Mythology and History
Swamimalai is fourth among the six padai veedu
or sacred shrines dedicated to Lord Muruga. The presiding deity here
expounded the meaning of the Pranava mantra OM to his own Father Lord
Siva Himself.
Mythology says that saint Bhrugu before commencing an arduous tavam
or penance, got the boon that anybody disturbing his mediation will
forget all his knowledge. Such was the power of the penance that the
sacred fire emanating from the head of the saint reached up to the
heavens, and the frightened devas surrendered to Lord Siva praying for
his grace. The Lord extinguished the sacred fire by covering the saint's
head by hand. With the saint's penance thus disturbed the Lord became
oblivious of all his knowledge and is said to have regained them by
learning the Pranava mantra from Lord Muruga at this shrine.
Once when Brahma, the lord of all creations was
proceeding to Kailasa, the ever-playful child Lord Muruga asked him for
the meaning of the Pranava OM. When Brahma admitted his ignorance, the
Lord imprisoned him. With Brahma imprisoned, all creations came to a
standstill and the devas prayed to Lord Siva to get Brahma released.
When Muruga insisted that the imprisonment was a just punishment for the
ignorance of Brahma, Lord Siva asked him whether he himself knew the
meaning of the primordial Pranava OM. Lord Muruga said that he knew the
meaning of OM and can expound it to the latter only if he can accept him
as guru and listen to the exposition as a devoted disciple. As Lord
Siva acceded to the request of Lord Muruga and heard the exposition of
OM as a disciple, the place came to be known as Swamimalai and the presiding deity as Swaminathan.
The temple is built on an artificial hillock of about sixty feet
height with sixty beautifully laid stone steps representing the Hindu
cycle of sixty years - leading to the Lord . In the ground floor there
are temples dedicated to Lord Sundareswarer and Goddesss Meenakshi.
Hymns in praise of the presiding deity have been sung by saint Nakkeerar in Tirumurukatrupadaiand by Saint Arunagirnathar in Tiruppukazh.
Pujas and Festivals
Daily pujas to the deities are performed six times a day (six kalams). Usha Kalam, Kalasandhi and Uchikala
poojas are performed in the forenoon and the afternoon poojas
commencing from Sayaratchai and Rendam kalam are concluded with
Arthajama pooja in the night.
The important festivals conducted in the temple are:
- Monthly Kirutikai festival;
- Temple Car festival in April;
- Visakam festival in May;
- Navaratri festival in May;
- Skanda Shashti festival in October;
- Tiru Karthikai festival in Nov/December;
- Taippūcam festival in January; and
- Pankuni Uttiram festival in March.
Golden Chariot
The temple has an imposing golden chariot made of seven kilos of gold, 85 kilos of silver and other metals
like copper, beautifully illuminated with electric bulbs.
Devotees on payment of Rs. 1001 can take the deity in a procession in the golden charriot around the
outer corridor. Devotees are offered a shawl, eversilver pot and a small box with the Lord's prasadam.
Facilities
For the convenience of the pilgrims and
devotees, 11 rooms, four cottages, two VIP cottages, one donor cottages,
three marriage halls and one dining hall have been constructed and are
let out at nominal rent ranging from Rs. 20/- to Rs. 100/- per day only.
Among the sub-temples under the administration
of the Swamimalai temple, the Sveta Vinayagar temple at Tiruvalanchuli
is an important one. The presiding deity Lord Sadaimudinathar and
Goddess Perianayaki have been sung by Tirugnanasambandar and
Tirunavukkarasar in Tevaram. A unique feature of this temple is the
Sveta Vinayagar or White Pillaiyar made of the sea foam formed at the
time of churning of the Milky Ocean by the devas and asuras to get the
nectar. The sacred Cauvery River flowing nearby herself has turned
around in a right semicircle around this shrine and hence the name Valanchuli or right twist. Renovation of this temple at a cost of Rs. 50 Lakhs is progressing.
Another architecturally beautiful temple at
Kilpazhayarai dedicated to Lord Somanathaswami is also under renovtion
at an estimated cost of Rs. 50 Lakhs. It is worth mentioning that this
shring is the birthplace of Saint Managaiyarkarasi, one among the 63
Nayanmars. Hymns in praise of the presiding deity have been sung by
Tirunavukkarasar.
Other sub-temples mentioned below under the
administrative control of Swamimalai temple are also to be renovated at a
modest cost of about Rs. 5 lakhs each.
- Dharmapureeswarar Temple, Vallalarkoil;
- Chakravageeswarar Temple, Chakkrapalli;
- Ezhutharinathar Temple, Innambur;
- Skandanathar Temple, Tiruerakaram; and
- Thirupandeeswarar Temple, Adanur.
All the above temples along with the Swamimalai
temple are administered by an Asst. Commissioner / Executive Officer
appointed by the Commissioner, Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments
Dept, Chennai.
All contributions in cash and kind for the renovation of the above temples may kindly be sent to:
Arulmigu Swaminatha Swami Temple
Swamimalai - 612 302
Thanjavur district Tamil Nadu, India
Ph: (0435) 254421
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