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Hi Friends,

Our friend Saravanan from 300mm TF, has come up with an article about a famous religious spot from his hometown. A good try. We welcome other members too, to come up with similar posts, describing your hometown's wellknown, famous, interesting spots in our magazine.

Now, over to Thiruvotriyur, Chennai.

Thiagarajaswamy temple / Vadivudai amman Temple
Thiruvottiyur, Chennai - 600019


Temple History:

Tamil Nadu has innumerable temples, both Saivite and Vaishnavite, which have anancient history and a rich cultural heritage. From this plethora, 275 Saivite temples or punyastalas have been selected as Paadal Petra Stalams on the basis of their antiquity, the richness of their cultural ethos, and the quantum of eulogy dedicated to the temple. In the same manner, 108 Vaishnavite temples have been selected as Divyadesams.Of the 275 Paadal Petra Stalams, 32 lie in the Tondi Nadu, among which the Thiagarajaswamy temple at Tiruvotriyur is unique. This temple at Tiruvotriyur, several centuries old, eulogized by poets, scholars and devotees alike, affirms the splendor of India’s religious tradition and spiritual ethos.

Tiruvotriyur’sLocation:

Tiruvotriyur is located about 10 kms from Chennai. Trains from the Chennai Central Suburban Railway Station in the route marked ‘Chennai – Gummidipundi’ stop at Tiruvotriyur. Tiruvotriyur is also accessible by local Government buses. The Thiagarajaswamy temple in Tiruvotriyur stands majestically in this industrial area, busy with activity and commerce. Devotees from six sects of religion perform puja here. Saivites, Vaishnavites, Saaktar, Uchavar, Adi Saivites and Namboodris visit and worship the manifestations of Shiva and Shakthi at this temple.

The Name of the Town:

There in lies a story!The etymology of the word ‘Tiruvotriyur’ is interesting. The word originates from the Tamil infinitive ‘orutral’ which means ‘to exempt’. Two stories center around the origin of this name and how Tiruvotriyur had been exempted and so is special.Stalapurana holds that during Padmagarba (the measure to calculate the passing of an Age or yuga), there ensued a great deluge that threatened to submerge the whole world. Lord Brahma, the God of Creation undertook an austere penance to appease Shiva. He wanted the power to create the world once again. Pleased with his sincerity and effort, Shiva rose from the Yoga-agni in a strange and indecipherable form. Flames of fire crackled and blazed from which emerged a chittirappalakai, a flat square drawing board like shape that formed a Shivalinga.
Brahma prayed for the great waters to subside. Shiva ordained that this town be exempted from destruction. The Agni Kunta became the temple and Shiva resides here as agni or fire with his consort Darbanayagi Ammal who embodies chit shakthi. Tiruvotriyur (‘the town exempted’ from the deluge) was thus created.

Another story holds that the Ayodhya kind Mandata levied taxes on all townships including shivastalams. Surprisingly, when his orders inscribed in palm manuscripts arrived at Tiruvotriyur, an additional line appeared on them, apparently from nowhere. This line decreed that this township be exempted from the orders. The king enquired as to who had interpolated those words. No one seemed to have done it. The king after examination decided that it was not one of his own men who did it. He rubbed and removed away the words from the palm script that sanctioned exemption and kept it locked. The next day, on examining the manuscripts, the same words had reappeared. King Mandata felt that Lord Shiva himself had chose Otriyur as ‘His Own Land’.

The king exempted the township from tax payment. Tiruvotriyur (‘the town exempted’ from tax payment) was thus created. In consonance with this episode, the moolavar in this temple is also called ‘Ezhuthariyum Peruman’. (‘He who chose to write’)

Greatness of Thiruvottiyur:

Of the 32 world famous shrines in “Thondai Mandalam” Thiruvottiyur shrine is an unique. It is 6 miles North of Madras. It shrines as if a landmark by itself. The service of “Kalia Nayanar” coupled with the arrival of three Saints “Appar”, “Sundarar”, “Sambandar” with their immortal lyric songs to this temple is remarkable. It is the birth place of “Moksha Kariadham” Song to his devotees. It shrines as a place of attainment or “Moksha”. Besides Sundarar also sung with wonder “Ottriyalien Vittrukolveer” at this temple. The Sacrifice of Bramma in the shape of ‘Agni’ presided by the Deity ‘Darbanayagi Amman’ is in unison with ‘Siva’ at this sacred shrine.

There are several name given by Ardent worshippers of lord ‘Thirupurasundari’ Vadivudai Amman’ are the names of the mother deity. Whereas as Bramma in his sacrificial fire saw as deity on a plank he is called ‘Padampakka Nadhar’.

The monarch of ayodya named Mondada one ‘Kala’ Pooja in all temples by his order next day in the order (except Thiruvottiyur was found perhaps inserted by lord ‘Siva’ who is also called by “Eluthariyam Peruma” and this adds the Magnanimity to this temple. The deity is also called ‘Manickkar Thyakesar’ because it appeared in the dream of two Brahmins in Kasi and ask them to go to Elelasinga Chettiar in Mylapore for help.

The wonder is that this same day also inspired the above (Chettiar) by his dream. As it is an ancient temple it is called ‘Adipureswarar’, all these various names are supposed by ‘Puranas’. Though various names are given, as per ‘Appar’ the essential deity is one and only one. The king ‘Athondaman’ who ruled 1250 years back had consecrated this temple.

The wonder of the temple is that it is worshipped by ‘Sarivas’, ‘Vainavas’, ‘Smarthas’ ‘Otcher’ Adi Saiva Gurukkal’ and Namboodrigal’ (Kerala Brahmins). From the hillocks of the Himalayas Gowdy Brahmins and the Saiva worshippers came and installed GOWDEESWARAR, with in this temple and hence it also called ‘Gowdeeswarar Sannathi’ from time of the installation the sound ‘Pravana’ was being heard.

The paranjothi Rishi who composed ‘Thiruvilaiyadal Purana’ wrought that any name Unuttered through the mouth will perish as the mouth does not always speak the truth, hence now a days the ‘Pravana’ sound is not heard.

The great poet ‘Kambar’ while composing ‘Ramayana’ stayed here along with his disciples. At the same time Kannaki who extinguished ‘Madurai’ over her flames afterwards arrived at this temple with the burning stick in her hand, which was a light in darkness for the poet ‘Kambar’. Adi Sankarar consecrated the deity ‘Kannak’ with his ‘Mandra’ and ‘Yandra’ Sakthy which is still present in this temple. Now, it is called Vattapparal Amman. Ramalinga Swamigal worshipped and got the occult power to write a greatest ‘Arulperumjothi’.

In the Tamil month of ‘Masi’ at Maha Nakshatra every year, the remembrance of the marriage of ‘Sundaramoorthy Nayanar’ ‘Sangili Nachiar’ to whom Siva under the magizhem tree acted as a witness and vouch safed the vision of ‘Kalyana Sundara’ to the great sage ‘Agastyar’ is also here.

‘Sundaramoorthy Nayanar’ vowed that on his marriage ‘Sangili Nachiar’ will not budge out this place, is also taken in his temple before the presence of ‘Vadiyudai Amman’ with ‘Thyagaraja’. This function is called as magizhadi Savai’ in the main festival of the Temple.

Under the above foregoing magnanimity of the sanctity and sanctorum of this temple many and a large devotees together and certainly attained according to their devotion whatever their desire.The greatest factor of this Shethra is that it is sung by the four saints, Ramalinga Adigal, Thiyagabramman and Kapil Sastri, who are known for their great devotion. If people follow them and their deeds certainly, we can understand that this Thyagaraja Swamy Temple, not only a ‘Karpaga Viruksham’ but also ‘kamadhenu’.

The Moolavar: The Deity of the Sanctum Santorum:

Tradition holds that this Shiva stala was the first temple ever on the face of the earth and was called ‘Adipuri’ (‘the primordial town’). In the same vein, the moolavar here is called Adipureeswarar. Shiva is present as Agni or fire. He is also present as a swayambu lingam of earth covered with a kavacham removed only on the occasion of the Karthikai Full Moon.

Shiva is also present in a third, complex dimension. The story goes like this. Vasuki, the snake heard about the greatness of Shiva here through Sage Upamanyu. He worshipped Shiva ardently until he attained unison with Him. Vasuki’s hood protects the manifestation of Shiva in this temple and Shiva is called Padampakka Nathar (‘He who is protected by a hood’). He is also called Putridam Kondar (He who resides in a snake pit).

Shiva is thus present in Tiruvotriyur in three dimensions:

In the formless form of Agni (fire) or Light with neither beginning nor end, alpha or omega.
In the physical form of a swayambu lingam of earth in turn the form of a snake pit facing the east.
In a form indescribable as Padampakka Nathar who was ordained as not to be touched by any hand, mortal or immortal.

Shiva is worshipped as the embodiment of the primary elements at what are called as the Panchabhoota Stalams. He is present as wind in Kalahasti, as water in Jambukeswaram, as fire in Thiruvannamalai, as earth in Kanchipuram and as space in Chidambaram.At Tiruvotriyur, He is present as a being with form (as a swayambu lingam of earth) as a bei ng without form (as agni) and as a being with and without form (as Padampakka Nathar).