Ardharnareeswarar Temple, Tiruchencode

Ardharnareeswarar Temple, Tiruchencode

(one of the Kongu Naattu Padal Petra Sthalams)

There are temples which are famous as the abode of Lord Shiva, some for Lord Vishnu, Some for Shakti and some for Subrahmanya.  If there is one which is special for Shiva, Shakti and Subrahmanya, it is Tiruchencode. Interestingly  there is also a temple of Adhi Kesava Perumal too at this Kshetra.

Located on a large hillock, 20 kms from Erode, this picturesque hillock (or should call it hill) looking majestic and visible from a good distance is the temple of Ardhanareeswara at Tiruchencode. While the Shiva temple is 1260 steps up the mountain, there is also a temple for Lord Vinayaka at a level even higher than this temple on top of the mountain. You have nice motorable roads taking you up the hill and the distance of 3 kms up the mountain passes off like a breeze. But when you look at the land while driving in the hill-road, you get butterflies in the stomach. Such a lovely but scary view from the slopes of the mountain.

Even with no roads those days and only the steps to climb, it is amazing how our people managed to construct such a big temple on top of the hill.

The temple is more than 2000 years old as is evidenced by the inscriptions in the temple, but God only knows how long it existed, because the presiding deity Ardhanareeswara is not a man-made structure, but a Swayambhu Idol.

Ardhanareeswara represents the progressive mind, as the idol embodies both Shiva and Shakti, the representatives of Man and Woman. Shiva and Shakti are seen here as one part with the Right side of the (Swayambhu ) idol having a male form and the left side of the idol having the female form; thus driving a key point to this world that Men and Women are equal and one cannot exist without the other.

The language of English also captures this concept beautifully….Man is contained in Woman, Male in Female, He in She and so on.

The day we went to this temple, there were not many devotees at this temple as it was a working day, but we are told that on weekends and festive occasions, you could sight devotees in thousands.

The idol has  two distinct halves and four legs representing two separate forms. Body, head and hands are fused. As the murthy is Swayambhu (self-made) face is not visible as in a typical sculpture.  

The Idol looks somewhat like the above picture (not the same as this picture)

The sanctum sanctorum, being inside the hill, is pitch dark and the Deepa Araadhana alone gives us visibility of the Divine Lord.

There is a spring under the feet of the God which is perennial and the spring water is offered as the Theertham for the devotees.

Tiruchengode (also known as "Thirukodi mada chengundroor " in vedic times) has many references in puranas, like Thevaram and Silapathikaram. In Silapathikaram, Ilango adigal referred Tiruchengode as "Chengodu " and that "it has numerous holy ponds and enjoys popularity and prosperity".

This temple has been praised by Thirugnanasambandhar. Great poets and saints like Arunagirinathar, Ilango adigal, Kaviraja pandithar amongst others have enlogised this holy place in their divine poems. The idols of Birungi Munivar and Arunagirinathar are found inside the temple, as, it is said that they  prayed at this temple.

As said earlier, this temple is famous for Shiva-Shakti as well as Lord Subrahmanya. Arunagiri Nadha has sung in praise of Lord Murugha who is called Senkottu Velavan.

Many of us may know this verse from Kandhar Alankaram…

விழிக்குத் துணைதிரு மென்மலர்ப் பாதங்கள் மெய்ம்மைகுன்றா

மொழிக்குத் துணைமுரு காவெனு நாமங்கள் முன்புசெய்த

பழிக்குத் துணையவன் பன்னிரு தோளும் பயந்ததனி

வழிக்குத் துணைவடி வேலுஞ்செங் கோடன் மயூரமுமே

This verse was composed in Praise of the Lord here by the great Saint Arunagirinadhar.

An interesting story about the Lord here goes like this…..

Due to the confusions that took place because of the (Divine mango) fruit and sibling rivalry, Lord Muruga left Thiru Kayilai, leaving his parents behind, and stood on top of Thiruvaavinakudi hill [Pazhani]. He simply did not want to see his parents at all. But from Pazhani,  he was still able to view Kailayasam from where he stood, he travelled further until his parents place  completely vanished from his line of vision and reached NaagaChalam on top of Kongu. As he was not able to View Thiru Kayilai from where he stood, he decided to stay there. This place is none other than Tiruchencode.

Despite high costs of maintaining a hill temple, this temple is immaculately maintained with the walls of the temple around the sanctum looking shiny and clean.

True to a hill temple, we have monkeys by the dozens and devotees will have to be careful with their belongings.

Lord Murugha here is unique that in this temple his Vel (spear) is taller than him and he holds a Rooster (Seval) in his left hand.  One may not get to see this sight anywhere else.

There is also the temple of Adhikesava Perumal to whom prayers and Poojas are offered as per Vaishanivite tradition.

The shrine of Adi Kesava Perumal is almost a separate Vaishnava temple within the complex complete with separate kodi maram and sthala vruksham, the punnai maram. Battars perform puja to Adi Kesava Perumal and Sri devi, Bhu devi according to Vaishnava tradition.

It is said that Parvati received instructions on observing Kedara Gowri vrattam from Adi Kesava Perumal, as a result of which she was united in Shiva as Ardhanareeswara.

This write up may not have captured the temple in all its greatness and readers are advised to use the materials available in the TNHRCE site and other sites to know all about the temple.

Interesting Links about the temple:

http://www.arthanareeswarartemple.tnhrce.in/

http://www.arthanareeswarar.com/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ardhanareeswarar_temple,_Tiruchengode

A must visit temple.

Kolanjiappar Koil, Manavalanallur near Vridhachalam,

Kolanjiappar Koil, Manavalanallur near Vridhachalam,

Once Sundarar finished prayers at Vridhagiriswarar temple a he started walking away from the temple. His songs were so beautiful that put the Lord in a trance.

Shiva was much pleased with his rendition and wanted to have him sing a song again.  As Sundarar had left that place, he directed his  naughty son Murugha to go and fetch Sundarar.

Muruga took  the form of a hunter & appeared at the Kolanji forest through which Sundarar was traversing. The hunter took away the belongings of Sundarar. Sundarar demanded the hunter to return his belongings for which the hunter wanted him to be back at Virudhachalam. Understanding that it is a divine play, Sundarar returned to Virudhachalam temple and sang in praise of Shiva again. Vridha means old  and Chala means a hill; the place got its name  Virudhachalam thus.

The place (in the forest) where Murugha stopped Sundarar was surrounded by Kolanji Trees (a tree which has fruits like Lemon/ Narthankai). From that day Murugha blessed people taking the shape of a Peetam. This is a formless form and is unique to Murugha.  The greatness of this temple came to light only in the last few hundred years when villagers realised that one of their cows pours its milk in a jungle and returns silently, every day.

This temple is popular for the 'petititions' people write to Lord Murugha. Within 3 hours or 3 days or 3 months the wishes of the petitioners are granted. Many have benefitted out of the kindness of Lord Murugha at this temple.

This is an interesting temple where we get to see Murugha in a totally different form.  Lot of published materials are available on the web.

Without knowing that today is Sashti, I had the opportunity to visit and pray at this temple.

This temple originally was under a thatched hut, but now has a fairly big structure. This temple is 2kms from the Vridhagiriswara temple. 

Vridhagireeswarar temple, Vridhachalam (முதுகுன்றீஸ்வரர் திருக்கோவில், விருத்தாசலம்)

(     Vridhagireeswarar temple, Vridhachalam  (முதுகுன்றீஸ்வரர் திருக்கோவில், விருத்தாசலம்). Also called Thirumuthukundram (திருமுதுகுன்றம்)

This temple located on the banks of the river Manimuktha (மணிமுத்தாறு) is one of the Padal Petra Sthalams, temples sung in praise by the Canonised Saivite Saints.  Sundarar one of the four Saivite saints (நால்வர்)  is closely linked to this temple.

This temple said to be approximately 2000 years old  and was developed by various rulers who ruled this region. Major contribution is from the Chola Empire with significant contributions for building the temple by Sembian Maadevi and Kandarathitha Cholan. The main entrance is named after the king Kandarathithan.  The Sthala Vriksham (Vanni) is around 1700 years old and some parts of the tree are as hard as a rock.

This temple located in Nadu Naadu is 9^th in the list of Nadunadu temples and has been eulogized by Gnanasambandar, Thirunavukkarasar (Appar) and Sundarar. Thevara Hymns refer this temple as Pazhamalai.

Ambal is called Vridhambigai.

Swamy and Ambal have separate shrines with separate towers. This temple is massive and the size could be atleast 60% the size of Meenakshi temple.

It is said that since Sundarar sang in praise of the Lord when Sundarar had already become very old, Swamy was called Vridhagiriswarar after Sundarar’s period. (During my previous visit I had the opportunity to pray at Thirunavalaur another Thevara Padal Shrine and the birth place of Sundarar).

Vridhachalam is a fairly big town with good Hotels, excellent train connections and decent bus services.

In this age of sequels to movies, the succeeding temple and its story is an interesting sequel to this temple.