THAYUMANAVAR SWAMY

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Tiruchirappalli was earlier known as Thirisirapuram, because a Rakshasa called Thirisiran worshipped Lord Shiva here. Legend has it that since there are three peaks on the Rock Fort hill, occupied by three Gods, Shiva, Parvathi & Vinayakar (Uchi Pillaiyar), the place was named Thiri-sikarapuram and later called Tirisirapuram. This place was also known as Sirappalli, Rishabachalam & Dhakshina Kailasam during ancient days. The Rock Fort hill is beleived to be formed hundreds of thousands of years back, according to archeological sources.

According to mythology, once there was a great tussle between Aadhiseshan and the wind God Vaayu, about who was more powerful. Aadhiseshan encircled the Maha Meru hill (Himalaya) and challenged Vaayu to take the Himalayas off his powerful grip. Vaayu tried very much to free them, but to no avail, and eventually accepted his defeat. It is said that during the fight, there had been a lot of natural calamities like floods and cyclones. And three pieces of the mountain broke off and landed in different places. Out of the three pieces that broke off is the Rock fort at Trichy. The other two are at Triconamalee (Ceylon) and Sri Kalahasthi (Andhra Pradesh).

The Temple

Arulmigu Thayumanavar Swamy temple (also known as 'Chevvandhinadhar') is situated on the Rock Fort enroute to the Uchi Pillaiyar Temple on the hill top, at the heart of the present day city of Trichy. According to legend, there was a woman living on the other side of river Cauvery, who visited this temple everyday. She had been visiting the temple for many years, which she continued to do even during her pregnancy. One day after she finished the Darshan, she found that the river was flooded and impassable. As she waited for the river's flow to subside, she developed a severe labour pain. Since she was in labour, people around stopped her from going back home. But the woman was desperate to go back home to her mother, who was the only person she trusted enough to help her get through the labour pains.

Lord Shiva came to her, disguised as her mother, and helped her deliver the child safely and then disappeared. Later when her actual mother came asking for her, the woman realised that it was Lord Shiva who came to her rescue in disguise. As Lord Shiva himself served her devotee as her mother, here the main diety is called as "Thayumanavar" (God, who is also the "Mother") This incident is also celebrated as a special event called "Chettipenn Maruthuvam" on the fifth day of the Chithirai Festival at the temple. The name of the Ambaal is "Mattuvarkuzhali".

After climbing around 200 steps from foot hill of the "Malaikkottai", one can reach the Thayumanavar temple. The temple is said to have been built during the 3rd century by Pallavas. This temple was occupied by Jain Saints and later was destroyed by Mahendravarman, who then constructed a Shiva Temple in its place. Pregnant women and their husbands pray to Lord Thayumanavar for a safe delivery and offer plantains to the God after delivering healthy baby. One can see people carrying "Vazhaithaar" all the way up to the temple, and after offering to Thayumanavar, they distribute it among other devotees in the temple.

Thirugnana Sambandhar, Thirunavukkarasar, Manickavaasagar and Thayumanavar have written many hymns in praise of Lord Shiva here.

KUMAARHOLIDAYS

NO-42, CHOWDARYNAGAR MAIN ROAD

VALASARAVAKKAM,

CHENNAI-600087

CELL:7810986933/7810896933

Kumaarholidays1@gmail.com

www.kumarholidays.com

ROCKFORT TEMPLE - TRICHY - INDIA

KUMAARHOLIDAYS

NO-42, CHOWDARYNAGAR MAIN ROAD

VALASARAVAKKAM,

CHENNAI-600087

CELL:7810986933/7810896933

kumaarholidays1@gmail.com

www.kumarholidays.com

 

 Ucchi Pillayar koil, (Tamil: உச்சிப் பிள்ளையார் கோயில்) is a 7th-century Hindu temple, one dedicated to Lord Ganesh located a top of Rockfort, Trichy, Tamilnadu, India. Mythologically this rock is the place where Lord Ganesh ran from King Vibishana, after establishing the Ranganathaswamy deity in Srirangam.

Architecture

The Rock Fort temple stands 83m tall perched atop the rock. The smooth rock was first cut by the Pallavas but it was the Nayaks of Madurai who completed both the temples under the Vijayanagara empire.
The temple is situated at the top of the rock. The temple is mystic in its nature with an awe-inspiring rock architecture. The Ganesh temple is much smaller with an access through steep steps carved on the rock and provides a stunning view of Trichy, Srirangam and the rivers Kaveri and Kollidam. Due to its ancient and impressive architecture created by the Pallavas, the temple is maintained by the Archaeological department of India.

Mythology of the Vinayaka temple

Vibhishana, was the younger brother of the Asura King Ravana who ruled Lanka. Lord Rama in the epic of Ramayana rescues his wife Sita, who was kidnapped and held by Ravana, with the help of Sugriva and Hanuman defeated him. In this war, the moral and truth-abiding brother of Ravana, Vibishana aids Rama in his battle against his brother. Ultimately Rama wins the war and as a token of love, he gives Vibishana a vigraham (idol for worship) of Lord Ranganatha, a form of Vishnu.
Vibhishana, though he supported Rama, was basically an Asura, hence the Devas (who are arch rivals to Asuras as per Hindu mythology) wanted to stop this idea of an Asura taking Lord's supreme form to his Kingdom. They request the help of the Remover of obstacles and God of learning, Lord Vinayaka and the Lord accepts the plan. Vibhishana, while on his back to his Kingdom, goes through Trichi, and wanted to take his bath in the river Kaveri and do his daily rituals. However, he is perplexed as the deity, once kept in land, can never be removed and has to be in that place forever.
As a solution, Vibishana tries to find someone to hold the deity while he was taking bath. He finds the Lord Vinayaka under disguise of a cowherd boy. As per the plan, when Vibishana is fully into water, Vinayaka takes the deity and keeps it firmly in sand, in the banks of kaveri. On seeing this, the angry Vibhishana chases the boy, to punish him, and boy keeps running and climbs over the rock near the Kaveri bank. Vibhishana finally reaches the boy and hits him on the fore-head. One can see a pit in the forehead of the idol even today. The little boy then reveals himself to be Vinayaga. Vibishana immediately apologizes and the Lord gives him his blessings, reveals that the idol is destined to remain in Srirangam and sends him off to Lanka. This is similar in many regards to the story Of Lord Ganesh in Gokarna with Ravana in the same Ramayana period..
The place in which the Ranganathan deity was kept was later covered in deep forests, due to disuse and after a very long time, it was discovered when a Chola king chasing a parrot found the deity accidentally. He then established the Ranganathaswamy temple, Srirangam as one of the largest temple complexes in the world. Meanwhile, the Pallavas built the Vinayaka temple and the Thayumanaswamy temple, in the rock which Vinayaka used to escape Vibishana.