67. CHETTIKULAM

EKAMBARAESWARAR TEMPLE

Distance: 20kms from Perambalur

Shiva: Ekambareswarar

Amman: Kamakshi

Theetham: Sivagangai theertham

Speciality:

The Historical name for Chettikulam is Vijayapuram

The sun's rays fall on Shiva on the 19, 20 and 21 days of Panguni.

The 10 day Thaipoosam and Brahmotsavam festival are celebrated in a grand manner.

Apart from the presiding deity which is taken to procession for 8 days on the 9th day the Panchamurthy and Kamakshi come in procession in 2 separate Radhas.

Amman Sannidhi is situated in the Gubera Mulai of the temple and the Vahana is horse.

Green Kumkum is given as Prasadham in the Amman Sannidhi.

There is a new shrine has been installed for Gubera in front of the Amman Sannidhi. Guberan is seen with his consort Chitrakala and with Sanganidhi and Padhumanidhi. Gubera is much devoted to Shiva and assisted by Sanganidhi and Padhumanidhi. Gubera offers wealth to his devotees.

The Month of Aippasi is the auspcious toime for worshipping Gubera.

There are 10 pillars in the inner prahara of the temple. They produce 10 different musical sounds if they are tapped using a dry sandal stick.

A hall called Sthapana Mandapam has a Dwarapalaka pillar on the north side having a wonderful sculpture. This sculpture is a combination of Bull and elephant which appears as a bull in 1 angle and elephant in the other.

The main Utsavar of this temple is Somaskandar.

Built by Parantaka Chola I in the 9th Century.

Lord Muruga has worshipped this Shiva here.

Varaguna Ganapathy is seen with 5 heads.

The Kubera on the fish Vahana in the temple is seen at 12 spots in the pillars representing 12 Zodiac signs in the temple. The Kubera Sculptures show the Lord of wealth on his fish Vahana and people with different Zodiac signs worship the Kubera connected to their Zodiac sign. We cannot find this feature in any other temple. When viewed from the upper angle the idols combined together look like Om Shape. According to the Vedic scholars from Thiruvannamalai the Kubera installations of this temple create vibrations which deliver virtues who come to the temple.

The main Rajagopuram is 100ft tall.

The Rajagopuram is 7 tiered.

In ancient days this place was full of Kadamba trees.

Special Vinayaka of this temple is Varaguna Ganapathy installed by Varagunapandiyan.

There are many inscriptions in the temple. According to the inscriptions the name of Shiva is Amarendhra Eswara Mahadevar.

The Later Cholas and Thuraiyur Zamindars have contributed.

The suns rays fall on the Linga on the 19, 20 and 21 day of Panguni.

History:

A trader who happened to cross this place stayed here at night. At midnight he saw a fireball splitting light amidst which he saw a Shiva linga being worshipped by Sages and Devas. At that time this place was ruled by Cholas. Early in the morning the trader ran to the palace to inform the Chola King what he saw. King Kulasekara Pandiya came as a guest to Chola empire then. When the trader was allowed into the palace he told the King about this incident. The Chola King and Kulasekara Pandiyan rushed to the place told by the trader. There they saw an old man walking with a sugarcane which he used as his walking stick. They inquired to him curiously if he knew anything about this incident. He smilingly showed the King the place where the Linga appeared and disappeared in the form of a fireball. They were surprised and they looked in that direction. They could not find anything there. They looked back at the eastern direction from where the old man appeared they saw Dhandayudhapani on a hill. They were Shocked and fell on the feet of Lord Muruga. The Chola King immediately took steps to build a temple for Dandayudhapani and later built a temple in the place where the Linga appeared as a fire ball for the Lord Ekambareswarar. The Pandya king also offered his contributions to the temple.

The Dhandayudhapani temple has 255 steps in a small hill. Lord Muruga faces west. Thirupugazh Vaiipusthalam