| Jambukeswarar Temple, Thiruvanaikaval | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Hinduism |
| Deity | Jambukeshwara (Shiva)Akilandeswari (Parvati) |
| Location | |
| Location | Trichi |
| State | Tamil Nadu |
| Country | India |
  Jambukeswarar Temple, Thiruvanaikaval (India) Show map of India | |
| Coordinates | 10°51′12″N78°42′20″E / 10.85333°N 78.70556°E /10.85333; 78.70556 |
| Architecture | |
| Type | South Indian architecture |
| Creator | Kochengat Cholan |
| Completed | 2nd century AD[citation needed] |
Jambukeswarar Temple, Thiruvanaikaval (alsoThiruvanaikal,Jambukeswaram) is a temple ofShiva inTiruchirapalli district, in the state ofTamil Nadu, India. It is one of the five majorShiva Temples of Tamil Nadu representing theMahābhūta or five elements; this temple represents theelement of water, orneer in Tamil.[1] The sanctum of Jambukeswara has an underground stream.[2]In the temple, Shiva is worshipped as Jambukeshwarar and his consort Parvati asAkilandeswari.
It is one of the 275Paadal Petra Sthalams and has inscriptions from theChola period.
Once Parvati mocked Shiva's penance for betterment of the world. Shiva wanted to condemn her act and directed her to go to the earth fromKailasa (Shiva's abode) to do penance. Parvathi in the form of Akilandeswari as per Shiva's wish found Jambu forest (Thiruvanaikoil) to conduct her penance. She made alingam out of water of riverCauvery (also called as river Ponni) under the Venn Naaval tree (the Venn Naaval tree on top of the saint Jambu) and commenced her worship. Thelingam is known as Appu Lingam (Water Lingam).[3] Siva at last gavedarshan to Akilandeswari and taught her Siva Gnana. Akilandeswari tookUpadesa (lessons) facing East from Shiva, who stood facing west.[2][4]
There were two Shivaganas (Shiva's army who live inKailash): 'Malyavan' and 'Pushpadanta'. Though they are Siva Ganas they always quarrel with each other and fight for one thing or other. In one fight 'Malyavan' cursed 'Pushpadanta' to become an elephant on earth and the latter cursed the former to become a spider on earth. The elephant and the spider came toThiruvanaikaval and continued their Siva worship. The elephant collected water from river Cauvery and conducted ablution to thelingam under the Jambu tree (Eugenia jambolana, the java plum tree) daily.[5] The spider constructed his web over thelingam to prevent dry leaves from dropping on it and prevent sunlight directly falling on it. When the elephant saw the web and thought it was dust onlingam. The elephant tore them and cleaned thelingam by pouring water and the practice continued daily. The spider became angry one day and crawled into the trunk of the elephant and bit the elephant to death, killing itself. Siva, in the form of Jambukeswara, moved by the deep devotion of the two, relieved them from the curse. As an elephant worshipped Siva here, this place came to be known as Thiru Aanai Kaa (thiru means holy,aanai is elephant,kaa (kaadu) means forest).[2] Later the name 'Thiruaanaikaa' become 'Thiruvanaikaval' and 'Thiruvanaikoil'.
As an outcome of having committed a sin by killing the elephant, in the next birth, the spider was born as theKing Kochengot Chola (kotchengannan cholan meaning red-eyed king) and built 70 temples and this temple is the one among them.[2] The account of the Chola building seventy temples along with this temple is mentioned inNalayira Divya Prabandham.[6] Remembering his enmity with the elephant in his previous birth, he built the SivaSannathi (sanctorum) such that not even a small elephant can enter. The entrance on the sanctorum of Jambukeswara is only 1.2 metres (4 ft) high and 0.76 metres (2.5 ft) wide.[2]
The massive outer wall covering the fifth precinct, known as theVibudi Prakara, stretches over 1.6 kilometres (1 mi) and is 0.61 metres (2 ft) thick and over 7.6 metres (25 ft) high.[3][7] Legend maintains that the wall was built by Shiva himself, disguised as a laborer and working with the human laborers.[2] The fourth precinct contains a hall with 796 pillars and measures 742 metres (2,436 ft) by 455 metres (1,493 ft).[8] It also has a small tank fed by perpetual springs.[7] The third enclosure is 227 metres (745 ft) by 60 metres (197 ft) surrounded a wall 9.1 metres (30 ft) high. This area has twogopurams (gateway towers) 22 metres (73 ft) and 30 metres (100 ft) tall, a coconutthoppu and a small water tank.[8] The second enclosure is 93 metres (306 ft) by 60 metres (197 ft), agopuram 20 metres (65 ft) high and several small shrines.[8] The inner most enclosure measuring 38 metres (126 ft) by 37 metres (123 ft) has the sanctum.[8]
The sanctum sanctorum is a square structure, found independently situated at the center of the innermost enclosure. There is avimana on the roof of the sanctum. The structure is open on three sides, with a shallow moat separating it from the circumambulatory path of the innermost enclosure. The sthala-vriksham, or holy tree here is the WhiteJambuka (Tamil: வெண் நாவல் மரம்) (Syzygium cumini), found growing along the south-eastern wall of the sanctum sanctorum. The trunk of the tree is protected by a walled structure. The western side of the sanctum, from where the deity is viewed, is continuous with a large closed hall, the Mukha Mantapa, containing four-pillars and housing a bronze idol ofNandi. The Mukha Mantapa has a large, ornate western door gilded with silver that forms the principal entrance. There are two additional entrances to the Mukha Mantapa on the southern and North Eastern sides as well. A set of three steps descend to the level of the sanctum sanctorum from the Mukha Mantapa. The deity is viewed through a stone window that forms an integral part of the western face of the sanctum sanctorum. The window has nine viewing apertures, believed to represent theNavagraha. There is a panel in bas-relief over the window depicting the sthala puranam: The jambuka tree growing out of the meditating sage Jambu's head on the extreme right; the linga of Jambukeswarar under the tree; a spider and an elephant worshiping thelinga along with the GoddessParvati who stands to the left of the linga. The sanctum sanctorum is divided into the Ardha Mantapam or Antaralam (whose western wall bears the window) and theGarbha Griha where the deity of Jambukeswarar is housed. Entrance into the Sanctum is through a small door on the southern wall, about 1.2 metres (4 ft) in height. The Ardha Mantapa is about 1.2 metres (4 ft) X 1.2 metres (4 ft) and contains an idol of Goddess Parvati on the right side of the door to the Garbha Griha. Devotees are admitted in groups of six into the Ardha Mantapa during sevas like Abhishekam or on payment of a small fee. The Garbha Griha is a wider structure compared to the Ardha Mantapa. At the center, the Brahma Sthana, is the self-manifested linga of Jambukeswarar. The upper conical part of the linga is of the color of copper, whereas the yoni-bhaga or the pedestal is of black granite. A brass ring is seen at the point of attachment of the linga to the pedestal. The height of the linga is about 0.91 metres (3 ft) from the floor of the sanctum. The Garbha Griha and the Ardha Mantapa are unadorned from the inside, the only source of illumination within the sanctum being ghee lamps.A stream of water (a water spring from the Kaveri river) emerges from the linga, which is usually demonstrated as the soaking wet clothes in which it is draped. The water flow increases significantly during the Monsoon.The main deity of the temple isJambukeswara, representing the element water. Jambukeswara is depicted sitting under ajambu tree, which grows over a small stream that engulfs the deity during the rainy season. The temple is also considered the abode of goddessAkilandeswari, one of the forms of the goddess Parvati. The greatest of works related to this temple include Tiruvanaikaval andKilvelur Akshyalingaswamy temple.
The temples idols are installed opposite to each other - Such temples are known asUpadesa Sthalams. As Akhilandeshwari (Parvati) was like a student and Jambukeswara (Shiva) like aGuru (teacher) in this temple, there is noThiru Kalyanam (marriage) conducted in this temple for Shiva and Parvathi, unlike the other Shiva temples. The sanctum of the goddess Akilandeshwari and the sanctum of PrasannaVinayaka are in the shape of thepranava manthra called "Aum" in Tamil script. It is believed that the Amman in the temple was in deep anger hence during one ofAdi Shankara's visits he installed the PrasannaGanapathy idol right opposite to her sanctum and installed a pair ofSri Chakra thaatankas (ear-rings) to reduce her anger.[2]
The sculpture ofEkapada Trimurti, an aspect of Shiva with the deitiesVishnu andBrahma emerging from it, is present in the temple, which can be seen only inThyagaraja Temple, Tiruvottiyur.[1][2]
There are lot of inscriptions from variousChola kings from 11th - 12th century indicating grants to the temple.[2] The temple was widely expanded byHoysala king, Someswara, the son of Vira Narasimha.[9] During 1236-37 CE, he built a lot of shrines namely Vallaliswara, Padumalisvara, Vira Narasingeswara and Somleswara evidently named after his grandfather Ballalla II, grandmother Padmaladevei, father Vira Narasimha and aunt Somala Devi.[9] The 7-tieredrajagopuram is also believed to have constructed by the Hoysala king.[9] There are separate shrines beyond the temple compound namelyAadhi having a typical structure as the main shrines. The temple and its pagodas were subject to frequent conquest between French and English forces between 1751 and 1755 CE.[10] The temple is being widely maintained byVellalars and theNattukottai Nagarathars during the 19th and early 20th centuries.[11]
Pancha Bhoota Sthalam (Sanskrit: पञ्चभूतस्थलानिPañcabhūtasthalāni) refers to the five Shiva temples,[12] each representing the manifestation of the five prime elements of nature - space, air, fire, water, earth.[13]Pancha indicates five,Bhoota means elements andSthala means place. All these temples are located inSouth India with four of these temples atTamil Nadu and one atAndhra Pradesh. The five elements are believed to be enshrined in the fivelingams[12] and each of thelingams representing Shiva in the temple have five different names based on the elements they represent. In the Thiruvaanaikaval temple, Shiva is said to have manifested himself in the form of water (Appu Lingam). The other four manifestations are Prithivi Lingam (representing land) atEkambareswarar Temple,[14] Akasa Lingam (representing sky)[12] atThillai Nataraja Temple, Chidambaram,[14] Agni Lingam (representing fire)[15] atAnnamalaiyar Temple[14] and Vayu Lingam (representing air) atSrikalahasti Temple.[14][16]
In the third enclosure, there is a coconut grove having a small tank where the processional idol of the neighbouringSriranganathaswamy Temple was used to be brought one day a year. As the goddessAkhilandeshwari worshipped her husband Lord Shiva in this temple, even today at noon the 'Archakar' (chief priest) dresses like a female and doespuja to Jambukeswara andCow.[1] The noon pooja is very famous and a host of pilgrims attend it every day. A special variety of black cow, calledKarum Pasu is used for the occasion.Annabhishekam tolingam (ablution with cooked rice) is a daily ritual performed in the temple. The temple is one of the hosts for the annualNatyanjali, a festival ofclassical Indian dance. The temple has also a school for trainingnadhaswaram, a classical pipe instrument in Tamil Nadu.
There is a legend thatParvati as Akhilandeshwari worshipped Shiva here and installed the idol in the sanctum. Following the legend, a priest performs thepooja every day. It is believed that the saintAdi Shankara offered ear rings with aSri Yantra carving on it to goddess Akhilandeshwari. There are a total of nine waterbodies associated with the temple.[17]
Muthuswamy Dikshitar, the 18th century composer ofCarnatic music, is said to have composed a song on the presiding deity of Jambukeshwar and three songs on the presiding deity of Akhilandeshwari in the Jambukeshwarar Temple here.
| Kriti | Raga | Tala |
|---|---|---|
| Jambupathe Mam Pahi | Yamunakalyani | Tisra Ekam |
| Akhilandeshwari Rakshamam | Dwijavanti | Adi tala |
| Akhilandeshwaryai Namaste | Arabhi | Adi tala |
| Sri Mataha Shiva Vamanke | Begada | Adi tala |
The temple is maintained and administered by theHindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department of theGovernment of Tamil Nadu.[18]
Not far distant is the smaller but more beautiful Jambukeswaram, a temple dedicated to Siva.
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