Thiruvanaikaval * The Elephant & Spider got their immortality

Once upon, at the very ancient past, Goddess Sri Parvathi Devi had taken birth as a human being and worshiped the lord Shiva in the form of 'Linga' made up of water molecules. In this water borne linga, lord Shiva had charged within it and blessed sri Parvathi Devi.

Since, it had been originated from the source of water, one of the 'Pancha boothangal' (five nature's elements of land,water,air,sky and fire), it has been called as water-isthala (place of water).

Later, a sage called Jambhu had been there in penance for several years. On having pleased in the penance of that sage, lord Shiva had appeared before him and gave him a fruit of 'Naval' (rose apple) as the prasatham (god's blessing in the form of fruit).

Having concerned the holiness of that fruit, he had eaten the fruit with it's seed. It had been said that from that seed itself the 'naval tree' had grown and had come out from the head and the sage had also attained the moksha ('head-burst' immortality). The another name of the naval has been 'Jambhu' tree.

Since, having given the moksha to the sage 'Jambhu', the presiding deity has been so called as 'Jambhugeshwarar'.

Structure of the temple:-

This temple has it's design of the one which built by the king Kochenget cholan, which had been called as 'Mada kovil' (temples built in the style that elephant couldn't enter into it). This temple is facing towards west in direction.

Having passed over the main tower, flagstaff, Nandhi, sacrifice peedam (platform) and had entered into the Sanctum, we could able to see the presiding deity of lord 'Jambhugeshwarar' facing towards west in direction.

In the corridors around the Sanctum, there have been the 'shrines of Parivar deities' (the other usual gods of the temple) of Vinayakar, Murugan, Thatchanamurthy, Sandigeshwarar, Karadevar, Somaskandhar, 63 Nayanmars, Meenakshi chokkanathar, Bairavar, Natarajar with consort Parvathi, Saraswathi in standing posture without veena, Chandran with consorts Karthigai & Rohini, Pancha muga Vinayaka (having five faces) and Saturn with consort Jeshtadevi.

The shrine of lord Jambhugeshwarar is not having its entrance as regular, instead only nine holed window has been there. The devotees who have come here to worship lord Jambhugeshwarar are only permitted to see Him through that 'Navathulai sannal' (nine holed window). It has been advised that in order to attain the 'Siva Patham' (moksha- immortality), one should sacrifice the happiness, which have been experienced by the 9 holes of our body. The Nine hole as follows:-

1. Two eyes (2)
2. Two ears (2)
3. Two holes in nose (2)
4. Mouth (1)
5. Anus (1)
6. The hole of male/female sexual organ (1)

While the above said 9 holes have been closed (spiritually silent) at our body, we could able to see the 'Dharshan of lord Shiva' at our inner soul.

As this has been the isthala (place)of water, we could able to see the signs of small water flow every where on the flooring of the sanctum, some times it's over in the rainy season, that is in the Tamil month of Aypasi (oct-nov).

Normally in all Shiva's temples, there have been the 'Anna abisegham' (covering rice all over His body of linga as abisegham) in the Tamil month of 'Aypasi- full moon' (oct-nov), whereas here in Thiruvanaikaval, it has been celebrated in the Tamil month of 'Vaikasi-full moon' (may-june), as it's summer at there. In Aypasi-full moon, there in Thiruvanaikaval, the linga thirumeni (body of linga) has been covered with 'Vibuthi' or 'Thiruneeru' (sacred white powder) as Vibuthi-Kaapu (applied over).

As like in Madurai, lord Shiva had come here as Siddha and had done the holy play. At that time, the king who had ruled that area, had erected the 5^th corridor of this temple. Then he had to undergo a war with his enemies.

But his mind and body didn't cooperate with that war. He worshiped the lord Shiva that He should help him to complete the work. As per his wish, lord Shiva came there as 'Vibuthi Siddhar' and had completed the corridor work. Having known about, the king also was very happy enough and had named the temple wall as 'Thiruneetraan Thirumathil' and the corridor as 'Vibuthi Pragharam'..

From the origin itself, the goddess here had been very fierce. Normally in order to cool down the fierceness, the same had been super imposed on the 'Sri Chakra'. When the Jegath Guru Aathi Sankarar came here, he had made two 'Thadan gangal' (ear rings) as like 'Sri Cakras' and made Her worn on Her both ears, in order to cool down Her.

Again he had consecrated Her two sons, lord Vinayaka and lord Muruga by her side, that is, lord Vinayakar as just opposite and lord Muruga at Her back.

In this temple, there has been no holy wedding taken place as usually done in all other temples. Since, here, the goddess sri Parvathi devi had been in penance and visioned the dharsan of lord Shiva, no marriage had been taken place between them.

Hence, here in this temple, there has been no holy wedding and 'Palliyarai poojai' (day's last pooja that having made the idols of lord Shiva and goddess Sri Parvathi as couple and lock them in a separate room called 'Palliyarai').

But Palliyarai has been here and all the rituals of 'Palliyarai pooja' has been done to the parivar deities (deities in the corridor) of lord Chokkanathar and goddess sri Meenakshi. Again other than these god/goddess, there would be no Palliyarai pooja to other gods.