the Ultimate Web on Indian Gods & Temples

 by Padmani,

Abodes of Shiva

As per Sthala Puranam, during a time of drought, Lord Shiva gave a bowl (Akshaya Pathiram) to a devotee couple, Arulalar and his wife, when they pleaded for food. It is believed that the Akshaya Pathiram never ran out of food. The couple fed all the people in their village using food from that bowl. Hence this lord here is praised as Sri Tholaiyachelvar, Sri Chotruthurai Nathar and Sri Chorudaiyan. The goddess is praised as Sri Annapoorani. This place gets the name Chotruthurai. Choru and annam both mean food in Tamil. This place is also known as Annam Vatra sthalam (annam means food, vatra means something that never finishes and sthalam means place in Tamil). It is believed that this is the second temple where Lord Shiva gave away the Akshaya Pathiram to his devotees. The first one being Kasi (Banaras). It is also believed that Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvathy gave rice from the surrounding paddy fields to a large a number of devotees. Hence these paddy fields are also called Annam Padaitha Vayal. Choru not only refers to food but also to the process of obtaining salvation and reaching the abode of Lord Shiva. The lord here is not only providing food to satisfy one’s hunger but also blessing them with salvation. Hence the lord here is also praised as Sri Chotruthurai Nathar (Sri Othanavaneswarar in Sanskrit). It is believed that Sage Gautama, one of the seven rishis (Saptha Rishis), stayed here and worshiped Lord Shiva. He attained salvation here and hence this place also gets the name Gautama Ashram. It is believed that lords Brahma, Mahavishnu, Indra, Suryan, Rishi Gautama, Saints Thirugnanasambanthar, Thirunavukkarasar and Sundarar have worshiped the lord here.

This is one of the 276 Devara Paadal Petra Shiva Sthalams and 13th Shiva Sthalam on the Southern bank of the river Cauvery in Chozha Nadu (Thenkarai). Lord Shiva in this temple is a Swayambumurthi (self-manifested). This is one of the Saptha Sthana temples of Thiruvaiyaru. This is one of the 44 Paadal petra sthalams where the Moovar (the three saints - Saint Thirugnanasambanthar, Saint Thirunavukarasar (Appar) and Saint Sundaramurthy (Sundarar) had rendered their Pathigams. This east facing temple has no main tower (Rajagopuram). In place of the Gopuram, there is a beautiful sculpture depicting Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvathy seated on a bull. There is a 3-tiered tower at the second entrance. The temple has two corridors. This ancient temple is situated on the southern bank of the river Kudamurutti. There are some stone inscriptions which date back to the periods of many Chola kings like Adhithan-I, Paranthakan, Rajarajan, Rajakesari Varman, Konerinmai Kondan and Kulothungan. In these inscriptions, the name of the lord is mentioned as Tholaiyachelvar and Thiru Chotruthurai Nathar. From these inscriptions, it is known that this temple was renovated by Chola King Adhitha Chola-I. This temple is under the administrative control of the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department of Government of Tamil Nadu (HR&CE). Shivalingams representing all the seven Sapthasthana temples and all the five Pancha Bootha sthalams can also be seen in the corridor.The uniqueness of this temple is that Lord Murugan’s shrine is located in the main hall (Artha Mandapam). The idol of this Murugan is very big. He is depicted with six heads and twelve hands. This idol looks very beautiful. In this temple, the shrines of both Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvathy are facing the east direction. Goddess Parvathy’s shrine is on the right side of Lord Shiva’s shrine. This is considered to symbolise their wedding posture. In the main hall, there are many stone reliefs. Some of them are - a sage worshiping the lord; a scene of war between two groups; and a beautiful relief of Sree Kalasamharamurthy.During the Sapthasthana festival, food is distributed to all the devotees to commemorate the event of Lord Shiva providing meals to the people during drought. Saint Arunagirinadhar has sang songs in praise of Lord Murugan of this temple in his revered Thirupugazh. Lord Panchanatheeswarar (Sri Iyyarappar) of Thiruvaiyaru decided to conduct the marriage of Nandhi and Suyasambigai at Thirumazhappadi (a nearby place) on the Punarpoosam day of the Tamil month of Panguni. He selected the following places to arrange things required for the marriage. Thiruvedhikkudi to get the Vedic Brahmins, Thiruppazhanam to get fruits, Thiruchotruthurai to arrange food, Thirukkandiyur for Kandi (ornaments), Thiruppoonthuruthi for fruits and garlands, and Thiruneithanam (Thillai sthanam) to get ghee for yagnas. After the marriage, as a gesture of thanks, it is believed that Lord Panchanatheeswarar and Goddess Dharmasamvardhani visited each of these places in a palanquin. This event is celebrated as Sapthasthanam. Sapthasthanam (seven places) festival is celebrated in Thiruvaiyaru on the Visakam day (the day after the full moon) in the Tamil month of Chithirai (Apr-May) every year. First palanquin (bedecked with mirrors) carrying the principal deities of Thiruvaiyaru go to the second temple in procession. Idols of Nandhi along with his wife Suyasambigai also join this procession. The deities of the second temple receive them at the border of the village. After reaching the second temple and performing certain poojas, they join the second temple’s palanquin to the third temple. Like this, the palanquins from six places are joined together and they finally assemble in Thiru Neithanam temple. Thereafter, all the seven palanquins take part in a procession back to Thiruvaiyaryu. Thousands of people come from all over the country to witness this marvellous festival. The palanquins are paraded near the car stand (Ther-adi). Devotees also take part in the Poochorithal (flower festival) in which an idol offers flowers to the principal deities in the palanquins. After the Poochorithal, the palanquins leave for their respective temples. The seven temples that are part of this Sapthasthanam festival are - Aiyarappar temple, Thiruvaiyaru, Apathsahayeswar Temple, Thirupazhanam, Odhanavaneswarar Temple, Thiruchotruthurai (this temple), Vedapureeswarar Temple, Thiruvedhikudi, Kandeeswarar Temple, Thirukkandiyur, Pushpavananathar Temple, Thirupanthuruthi and Neyyadiappar Temple, Thiru Neithanam. Devotees believe that by worshiping the lord here, obstacles from their marriage proposals will be removed. Devotees also believe that by worshiping Lord Shiva here, they will never face starvation and will be blessed with prosperity.

Sapthasthanam (ezhur) festival is celebrated in a grand manner. Some of the other important festivals celebrated in this temple are – Vinayakar Chaturthi in the Tamil month of Aavani (Aug-Sept), Navarathri in the Tamil month of Purattasi (Sept-Oct), Skanda Shashti and Annabishekam in the Tamil month of Aippasi (Oct–Nov), Thiru Karthikai in the Tamil month of Karthikai (Nov-Dec), Makara Sankranthi in the Tamil month of Thai (Jan-Feb) and Shivrathri in the Tamil month of Masi (Feb-Mar). Pradosham is also observed regularly.