Tiruchendur Temple

The Tiruchendur temple is the celebrated sea-shore temple of Lord Subrahmanya. It is situated in the Tiruchendur taluk of the Tirunelvedi District. The temple is on the shore of the Gulf of Mannar. The surging cool tides of the sea wash the foot of the temple. There is no other shrine in Chennai State, with such a beautiful natural setting. The origin of the temple dates back to the Puranic past. The main deity that is worshipped in the temple is Lord Muruga.

The deity of the temple is known to have been worshipped by a number of Saivaite saints. Legend has it that Adi Sankara was cured of his illness after worshipping Lord Muruga.

With the temple an important legend is associated. It is believed that Lord Shanmukha was stolen away. But later on the lord appeared in the dream of Vadamalayappa Pillayan and the stolen idol was easily recovered and was re-installed in the temple. Among the six chosen spots of worship in Tamil Nadu, Tiruchendur occupies the second position. But unlike the other five spots of worship which are located at elevated positions, Tiruchendur is located by the sea side.

As per as the architecture of the temple is considered it is wonderful. It has a modest construction but along the years a number of alterations were made by kings belonging to the Pandya and Chera dynasties.

A number of festivals are celebrated almost throughout the year and, therefore, Tiruchendur has become a great pilgrim centre. To satisfy the needs and requirements of the numerous pilgrims a small town has developed near the shrine and there are innumerable rest-houses available both free and on payment. There are District Board Rest Houses as well.

Recently the Devasthanam constructed a Rest House with a number of rooms for being hired by pilgrims. Modern amenities like electricity and running water are provided in it.

The temple owns enough properties to maintain itself, and pilgrims make large cash offerings. The temple jewels are worth many lakhs.

The daily puja in the temple is carried according to the Kumara Tantra. All the pujas are performed both for Lord Shiva and Subramanya. In the months of December and January the daily puja begins at 3 am instead of 5:30 am and continues till 8:30 pm.

The temple of Tiruchendur is legendary. The main legend which is associated with the temple is with its principal deity that is Lord Muruga or Shanmukha or Subramanya. In fact it can be said that the temple has a Puranic account.

Once upon a time the Devas were harassed by the Asuras viz, the Demon Surapadman and his brothers. Devas appealed to Lord Shiva in Kailash for deliverance. Six sparks of fire issued from the eye of Shiva, i.e., the central one between the two eye-brows, in answer to their prayers. These divine sparks were received by Lord Agni, the God of Fire, and cast into the Ganges as he was unable to bear them. From the Ganges they passed into the Himalayan Lake Saravana Poigai. Here they were transformed into six babies suckled by six Krittika nymphs.

When Parvati desired another child, besides Vinayaka, Lord Shiva promised to bless her with one more. He now showed her the Saravana Lake. Very much amazed at the sight of the six children, Parvati clasped all of them together. The result was that the six bodies became one but with six heads. That is why he is called Shanmuha, Shadanana and Arumuga, all meaning `six-faced`. He is also called Skanda. As he was reared by the six Krittika nymphs he was given the name Kartikeya. In the north, Muruga or Subrahmanya is known only by the name of Lord Kartikeya.

Lord Muruga was made the general of the army of devas to release them from harassment by the demons. In order to free devas from the troubles of Surapadman, Karttikeya, and the son of Shiva, left Kailash and came to the South. He halted at Tiruchendur with his army to vanquish the demons those were entrenched in their sea-fort of Mahendragiri. As Mahendragiri was inside the sea near-about Tiruchendur, Lord Subrahmanya camped at Tiruchendur on the sea-shore.

Kartikeya desired to worship his father, Shiva. As there was no Shiva shrine there, Maya, the celestial architect, constructed the temple of Shiva in the sea front and Subrahmanya worshipped there. This is said to be the origin of this holy abode of Lord Kumara.

Each temple has its own sanctity. Yet there is difference in degree. This shrine of Tiruchendur is believed to be most liked by Subrahmanya and has been given the second place among His shrines in the Skandapuranam, the first being Palani.

According to the physiographical five-fold division of land, Muruga is assigned the hill country, Kurinji, and his shrines are invariably situated amidst mountains or forests as such places are dear to him. The deviation from the usual, in this case, is due to the mission that he undertook on behalf of devas.

Just as Surapadman was troubling devas in the South, another demon, named Tarakasura, brother of Surapadman was troubling them in the North. Muruga killed Tarakasura and had erected a pillar of victory (Sthamba) in commemoration of his success. Similarly the Tiruchendur temple also may be considered as a commemoration of the defeat of Surapadman in the south. From this camp at Tiruchendur, war started against Surapadman and his brother and it lasted for five days, when all the sons, the brother and the mighty hordes of the demon gave battle to Subrahmanya at sea, in the air and were finally vanquished.

On the sixth day, Surapadman alone survived. The Lord`s last bid to show the asura his grace was his Viswarupa Darsan. Demon Surapadman realised then the divinity of his enemy Muruga, but yet would not accept defeat. He continued his fight from region to region. Kartikeya took Indra as his vehicle in the form of a peacock and his lance, the Vel, sought the foe out of his hiding place in the ocean. At last Surapadman came out of his island fortress of Veera Mahendra, rose in the form of a terrible mango tree and attacked him. The lance of Kartikeya pierced the tree and broke it into two. The broken pieces instantly turned into a pea-fowl and a cock. It attacked Indra with no success. The demon would not yet accept defeat. But Shanmukha`s grace was so bountiful that, as an act of forgiveness, he took the pea-fowl as his permanent vehicle, relieved Indra of his duties and put the cock on his banner.

As Surapadman was a Brahmin, the sin of Brahma Hatya affected Subrahmanya. He became pitch black in complexion and his beautiful shape was changed. As a result of this he prayed at Sikkal, took bath in the tank made out of the milk of Kamadhenu, the celestial Cow, and got back his original beautiful form and complexion. This is why Muruga is worshipped as Singaravelar at Sikkal in the Tanjore District.

Lord Muruga is known to have two consorts, Valli and Deivayanai. But in Northern India, Kartikeya is called Kumara or Bachelor God. He is fervently worshipped there as a heavenly boy with powers to confer heavenly gifts to his devotees. Hence is given the name of Balasubrahmanya.

The war against Surapadman and the success over him are celebrated every year at Tiruchendur on the days till Skanda Shashti i.e. the sixth day of the waxing moon in the Tula month (October-November). These six days are considered to be very sacred in the Hindu religious calendar. The Skandapurana is read at this time with devotion, in private houses and in the temple, with the hope of getting both material and spiritual benefits from Lord Skanda. Many devotees observe Nirjala fast on these days that are they do not drink even water.

`Tiruchendur` means a sacred and prosperous town of victory. The temple was originally constructed on the sand-stone reefs of the beach, but due to corrosion by the sea, the stone began to disintegrate. Originally the temple was of a very modest construction, but during the course of about 1000 years many additions and alterations were made by different Pandya and Chera kings, their vassals, and the wealthy people of the locality, as a result of which the present gigantic structure has grown up.

The Gopuram is on the west and is a gigantic structure of nine storeys with a height of 137 feet, commanding a good view of the surrounding area. History states that the Gopuram was constructed roughly 300 years ago by Desikamurtiswami, an Odukathu Tambiran of the then Head or Maha-Sannidhanam of Tiruvaduturai Mutt, Tanjore District.

Scenes depicted on the Gopuram are from the life of Saint Manikkavachakar, a chief Minister of the Pandya King, and from the interesting temple works of Avadayar Koil with-labels in Tamil.

In the ninth storey of the temple a huge bell had been hung. There is a tradition that when this bell rang for worship at mid-day, the call was relayed by a series of bells on mandapams where drummers were stationed along the route as far as the residence of Kattabomma-Nayakkan, the Poligar. At this signal, Kattabomman`s thoughts turned to God and he took his mid-day meal only after the worship at the temple was over.

About 200 ft. north of the temple there is Valli`s Cave, cut inside the natural sand-stone rock facing east towards the sea. There are two images, one dedicated to Valli and another to Dattatreya. Valli is the daughter of the king of a clan of hunters and his men followed the flight of Valli with Muruga up to this place where they met the divine couple and received their grace. Behind the frontal cave, there is a circular passage leading to another cave inside, where there is a shrine of Valli kept in a niche. The cave overlooks the sea and is an ideal spot for meditation.

There are three prakarams (circular corridors) round the temple and there are several shrines in them for other Gods. The most interesting of them is the image of Lord Vishnu installed in a hollow of rock.

Here Venkatesaperumal is seen in a standing posture and facing the east. In another cave, is the shrine of Gajalakshmi and by her side is Pallikonda Ranganatha in a recumbent posture. Sri Devi, Bhu Devi, and Nila Devi are by his side. Lord Brahma appears on a lotus from his navel. By the side of the Perumal, there are the twelve Vaishnavite Azhwars. The presence of Vishnu`s shrine with all his devotees inside a Shiva temple is a common feature in South India, demonstrating the catholicity of the Hindu religion.

The sanctum sanctorum is of Lord Subrahmanya facing east in the form of a young and beautiful ascetic, rapt in contemplative worship of Shiva, He holds in one hand a rosary of beads and in the other flowers to be offered to Lord Shiva. By His side, there is another sanctum for Arumuga or Shanmukha facing south. These are in the innermost precincts of the temple, where archana is performed to Lord Subrahmanya in conformity with strict Vedic injunctions. Male devotees are not allowed to enter the sanctum covering their chest.

About 200 yards south of this temple, at the sea-shore, there is a rare natural phenomenon inside a square. It is a well 14 sq. feet in area and with a flight of 34 steps. Inside this well, there is another small well, one square foot in extent and seven feet deep. The water in the smaller well is crystal clear and sweet to taste whereas that in the bigger well is highly sulphurous in smell and brackish. It is said that when Shanmukha`s troops returned to the shore after vanquishing Surapadman at Mahendragiri, they felt thirsty and wanted fresh water. To quench their thirst, Shanmukha planted his Ved on this spot and caused fresh water to gush out.

The principal deity of Lord Shanmukha is visible along with his consorts from the Mandapa itself. The main entrance of the temple opens towards the south into the first prakram. The artistic beauty of the temple is worth mentioning. It closely reflects the mastery of the sculptor as many lingams had been curved on a single gopuram. The Raja Gopuram is another monumental edifice of the Tiruchendur Temple.

Thus it can be concluded saying that all the features of the temple vividly reflect the architectural excellence of that era.