The Jambukeswarar Temple is the famous Shiva Temple located in Trichy District in Tamil Nadu. This Place is also called as Jambukeswaram.
History of Jambukeswarar Temple
Before 1800 years ago, this Jambukeswarar Temple was built by one of the Chola King, Kocengannan (Kochenga Chola). In this temple, the God Jambukeswarar is seen sitting below a tree, which develops into a small water source that immerses the idol during the rainy period. Thus there is always a plenty of water at the sanctum of this temple. This sanctum has an underground water channel, which is always full of water without the need to fill manually.
This Temple is one among the five main Shiva Temples in Tamil Nadu, which depicts the element of water (neer in Tamil language).
Story of the Temple
The two Siva Ganas Malyavan and Pushpadanta always fight with each other for a single thing. As a result of one fight, Malyavan accursed Pushpadanta to change as an elephant on the earth. Similarly Pushpadanta cursed Malyavan to change as a spider on the earth. After this elephant and the spider came to Jambukeswaram, on the earth to continue their worship.
Each day, the elephant used to collect the water from the Cauvery River and did ablution to the lingam (Shiva idol) below the Jambu tree. Then the spider used to construct the webs over the lingam to protect from the dry leaves and dust. Now the elephant used to tear this spider web each day by pouring water. On seeing this, the spider got angry and went into the elephant’s trunk and bit the elephant. As a result, both the elephant and the spider died. As touched by the deep devotion of both, God Shiva gave the relief from the curse. Since the elephant made the worship here, this place is called Thiruvanai Koil or Thiruvanaikaval. In Tamil, “Thiru” means holy and “Aanai” means elephant.
After this, for the sin of killing the elephant, the spider was born as the King Kochengat Chola in the rebirth. This King had built 70 temples as told in Nalayiram Divya Prabandham. This King in remembrance of his enmity in his previous birth, had built a small sanctum in this Temple such that, even an small elephant could not enter.
Another story of this Temple
The Goddess Parvathi was born as a human as per the request from the Lord Shiva. Then Goddess made a Shiva lingam using the water from the River Cauvery. For her devotion, the Lord Shiva came to give his appearance in front of the Goddess Parvathi. Since then, this place became one of the “Pancha Bhootha Sthalam”(one of the five main Siva Temples). This Shiva lingam is known as the “Appu Linga”. This Pancha Bhoota Sthalam refers to the five Shiva temples which represent the five main elements of nature like the air, space, fire, earth and water.
Structure of Temple
There is a hall in the fourth vicinage with 796 Pillars. Then there exists a small tank with the perennial water channels. In the third enclosure, there are two gopurams of 100 and 73 feet, a small water tank and a coconut thoppu (“thoppu” in Tamil means the a place with a large number of coconut trees). The second enclosure has a gopuram and many small shrines. Next the interior enclosure has the sanctum. The sanctum of the goddess Akhilandeshwari and the sanctum of the God Prasanna Vinayaka resemble the shape of the Pranava manthram “Om”.
Festivals
The famous festivals celebrated in this Temple, are the “Panguni Brahmmotsavam” during the March-April months and the Aadi Pooram in the July-August months. Then the celebration of Navaratri for 10 days, in the Tamil month of Purattasi is famous here. Another 10 days festival “Vaikasi Urchavam” is also popular here. Then the other local festivals for special Poojas are the Thai theppam, Thai Poosam and Thai Velli (the Fridays which falls on the Tamil month of Thai).
Transport facilities
You can reach the Jambukeswarar Temple through any of the Transports like Bus, Train and flights. This place Thiruvanaikaval is at a distance of 320Km from Chennai (Capital city of Tamil Nadu). For this, first you must the Trichy and then reach Thiruvanaikaval which is at a distance of 8Km from the Trichy Central Bus stand. For the visitors who come through the train, can reach the Trichy Railway station. From there, you can reach the Temple, through any of the road Transport.
Location: Thiruvanaikaval, Tamil Nadu.
Timings: Morning – 5.30 am to 1pm (Timings may vary in festival occasions)
Evening – 3pm to 9pm.
Days to Visit: All days.