SHIVA - THE COSMIC DANCER

Brihadisvara Temple, Thanjavur Brihadishvara Temple,  also called  Rajarajesvaram   or Peruvudaiyar Koyil , is a temple dedicated to Shiva located in Thanjavur.  Built by Raja Raja Chola I between 1003 and 1010 AD. The original monuments of this 11th century temple were built around a moat. It included gopura, the main temple, its massive tower, inscriptions, frescoes and sculptures predominantly related to Shaivism, but also of Vaishanvism and Shaktism traditions of Hinduism. Built out of granite, the vimana tower above the sanctum is one of the tallest in South India. It is also famed for the quality of its sculpture, as well as being the location that commissioned the brass Nataraja – Shiva as the lord of dance, in 11th century. The complex includes shrines for Nandi, Parvati, Karthikeya, Ganesha, Sabhapati, Dakshinamurthi, Chandiswarar, Varahi and others.  Brihadishvara  is a Sanskrit composite word composed of  Brihat  which means "big, great, lofty, vast", and  Is

Mahalingeswarar Temple, Thiruvidaimarudur Varaguna Pandya the Pandyan King who, was being haunted by a Bramharakshasa (Bramahaththi)(Evil spirit) because he had trampled & killed a Brahmin boy with his horse by accident.Varaguna Pandya, entered the Mahalingeswarar Temple and prayed to God Shiva for relief from the clutches of the spirit of the dead Brahmin or brahmaraksha.( since the Bramharakshasa could not enter the temple, it waited in the threshold outside the eastern gateway or Gopuram).  A divine voice asked the king to leave through another entrance to save himself. The bramhahaththi is still waiting on the eastern entrance for the king to come back. People take the second entrance to exit the premises after worship. There is a sculpture of Chola period, brahmaharaksha on the eastern premises in one of the inner Gopurams (tower gateway). Shiva is believed to have appeared as a flame to please sage Agastya. Shiva is said to have emanated from the heart of Parvathi. It is

Kampahareswarar Temple, Thirubuvanam Lord Shiva removed the shivering (  Kampa ) of the king Varaguna Pandyan, who was being haunted by a Bramharakshasa (Evil spirit) because the king had trampled   & killed a Brahmin boy with his horse by accident. In spite of leaving the Bramhahaththi (evil spirit) in the eastern gate of Thiruvidaimaruthur, the   king shivered thinking that the evil spirit, will catch up with him. Lord Shiva relieved him of this shaking which led to the name of Kampaharesvara.    The  Kampahareswarar Temple  is a Hindu temple dedicated to the god Shiva. It is situated in the town of Thirubuvanam. Shiva is worshipped as "Kampahareswarar" Kampa (Shaking) Hara (relief) Iswara( Lord   The main deity is that of Lord Shiva, in the form of a Lingam called Kampahareswara. His consort Parvathi is called Dhramasamvardhini. There is a separate shrine for Sarabeswarar and a metal icon of the same deity within the sanctum. Sarabeshwarar a fusion of man,

Adi Kumbeswarar Temple, Kumbakonam   The name of the town Kumbakonam is derived from the legend associated with Kumbeswarar Temple. "Kumbakonam", means Kumbha (Pot) Konam (Angle). The lingam is in the form of a Pot which is conical on top. It is also tilted to the left. This is a unique lingam in the world. During cosmic dissolution, a pot containing nectar (Amrita) was floating and lord Shiva came in the disguise of a hunter and pierced the pot with an arrow, thereby making the nectar to flow through it’s mouth on all sides . Hence this place is named Kudamooku(muham) (kudam – pot; Muham – mouth or tip). The mythical pot (kumbha) of Brahma that contained the seed of all living beings on earth. The kumbha is believed to have been displaced by a Pralaya (dissolution of the universe). Shiva's arrow peirced the pot and the seeds dispersed for evolution. The town of Kumbakonam was also known in Tamil as Kudamukku or Kudavayil.   Adi Kumbeswarar Temple, Kumbakonam   is

Airavatesvara Temple - Darasuram Lord Indra’s mount Airavata (the Elephant) became white in colour after taking a dip in the temple tank and hence the name of the Deity is Airavateswavara.   Airavatesvara Temple  is a Hindu temple of Chola architecture located in the town of Darasuram, near Kumbakonam. This temple, built by Rajaraja Chola II in the 12th century CE has a Mukhamandapam or Vimanam which is taller than the Rajagopuram, as in Brihadeeswara Temple at Thanjavur, the Gangaikondacholisvaram Temple at Gangaikonda Cholapuram & Kampahareshwara temple at Tirubuvanam. These 4 temples are referred to as the Great Living Chola Temples. The Airavatesvarar temple is dedicated to Shiva. It also enshrines Vaishnavism and Shaktism cults of Hinduism, along with the legends of Nayanars – the Bhakti movement saints of Shaivism. The stone temple is in the structure of a chariot drawn by horses & elephants. Shiva's consort has a dedicated shrine called the Periya Nayaki Am

  LORD OF FIVE RIVERS. Sri Aiyarappar Temple – Tiruvaiyaru. Tamilnadu. Jatadhari in the north and Jatamudi in the South of India,are also the names of Lord Shiva. Such is the reverence to his hair locks that, one cannot or should not step on it or tread on them. This is the main reason why you cannot circumambulate or go around this temple of the Great Lord, Shiva in the name of Aiyarappar (AI=Five, Aru=River and Appar = father/Lord) in Tiruvaiyaru. The Lord is in the form of a Swayambhu Lingam and is supposed to have Jata or Mudi at the back of the sanctum & hence circumbulation should be avoided. The town in itself is named after five rivers, where the term Tiru refers to Shri & Aiaaru refers to five rivers. These Rivers are Arisillaru, Vennaru, Vettaru, Kudamuruttiyaru & Kaveriyaru. Between Tanjore and Tiruvaiyaru (14KMs), you have to cross all these five river via bridges. The town is also the native of Trimurthy (trinity)or three doyens of the Carnatic music namely Sa