Sri Valeeswarar Temple

Overview

The Sri Valeeswarar temple is situated in the city of Kuranganilmuttam, Tiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu and is about 1000-2000 years old which is 6th of 32 Thondai Mandala Siva sthalams. The temple is praised in the hymns of Gnansambandar Thevaram "He (Lord Shiva) has the trident, has the sacred ash on Him He caused the death of God of Death He is my Father with beautiful long hair smelling sweet Graces from Kuranganilmuttam surrounded by fragrant gardens. This is the sixth temple on the banks of Cauvery in Thondai Mandalam region praised in Thevaram hymns.

Naming of the place

Since monkey (Kurangu in tamil), squirrel (Anil), and a crow (Muttam), came and prayed this Lingam, this place got the name “Kurangu-Anil-Muttam”. Also, this symbolizes that even creatures with less than 6 senses have prayed the Lord, and attained boons.

About The Temple

Shrines of Kasi Viswanathar, Bhairavar, Navagrahas, Sapthamadhas, Nagadevadha are on the corridor –Prakara. Lord Mahavishnu is behind the sanctum sanctorum with His discus.There are sculptures of the three on the pillars of the temple depicting their worships.Lord Valeeswarar appears in the form of a Swayambulinga. The rays of Sun fall on the Lord on certain days in the month of Chithirai.The construction of this temple dates back to 637 AD, to the regime of King Mahendra varman.

Salvation land

Yama the God of Death was in the form of a crow before worshipping Lord Shiva, scratched the land and made a spring, bathed and worshipped the Lord then. The spring was made in the shape of a new moon in the semicircle form surrounding the temple on three sides while the Lord is seated on a rock on the plain side. The spring is called Kakkaimadu theertham and Vayasaidmadu theertham. (Kakkai in Tamil and Vayasam in Sanskrit means crow). Yama is the authority of Planet Saturn. Those seeking relief from adverse aspects of this planet, worship Lord Shiva. Saint Gnanasambander mentions this temple as Kuranganilmuttam and Paravavahai Veedu, meaning that the devotee is liberated from the cycle of births and deaths.

Sthala Vruksham

Elandhai is in the outer praharam.

Theertham

Kakkai Madu, created by Lord Yama.

About The Deity

Koyyamalar Nather

Lord Valeeswarar graces in the form of Swayambulinga facing west. The rays of Sun fall at His fee on certain days in the month of Chithirai (April-May). When the monkey king Vali came to worship the Lord, he did not want to pick the flowers by hand but shook the tree making the flowers fall on the Lord. Koyya-not picked, Malar-flowers. As the Lord was worshipped with such direct flowers, He got the name Koyyamalar Nathar. Sugarcane juice is used for abhishek in the belief that our life would be as sweet as sugarcane. It is also said that birds and animals having just five senses also worshipped Lord Valeeswara and gained six senses. Devotees are relieved of sins, gifted with wisdom and knowledge.

Mother with bangles

Mother Irayarvalai Ammai graces from a separate shrine facing west. Vali, Indira and Yama the God of Death worshiped Mother before worshipping the Lord seeking her recommendation to Lord to grace them. Valai means yielding in this context. That the Mother yields to the devotees, brought Her the name Irayar Valai Ammai. Saint Ganasambandar had praised the Mother in his hymns.

Other Deities

This temple also houses Vinayaga Peruman, Murugan, Dhakshinamurthy, Kasi viswanathar, Durgai, Vishnu, Chandikeswarar, Bhairavar, Saptha kanniyar, Suriyan and navagrahas.

Legend and Stories

Sage Markandeya was destined to die at the age of sixteen. He took a pilgrimage to all Shive shrines. When he attained the age of sixteen, Yama the Lord of Death approached him and waged the rope around his neck which wrongly fell on Lord Shiva who not only cursed him and dismissed him from the post for not doing his work right. Markandeya was saved. When Lord Yama begged the pardon of the Lord, who said that he would have His darshan on Earth at an appropriate time when he would be restored to his post. He came to earth in the form a crow and worshipped Shiva in all temples. Indira, the king of the Devas (those in the celestial world) wrongly cast his eyes on the wife of Sage Gautama. As he cast his eyes wrongly on a married woman, he was cursed by the Rishi to have eyes all parts of his body. Indira came to Lord Shiva for relief from the sin committed by him. He was also advised to undertake pilgrimage in Earth and that He would grace him at an appropriate time. Indira came to earth in the form Anil – Squirrel. Both Yama and Indira came to this place simultaneously. It so happened that Vali, the king of monkeys also came here to worship Lord Shiva the same time. Vali was a great Shiva Bhakta. Yama and Indira worshipped Shiva along with Vali. Lord Shiva graced His Darshan to the three together and relieved Yama and Indira from the sins. As prayed by them, He stayed in this place as a Swayambumurthy. The place came to be known as Kurangu Anil Muttam, Kurangu-Monkey, Anil-squirrel, Muttam-crow.

Festival

Lakhadeepam (one lakh lamps) in Tirukarthikai in November-December, Shivarathri in Masi (February-March) and Annabishekam are the festivals celebrated in the temple.

Significance

Devotees pray to Lord seeking release from sins, for wisdom and intelligence, and remedy from the effects Saturn aspects. Married women and pregnant women offer bangles to Mother before they wear them. They believe the prayer would reward them child boon and safe delivery of the child. They also pray to the mother for relief of Balarishta doshas of Children. Balarishta (Bala-children, arishta-illness) is an adverse effect on the new borns according to planetary situations at the time of birth lasting for some years according to astrology. It is the faith of devotees that prayer to Lord Valeeswara would reward them with a satisfied life and total liberation at the end. Devotees offer abishek and Vastras to Lord and the Mother on realizing their prayers.

Accessibility

The nearest airport is at Chennai. The nearest major railhead is at Kanchipuram. From Kanchipuram, take Vandhavasi road. After around 6 - 7 kms, you will reach a village called “Dhoosi”. From there, take to your left and the temple is 2 kms from there.

Temple Address

Sri Valeeswarar Temple Priest,
Dhusi Post,
Via Mamandur,
Kuranganilmuttam,
Thiruvannamalai district,
Pin Code - 631 702,