Pazamalainathar Temple

Overview

The temple is praised by the three Saivite Saints Sundarar, Tirunavukkarasar and Gnanasambandar in their Thevaram hymns. This is the 9th Shiva temple in Tamil Nadu region praised in hymns. Vruddhachalam is as famous as Kasi-Varanasi promising salvation known as Vruddhakasi. It is also claimed that the benefits are more here than Kasi, hence the saying “Kasiyil Veesam Adhigam in Vruddhakasi”. As believed in Kasi, here too Mother Goddess Vruddambika keeps the departed souls on Her lap and fan them with the pallu of Her Sari while Lord Shiva chants the Namshivaya mantra in the ears of the dead ensuring his/her salvation, according to Sthalapurana.

Vruddhambika means Goddess of elderly. Devotee Guru Namshivayar stayed in this place for a night on his way to Chidambaram. He was very hungry and called the Mother Goddess with a verse by a word Kizhathi meaning old woman. Mother Goddess Periyanayaki came there as an old woman and replied that Kizhavi-old woman cannot bring food, only young woman can. The devotee sang another verse describing the youthfulness of Goddess Ambica. She appeared as a beautiful young woman and fed the devotee and thus came to be known as Balambika – young Mother. Saint Arunagiriar had sung 10 Tirupugazh hymns on Lord Muruga of this temple. The temple is also praised by Shivaprakasar, Kuamaradeva and Vadalur Vallalar Ramalinga Adigalar in their hymns.

About the Temple

The temple covers an area of 4 acres; it has 3 vast courtyards surrounded by tall walls with towering 7 storied entrances on all four sides. The outermost prakaram is referred to as Kailasa Prakaram. A sage by name Vipachit is believed to have built the earliest structure of this temple, and his idol is kept under the vanni tree here.

The Chola queen, Sembiyan Mahadevi reconstructed the stone temple in the 10th century. The innermost structures ie. the inner sanctum and the ardhamandapam belong to her period. The niche idols here are Ardhanareeswarar, Lingodbhavar, Vinayakar, Bhrama, Gangadharar and Dakshinamurthy.

Lord Muruga with His consorts Valli and Deivanai graces the devotees from a shrine between Lord and Mother Vruddhambika shrine with 28 Shivalingas installed in accordance the Saiva Agama rules. Lord Muruga is in a standing posture. There are chakras above him promising the devotee that he would be blessed with all his wishes. Lord Muruga with Chakras is rarely seen in a few Shiva temples only. This is one among them.

Number five has a lot significance in this temple. The idols are five in number –Lords Chandikeswarar, Shiva, Vinayaka, Muruga and Shakti. Lord is praised by five names – Mudhu Kundreeswarar, Pazhamalai Nathar, Vruddhachaleswarar, Vruddhagiriswarar and Vruddhagiri. There are five Vinayakas in the temple –Mattru Uraitha Vinayaka, Aazhathu Vinayakar, Muppillayar, Vallabha Ganapathi and Dasabhuja Ganapathy. Five Rishis had the darshan of Lord – Anavardhini, Vibasiddhu, Romesa, Nada Sharma and Kumaradeva. There are five towers in the temple at east, west, south, north and Kandarathithan (a Chola king) gopuram. There are five prakaras – called Tiruchuttru in Tamil. Kailaya, Panchavarna Chuttru, Car-Rath,63 Nayanmar Chuttru and Vanniyadi. There are five Kodimarams-flag post with with five Nandhis – Maalvidai Nandhi, Vedha Nandhi, Atma Nandhi, Indra Nandhi, and Dharma Nandhi. There are five inner Mandaps –, Thapana, Idaikazhi, Maha, Artha and Isai Mandapams. Outer Mandaps are 20, Deeparadhana, are 100 pillar mandap, Vipachithu and Chitra mandapam.

Five time puja is performed in the temple - Kalasandhi, Tiruvanandal,Sayaraksha, Uchi Kala and Arthajama at scheduled times from early morning till night. The temple has five cars-raths for Lords Vinayaka, Muruga, Mother Periyanayaki, Pazhamalai Nathar and Sri Chandikeswara. The place has five names – Vruddhachalam, Vruddha Kasi, Tirumudhu Kundram, Nerkuppai and Mudhugiri.

Saint Sundarar was on a fund raising mission to feed the devotees on the Panguni Uthiram festival in Tiruvarur. Lord of this temple donated 12,000 gold coins to Sundararar. Beware of robbers on the way, he placed all the coins in the Manimutha River and collected it in the tank in Tiruvarur. This is a strange precaution. Money placed in a river cannot be collected from a tank that has no link with each other. But this miracle happened. Thus came the proverb, “losing in the river and searching in the tank”. Sundarar wanted to test the touch of the gold he took from the tank in Tiruvarur. Lord proved the quality of the gold with Lord Vinayaka as a witness who confirmed the touch. Hence, Lord Vinayaka in the inner prakara of the temple is praised as Mattru-touch, Uraitha-confirmed, Vinayaka- Mattru Uraitha Vinayaka.

The Mudhu Kundram temple was renovated by Maharshi Visithu.. Mudhu Kundram is situated on the banks of Manimutha River. As a tradition, Goddess Durga is the ruler in Lord Shiva temple. Here, She appears along with Mother Umayambika-Vruddhambika in a standing posture.

Of the 1008 noted Shiva temples, four are considered very sacred. Mudhukundram temple is one among the four. The place stood majestically alive even during the Maha Pralaya that destroyed the world. During the renovation of the temple, Vibasithu Rishi used to give the leaves of the Vanni tree as wages to the workers. Based on the quantum and quality of the work of the labourer, it fetched the due value, it is said. The ashes of the dead when dissolved in Manimutha River change into a stone and stay underneath, according to sthalapurana.

There are many hymns sung by Tamil Scholas praising this place, Lord and Goddess Ambica,. Kshethira Kovai Venba, Pazhamalai Nathar Andhadhi, Bikshadana Navamani Malai, Perianayaki Ammai Pathigam, Perianayaki Virutham, Guru Darishana Pathigam, Pillai Thamizh are a few to mention. During his visit to this place, the king of Karnataka was very hungry. Mother Peria Nayaki, as a young woman fed him with milk and named him Kumara Deva. Lord Shiva as Nataraja danced in Thillai for a contest. He played here for His own joy.

Saiva Siddhantha comprises of 28 Agamas-branches. Lord Muruga installed 28 Shivalingas representing this philosophy and performed pujas. These Lingas are in a separate shrine to northwest of the temple. Lord Vinayaka is in the south among the line of the Lingas and Lord Muruga with His consorts Valli and Deivanai is in the north line. The Shiva Lingas bear the names of the 28 Agamas –Yogeswarar, Sindhyeswarar, Kamikeswarar, Sahasreswarar, Karaneswarar, Ajitheswarar, Deepadheswarar, Sukshmeswarar, Amsumaneswarar, Sapradeswarar, Vijayeswarar, Viswaseswarar, Mukambireswarar, Swayambeswarar, Parameswarar, Analeswarar, Veereswarar, Rouravareswarar, Makudeswarar, Vimaleswarar, Chandragnaneswarar, Sarvothameswarar, Kiraneswarar and Vaduleswarar.

The temple is praised as Agama Temple as this prestigious feature belongs exclusively to this temple alone. Vruddha means aged – Achalam means the hill. Vruddhalacham means an ancient hill. In chaste Tamil this is mentioned as Mudhu Kundram in Thevaram hymns.

About the Deity

The Presiding deity is known as Virudhagireeswarar(or) Pazhamalai Nathar(or)Mudhugundhar. The Ambal is known as Virudhambigai (or)Balambigai(or) Ilaya nayagi.

Legend and Stories

During the days of Saivite Saints Appar, Gnanasambandar and Sundarar, the place was known as Pazhamalai in Tamil and changed to the Sanskrit version Vruddhachalam in the days that followed. Vruddham means aged and Achalam hill. It is also said that Lord Shiva appeared here only in the form of this mount and other mounts came into being only later, according to scriptures. Sage Vibasithu had a dip in the Manimutha river and undertook the renovation of his temple. He gave the workers the leaves of the Vanni tree which later changed into coins to the value due to the workers based on the quantum and quality of his work, is a story believed by generations of devotees. The Vanni tree is 1700 year old, say researchers. Sundarar passed through this place without singing the glory of the Lord. He was stopped by the Lord, made him sing and gifted 12,000 gold coins, placed it in Manimutha River and directed him to collect it from the temple tank in Tiruvarur, according to sthalapurana.

Temple History

In the remotest past when Brahma thought of creating the earth , he created water. Lord Vishnu happened to cut down the evil Madhukaidavas. The cut pieces of the bodies floated on water created by Lord Brahma. On seeing that Brahma prayed to Lord Shiva to create the earth out of the hardened compound from the water and the flesh of the bodies. Lord Shiva appeared as a mountain. Lord Brahma who did not know this created many different mountains. As they did not have space to exist, he was sorrowful. The pranava God appeared and conveyed Lord Brahma the truth through gestures. Brahma worshipped Lord Shiva who was the form of mountain. Lord Shiva created the earth combining the flesh and the water compounded in a hardened form. He called it medhini. He gave space for the mountains of Brahma. He told Brahma that he was not different from the mountain. The mountains of Brahma came into being after that mountain. Hence the mountain of Shiva was named Pazha malai(old mountain). According to him, that Pazhamalai would be hard pressed on the earth appearing as Shiva linga above. Those who worshipped it would get all they wished for. The stone inscriptions have the names of kings - Kandarathitha chola,his wife Chembianmaadevi, Paraanthaga chola, uthama chola, Rajendira chola, Raja Rajachola, Rajaji Raja chola, Raja Raja chola the second, Vikrama Chola, Ezhisai Mohanana Kulothunga chola Kadavarathithan, Kulothunga chola the third, Arasa Narayanan Kachirayan, Koperum singam, Kachirayan alias, Arasa Narayanan,Ezhisai Mohan, Veerasekara Kadavarathithan,Vikrama pandian, Veera pandiyan, Sundara pandiyan, Mavarma Pandiyan, Konerinmai pandiyan, Ariyanna udayar, pokkana udayar, Muppidi Krishnapathi, kambana udayar, veeravijayarayar.

Festivals

10 day Brahmmotsavam drawing a huge crowd of devotees with a car festival on the 9th day in Masi (February-March); 10 day Aadi Pooram especially for Ambica with Wedding Festival and flag hoisting and Ambica procession; 10 day Vaikasi Vasanth Usav in May-June; Aani Tirumanjanam in June-July; Arudra Darshan n December-January; Skanda Sashti-Soora Samharam in October-November are the festivals celebrated in the temple. Special abishek is performed to procession deity Peria Nayakar on Poornima-full moon days. The devotee crowd in the temple is usually huge on Poornima-full moon and Amavasya-new moon days.

Thanks Giving

Devotees perform abishek to Lord with oil, green coconut, cosmetic powder, fruit juices, rosewater , panchamirtham, sandal, and sacred ashes. They also offer dry, clean vastras. Sankabishek-abishek with conches and Kalasabishekam also are performed. They do turmeric abishek to Mother Ambica and offer Saris.

Rare Facts

Lord Shiva in the temple is Swayambumurthy. Girivalam-cicumambulating the hill takes place on each Poornima-full moon days. The age of the holy tree Vanni is over 1700 years. It is the faith of the devotees that salvation is gained for sure if he/she is born in the place, or live in the place, or pray the Lord here, or even thinking of Him even while elsewhere and die in this place. One of the above five criteria will free him/her from the cycle of births and deaths. As in Kalahasthi temple, Lord Vinayaka is in an underground shrine with 18 steps to get in to for worship. When the world was destroyed by pralaya floods, it is said that this holy place-Vruddhachalam stood unaffected. Of the 1008 Shiva shrines of the country considered in high esteem, four lead this divine list of which Vruddhachalam is one.

Significance

The first benefit the devotee derives is mental peace with his prayers to Lord. Any and every ailment disappears from the devotee. Mother Durga in the temples graces the devotee with wedding boon. People also pray for child boon and prosperity. On Sundays, during the Rahukalam time – 4.30 p.m. to 6.00 p.m. – devotees pray to Lord Bhairava with Vada Mala for removal of successive hardships attacking them. Saint Gnanasambandar, in his hymns say that the Lord of the temple pours His blessings on the devotee for his/her happy and peaceful life both present and the one to come next. Bathing in Muktha River ensures salvation, says scriptures.

Accessibility

Airport

The nearest airport is at Chennai.

Railways

The nearest railway station is at Vruddhachalam.

Road

Vruddhachalam is on the Madurai Chennai national highway 21 km south of Ulundurpet. The temple is at the heart of the town and reachable easily. Sufficient bus facility is available. From some important places, Vruddhachalam is 60 km from Cuddalore, 21 km from Uludurpet, 83 from Puducherry and 45 km from Chidambaram.

Temple Address

Sri Vruddha Giriswarar Temple,
Vruddhachalam, Cuddalore district,
Pin code - 606 001.