikai in Nov - Dec

The Lord is a Swayambumurthy. 

Once a Chola king had an attack of paralysis and since no doctor was able to cure him, he prayed to the Lord.  An aged couple came to his court and when the king drank the water dissolved with sacred ashes given by them, he was cured and implored upton to stay with him in the court and offered gifts. They declined and finally when requested brought the king to the place where the Linga was lying buried and asked him to build a temple and disappeared.  The king understood that the visitors were but Lord Shiva and Mother Parvathi and built the temple.  Lord here is prayed for relief from diseases (Pini) and Gnanasambandar has referred to him as Pini Neekkum Shiva. 

Generally, there is only one Ambica in Shiva temples but here there are two Ambica shrines side by side.  During the construction of the temple, when the original Ambica was lost, a new Ambica idol named Arumarunthu Nayaki was made and installed.  Within a few days, the original idol also was found and installed with the name Apoorva Nayaki and remains the main Ambica of the temple.

This is the temple to seek relief from the Karkadaka-Cancer in English and Nandu in Tamil-zodiac sign comprising of three stars-Punarvasu, Poosam and Ayilyam.  The hole on the body of the Linga created by the Nandu and the scar caused by Indira is still visible.  There is a shrine for Moon-Chandra at the entrance of the temple where people pray for problems due to Moon aspects.

Sage Durvasa was engaged in his Shiva Puja when a Gandharva mocked at his old age and crab like walk.  Though sage ignored him,  Yet the Gandharva continued the mockery and beckoned him by clapping hand and imitated by moving before him like a cancer-Nandu.  Angered sage cursed him to be born a Nandu. When he realised his mistake and sought pardon,  He was advised to perform Shiva Puja to gain his original form and came to this place, bathed in the pushkarini, picked up flowers and worshipped the Lord as a Nandu.

Meanwhile, Indira the king of Devas, to acquire a power to conquer the demons, also came to this place, bathed in the pushkarini and did Shiva Puja with 1008 flowers.  To his dismay, Every day he found one flower falling short and saw that the Nandu doing puja with that one flower.  In his usual arrogant way, He thought that no one other than him was the only one worthy of doing Shiva puja and a Nandu was not qualified for the puja and tried to kill it with is sword.  Lord then made a hole in His Linga body to help the creature to escape Indira’s attack.  Yet, the Linga was injured by the sword cut & impact.  Lord appeared before Indira and impressed upon him that one cannot succeed by arrogance but by humility alone.  As Lord granted salvation to Karkadaga-Nandu, He is worshipped as Karkadakeswarar.

Abhishekam with gingelly oil is collected and treated as prasadam