Brahmapureeswarar Kolilinathar Temple

Overview

The Brahmapureeswarar Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is situated in Thirukkuvalai in Nagapattinam district of Tamil Nadu, India. The temple is revered by the hymns of 7th century Tamil saivite poets, Appar, Sundarar and Campantar and is classified as Paadal Petra Sthalam.One of the 276 Thevara Paadal petra sthalamsOne of the Saptha Vidanga sthalam. A Navagraha parihara sthalam. Thirukkuvalai is located at around 7.5 kms from Kachinam; the nearest railway station is at Thirunellikkaval, 20 km from this place.The annual Brahmotsavam is celebrated in the month of Vaikasi. The theertham located in this temple is Brahma Theertham.

About The Deity

The Main deities are Sundareswarar, Thyagarajar, Brahmapureeswarar and the Ambal Meenakshi. Both shrines face the East. Thyagarajar shrine is on the right of sanctum where Brahmapureeswara is the main deity. Inscriptions date back to the period of Kulothunga Chola and Sadaya Varman Sundara Pandian are found in this Temple.

Legend and Stories

Since the Navagrahas (“Kol”) have worshipped Shiva here and got rid of their sins, the name “Kol ili” came into being. The Navagrahas unusually stand in the same row and those who visit this place are believed to get rid of “Navagraha Dhosha”. Bheema freed himself from the “Dhosha” of killing Bagaasura by worshipping the Lord here. Brahmma worshipped Lord Shiva here to get rid of his curse and commenced the act of creation, hence the name of the Lord as Sri Brahmapureeswarar and the Thapovanam as Brahma Tapovanam. An aged devotee from Kundaiyur intent upon travelling to Madurai was blessed with a vision of Meenakshi and Sundareswarar here.

Sundara Murthi Nayanar was feeding Shiva Devotees at Thiruvarur for which he used to pray the Lord to give him Paddy/Gold. There was another devotee called Kundaiyur Kizhar, residing at Kundaiyur, about a km away from here, equally interested in feeding Shiva Bhakthas. Shiva appeared in his dream and told him that he was blessing him with a mountain size of paddy to be handed over to Sundarar. On hearing this, Sundarar was delighted and wondered how it could be shifted to Thiruvarur. He sang a “Padhigam” in which he prayed the Lord to arrange for the shipment of paddy to Thiruvarur. As a miracle, the Shiva Bootha Ganas shifted the entire paddy overnight and laid them in front of each house at Thiruvarur. This is commemorated as “Sundarar Utsavam” in the Maasi Magam festival. Sambandar, Appar and Sundarar composed the Pathigam.

The Thyagarajar Temple at Tiruvarur is famous for the ajapa thanam(dance without chanting), that is executed by the deity itself. According to legend, a Chola king named Mucukunta obtained a boon from Indra(a celestial deity) and wished to receive an image of Thyagaraja Swamy(presiding deity, Shiva in the temple) reposing on the chest of reclining Lord Vishnu. Indra tried to misguide the king and had six other images made, but the king chose the right image at Tiruvarur. The other six images were installed in Thirukkuvalai, Nagapattinam, Tirukarayil, Tirukolili, Thirukkuvalai and Tirumaraikadu. All the seven places are villages situated in the river Cauvery delta. All seven Thyagaraja images are said to dance when taken in procession (it is the bearers of the processional deity who actually dance). The temples with dance styles are regarded as Saptha Vidangam (seven dance moves).

Accessibility

The nearest airport is at Trichy. The nearest railway station is Nagapattinam Railway Station. The nearest major bus terminal is at Nagapattinam.

Temple Address

Arulmigu Brahmapureeswarar Kolili Naatheswarar Tirukkoil,
Tirukkuvalai - 610 204,
Nagapattinam District.