Sapthasthanam - It is a famous Chitthirai festival in our home town (I come from thiruvaiyaru and my parents live there). Lord Iyyarapan (Panchanatheesvarar) goes on the Car (ther thiruvizha) alone and hence the other lords from the six sapthasthanams mentioned above feels they were not given enough respect and goes back to their home.
Iyyarappan now feels bad and hence builds two pallakku (Kannadi and Vetti ver) and goes to the six sapthasthanams to pacify the lords and brings them back to the temple and that marks the end of the festival.
It is a colorful festival with Ther, pallakku, new shops set up inside and outside the temple and thousands of people gathering in the town - just wonderful.
Thiyagaraja aradhana is celebrated on the day Thiyagaraja attained samadhi which usually falls on the third or the last week of January every day. usually it will be a 5 or 6 days festival with musicans all over the world paying homage to Thiaygaraja by singing his kritis alone in thiruvaiyaru. The pancha rathna kritis by lord thiyagaraja will sung only on the day he attained samadhi (Pushya bahula panchami).
Last to mention One of the nava graha temples is very close to Thiruvaiyaru.Chandran temple which is in Thingaloor is just 3 kms away from Thiruvaiyaru.
I am pretty sure most of the information above are all well known to our members - I just got carried away speaking about my home town!
NORTHERN RIVER for THANJAI is also known as Vadavaru !
Northern RIVER CAUVERY & KOLLIDAM - commencing at ANAIKKARAI is also known as VADAVARU (with a Thalaippu - beginning point ).
Like Excess water of Cauvery flows into Kollidam, excess water of Kollidam flows into Vadavaru.
Since No kollidam is there near Thiruvaiyaru (we cross Kollidam at Thirumanur) on the way to Pazhuvur - I got confused with the name Vadavaru.
You are right about Arisalaru.. of course.!
In fact I re-read PS again today - a few Chapters !
" Vadavaru pongi varudhu " song by locals - on the bank of Veeranam during Aadiperukku ! Chapter 1.
Vandhiyathevan sees & talks with Kundavai on the banks of Arisalaru ! in Chapter 21.
He crosses Pazhuvur Ilayarani Nandhini - closer to Thanjai - after crossing Cauvery and other 4 rivers from Thiruvaiyaru !
This is the scenerio wherein our PS Trailor team needed the names.
You have provided them very rightly ..
Vadavaru !
VD received the PANAI TREE ring from Nandhini here only !!
RE THIRUVAIYARU :
Wonderful to recall Sapthasthanam.. I have attended two / three times... Colourful pallakku !
You may also know that like Thiruvaiyaru Sapthasthanam - there is AYYAMPETTAI SAPTHASTHANAM also !!
Thillaisthanam reminds me of Thi.Sa.Raaju - very reknowned writer.
Thiruchotruthurai - Annapoorni temple !
Thriuppoonduruthi - Uzhavarappani by Appar... Narayana theerthar's Krishnaleelatharangani ...
And of course Thirukkandiyur - thiruppazhanam ! Thiruvelvigudi another one ? There is a rare MANONMANI sculpture in the Vimanam !
Thiruvaiyaru - Inside Ayyarappan temple complex there are THEN KAILASAM by Danthisakthividangi and VADA KAILASAM by Rajendra ! Highly informative historically.
Chalukya Vimaladithan H/o kundhavai d/o RRC - sought asylum here - prior to matrimonial relationship !
Other d/o RRC - Madhevadigal figures only in 2 inscriptions - one in thiruvalanchuzhi and other in Thiruvaiyaru !
More interestingly in the 4th year of Rajendra - he denotes his father as Pngi survived RRC !
Kailsakkatchi for Appar, Sundarar !!
" Kadhal madappidi yanai ... " very famous Thevaram ! Every species in the world looked in PAIR - " kandariyadhana kanden " !
The Sapthasthanam starts after the marriage of Nandhi thevar at Thirumazhabadi (our Venket's favourite temple).
Ithu enna puthu maapillai virunthukku pora maathiriyaa? Mappilaiku virunthu kedaikutho illaiyo, whoever walks with the singers of thevaram (othuvaar) will get super feast at any house in the seven villages and on the way.
Dear SPS, Yes sir, Sapthasthanam is one of the festivals which we localites expect with Zeak and Enthusiasm,
You are right about Ezhoor ( Seven Sapthasthanams) - it is called Ezhoor Sutruthal. Where we walk past the seven sapthasthanams.
the only correction is Thiruvethikudi.
Also in Kandiyur, there is a statue for Lord Brahma which is very unusual! so it is one of the places where we have shivan, brahma and vishnu statues are (a seperate vishnu temple is also there in thirukandiyur)
Apparku Kailai Kaatchi is still performed there and on top of that we have various artists perform in the temple on that day. I have attended that numerous times and spoke to a lot of people who specifically comes to attend that from thirunelveli etc., no matter how the day was we still get like few drops of rain during that Apparku Kailai Kaatchi time (I might sound a bit stupid here - but that was my experience!)
I lived for about 22 years (90 % of my life time so far).
Dear SPS, Thanks for clarifying sir. For all the years we were told that it is lord brahma statue in the shivan temple.
There even was a story among the localites that there was a separate temple for Lord Brahma but since that is not proper (for whatever reasons!) they demolished the temple and brought this statue and placed it in the shivan temple!
The moolavar in Thirukandiyur is called Brahma Sira kandeeshwarar!
Could you please let me know who Vageesar is? I think Thirunavukarasar's original name was Vageesar!
As you said there are three temples in Thiru Kandiyur. Brahma sira kandeeswarar on the Eastern Side, Hara Saaba Vimochana Perumal templea and Brahma temple on the Western Side. When I visited thiruvaiyaaru 3 months before I saw that Brahma temple is being renovated.
Yes Sir. That was what I said before but I got confused from SPS sir's email that there is no temple for Brahma! Thanks for the clarification. I will be visiting Thiruvaiyaru this October so I shall be able to spend a lot of time around these temples!
Above article Dr. Nagaswamy in tamilartsacademy would clarify that it is NOT BRAHMA but another form of Siva - which is kept in worship as Brahma in thirukandiyur - though the Sthalam is related to Brahman-beheaded tale !
Near Kandiyur there was a Nandhipuram and here existed Sundara Cholan & Vaanavan Madevi's Pallippadai and hence he was known as "Pon Maaligai Thunjiya Devar".
Presently this place is known as Rettakkoil, Veerasingampettai, Sengamedu & Aavikkarai in Thirukkandiyur.
People are finding Sivalingams - of that Ayirathali even today while digging. Some of them have been used in reinforcing KALLANI .. Like some of the portion of Gangaikonda cholapuram temple walls were used !
Some of the Lingams are now housed on the Northern portion of the Big Temple !
Present Thirukandiyur temple is rebuilt using some of the other delapidated temple structures too - including Rettaikoil !
Summerising : NANDHIPURAM is not the one near PAZHAYARAI wherein there was Palace and the Ponmaligai (Thunjiya) wherein Sundara chola passed away was NOT IN KANCHI but near Thirukandiyur !!
dear friends regarding thiruvaiyaaru vennaru ,vettaru , kaveri,vadavaaru , kudamuruti are the 5 branches , arisalaaru is not in that list. vaageesar is thirunaavukarasar. regarding seperate koil for brahma ... thirukandiyur is famous for brahma temple and also uthamar koil where u can see seperate sanithi for brahma... it is also called as bhikasadanaar koil..the temple in kandiyoor was in bad condition ... i Dunno what happened to that now. even the theertham is called as brahma theertham.
The Brahma Temple in THIRUPPATTUR - near Padalur / Trichy Dt (of Masathan - Cheraman Perumal - Thirukkayilaya Gnanaula episode) is becoming popular of late ....
The Temple is famous as " FATE CHANGING BRAHMA " !
Some of my friends have First hand experience .. in their personal life ...
Some could Career matters sorted out to their liking .. and overcome hurdles..
Some fractured-marriages set right ..
some even reported better (eye) vision ... etc., etc.. contrary to medical advice that no further scope for improvement !!
Uthamarkoil Brahma (Vishnu - Siva) temple and Kumbakonam (near Theradi) Brahma Temples are also famous ...
Undoubtedly there should have been a Brahma idol in Thirukandiyur too - since it is Veerattanam related to Brahma's head being removed for not knowing meaning of Pranava !
And in the nearby Vinnagaram, Perumal has given Sabavimochanam to Siva since the skull of Brahma got stuck !!
The supposedly Brahma idol in Thirukandiyur is that of Vageesa (of Siva form) !
This is derived based on iconographical details by Dr. Nagaswamy and also by Dr. Kudavayil Balasubramanian also.
Essence is Iconographically EVEN SIVA sits on LOTUS and HAVE AKSHAMALA and that does not mean the ICON in BRAHMA !!
Dear Friend, I clarify here the branches of Kaveri from mukkambu to Kumbakonam here:
1. Kaveri - Spliting into Kaveri & Kollidam at Mukambu 2. Kaveri - Spliting into Kaveri & Vennaaru at Kallanai 3. Kaveri - Spliting into Kaveri & Kudamurutti river somewhere west to Thiruvaiyaaru Kaveri - Spliting into Kaveri & Arisilaaru somewhere East to Thiruvaiyaaru Vennaru - Spliting into Puthu aaru, Vettaaru, Vadavaaru. (and a small stream called jambu kaveri)
Some more branches of small streams are there, at present I don't have the data with me. Will send the details later.
Thanks for sharing the blog info.It was really nice blog and the pictures are just fantastic.
I remember shouting Iyyaaraaa,,, ezhoooraaa etc., during my childhood days in the nadha brahmam praharam and it was really nice to see the pictures again.
The pictures of various lingams are also good. The picture of the ramanadha swamy (rameshwaran) lingam is missing though!
Sad to see the frescoes in such a condition.
Dhyana mandapam picture was taken from a different angle I suppose, The picture which has got a description dhyana mandapam actually houses durga, mahalakshmi and saraswathi, the other side of that mandapam is dhyana mandapam and it has got sculptures of Karikalan and his wife ( or atleast believed to be them). Dhyana mandapam hosts vinayagar, the navagraham and the lingams for five elements (agni, vayu, aakaasam, jalam and prithvi), also Dakshinamoorthy is visible through the opening from the dhyana mandapam. Once we get out of the dhyana mandapam we can come across the three markings on the floor where karikalan found the required funds to build the temple.
Also the picture shows the sthala viruksham (Vilva maram). Opposite to the Sthala viruksham we have got the murugan shirine where murugan has got a bow and arrow instead of a javelin/spear which is unusual I don't remember seeing a statue of murugan with bow and arrow other than a spear! Members can help me find some!
Maragatha lingam mentioned in the blog was hosted in the shirne parallel to the murugan shrine I mentioned above and yeah I had a quite a few glimpses of maragatha lingam when it was taken out for special puja.
Yes, Narendran Dhyana mandapam is from a different angle. Two people were meditating there hence we didnot want to disturb them. There is also a kalvettu in the dhyana madapam which says about a grant given by a family to light a deepam there & there is an address therein which has to be contacted in case the deepam is not lit. The deepam is not lit :(
Thanks for your immediate response. I have never seen the deepam without being lit in the years (for about 21 years) i lived there... and i remember there was a person who always stays there to ensure that the lamp has got enough oil in there and also to sell the ghee vilakku to devotees... and he usually ensures that the deepam is always lit.. not sure why it wasn't lit when you were there.. Dhyana mandapam in the temple is definitely an ideal place to meditate. Either it has got the vibes or we felt so after knowing that it is dhyana mandapam! I myself have sat there for countless hours in dhyana mandapam watching those lingams!
There is also a kalvettu in the dhyana madapam which says about a grant given by a family to light a deepam there & there is an address therein which has to be contacted in case the deepam is not lit. The deepam is not lit :(
Hi there is a kalvettu in thiruvanmiyur about some grant. and it gives right to anybody visiting the temple to question if the grant is not used.
another there indicates a property given and mentions " till the sun and moon shine....
Yes Venkat The Thiruvaiyaru kalvetu also has some similar lines. There is an old temple in Singanallur Coimbatore- Dhenupuriswarar Temple. There is a kalvetu here about a lady donating extensive lands to the temple about which no one has any other records & no one knows who owns these lands now. This temple is maintained fully by the archakas from the temple income & donations like Chidambaram temple was till recent past.