Kurumaanakudi

KURUMAANAKUDI (17/276)

Name	Kurumaanakudi
Other Names	Kannaar Koil
District	Nagapattinam
State	Tamilnadu
Devaram	Thiru Gnana Sambandhar
Position	North of Kaveri – 17/276
Sivan	Kann Aayriam Udayaar Kann Aayira Naadhar Sahasra Nethreshwarar
Shakthi	Murugu Valar Kodhai Nayagi Sugantha Kundhalambigai
Speciality	Indra Dev was absolved of his curse here
Sthala Vriksham	Golden shower tree (Sara Kondrai)
Theertham	Indra Theertham
Worshipped by	Vamana Moorthy (Kurumaani), Indra Dev, Sekkizhaar, Manikkavasagar, Vallalaar
Must See	The sinlge stone Raasi chakra on the roof adjacent to Ambal Shrine
Special Prayer	Begetting children, Eye related ailments, Marriage, Employment, Repenting from clandestine forbidden affairs and adultery
Temple timings	Don’t go by the board. (7AM to 12PM, 5PM to 7PM) Call the priest a day prior and find out when the shrine will be open for darisanam
Contact details	9244158763, 9442258085

LORE:

This presiding deity of this shrine is Lord Kann Aayiram Udayaar, who is said to have worshipped by Vamana Morthy, the fifth avatar of Mahavishnu.

Why is the village called as Thirumaanakudi?

Mahavishnu (Maani) is said to have taken the avatar of a dwarf (Kuru = Short) as Vamana Moorthy to disrupt the Yagya of Mahabali Charavarthy. He asks for land measurable by three feet, then takes the Thrivikrama Viswaroobam, measures the whole of earth with one foot, then lifts his other leg up and measures the whole of heaven with the other. He then asks for the third piece of land, to which Mahabali offers his head. Then Thrivikrama places his foot on Mahabali’s head and pushes him to Paathala Logam. To absolve the sin occurred because of deceiving Mahabali, Vaamana Moorthy (Kurumaani) is said to have come to this shrine and worshipped the Lord Kann Aayiram Udayaar and hence the shrine acquired the name, Kurumaanakudi. Vamana Moorthy had also worshipped Shiva as Vamanapureeswarar at Thirumaanikuzhi (228/276) in Cuddalore district (a temple we will be covering in our subsequent posts)

What is reason behind the name of Kann Aayira Nathar?

The story of the Lord of Kurumaanakudi, revolves around two curses, a clandestine relationship and 1000 eyes. His greatness can be fully understood only after knowing the story of Agaligai and Indra and their curses.

Who was Agaligai?

During the churning of the great milky ocean (Samudhra Mandhan) to unearth the Amrith, there arose a fight as to whom should receive the first share, between the Devas and the asuras. Lord Mahavishnu took the form of Mohini, a beautiful damsel and enchanted the asuras, hoodwinked them and gave all the Amrith to the devas.

Lord Brahma, the creator God, felt that beauty shouldn’t be the reason for discord, rather it should be the reason for assisting austerities. Hence, He created the most beautiful damsel in the history of entire creation and named her as Agaligai (Ahalya). As a part of her swayamvara, He decreed that she will be betrothed to the one who makes the fastest round trip of the earth.

All the Devas, drawn by her beauty , took part in the contest. But an unlikely victor won. Gautama rishi went around a holy cow and claimed that cows are the embodiment of Mother Earth and that he has completed the set task. All learned people accepted it and Agaligai was given in marriage to Gautama Rishi, much to the chagrin of all the Devas.

Indra Dev, a hot-headed and sore loser, dint take it lightly, when he realised that he couldn’t have Agaligai for himself. Inspite of her being married, he still approached her to have a clandestine affair. She vehemently refused and chased him away. Determined to violate her modesty, Indra dev waited for the opportunity and takes the form of Gautama Rishi, when he went away for his morning bath. He came as Gautama Rishi’s doppelganger and engaged in a conjugal relationship with Agaligai.

Meanwhile, Gautama Rishi came back to his hermitage, after his bath and was shocked to see a dishevelled Agaligai and an escaping Indra dev, who tried to leave in the form of a cat. Enraged at this indignation, he cursed Agaligai for not knowing the difference between her husband and another man. As a result of his curse, she became a stone. She is said to have been freed from the curse, eons later, when Shri Ram’s foot accidentally touches the stone form of Agaligai.

Why was Ram able to free Agaligai from the curse?

The reason being that Ram is the epitome of virtues. He is honoured as Mariyadhai-Purushotthaman. Once Devi Sati asked Lord Shiv as to who He is constantly meditating on. Shiva replies that He is always meditating on Lord Ram. Sati asks Him as to who this Ram is. Shiva tells Her that Ram is the seventh Avatar of Mahavishnu, which He will take in the treta yugam.

Sati looks into the future and sees the timeline where a despairing Ram is searching high and low for his wife Sita who had been abducted by the Lankan King Ravana. She challenges Shiv that Ram isn’t worthy of His devotion and that She will prove that Ram is nothing but a petty mortal man. She travels to treta yugam and assumes the form of Devi Sita and comes in front of Ram. So loyal to Sita, that even when Devi Sati came in the form of Sita to assuage a grieving Ram, he instantly recognises for who She truly is and raised His arms in salutation and called her as “Mother”. Such was the bond between Ram and Sita. Ram was such a meritorious man who was the polar opposite of a womaniser like Indra dev. Hence Agaligai instantly got redeemed of her curse when Ram’s feet touched her. And, Agaligai is glorified as one of the Pancha-kanyas – the other four being Sita, Draupadi, Thara and Mandodhari.

What happened to Indra Dev?

Gautama Rishi curses Indra Dev for violating his wife that he will become an emasculated eunuch with 1000 female yonis (the female generative organ viz, the vagina). Instantly, Indra Dev loses his masculinity and his body erupts into 1000 slits, symbolising the female yoni.

A disgraced, repentant Indra flees and hides in the pith of a lotus flower and meditates on Shiva to get rid of his curse. He is told to visit numerous Shiva shrines and worship The Lord and that his form will be restored once his karma is over.

He visits many shrines, Mahendrapalli is one of them, which also happens to be a Devara Paadal petra Sthalam (We will see about that shrine in the subsequent posts).

He finally comes to Kurumaanakudi, dips in the Indra theertham here, and prays to Shiva. The Lord graces Indra and blesses him that all the 1000 yonis will change into 1000 eyes and that He, Himself will accept those 1000 eyes. Hence the name Kann Aayira Naadhar / Sahasra Nethra Eshwarar.

Are there any highlights one must see at the temple?

It is said that the raasi chakra, with all the 12 raasis engraved in a single stone atop the sanctum of Ambal is special in this Kshetram.

The Devara Padhigams signing the glory of this shrine:

Thirugnanasambandhar has sung 10 verses (plus one phala-stuti) on this shrine

Thannaar thingal pongu aravam thaazh punal soodi
Pennaan aaya perarulaalan piriyaatha
Kannaar koil kai thozhuvorgatku idar paavam
Nannaa aagum nalvinai aaya nanugummey

Kanthamar santhum kaarakilum thann-kathir muththum
Vanthamar thenneer manni valam ser vayal mandi
Konthalar solai kokilam aada kulir vandu
Senthisai paadum seer thigazh kannaar koiley

Palliyal paani paaridam eththa padu kaanin
Elli natam sei eesan emmandran itam enbar
Kollaiyin mullai mallikgi mauval kodi pinni
Kalliyal inji manjamar kannaar koiley

Tharuvalarkaanam thaangiya thunka peruvezham
Maruvalar kodhai ancha uriththu marai naalvarkku
Guru vattraala nizhal amarnthu ingu urai seithaar
Karu valar kannaar koil adaindhor kattrorey

Marumaan uruvaai mattru inai indri vaanorai
seru maabali-paal sendru ulagellaam alavu itta
Kuru maan uruvan tharkuriyaaga kondaadum
Karumaa kandan meyadhu kannaar koiley

Vinnavarukkaai velaiyul nanjam viruppu-aaga
Unnavanai thevarkku amudhu eendhu evvulagirkum
Kannavanai kaṇnaar thigazh koil kani thannai
Nannavallorgatku illai naman paal nadalaiye

Munnoru kaalathu indran utra muni-saabam
Pinnoru naal avvinnavar Eththa peyaru eitdhi
Than arulaal kann aayiram eendhon saarbu enbar
kanniyar naalum thunnamar kannaar koiley

Perukku ennaadha pethai arakkanvarai keezhaal
Nerukku unnaa than neel kazhal nenjil ninainthu eththa
Murukku unnaadhu Or-moi kathir vaazh ther mun eendha
Thiru kannaar enbaar sivalkgam servaarey

Sengamala podhil thigazh selvan thirumaalum
Am kamala kann nokkarum vanna thazhal aanaan
than kamala kannaar thigazh koil thamathu ulla
than kamalathodu eththida andathu amarvaarey

Thaar idu pennai thattudaiyaarum thaam unnum
soru udaiyaar sol theran-min vennool ser maarbaṉ
Erudaiyaan paran en-pani vaan neel sadai melor
Aaru udai annal servadhu kannaar koiley

Kaamaru kannaar koil ulaanai kadal soozhndha
Poo-maru solai ponniyaal maada pugalikkoṉ
Naamaru thonmai thanmaiyul gnaana sambanthaṉ
Paamaru paadal paththum vallaarmel pazhi pomey

Our Experience:

We went to Kurumaanakudi as the first temple of our pilgrimage on 27.11.2019 (we covered 14 temples that day). The temple is close to Sirkazhi-Vaitheeswaran Koil, albeit the road is dismally awful. We made a pitstop for tea and headed for the temple. It would be ideal to travel by own vehicle rather than use the buses, which are quite infrequent. We reached there at around 9AM.

The November rains were drizzling, and the lush greenery was a sight to behold. The temple is literally in the middle of nowhere. There are no flower/lamp vendors or a tea/refreshment shop nearby. So, we must bring our own offerings which can be purchase either in Chidambaram or in Sirkazhi.

The temple was open, but the priest was not there. He is responsible for pooja of a few more temples. The gatekeeper was there, and he showed us around. The temple is amazing to behold, sadly its leaks everywhere. The rain falls freely into the temple. Its high time they renovated the temple roof and repaired the drains, for such a beautiful temple will soon fall into ruins if not maintained properly. There is no Raja gopuram in the temple. We are welcomed inside by a beautiful arch atop which the Shiva-Kudumbam graces in their respective Vahana. The Moolavar can be prayed to from the outside itself and we get an amazing view of Kann Aayira Naadhar and the Gopuram of the Moolavar simultaneously from the outside. The Prahaaram has all the Goshta-moorthangal and the outer corridor had a garden, which is rather ill-maintained. The sthala-vriksham is the golden shower tree (Cassia fistula) which grows in abundance in the area and the earth was strewn with the bright golden yellow flowers from the trees.

We had a hearty darisanam and we were off to Thirinindriyur, the next paadal petra sthalam on our pilgrimage list. See you in Thirinindiriyur, folks.

Loads of Love,

Karthick and Rahul

பதிக எண்: 101 திருக்கண்ணார்கோயில்

பண் : குறிஞ்சி

திருச்சிற்றம்பலம்

1.	தண்ணார்திங்கட் பொங்கரவந்தாழ் புனல்சூடிப் பெண்ணாணாய பேரருளாளன் பிரியாத கண்ணார்கோயில் கைதொழுவோர்கட் கிடர்பாவம் நண்ணாவாகும் நல்வினையாய நணுகும்மே.

2.	கந்தமர்சந்துங் காரகிலுந்தண் கதிர்முத்தும் வந்தமர்தெண்ணீர் மண்ணிவளஞ்சேர் வயல்மண்டிக் கொந்தலர்சோலைக் கோகிலமாடக் குளிர்வண்டு செந்திசைபாடுஞ் சீர்திகழ்கண்ணார் கோயிலே.

3.	பல்லியல்பாணிப் பாரிடமேத்தப் படுகானின் எல்லிநடஞ்செய் யீசனெம்மான்றன் இடமென்பர் கொல்லையின்முல்லை மல்லிகைமௌவற் கொடிபின்னிக் கல்லியல்இஞ்சி மஞ்சமர்கண்ணார் கோயிலே.

4.	தருவளர்கானந் தங்கியதுங்கப் பெருவேழம் மருவளர்கோதை அஞ்சவுரித்து மறைநால்வர்க் குருவற்ஆல நீழலமர்ந்தீங் குரைசெய்தார் கருவளர்கண்ணார் கோயிலடைந்தோர் கற்றோரே.

5.	மறுமாணுருவாய் மற்றிணையின்றி வானோரைச் செறுமாவலிபால் சென்றுலகெல்லாம் அளவிட்ட குறுமாணுருவன் தற்குறியாகக் கொண்டாடும் கறுமாகண்டன் மேயதுகண்ணார் கோயிலே.

6.	விண்ணவருக்காய் வேலையுள்நஞ்சம் விருப்பாக உண்ணவனைத்தே வர்க்கமுதீந்தெவ் வுலகிற்கும் கண்ணவனைக்கண் ணார்திகழ்கோயிற் கனிதன்னை நண்ணவல்லோர்கட் கில்லைநமன்பால் நடலையே.

7.	முன்னொருகாலத் திந்திரனுற்ற முனிசாபம் பின்னொருநாளவ் விண்ணவரேத்தப் பெயர்வெய்தித் தன்னருளாற்கண் ணாயிரமீந்தோன் சார்பென்பர் கன்னியர்நாளுந் துன்னமர்கண்ணார் கோயிலே.

8.	பெருக்கெண்ணாத பேதையரக்கன் வரைக்கீழால் நெருக்குண்ணாத்தன் நீள்கழல்நெஞ்சில் நினைந்தேத்த முருக்குண்ணாதோர் மொய்கதிர்வாள்தேர் முன்னீந்த திருக்கண்ணாரென் பார்சிவலோகஞ் சேர்வாரே.

9.	செங்கமலப்போ திற்திகழ்செல்வன் திருமாலும் அங்கமலக்கண் நோக்கரும்வண்ணத் தழலானான் தங்கமலக்கண் ணார்திகழ்கோயில் தமதுள்ளத் தங்கமலத்தோ டேத்திடஅண்டத் தமர்வாரே.

10.	தாறிடுபெண்ணைத் தட்டுடையாருந் தாமுண்ணுஞ் சோறுடையார்சொல் தேறன்மின்வெண்ணூல் சேர்மார்பன் ஏறுடையன்பரன் என்பணிவான்நீள் சடைமேலோர் ஆறுடையண்ணல் சேர்வதுகண்ணார் கோயிலே.

11.	காமருகண்ணார் கோயிலுளானைக் கடல்சூழ்ந்த பூமருசோலைப் பொன்னியல்மாடப் புகலிக்கோன் நாமருதொன்மைத் தன்மையுள்ஞான சம்பந்தன் பாமருபாடல் பத்தும்வல்லார்மேல் பழிபோமே.

—திருச்சிற்றம்பலம்—