A Wandering Heritager: Sri Sangameshwarar Temple / Sangameswarar Temple / Arulmigu Bhavani Sangameshwarar Temple, Bhavani, Erode District, Tamil Nadu.

This is the 261^st Thevara Paadal Petra Shiva sthalam and 3^rd sthalam of Kongu Nadu called Thirunana in ancient times and now called as Bhavani. Thirugnanasambandar has sung hymns in praise of Lord Shiva of this temple. Arunagirinathar has sung Thirupukazh on Subramaniyar of this temple. The temple is located at the confluence of three rivers ( Triveni Sangamam ) called Cauvery, Bhavani and Agasa Ganga / Amudha ( which comes from the under ground ). The locals refers this temple place as Kooduthurai.

The Sthalapurana of this temple as per Kongu Sthakangal

பொன்னியே கங்கை யமுனையே பவானி பொருவரும் பராசரன் வகுத்த

மின்னவிர் அமுத நதியே வானி அல்லது வேறல இந்தத்

தன்நிகர் பிறிதுஇல் தலம் திரிவேணி சங்கமம் ஆதலால் தென்பால்

கன்னிமா மதில்சூழ் காசியின் மேலாய்க் கவினுமிக் கடிநகர் அன்றே

( பவானித்தலபுராணம் )

The Thirugnanasambadar’s hymn on Lord Shiva of this temple goes like this.

பந்தார் விரல்மடவாள் பாகமா

நாகம் பூண்டு ஏறது ஏறி

அந்தார் அரவணிந்த அம்மான்

இடம்போலும் அந்தன் சாரல்

வந்தார் மடம்ந்தி கூத்தாட

வார்பொழில் வண்டு பாடச்

செந்தேன் தெளியொளிரத் தேமாங்

கனியுதிர்க்கும் திருநணாவே

( Uma, whose fingers are playing balls, occupies one part of Lord Shiva and he wears the snakes around his body. The place was very pleasant to make the monkeys to dance, bees flies from flower to flower with its flying sound to gather honey and the fruits ripe on its own and fell on the ground is the place Thirunana )

Moolavar : Sri Sangameswarar, Sri Sangameshwarar

Consort : Sri Vedhanayagi, Pannarmozhiammai

Some of the important features of this temple are ....

Since the temple is located at the confluence of rivers Cauvery, Bhavani and Akasha Ganga /Amudha, Lord Shiva is called as Sri Sangameshwarar also known as Kooduthurai. The temple is facing east with an entrance from north side. Rishabam is in a mandapam in front of 5 tier Rajagopuram, since the whole temple is considered as a Shiva Linga. At the entrance sannadhis are for Kottai Vinayagar, Rajaganapathy and Muthukumarasamy. In the inner prakaram sannadhi for 63var, Panchabootha Lingas, Shani Bhagavan, Kasi Viswanathar and Arumugasamy. Bronze idols of Nayanmaras which includes Somaskanda are a part of Urchavars.

In Jurahareshwara sannadhi moolavar Jurahareshwara is with three heads, three hands and three legs is the specialty of this temple and the dwarapalakas also has the similar features.

Kubera Linga, Amirtha Lingam, Sahasra Lingam, Gayathri Linga ( believed to be installed by saint Viswamithra ), Nagars with Jyeshta Devi, Sahasrara Linga Shrine ( 1008 Small Shiva lingas carved on one Shiva Liva Linga ) are in the outer prakara. Sri Soundaranayaki udanurai Sri Adhikesava Perumal and Yoga Narasimhar sannadhis are after the entrance of Rajagopuram with a mandapam.

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTION

The inscriptions recorded in Erode District inscription, Volume-I, are written now and the earlier inscriptions will be up dated latter. As per the 17^th Century inscriptions The inscriptions belongs to 1640 CE Ketti Mudali Nalludaiappar Immudi Ketti Mudali and his wife, 1741 CE, Mysore Krishna Raja Wodayar, 16^th Century Vijayanagara Krishnadevarayar, 1629 CE without mentioning the name of the King and 1804 CE Willam Garrow, a British Collector.

During Ketti Mudali period, Prakara or the circumambulatory path, Lord Shiva’s Shrine Nirutha mandapa, Sikaram ( Vimana ?), Ambal Vedhanayaki’s shrine Sanctum Sanctorum, arthamandapa, Mahamandapam, Kumarar Temple ( Subramaniyar ?), Vasantha Mandapa, Gopura walls, Yaga Sala and Shasrara Linga ( 1008 Linga on one Linga ) are established.

The Ambal Pannar Mozhi Ammani’s sannadhi arthamandapam was built by Immudi Ketti Mudali’s wife and the sthapathi is Narayana Achari, who is the son of Kuruva Achari and Rangappa Achri’s brother.

During Vijayanagara period, the ruler of this region Vaalarasa Wodayar, under Krishna Devaraya built the compound wall. This inscription is in the form of Venba Song.

வானிகூ டல்பதிக்கு வாலரா சன்மகிழ்

ஆன திருமதிளுண் டாக்கினான் – நாநிலமெண்

சென்னரா சன்புதல்வன் சீமான் திருவகைந்

தன்மரா சன்அருளால் தான்

The Subramaniyar temple, Vahana – Peacock mandapa and the peacock was built in 1689 CE by one Kanthappan who is the grand son of Kanthappan and son of Athiyanna Pillai, belongs to Athreya Gothra.

There is a story of Ambal's oonjal /Swing / cot made of elephant's ivory tusk. A Cot made of elephant's ivory tusk was gifted by the then British Collector of Coimbatore in 1804 CE. Since foreigners were not allowed to enter inside the temple, William Garrow, had the dharshan of Ambal through holes made on the wall opposite to Ambal’s shrine from out side. On one rainy night he was sleeping in his bungalow. He happened to see a small girl was calling him to come out side. When he came out side, the room collapsed immediately and found the Girl was also disappeared. He concluded that the small Girl must be none other than Ambal. As a token of thanks giving for saving his life, William Garrow gifted a golden cot to Ambal shrine on 11-01-1804.

LEGEND

This is one of the parikara sthalam for Raghu and kethu. It is believed that if one Pray Lord Shiva will get a boon, to remove marriage obstacles, Sevvai dosha, Naga dosha, Navagraha dosha, etc. It is also believed that to get rid of Raghu and Kethu doshas, people do abhisheka to Sahasrara Linga.

Lord Shiva gave dharshan to Kubera in the form of Swayambu Linga under the sthala Viruksha jujuba Tree.

The unique feature of this temple is the Jurahareswarar shrine. Devotees offer Rice, Pepper Rasam and Araikeerai Kootu ( mixture of spinach & dhal ) to Jurahareswara to get relieved from fever. They also offer pepper and cummin seeds to get rid of chronic gastric ailments and worship with bilva leaves.

POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS

Apart from regular poojas, 13 days car festival in the Tamil month Chithirai ( April – May ), Adiperukku ( Tamil month’s Aadi, 18^th day – when the Mettur dam is open water in Cauvery river for the delta irrigation ), New moon days, on Eclipse days, English & Tamil New Year days, Pongal in Thai month and Deepavali are celebrated in a grand manner.

TEMPLE TIMINGS

The temple will be kept open from 06.00 hrs to 13.00 hrs and 16.30 hrs to 20.30 hrs.

CONTACT DETAILS :

The Land line and mobile numbers are 04256 230192 and 98432 48588.

Temple’s Web site : http://www.bhavanisangameswarartemple.tnhrce.in/

HOW TO REACH :

The temple is about 2.5 KM meters from Bhavani Bus Stand.

Frequent buses are available from ERODE, Perundurai, Mettur, Salem and Gobichettipalayam.

The temple is about 16 KM from Erode, 31 KM from Perundurai, 34 KM from Gobichettipalayam, 64 KM from Salem, 100 KM from Coimbatore and about 420 KM from the State Capital Chennai ( Madras )

Nearest Railway station is Erode.

LOCATION :CLICK HERE