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Published: December 22nd 2019
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Thillai Kali Temple, Chidambaram17th December
See all the 100 Photos given for this blog
Thillai Kali Temple, Chidambaram There are no buses to this temple from Chidambaram bus stand. I took an autorickshaw and went there, as the road to this temple is small, narrow and in pretty bad shape. Paid Rs 150 to the auto driver for the to & fro charges from Chidambaram bus stand
Thillai Kali Temple is a Hindu temple located on the outskirts of the town of Chidambaram, Cuddalore District Tamil Nadu in India. It was built by Chola King Kopperunjingan who ruled between 1229 and 1278.
Legend says that Goddess Kaali Devi moved here after losing to Lord Siva in the celestial dance contest.
It was an argument that who is superior, either 'Sivam' (Lord Siva) or Shakthi (Parvathi). In order to resolve this, they performed a dance program at Chidambaram in front of Lord Vishnu, Lord Brahma, and other deities. While they were playing dance, Lord Siva was about to be defeated.
But knowing fully well Siva played "Oorthuva Taandava" i.e. raising one leg above his head. This "Oorthuva Taandava" is one of the postures in the dance. It
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Thillai Kali Temple, Chidambaram could not be played by the women folk due to their modesty and shyness. In this Parvathi could not play equally well to this posture and agreed to her defeat. She had to go outside the borders of the town in order to contain her haughtiness and to teach a lesson that Sivam and Shakthi are both equally important in our life.
'Thillai Kali' is a deity in anger. This anger was pacified by Brahma by Chanting Veda and also praising her. Because of the penance of Lord Brahma 'Kali' became cool. So that Goddess 'Thillai Amman' in this temple seems with four faces
Vaitheeswaran Kovil, Sirkali, Mayavaram/Mayiladuthurai Taluk, Nagapattinam Dist (Mars/Angaraka/Sevaai (Navagraha Temple) I started from Chidambaram bus stand by 9.05 am. I boarded Paramkudi,Tanjore . Reached there by 9.45 am. Paid Rs 25 for the bus ticket
. Vaitheeswaran Koil town is located at a distance of 14.6 km from Mayiladuthurai.
Vaitheeswaran Kovil or Pullirukkuvelur is a Hindu temple dedicated to the Lord Shiva, located in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Shiva is worshipped as Vaidyanathar or Vaitheeswaran meaning the "God of healing" and it is believed that prayers to Vaitheeswaran can cure diseases.
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Thillai Kali Temple, Chidambaram Vaitheeswaran is a Tamil derivative from vaidya (Doctor) and Ishvara (God/Master). The presiding deity is Sri vaidyanathan, facing towards West whereas Eastside is the common one. He is the God of Healing. When pronouncing in Tamil, it sounds like "vaideeswaran". It is one of the nine Navagraha (nine planets) temples and is associated with the planet Mars (Angaraka/Sevaai). This temple is 70 km away from Temple city Kumbakonam. Devotees take a holy dip in the temple tank before worshipping Vaitheeswaran in the temple.
The village is also known for palm leaf astrology called Naadi astrology (Be aware of scamstars as well) in Tamil. It is located 7 kilometers from Sirkazhi, 235 kilometers from Chennai, 27 km from Chidambaram, 110 km from Thanjavur and 16 km from Mayiladuthurai. The temple is located between Sirkali to Mayiladuthurai State Highway
During the Ramayana period, Rama, Lakshmana, and Saptarishi have worshipped the deity in this place. There is a pond at this temple called Jatayu Kundam (pot of Jatayu having holy ash of Vibhuti). One of the nine planets, Angaraka (Mars), suffered from leprosy and was cured by Vaidhyanathaswamy and from then on it is treated as one of the Navagraha Temples
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Thillai Kali Temple, Chidambaram for planet Angaraka.
The holy waters of the Siddhamirtham tank within the temple complex contain nectar, and a holy dip is believed to cure all diseases.
The temple is revered by the Tevaram hymns of 7th-century Saiva Nayanars - Tamil saint poets and is also classified as a Paadal Petra Sthalam (temple revered by the Nayanars).
The temple is one of the nine Navagraha temples of Tamil Nadu and is a part of the popular Navagraha pilgrimage in the state - it houses the image of Angaraka (Mars). The planets are believed to influence the horoscope computed based on the time of one's birth and subsequently influence the course of life. Each of the planets is believed to move from a star to another during a predefined period and thus sway over an individual's fortunes. The Navagrahas, as per Hindu customs, are believed to provide both good and bad effects for any individual and the bad effects are mitigated by prayers. As in other Navagraha temples, the common worship practices of the devotees include the offering of cloth, grains, flowers, and jewels specific to the planetary deity. Lighting a set of lamps is also commonly followed in the
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Thillai Kali Temple, Chidambaram temple. As per local legend, Shiva was doing penance at mount Meru when a drop of water fell from his forehead which turned into a beautiful child. Bhoomidevi brought up the child, who went on to become a staunch devotee of Shiva. Pleased by the devotion, Shiva turned him to a planet. Based on his color, Angaraka (Mars) is usually clad with a red-colored cloth. Vaitheeswaran is believed to preside over Angarakan in the temple. Along with Angarakan, Sambathi, Jatayu, and Rig Veda are believed to have worshipped Vaitheeswaran at this temple.
Nadi astrology (nāḍi jyotiṣa) is a form of Hindu astrology practiced around the temple. It is based on the belief that the past, present and future lives of all humans were foreseen by Hindu sages in ancient times. The texts are mainly written in Vatteluttu, which is an ancient Tamil script. There are different schools of thought as to the author of these leaves. They are believed to be written by a Tamil sage called Agathiyar who is said to have had divine revelations. These Nadi leaves were initially stored in the premises of Tanjore Saraswati Mahal Library of Tamil Nadu. The British rulers later showed interest
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Thillai Kali Temple, Chidambaram in the Nadi leaves concerned with herbs and medicine and future prediction but left most of the leaves to their loyal people. Some leaves got destroyed and the remaining were auctioned during the British rule. These leaves were obtained and possessed by the families of astrologers in Vaitheeswaran temple and were passed down the years from one generation to the other.
Thirugnana Sambandar Koil, Kirkazhi From Thirunellar took a bus to reach Kirkazhi
Thirugnana Sambandar was a young Saiva poet-saint of Tamil Nadu who lived around the 7th century CE
He is one of the most prominent of the sixty-three Nayanars, Tamil Saiva bhakti saints who lived between the sixth and the tenth centuries CE. Sambandar's hymns to Shiva were later collected to form the first three volumes of the Tirumurai, the religious canon of Tamil Saiva Siddhanta. He was a contemporary of Appar, another Saiva saint
Danish Fort -Tharangambadi (Tranquebar) From Kirkazhi took the bus to Kairalkkal at 12.15 pm got down at Thrikkadiyur at 12.55 pm, within no time got a bus to Tharangambadi
. The bus was a Nagapattanam bus via Kariakkal
. Reached Tharangambadi by 1.15 pm. From the bus
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Vaitheeswaran Kovil, Thirunallar, Mayavaram/Mayiladuthurai stop to the fort it is a 15 minutes walk
Fort Dansborg, locally called Danish Fort, is a Danish fort located in the shores of Bay of Bengal in Tranquebar (Tharangambadi) in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Fort Dansborg was built in the land ceded by Thanjavur king Ragunatha Nayak in an agreement with Danish Admiral Ove Gjedde in 1620 and acted as the base for Danish settlement in the region during the early 17th century. The fort is the second-largest Danish fort after Kronborg. The fort was sold to the British in 1845 and along with Tranquebar, the fort lost its significance as the town was not an active trading post for the British. After India's independence in 1947, the fort was used as an inspection bungalow by the state government till 1978 when the Department of Archaeology, Government of Tamil Nadu took over the control of the fort. The fort is now used as a museum where the major artifacts of the fort and the Danish empire are displayed.
Coramandel was an active international trading coast from the 3rd century BCE. The European colonial empires like British, French, Dutch and Portuguese established maritime
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Vaitheeswaran Kovil, Thirunallar, Mayavaram/Mayiladuthurai trade with India during the early 17th century. The Danish East India Company was established in the capital of Denmark, Copenhagen in AD 1616 and a mission was sent with Admiral Ove Gjedde (AD 1594–1660 ).Ove Gjedde signed a deal with the Thanjavur ruler king Raghunatha Nayak (AD 1600–34) in 1620 in spite of resistance from the Portuguese. The rent was fixed as Rs.3111 per annum and a total of 8 km by 4 km area was ceded to the Danish mission. The treaty signed during November 1620 also allowed the Danes to collect taxes from the neighboring villages of Tranquebar. The treaty signed in a golden leaf manuscript is maintained in the Danish royal archives in Copenhagen.
The fort is the second largest Danish fort after Kronborg, the inspiration for Shakespeare's Hamlet. It was built by Ove Gjedde with the help of local laborers in Danish style. The lower compartment in the basement adjoining the fort was used as a store room, prison and a rest room for the soldiers, while the governor and priests resided in the second level. Fort Dansborg was the base for Danish settlement in the region during the early 17th century. Originally a
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Vaitheeswaran Kovil, Thirunallar, Mayavaram/Mayiladuthurai fishing village, Tharangambadi (referred as Tranquebar) was fortified by the Danish, who used the port as the main trading post for the colony, with the major export of the colony being cotton textiles. During the middle of the 18th century, the commercial importance of the town declined and the centre of textile production moved to Serampore in the state of Bengal. But Tranquebar still remained the headquarters of the Colony. The fort and the town was sold to the British in 1845 and, along with Tharangambadi, the fort lost its significance as the town was not a trading post anymore.
Saneeswaran Koil Thirunallar(Karaikkal) (https://thirunallarutemple.org/)(http://thirunallartemple.com/) From Tharangamadi took a bus to Karaikkal at 3pm reached there by 3.45 pm. At 4.10 pm got a bus to Ambalathur by 4.30 pm reached Thirunellar
Thirunallar is a small town in Karaikal, India, in the Union Territory of Puducherry, and can be reached by road from the town of Karaikal, an enclave that lies within the neighboring state of Tamil Nadu. Thirunallar is most noted for the shrine of Lord Sani (Saturn), Tirunallar Saniswaran Temple within the temple dedicated to Lord Darbharanyeswaran, a form of Lord Shiva
This is the
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Vaitheeswaran Kovil, Thirunallar, Mayavaram/Mayiladuthurai only temple that is dedicated to Lord Shani (Saneeswaran, in Tamil). Whenever (planet) Saturn transits from one zodiac sign to another (an occurrence roughly every 2.5 years), millions throng this shrine for worship. The legendary King Nala is said to have been relieved of his afflictions caused by the malefic influence of Saturn, after worship in this temple. Of the numerous theertams (sacred bathing places), the Nala theertam is the most important one. It is believed that by bathing here, one washes off all kinds of misfortunes and afflictions caused by one's past of karmas (in terms of deities, Lord Shani or Saturn is said to be the dispenser of karmas (both good and bad), but also one whose Grace, particularly at this shrine, can dispel bad karmas or, at least, make them bearable)
Legend has it that in the 7th century AD. in Madurai, the capital of the Pandian Kingdom, the king Ninra-seer-nedumaran converted to Jainism. During this time, Jainism was spreading in influence in South India. Soon, all but his queen Mangaiyarkarasi and his minister Kulacchirai Nayanar - both staunch Saivaites (worshippers of Lord Shiva) had embraced Jainism, forsaking the old religion. This caused immense agony to
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Vaitheeswaran Kovil, Thirunallar, Mayavaram/Mayiladuthurai, Jadayu Kund the queen and the minister who were anxious to reclaim both king and kingdom back into the fold of the traditional religion (Saivism).
To these two grief-stricken individuals came news of the camping of boy saint Thirugnana Sambandar at Vedaranyam. Having heard of the miracles performed by this young Saivite saint in Thanjavur district, they sent an urgent invitation to him to visit Madurai and extricate the king and his subjects from the clutches of Jainism.
The arrival of the Saivate saint irked the Jains, who are said to have then set fire to his holy dwelling. But by his yogic powers, Sambandar had the heat transferred to the king, who consequently suffered in agony. Upon the Queen's request, the young saint then sang the Padigam 'Mandiramavadu Neeru' and sprinkled a few grains of holy ash on the right side of the king's body to alleviate the pain. In contest, the Jains in turn chanted the Aruga Mantra (Jain Mantra) and stroked the left side of the king's person with peacock feathers, but it only aggravated the pain! In response to entreaties by the king and his ministers, Sambandar applied a few more grains of the sacred ash
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Vaitheeswaran Kovil, Thirunallar, Mayavaram/Mayiladuthurai, Jadayu Kund to the king's left side also. The poor Pandian monarch, who only a little while ago was the very picture of suffering, misery and distress, now smiled gaily and was free of his burns.
But the Jains challenged the Saivites further, asking that the Mantras of both religions be written on palm leaves and consigned to flames to see which one survived the ordeal of fire (thereby showing superiority over the other). The Jains first placed their palm leaf onto the fire but it was soon consumed by the flames. Saint Thirugnana Sambandar placed on the flames one leaf containing the forty-ninth Padigam of the Tevaram hymn which was sung at the shrine of Lord Darbharanyeswaran Shiva at Thirunallar. The leaf remained untouched by the flames and maintained its evergreen freshness, reestablishing Saivism as the true religion in Pandian capital. Hence the glory of the Thirunallar temple
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