275 Thevara Shivasthalam !! Thirumukkicharam (Uraiyur) Thiru Panchavarneswarar Temple !!


Jai Sriman Narayana !!
 
 
Jaya Jaya Sankara Hara Hara Sankara !!
 
 
 
 
 
 
Thirumukkicharam is one of the 275 Thevara Shivasthalam of Lord Shiva located in Uraiyur, Thiruchirapalli, Tamil Nadu.  This is one of the oldest temples of Lord Shiva built by King Varaguna Pandiya in the 8th century famous for its exquisite architectural and stunning murals.  In this temple Lord Shiva worshipped in the form of a self-manifested Linga.  Lord Panchavarneswara manifested as Ratna Linga, Saptika Linga, Swarna Linga, Vaira Linga and Chitra Linga at the different intervals of worship hours to Sage Mathanga. 

 

 

Presiding deity – Thiru Panchavarneswarar /Thanthondreeswarar with his consort Goddess Sri Kanthimathi Ammai/Kumkumavalli

 

 

Mangalasasanam – Thiru Gnana Sambandhar

 

Saint Arunagirinathar sung praising the glories of Lord Subramanya in this temple.

 

 

Worshipped by – Lord Brahma, Sage Mathanga, Sage Kashyapa & his wife Kadru, Serpent Karkodaka, Garuda,

 

 

Lord Shiva was pleased at the devotion of Sage Mathanga and revealed his astounding five forms as Panchavarneswara in five worship hours in a day.   Ratnalinga  in the morning hours, Spatika (Crystal) Linga in the afternoon, Swarna (Golden) Linga in the evening,  Vaira (Diamond) Linga in the night and Chitra Linga at the midnight.

 

 

 

This is the birthplace of Ko Chengan Choza and Pukazh Chozha Nayanar, one of the 63 prominent Shivaite Saints.  Ko Chengan Chozha built 78 magnificent temples of Lord Shiva known as Maadakovil with narrow passages, impossible for an elephant to enter into it.  Pukazh Chozha was a successful ruler in Uraiyur, he won a battle against his neighboring King.  After the ferocious battle Pukash Chozha inspected the battlefield, there he found a head of a Shivaite Saint with matted hair locks and holy ashes on it detached from the body.    Pukazh chozha was inconsolable at the sin he had committed to a devotee of Lord.  He assigned the Kingdom to his son who was heir to the throne.   Pukazh Chozha entered into a blazing inferno holding the head of the devotee of Lord and attained the Abode of Lord Shiva.   

 

 

Sannidhis – Lord Ganesha, Lord Nandikeshwara, Sage Mathanga, Lord Vishnu, Lord Surya, Lord Kalabhairava, Lord Shaneeswara, Lord Subramanya with his consort Goddess Sri Valli & Deivayanai, Lord Chandikeshwara, Goddess Kali, Sri Mahalakshmi, Goshtamurtham-Lord Dakshinamurthy, Lord Brahma, Goddess Durga, stone carved images  of Bikshadaneswarar and Rishi patnis of Darukavana hermits, elephant & Rooster, Thandava postures of Lord Shiva,

                                                                                                                                                             

 

Festivals – Vaikasi Bramotsavam, Aippasi, Thiru Karthikai, Maha Shivaratri, Adi Festival,

 

Theertham – Naga Theertham

 

Sthalavruksham – Vilvam



 
 

There are several interesting myths associated with this temple.  The wife of Chola King who was ruled Uraiyur as capital city was a passionate devotee of Lord Shiva. The queen Kanthimathi constantly visited the fort temple of Lord Thayumanavar at the hill top and resumed her worship.  She continued this practice although she was fully pregnant.   One day  she has started her expedition from Uraiyur to Thiruchirapalli on the scorching heat.   As soon as she reached this sacred land, she had fallen unconscious due to the unbearable heat.  After regaining consciousness, queen Kanthimathi was miserable at the thought of abandoning the daily worship of Lord.   The most compassionate Lord Shiva appeared as Thanthondreeswarar before the queen Kanthimathi and elevated her emotional state into supreme bliss.

 


 

Another legend has that the Chola King who was ruled this city was an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva.  The King carried out a supervision of the entire villages in Uraiyur with his men .  King majestically took his seat on the royal elephant and arrived at this place; suddenly the elephant lost its mental balance and ferociously wandered through this place causing all kinds threat.  Kings men were worked so  hard to calm down the elephant, but all their efforts became fruitless.  King was in dilemma, he earnestly prayed to Lord Panchavarneswarar.  Instantaneously, Lord’s fleeting looks fallen at a rooster grazing on the extreme end of this village.   At once, the rooster gained a massive strength of a demon and darted to the forehead of the elephant.  The rooster with all its strength pierced hardly on the forehead of the elephant and calmed down.  The elephant hurried to a bael tree with the unbearable pain and positioned calmly.  Soon, the rooster also joined with the elephant.  After witnessing this miraculous incident the King understood the divinity of this sacred place and decided to construct a magnificent temple for Lord Shiva.   Thus, this place has got its name Kozhiyur, afterwards changed into Uraiyur.

 

The idol of Goddess Sri Kanthimathi Ammai was worshipped by the Naga Kanyakas (Serpent Gods & Goddesses) and it was brought to Uraiyur by the Chola King.  

 

This temple remains open from 6.00 AM to 12.00 PM in the morning and 4.00PM to 8.00PM in the evenings.

 
 
Jaya Jaya Sankara Hara Hara Sankara !!
 
Jai Sriman Narayana !!

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