275 Thevara Shivasthalam !! Thirukkanaper Sri Kalayar Kovil/Someswarar Temple !!

Jai Sriman Narayana !!



Jaya Jaya Sankara Hara Hara Sankara !!












Thirukkanaper/Kalayar Kovil is one of the 275 Thevara Shivasthalam of Lord Shiva located in Sivagangai District, Tamil Nadu.




This is one of the oldest temples of Lord Shiva known as Mukthi Sthalam, occupies 4 Acres of massive land with two majestic Rajagopurams built by Maruthu Pandya brothers and Sundara Pandya of Pandya Dynasty.  This temple enshrines Lord Swarnakaleswara as the presiding deity accompanied by Lord Someswara and Lord Sundareswara with separate shrines within the precincts.




Presiding diety – Sri Kaleswarar/Someswarar/Sundareswarar with his consort Goddess Sri Swarnavalli/Soundaranayagi/Meenakshi




Mangalasasanam – Thiru  Gnana Sambandhar and  Sundarar sung praising the glories of Lord Swarnakaleswara.  Sundarar on his spiritual tour arrived at Thiruchuzhial, he worshipped Lord and stayed a night.  Lord appeared in his dream and revealed his existence in a single line ‘Yam Iruppathu Kalaiper’.  On the very next day he arrived on this sacred land and sung praising the glories of Lord Kalaeswarar. 





Theertham – Shivagangai Theertham, Gaja Theertham, Vishnu Theertham, Saraswathy Theertham, Kali Theertham, Gouri Theertham, Rudra Theertham, Lakshmi Theertham, Sudarsana Theertham




Gaja Theertham – Lord Rama worshipped Lord Shiva on this sacred land after beheading the demon King Ravana. Lord Rama took holy dip in this pond and worshipped Lord Shiva   to get rid of Brahmahathya.




Shivagangai Theertham – was originated at the will of Goddess Kali.





Worshipped by – Goddess Kali, Airavatham, Lord Indra




Lord Indra worshipped Lord Shiva to get rid of the curse in many sacred places.  Finally, he arrived on this sacred land and felt an absolute blissfulness of worship of Lord in 1000 Shivalayas.




The legend has that Goddess Kali was afflicted with Brahmahathya after beheading the demon Chandasura.  In order to get rid of this curse, she arrived on this sacred land, took holy dip in the Shivagangai Theertham and prayed to Lord Shiva.  Consequently, she was relieved from the sin of Brahmahathya and horrifying dark complexion.  She regained her original form and gorgeousness with golden complexion as Goddess Sri Swarnavalli and married to Lord Kaleswarar on this sacred land.




Another legend has that Lord Indra’s celestial Vehicle Airavatha was cursed by Sage Durvassa.  Sage Durvass offered a garland to Lord Indra, which was used for the worship of Goddess Sri Mahalakshmi.  Lord Indra erroneously accepted the garland and placed it on Airavatha.  Airavatha shoved the garland on the floor and trampled with its foot.  Sage Durvass was mounted with anger cursed Lord Indra and Airavatha.  In order to get rid of the curse Airavatha arrived on this sacred land and created a pond – Gaja Pushkarani with its sharp teeth plunged on the Earth.  With this water Airavatha worshipped Lord Shiva and got rid of the curse.  Surprisingly, the water in this pond never dries up. 




Worship of Lord Kaleswarar with his consort Goddess Swarnavalli Thayar provides abundance of devoutness includes worship of Lord in 1000 Shivalayas, also eradicates sins of the past and provide Salvation.




This temple remains open from 5.30AM to 12.30PM in the morning and 4.00PM to 8.00PM in the evenings.


Jaya Jaya Sankara Hara Hara Sankara !!

Jai Sriman Narayana !!


No comments: