5/5 Ankur K. R. 1 year ago on Google
JAMBUKESHWAR
AKHILANDEESHWARI
TEMPLE
-
TIRUVANAIKOVIL
-
TAMILNADU.
Jambukeswarar
Temple
is
a
famous
Shiva
temple
in
Thiruvanaikaval
near
Trichy.
The
temple
was
built
by
Kocengannan
(Kochenga
Chola),one
of
the
Early
Chola,
around
1,800
years
ago.
Thiruvanaikal
is
one
of
the
five
major
Panchabhoota
Sthalams
(5
Elements
of
creation)
representing
the
element
of
Water.
The
sanctum
of
Jambukeswara
has
an
underground
water
spring
&
it
is
always
wet.
Parvathi
(cursed
by
shiva)
in
the
form
of
Akilandeswari
found
Jambu
forest
in
Thiruvanaikoil
to
conduct
her
penance.
She
made
a
Lingam
(Appu
Lingam)
out
of
water
of
river
Cauvery
(Ponni)
under
the
Jambul
or
Jambu
tree
(Eugenia
Jambolana,
the
rose-apple
tree)
and
commenced
her
worship.
Pleased
with
her
devotion
Siva
taught
her
Siva
Gnana.
'Malyavan'
and
'Pushpadanta'.
The
Siva
Ganas
always
quarreled
with
each
other.
'Malyavan'
cursed
'Pushpadanta'
to
become
an
elephant
and
the
latter
cursed
the
former
to
become
a
spider.
The
elephant
and
the
spider
came
to
Jambukeswaram
and
continued
their
worship
of
shiva.
Daily
the
elephant
immersed
the
lingam
with
water
for
ablutions
&
the
spider
constructed
web
over
the
Lingam
to
prevent
dry
leaves
from
dropping
on
it.
The
elephant
tore
the
web
and
poured
water
to
cleanse
the
lingam
daily.
The
spider
disliking
this
elephantine
act
became
angry,
crawled
into
the
trunk
and
stung
the
elephant
to
death
and
was
itself
crushed
in
the
trunk.
Siva,
in
the
form
of
Jambukeswara,
gave
both
of
them
moksha.
The
elephant’s
worship
of
Shiva
here
gave
the
place
its
name
Thiru(Holy)
Aanai(Elephant)
Kaa
or
Kaadu(Forest)
or
became
'Thiruvanaikaval'
and
'Thiruvanaikoil'.
The
spider
was
born
as
King
Kochengan
Chola
(kotchengannan
cholan
meaning
red-eyed
king)(
Red
eyed
for
delay
in
birth,
for
the
auspicious
moment)
in
order
to
atone
for
his
sin
of
killing
the
elephant.
Remembering
his
enmity
with
the
elephant
in
his
previous
birth,
he
built
the
entrance
to
the
Siva
Sannidhi(sanctorum)
so
small,
that
even
a
baby
elephant
cannot
enter.
The
entrance
to
the
sanctum
of
is
only
4
foot
high
and
2.5
foot
wide.
After
becoming
the
king,
he
built
the
temple
for
Siva
and
Goddess
Akilandeswari
in
the
name
of
Aanaikka
(elephant
protected)
later
it
became
to
Thiruvanaikoil.
There
are
five
enclosures
or
praharams
inside
the
temple.
The
fourth
precinct
contains
a
hall
with
796
pillars
and
a
small
tank
fed
by
perpetual
springs.
The
sculptures
and
pillars
are
intrinsically
carved
across
the
temple.The
sanctum
has
the
smallest
entrance
possible
to
prevent
an
elephant
entering
it.
The
Mukha
Mantapa,
containing
four-pillars
and
houses
a
bronze
idol
of
Nandi.
The
deity
is
viewed
through
a
stone
window
which
has
nine
viewing
apertures,
believed
to
represent
the
Navagraha.
Jambukeshwar
and
Akilandeshwari
are
installed
opposite
to
each
other
&
represent
the
Guru
and
Shishya
relationship,
as
Shiva
taught
Parvathi
Shiva
Gnana
here
&
hence
there
is
no
Thiru
Kalyanam
(marriage)
conducted
in
this
temple.
Things
to
See
:
1.Lord
Jambulingeshwar
(
Water
Lingam).
2.Akilandeshwari
(
Opp
Shiva’s
sanctum).
3.
Double
storied
Theertham(Pond)
&
perennial
spring.
4.
Subshrines
including
Prasanna
Ganapathy.
5.796
Pillared
hall.
6.
Bronze
Nandi.
7.Painting
of
Shreechakra
&
Parvathi
praying
to
shiva
under
the
Jambu
Tree.
8.
Palli
(Lizard)
on
the
outer
prahara.
9.
Sculptures
on
pillar
including
Dattatreya,Vishnu,Bramha,Manikkavasagar,Narayani,
Thillai
kali,
Nataraja,Mahalakshmi,Saraswathi,Menaka
with
a
baby,
Vishwamitra,Bhringu
muni
with
3
legs,Parvithi
worshipping
shiva
under
jambu
tree,&
many
others
including
the
sculpture
of
an
unusual
bird.
10
Zodiac
signs
on
the
roof
above
the
dhwaja
sthamba.
11.Yin
&
Yang
symbols
in
dual,
triple
&
quadruple
nature.
12.
Spider
&
Elephant
worshipping
shiva.Jambukeswarar
Temple,
Thiruvanaikaval
is
a
famous
Shiva
temple
in
Tiruchirapalli
district,
in
the
state
of
Tamil
Nadu,
India.
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