Presiding Deity: Vilvavaneswarar
Reputation: Swayambu
Goddess: Valaikainayaki
Vinayakar: Sundaramurthiar
Holy tree: Vilwa tree
Holy water: Ema theertham
Hymns: Thevaram
Place: Thiruvaikavur
Scriptural name: Thiruvaikavur
District: Thanjavur
Prayers:
Praying to Vilvavaneswarar, the devotee achieves relief from depression and peace of mind. Marriage settlement, children are sought from the Lord here. Employment chances, business development, promotion in jobs are also prayed for in this temple. The Lord does not fail his devotees.
Prayer commitments:
Abishek offered in oil,milk, curd, tender coconut etc. Devotees offer dhotis to the Lord and sarees to the Goddess. The preparations offered to the Gods are distributed to the visitors. General pujas are done. The wealthy offer donations for the maintenance of the temple.
Specialities of the Temple:
Goddess grants. She is all blessingful called Valaikainayaki – protector of all beings. The devotees should submit their grievances to the Goddess on Fridays and Tuesdays between 6.00 a.m. to 7.30 p.m.and perform Archanas. You can tell her your problems, standing by the side of Sri Chakra Yanthra and one can feel the response from the Mother. The priest who is performing the puja in the Lord’s section, will come to the devotee here to say that the aspiration of the devotee would be fulfilled within a certain time and many have experienced the effect, it is said. The Vedas are in the form of Vilwa leaves. According to belief, the Vedas surrendered to the Lord to protect them from destruction when the world comes to end – Oozhi Kalam. They have taken the form Vilva trees as advised by the Lord. Hence the name Vilvaranyam to the place and Vilvavaneswarar to the Lord. The Lord is swayambu here, not sculpted. A temple that began the Sivarathri festival and followed then in all Shiva Temples then. Nandhi faces the opposite direction here. No place for the Navagrahas. The Dwarabalakas (watch and ward) are but Vishnu and Brahma themselves.
As the Trimurthys are here, the temple has special significance. As the couples sit face to face during their wedding, the Lord and Goddess are facing each other in this temple. The other significance is that Dakshnamurthy here is in a standing position with a cane in hand. Bathing or spilling the water of the tank theertha here assures relief from illnesses. They are also relieved from bad spirits. This is the temple where Saptha Madhas (seven maidens) worshipped. Lord Muruga has six faces here. The Vel, peacock, the hand lines (rekhas) nails are very clear in the idol made of a single stone. The peacock is turning on the left side. Built by the Chozha king, the temple is praised by the Thevaram saints and Arunagirinathar. The temple is 2000 years old. Siva and Parvathi stays here with all affinity. Thiruvaikavur is a place where there will be no fear of Lord Yama the God of Death.
Prayers:
Praying to Vilvavaneswarar, the devotee achieves relief from depression and peace of mind. Marriage settlement, children are sought from the Lord here. Employment chances, business development, promotion in jobs are also prayed for in this temple. The Lord does not fail his devotees.
Prayer commitments:
Abishek offered in oil,milk, curd, tender coconut etc. Devotees offer dhotis to the Lord and sarees to the Goddess. The preparations offered to the Gods are distributed to the visitors. General pujas are done. The wealthy offer donations for the maintenance of the temple.
Specialities of the Temple:
Goddess grants. She is all blessingful called Valaikainayaki – protector of all beings. The devotees should submit their grievances to the Goddess on Fridays and Tuesdays between 6.00 a.m. to 7.30 p.m.and perform Archanas. You can tell her your problems, standing by the side of Sri Chakra Yanthra and one can feel the response from the Mother. The priest who is performing the puja in the Lord’s section, will come to the devotee here to say that the aspiration of the devotee would be fulfilled within a certain time and many have experienced the effect, it is said. The Vedas are in the form of Vilwa leaves. According to belief, the Vedas surrendered to the Lord to protect them from destruction when the world comes to end – Oozhi Kalam. They have taken the form Vilva trees as advised by the Lord. Hence the name Vilvaranyam to the place and Vilvavaneswarar to the Lord. The Lord is swayambu here, not sculpted. A temple that began the Sivarathri festival and followed then in all Shiva Temples then. Nandhi faces the opposite direction here. No place for the Navagrahas. The Dwarabalakas (watch and ward) are but Vishnu and Brahma themselves.
As the Trimurthys are here, the temple has special significance. As the couples sit face to face during their wedding, the Lord and Goddess are facing each other in this temple. The other significance is that Dakshnamurthy here is in a standing position with a cane in hand. Bathing or spilling the water of the tank theertha here assures relief from illnesses. They are also relieved from bad spirits. This is the temple where Saptha Madhas (seven maidens) worshipped. Lord Muruga has six faces here. The Vel, peacock, the hand lines (rekhas) nails are very clear in the idol made of a single stone. The peacock is turning on the left side. Built by the Chozha king, the temple is praised by the Thevaram saints and Arunagirinathar. The temple is 2000 years old. Siva and Parvathi stays here with all affinity. Thiruvaikavur is a place where there will be no fear of Lord Yama the God of Death.
General information:
Thiruvaiakavur is 17 Kms from Kumbakonam, 45 from Thanjavur and 7 from Swamimalai.. Lodging facilities are available at Kumbakonam charges ranging from Rs. 150 to Rs. 600. Hotels in the district capital of Thanjavur are Hotel Tamilnadu phone No. 21421, 21024 and 21325, Hotel Ganesh 22789, Hotel Sangam 24895, hotel Parisuddham 212460 Hotel Oriental Towers 31467. The charges are between Rs. 200 to Rs. 2000. Thiruvaikavur is on the Kumbakonam-Thiruvaiyyaru bus route near Andakudi has bus facilities from Kumbkonam. For those coming from other places, car journey would be convenient. Nearest Railway station is Kumbakonam, the airport Trichy.
Festivals:
2 days Masi Maha Sivarathri (February-March) – Theerthavari on Amavasya days – Procession of Panchamurthis at night in a chapparam (The Rishab, the deity, Goddess all made of palm leaves only) – Arudra Dharsan in December- January – more famous is the Thiruvadirai, Vijayadasami, Thirukarthikai – The crowd will be huge during Pradosham days – Deepavali, Pongal and Tamil and English New Year days are also celebrated devotionally with special pujas in the temple.
History:
While sage Thavamuni was performing penance, a hunter was chasing a deer. The Muni gave asylum to the animal. The hunter began to attack the Muni. Seeing this, Lord Shiva came there in the form of a tiger and chased the hunter. The hunter climbed a tree for protection and stayed on the tree waiting for the departure of tiger waiting to kill him. It was Maha Sivarathri night. The hunter, to keep himself awake, picked the Vilva leave and was dropping it that fell on the tiger, which was but Lord Shiva himself and thus unknowingly performed a Shiva Puja on the holy Sivarathri day. The Lord gave Darshan and salvation to the hunter, The Lord of Death Yama came there to take away the life of the hunter as it was his expiry day. Nandhi was indifferent to the visit of Yama and did not check him. Lord Shiva, in the form of Dakshinamurthy was angry with Nandi for negligence of duty. Nandi immediately bound Yama by his breath. Yama worshipped Shiva and made a tank opposite to the temple performed pujas and took leave.
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