Kudavasal Koneshwarar temple
Kudavasal Koneshwarar templeChithra Madhavan

Ancient Siva temple connected with Garuda

The Koneshwarar temple in Kudavasal in Thiruvarur district is one of the Padal Petra Sthalams
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Kudavasal (Kodavasal), an ancient place in Thiruvarur district, has two ancient temples, one for Vishnu known as the Srinivasa Perumal temple and the other for Siva, wherein this deity is worshipped as Koneshwarar and also as Konanathan. The Koneshwarar temple is a Padal Petra Sthalam (Siva temple visited and praised by the Nayanmars who were the important devotees of Siva). It is the ninety-fourth Padal Petra Sthalam on the south bank of River Kaveri. Thirugnanasambandar visited this temple in the 7th century and composed Tamil verses in praise of this deity.

This temple is one of the ‘Maada Kovil ‘constructed by a Chola king named Kochenganan who was a great devotee of Siva and included in the list of sixty-three Nayanmars. He is known to have constructed a large number of Siva temples, all built at a height with numerous steps leading up to the central sanctum. The reason for this is said to be an incident in his previous birth, the memory of which he carried when he was born as a Chola king. These shrines are famously referred to as ‘Maada Kovil’.

The Siva Linga in the principal shrine, worshipped as Koneshwarar, is said to be Swayambhu or self-manifested. It is traditionally believed that it was to Kumbakonam (close to Kudavasal), that the pot of amrita (nectar), containing the seeds of life came floating down after pralaya (great deluge at the end the yugas). It is said that Siva took the form of a kirata (hunter), shot an arrow at this pot and it broke into several pieces, each falling at a different place. The rim fell in Kudavasal and this is where the temple is situated. Goddess Parvati is known here as Periyanayaki and Brihannayaki. God Muruga enshrined in this temple has been praised by Arunagirinathar, the 15th century devotee of this deity. There is a rare image of Garuda worshipping a Siva Linga in this temple. It is said that Garuda wanting to release his mother Vinata from bondage, brought some amrita in a pot, but having to fight an asura midway, placed it on an anthill. When he dug up the anthill to find this pot, he found the Siva (Koneshwara) Linga inside which he worshipped.

Some of the important festivals celebrated in this temple have traditionally been Thiruvadirai (Arudra) nakshatram in Margazhi and Masi Magham. The Sthala Vriksham (sacred tree) is the vazhai maram (plantain), called kadali in Samskrit. This tree, with numerous medicinal properties, is the Sthala Vriksham of many temples, including those in the Thiruvarur area such as the Ratnagirishwarar temple in Thirumarugal. The Pushkarini (temple-tank) is called Amrita Tirtham in connection with the pot of nectar during pralaya.

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