Tirunelveli is one of the ancient cities of Tamil Nadu, the southern state of India. As per the records, it can be dated back to 500 BCE. The most important pilgrim site and tourist site of Tirunelveli city is Nellaiyappar Kanthimathi temple. Similar to the city, the temple is also a great site. It is difficult and will be too long if I try to write everything about this temple in one blog post. Hence, I am writing only about the legend and history of the great temple of Nellaiyappar Kanthimathi in this article. I will write more articles in this blog covering the temple structure and other aspects.
The temple of Sri Nellaiappar and Sri Kanthimathi Ambal is situated at the heart of Tirunelveli city. It is a Shiva temple. Lord Shiva is named Nellaiappar in this temple, and his consort is called Kanthimathi. Nellaiappar and Kanthimathi temple is one of the '274 Paadal Petra Sthalams' (one of the 274 most important temples of Lord Shiva). Tirugnana Sambandhar, the great deity of Lord Shiva, who lived in the 7th century CE, has sung about Nellaiappar. Hence, if not this temple, at least the icon of Nellaiappar must be older than the 7th century CE. However, as per the records, it appears that this temple would have been built by the Pandya king 'Ninra Seer Nedumaran'. Nedumaran was a Jain king, who got converted to Shaivism by Tirugnana Sambandhar in the 7th century CE.
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| Kanthimathi Temple Tower |
Even though, as per the historical records, the temple must have been built by Nedumaran, as per the legend, the temple was built by a Pandya king named 'Muzhudum Kanda Rama Pandian'. As per a tale, the sage Agastya got the holy sight of Lord Shiva and Parvati's marriage in Tirunelveli. As per another legend, Lord Rama worshiped Nellaiappar and got a weapon named 'Pasupatastra', which was helpful for him in fighting with Raavana.
According to yet another fable, Lord Shiva once took the form of a Linga, came to Tirunelveli and took his abode here. All four Vedas stood around Him as bamboo trees and provided Him shade. So this place came to be known as Venu Vanarn (Venu means bamboo tree and Vanam means forest), and the Lord came to be known as Venuvananathar. When this place - basically a bamboo forest - was under the rule of the Pandya king named Rama Pandian, there was a person named Ramakkon who used to bring milk in a pot via this bamboo forest. One particular bamboo used to obstruct him, and he always slipped and dropped the pot of milk every day. One day he tried to cut the bamboo tree with an axe, but the blood started oozing out. He reported this to king Rama Pandian. Rama Pandian dug the place and discovered the Linga. It is believed that he was the king who constructed the temple over here.
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| Nellaiyappar Temple Tower |
There is a legend behind the name of the city Tirunelveli. Once there was a poor Brahmin named Veda Sarma, a great Shiva devotee. Every day he used to go out begging, and the alms thus gathered were used for offering to the Lord. One day, when the brahmin was drying the paddy, it rained suddenly, and he feared that all the paddy might be washed away due to heavy rains. He became much distressed and prayed for help to the Lord, who took pity on him and protected the paddy from the rain by covering it and standing around it like a fence. So this place came to be known as Tiru Nel Veli (Tiru - means beautiful, Nel - means paddy and Veli - means fence). The Lord also came to be known as Nellaiappar. Thus, the name of the place changed from Venuvanam to Tirunelveli.
This post has become a bit lengthy...let me talk about the temple structure in another post. Till then...
Happy travelling.
Read the following posts to learn about the temple structure, architecture, sculpture and other details.
Temple Structure - Part 1
Temple Structure - Part 2
Temple Structure - Part 3
Temple Structure - Part 4
Temple Structure - Part 5
Temple Structure - Part 6
Visit my site, krishnakumartk.com, to know more about the travel guides and other books that I have written.
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Dear author,
ReplyDeleteThe Nellaiyappar Temple of Nellai is indeed one of the biggest, most beautiful temples and holy places which contains amazing architectural and sculptural nuggets which are present in limited places but mainly in the erstwhile Pandya country. Some of these are the Srivilliputhur temple, the Krishnapuram temple and last but not the least, of course the Kasi Viswanathar temple of Tenkasi, 50 kms. from Tiruchy. Yes, the temple is indeed constructed by Nedumaran whose wife is very unique in the Saiva sampradaayam, in that she is only one female among the 63 Saiva Nayanmaargal (similar to the 12 Azhwars in Vaishnava sampradaayam). These temples are Pandya nuggets and gifts to humanity and a symbol of their devotion, valour and many other human abilities.
I suppose you may have missed a very important piece of info in your article, which we can call a factual nugget. The Nellaiyappar is indeed a Saiva Temple dedicated to Shiva (in what is another rarity, inside the temple premises on one of the walls there is also a vigraham - but not one worshipped but only decorated with flowers, I think - of Lankapati Raavana - universally recognized as the foremost devotee of Shiva ever born), you perhaps did not point out a very very important artefact - a pointer to Pandya Kings' secularism and which defies their categorization as patrons of Shaiva or Vaishnava traditions. That artefact is the sannidhi dedicated to Nellai-Govindar i.e. a reclining Vishnu which is RIGHT NEXT to the sanctum sanctorium of Nellaiyappar in the temple. Of course, it is another matter that this fact is not revealed to one unless he asks. I accidentally chanced upon the sannidhi of Nellai Govindar which was covered in chandanam powder. When I asked the priest, he said it is the reclining form of Vishnu called Nellai Govindar in the temple.
I request that in future edits to this wonderful and informative article, you may like to mention this and highlight the fact which will make people revere and respect the wonderful Shrine that Nellaiyappar-Kanthimathi temple is, much more they did before. Thank you.