JAMBUKESHWAR TEMPLE - THIRUVANAIKAVAL

JAMBUKESHWAR TEMPLE - THIRUVANAIKAVAL

 Jambukeswarar Temple is a famous Shiva temple in Thiruvanaikaval near Trichy. The temple was built by Kocengannan (Kochenga Chola),one of the Early Chola, around 1,800 years ago.

Thiruvanaikal is one of the five major Panchabhoota Sthalams (5 Elements of creation) representing the element of Water. The sanctum of Jambukeswara has an underground water spring & it is always wet.

Parvathi (cursed by shiva) in the form of Akilandeswari found Jambu forest  in Thiruvanaikoil to conduct her penance. She made a Lingam (Appu Lingam) out of water of river Cauvery (Ponni) under the Jambul or Jambu tree (Eugenia Jambolana, the rose-apple tree) and commenced her worship. Pleased with her devotion Siva taught her Siva Gnana.

'Malyavan' and 'Pushpadanta'. The Siva Ganas always quarreled with each other. 'Malyavan' cursed 'Pushpadanta' to become an elephant and the latter cursed the former to become a spider. The elephant and the spider came to Jambukeswaram and continued their worship of shiva. Daily the elephant immersed the lingam with water for ablutions & the spider constructed web over the Lingam to prevent dry leaves from dropping on it. The elephant tore the web and poured water to cleanse the lingam daily. The spider disliking this elephantine act became angry, crawled into the trunk and stung the elephant to death and was itself crushed in the trunk. Siva, in the form of Jambukeswara, gave both of them moksha.

The elephant’s worship of Shiva here gave the place its name Thiru(Holy) Aanai(Elephant) Kaa  or Kaadu(Forest) or  became 'Thiruvanaikaval' and 'Thiruvanaikoil'.

The spider was born as King Kochengan Chola (kotchengannan cholan meaning red-eyed king)( Red eyed for delay in birth, for the auspicious moment)  in order to atone for his sin of killing the elephant. Remembering his enmity with the elephant in his previous birth, he built the entrance to the Siva Sannidhi(sanctorum) so small, that even a baby elephant cannot enter. The entrance to the sanctum of is only 4 foot high and 2.5 foot wide.

After becoming the king, he built the temple for Siva and Goddess Akilandeswari in the name of Aanaikka (elephant protected) later it became to Thiruvanaikoil.

There are five enclosures  or praharams inside the temple.  The fourth precinct contains a hall with 796 pillars and  a small tank fed by perpetual springs. The sculptures and pillars are intrinsically carved across the temple.The sanctum has the smallest entrance possible to prevent an elephant entering it. The Mukha Mantapa, containing four-pillars and houses a bronze idol of Nandi. The deity is viewed through a stone window which has nine viewing apertures, believed to represent the Navagraha.

Jambukeshwar and Akilandeshwari are installed opposite to each other & represent the Guru and Shishya relationship, as Shiva taught Parvathi Shiva Gnana here & hence there is no Thiru Kalyanam (marriage) conducted in this temple.

Things to See :

1.Lord Jambulingeshwar ( Water Lingam).

2.Akilandeshwari ( Opp Shiva’s sanctum).

3. Double storied Theertham(Pond) & perennial spring.

4. Subshrines including Prasanna Ganapathy.

5.796 Pillared hall.

6. Bronze Nandi.

7.Painting of Shreechakra & Parvathi praying to shiva under the Jambu Tree.

8. Palli (Lizard) on the outer prahara.

9. Sculptures on pillar including Dattatreya,Vishnu,Bramha,Manikkavasagar,Narayani, Thillai kali, Nataraja,Mahalakshmi,Saraswathi,Menaka with a baby, Vishwamitra,Bhringu muni with 3 legs,Parvithi worshipping shiva under jambu tree,& many others including the sculpture of an unusual bird.

10 Zodiac signs on the roof above the dhwaja sthamba.

11.Yin & Yang symbols in dual, triple & quadruple nature.

12. Spider & Elephant worshipping shiva.