Jai Sriman Narayana !!
Jaya Jaya Sankara Hara Hara Sankara !!
Thiru Alavai is one of the 275 thevara
Shivasthalm of Lord Shiva located at the heart of the Madurai City, Tamil
Nadu. This is one of the oldest temples of Lord Shiva known as
Kadambavana Kshetram/Kailasa Kshetram occupies massive 17 acres of land built
by the King Kulazhekara Pandya famous for its magnificent Dravidian
architectural style and exquisite craftsmanship. Later, Nayaks
undertook the renovation and made additions to this temple. This
temple is one of the Pancha Sabha of Lord Shiva where the cosmic dances were
performed on the Earth. Pancha Sabhas are Chidambara Kshetram – Sri Natarajar
- Swarna Sabha (Golden Hall), Madurai Somasundareswar Meenakshy Kshetram –
Rajatha Sabha (Silver Hall), Nellaiappar Kshetram – Tamra
Sabha (Copper Hall), Thiruvalangadu Kshetram – Sri Vadaranyeswarar -
Ratna Sabha(Diamond Hall), Sri Kutralathunathar Kshetram – Chitra Sabha.
The stunning murals and exquisite
sculptures of eight forms of Adi Sakthi as Kaumari, Raudri, Vaishnavi,
Mahalakshmi, Yagnaroopini, Shyamala, Maheswari and Manonmani carved on the
pillars Ashta Shakthi Mandapam also includes attractive paintings of Goddess
Meenakshi, Lord Ganesha and Lord Subramanya. The celestial wedding Hall
is a revelation of exemplary art work of olden days. This
temple has 4 majestic Rajagopurams (Temple Tower) with 10 additional gouprams
on the shrines within the precincts of this temple.
Presiding deity – Thiru Chokalinga
Peruman/Chokkanathar/Sundareswarar Peruman/Meenakshi
Sundarar/Somasundarar/Kalyana Sundarar/Shembaga Sundarar/ Attavai
Sevakan/Adhiraveesi/Azhakiya Chokkar/ Kadambavana Chokkar/Kadambavaneswarar/Karpoora
Chokkar/Peralavayar/Madureswarar with his consort Goddess Thiru
Meenakshi/Angayar Kanni/Maragathavalli/Pacchaidevi/Thadagai
Piratti/Abhiramavalli/Kayarkankumari/Karpooravalli/Sundaravalli/Pandipiratti/Madurapuri
Thalaivi/Manickavalli.
Mangasalasasanam – Thiru Gnana Sambandhar,
Thirunavukkarasar
Vimanam – Indra Vimanam – Lord Indra worshipped
Lord Shiva in many sacred places to get rid of Brahmahathya sin. He
arrived on this sacred land full of Kadamba trees and found a self-manifested
Linga. He sanctified the Linga and built a temple on its place.
Worshipped by – Sri Chokkanathar and Thiru
Alavayan was worshipped by Lord Kubera and Lord Yama respectively.
This is one of the prominent temples of Lord Shiva worshipped by Lord Indra,
Lord Varuna, deities and Sages.
Significance – This one of the 51 Sakthi Peetam
of Goddess Sakthi. In this temple Goddess Rajamathangi idol is made
of Emerald. Murthy Nayanar, one of the prominent Shivaite Saints
worshipped Lord Sundareswara in this temple. Thiru Gnan Sambandhar
reinstated the glories of Shaivisam on this sacred land.
Theertham – Adi Theertham/ Shivaganga Theertham/
Uthama Theertham/Parama Theertham/Gnana Theertham/Mukthi Theertham, Ezhukadal,
Kondazhi, Vaigainadhi, Kruthamalai, Theppakkulam, Nirmalya Theertham.
Adi theertham /Shiva Gangai Theertham were
initiated by the plunge of Lord Shiva’s Trident on Earth at the request of
deities and Lord Nandikeshwara. Lord Indra was worshipped Lord
Shiva with the Golden Lotus obtained from this Pond. Holy dip in
this pond on auspicious days of Amavasya, Pournami, eclipse and worship of Lord
Chokkanatha Peruman with Goddess Meenakshi would provide abundance of pieties
and Salvation.
Sannidhis – Lord Dakshinamurthy, Lord
Lingodbhavar, Goddess Durga, Thiru Sanga Pulavar,
Mangayarkarasi Mandapam houses the statues of
King Arikesari, Maravarman and his wife Mangayarkarasiyar, Kulachirai Nayanar
and Thiru Gnana Sambandhar
Muthuramayyar Mandapam houses the idol of
Muthuramayyar, Kasi Vishwanathar, Kasi Visalakshi, Sarabeswarar
Thirumalai Naicker Mandapam/Vasantha Mandapam
consists of murals of Kings of Naicker Dynasty, Meenkashi Thirukalyanam, Lord
Shiva’s Cosmic Dance poses, exquisitely carved on the pillars.
Thousand pillared Mandapam is one of the
remarkable and huge hall in which positioned the dance hall of Lord,
housed idols of Shivaite Saints and deities.
Main Mandapa of Lord houses Indra Vimanam, idols
of Lord Veerabhadra, Goddess Kali, Aghora Veerabhadra, Lord Surya, Lord
Mukkuruni Vinayaka, Goddess Gayatri, Sadasivamurthy, Nayanmars, and brilliant
sculptures of Lions and elephants. Nandi Mandapam housed Lord
Nadikeshwara carved out of a single rock./monolithic
Festivals – Chithirai Brahmostavam, Oonjal
Utsavam, Navaratri, Mahashivaratri, Float Festival, Panguni Uthiram, Adi
Pooram, Vinayaka Chathurthi, Vasanthostavam, Avani Moolam Festival, Ayppasi
Utsavam, Arudra Darisanam, Masi Makam, Sambandhar Utsavam,
There are several interesting myths attached
to this temple. The Madurai city was ruled by the King Malayadhwaja
Pandya. He was a righteous ruler, he had no offspring for long time, the very
thought of leaving behind the Kingdom without any heirs created worries in
him. He conducted a Yagna, while performing rite a little girl
child with three breasts emerged out of the sacrificial fire. King
Malayadhwaja was distressed at the sight of girl child with strange physical
features, instantly a divine voice echoed that she would be back to normalcy
when she meets her consort. King Malayadhwaja Pandya brought up this
stunning girl, years passed by she grown into a beautiful, brave young maiden
an heir to the throne of King Malayadhwaja Pandya. She led many
battles and won over his enemies. She met Lord Shiva at Mount Kailash and
fallen in love with him. Surprisingly, the third breast disappeared
instantly. Shortly, Lord Shiva married to Goddess Parvati and assumed as
Lord Somasundareswara and Goddess Meenakshi, this divine couple ruled the
Pandya Kingdom for several years and resided in Madurai Temple.
Lord Shiva’s marriage with Goddess Parvati
conducted in a splendid manner. All the deities, sages and rishis were
invited to take part in the celestial wedding of the divine couple. There
present Sage Patanjali and his disciple Vyagrapadha expressed their
irrepressible desire to envision Lord’s cosmic dance. The most
compassionate Lord does not want to dishearten the desire of his
devotees, instantly constructed a marvelous dancing hall (Rajatha
Sabha) at the will of Lord and splendid cosmic dance was performed.
Another legend has that King Rajasekhara Pandiya,
son of King Vikrama Pandya was the ruler of this great city Madurai. He
was a zealous devotee of Lord Shiva and a righteous ruler. He was
profusely inspired by the various dance forms of the Lord. He decided to
learn all the 64 art forms from the King Karinkala Chola. Soon he
realized the pain involved in learning those art forms and their performances.
He arrived at the temple and worriedly looked at the dancing form of Lord with
one leg on the ground. With tears rolling down he passionately requested
Lord to change the leg position. True to the devotees’ cries, Lord
changed the position of leg from right to left.
This temple remains open from 5.00AM to 12.30 PM
in the morning and 4.00PM to 10.00PM in the evenings.
Please click the link below for fabulous
virtual tour to Thiru Alavai Sri Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple:
Jaya Jaya Sankara Hara Hara Sankara !!
Jai Sriman Narayana !!
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