Sri Nellaiappar
Kanthimathi Temple, Tirunelveli
Compiled by
Sri Elango Kadhirvel
Compiled by
Sri Elango Kadhirvel
Location
Ø
This ancient temple is located
in the heart of the city of Tirunelveli
o
The temple is located at a
distance of 2kms from the Tirunelveli Junction railway
station
Ø
Tirunelveli is well connected
by trains/road to Chennai (554 kilometers), Bangalore (581 kilometers), Madurai
(153 kilometers)
Ø
Nearest Airport is Tuticorin
Airport which is about 32 kilometers away
Presiding
Deities
Ø
Sri
Kanthimathi Ammai (Ammai – Mother) – Goddess Parvathi
Ø
Sri
Nellaiappar- Lord Shiva
o
Tirunelveli is also “Nellai”
in the local language (Tamil) owing the Prime Deity Sri
Nellaiappar
History
Ø
The temple
dates back to 700 AD and has been sung by the Shaivite poet/saint
ThiruGnanaSambandar
Ø
There are
several inscriptions in the temple dating all the way back to 950
AD
Specialties
Ø
This is one of the largest
temples in South India
o
Covering an area of 14 acres;
This is the biggest temple in Tamil Nadu
Ø
This temple is known for the
Musical Pillars and other brilliant sculptural splendour
Ø
The temple complex consist of
two huge temples, one for Lord Shiva (Nellaiappar temple) and the other for his
consort Parvathi (Kanthimathi Ammai temple)
o
These two temples are linked
by a big terraced hall that has life sized sculptures adoring the
pillars
Ø
The main deity of Kanthimathi
Nellaiyappar Temple is a “Suyambu Lingam”, which erupted from underneath the
earth
Legend
Ø
Nel-Veli –
Name reason
o
There was an
ardent Shiva devotee named Vedapattar, who had not missed a single day in
offering rice to Lord Shiva (despite any shortcoming)
o
One day,
Vedapattar left some paddy near the sanctum of Lord Shiva and went to take bath
in the river (Taamiraparani)
o
Meanwhile, it
started pouring
o
Vedapattar
was devastated for he feared that all the paddy might be washed away due to
heavy rains and he has nothing left
o
He became
much distressed and prayed for help to the Lord Who protected the paddy from the
rain by covering it and standing around it like a fence
o
From then on,
the place came to be known as "Nel veli" – paddy (Nel) that was saved by a
fence(veli)
Ø
The celestial
wedding of Kanthimathi Ammai with Nellaiyappar which is celebrated every year in
the Tamil month of Aippasi (corresponding to
October-November)
o
There is also
a shrine to Vishnu near the sanctum, signifying the belief that Nellai Govindan
(Sri Vishnu) visited Tirunelveli to officiate the divine marriage of Nellaiappar
and Kanthimathi
Ø
Venu-Vana-Naathar
o
According to another legend
associated with this temple, Lord Shiva came to Tirunelveli and took his abode
here
o
All the four Vedas stood
around Him as bamboo trees and provided Him shade
o
So this Sthalam is came to be
known as Venu Vanam (Venu means bamboo tree and Vanam means forest) and the Lord
came to be known as Venuvananaathar
Legacy
Ø
Tirunelveli
also is one of the five places where Lord Shiva (Sri Nataraja) is said to have
displayed HIS Cosmic Dance and all these temples have stages (called
ambalams)
o
Tirunelveli
has the Thaamirai (Copper) Ambalam
o
Thiruvalangadu as the Rathina Ambalam
(rathinam – ruby / red)
o
Courtallam
has the Chitra Ambalam (Chitra – painting)
o
Madurai
Meenakshi Amman Temple has the Velli Ambalam (velli –
silver)
o
Chidambaram
Thillai Nataraja Temple has the Pon (Gold) Ambalam
Quotes/Hymns
Hymn by
ThiruGnanaSambandar
மருந்து
அவை;
மந்திரம்,
மறுமை
நன்நெறி
அவை;
மற்றும்
எல்லாம்;அருந்துயர்
கெடும்;
அவர்
நாமமே
சிந்தைசெய்,
நன்நெஞ்சமே!---பொருந்து
தண்புறவினில்
கொன்றை
பொன்
சொரிதர,
துன்று
பைம்பூஞ்-செருத்தி
செம்பொன்மலர்
திரு
நெல்வேலி
உறை
செல்வர்தாமே –
ThiruGnanaSambandar
Transliterated
Text
Marundu avai; manthiram, maRumai
nan-neri avai; mattrum yellaam;
Arunthuyar kedum; AVAR Namame
sithai sei, nan-nejame!
Porundu thaN-puravinil kondrai
pon sorithara, thundru paimpoong-
Seruiththi sem-pon-malar tiru
nelveli uRai selvarthaame!
Translation
HIS (LORD Shiva) NAME ! Is
ALL!
§
IT is panacea to all
ills
§
IT is a
mantra
§
IT is the PATH/WAY to the Next
World (Realization)
§
IT removes any possible
suffering (including birth and death)
The LORD Resides in the cool
forest (VenuVanam), where the Konrai flowers glitter like
gold!
Hymn by Sri Pamban
Swami
பூவளம்
கொண்டு
ஒழுகச்
சிவபுண்ணியம்
தான்
தழைக்கத்
தா அறவே தினமும் நல்ல தாம்பிரவன்னி எனும்
ஆவகை தான்பெருகு நெல்லை அப்பர் விமானம் உறை
வீவுஇல் அயில்கரனே என்றன் வேண்டலைப் பூர்த்தி செய்யே. – Sri Pamban Swami
தா அறவே தினமும் நல்ல தாம்பிரவன்னி எனும்
ஆவகை தான்பெருகு நெல்லை அப்பர் விமானம் உறை
வீவுஇல் அயில்கரனே என்றன் வேண்டலைப் பூர்த்தி செய்யே. – Sri Pamban Swami
Transliterated
Text
PooVaLam kondu ozhukach
siva-punniyam thaan thazhaikkak
Thaa aRaVe thinamum nalla
taamiravanni enum
Aavai thaan perugu Nellai Appar
vimaanam uRaI
Veevu-il ayilkarane enRan
vendalaip poorthi seiye
Translation
Lord
Subramanya!
YOU are Housed in the Holy
Temple of Sri Nellaiappar, which is beside the perennial bountiful Taamiraparani
River
The Temple is an resonates with
The Lords’ (Sri Nellaippar) Love and Grace
YOU (Lord Subramanya), please
hear my prayers and fulfil them
Reference
http://www.kanthimathinellaiappar.tnhrce.in/index.html
(Official Temple Site)
4 comments:
Very informative post on Sri Nellaiappar Kanthimathi Temple, in Tirunelveli district. Tirunelveli , also known as Nellai or Tinnevelly, is a city in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Located on the west bank of the Thamirabarani River and believed to be an ancient settlement there are a number of historical places to visit in Tirunelveli , the Nellaiappar Temple being the most prominent.
naan vanungum shakti Kanthimathi amman, Sivam Nellippar.
Shakti Sivam, Sivam shakti.
Ardhanareswar
Sai Baba has always believed that education is an effective tool for transformation.
madhusudan naidu
The article is good to read know more about neliappar temple https://jothishi.com/nelliappar-temple-tirunelveli/
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