about tiruvanaikoil

At a distance of 2.5 km from Srirangam Temple and 11 km from Trichy Railway Junction, Sri Thiruvanaikoil or Thiruvanaikaval, is famous for Jambukeswarar Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva. The temple was built by Kochengon, one of the Early Cholas around 1800 years ago on Srirangam Island.

Thiruvanaikoil Temple is one of the five major Shiva Temples known as Panchabhoota Sthala representing element of water. The sanctum has Shiva Lingam in the form of Appu lingam (water lingam). The sanctum of Lord Jambukeshwara has an underground water stream and one can see water coming out of that stream all the time. The presiding goddess is Devi Akilandeswari Amman.

According to legend, Parvathi performed penance in the form of Akilandeswari in the Jambu forest. She made the lingam out of the water of river Kaveri, installed it under the Venn Naaval tree evolved out of Saint Jambu and commenced her worship. Lord Siva at last gave darshan to Devi Akhilandeswari and taught her Siva Gnana. According to Sthala Purana, there were two Siva Ganas by name Malyavan and Pushpadanta. They always quarrel with each other and fight for one thing or other. On top of all in one fight Malyavan cursed Pushpadanta to become an elephant and the latter cursed the former to become a spider. Both the elephant and the spider came to Jambukeshwaram and continued their Shiva worship. The elephant collected water from river Cauvery and conducted Abhishekam to the lingam under the Jambu tree daily. The spider constructed his web over the lingam to prevent dry leaves from dropping on it and prevent Sunlight directly falling on Shiva. When the elephant saw the web and thought that as dust and tore them by pouring water. The spider became angry and crawled into the trunk of the elephant and bit the elephant to death killing itself. Lord Siva, moved by the deep devotion of the two relieved them from their curse. As an elephant worshipped the Lord here, this place came to be known as 'Thiru Aanai Kaa' (Thiru - Holy, Aanai - Elephant, Kaa - Forest). Later the actual name 'Thiruaanaikaa' become Thiruvanaikoil.

Inside the temple complex, there are 5 enclosures. The first massive outer wall called Vibudi Prakara, is a mile long, 25 feet high and 2 feet thickness. The 4th enclosure has a hall with 796 pillars and a small tank fed by springs. The 3rd enclosure contains the 2 gopuras, one 73 feet tall and the other 100 feet tall. The 2nd enclosure has another gopura with 65 feet height and several small shrines. The sanctum with the Appu lingam is present in the last enclosure. The entrance of the sanctum sanctorum is only 4 feet high and 2.5 feet wide. Since Devi Akhilandeswari worshipped Lord Shiva in this temple, even today at noon the priest dresses like a female and performs puja to Lord Jambukeswara. No Thiru Kalyanam is conducted at this temple.

lord jambukewara

The sanctum sanctorum of this historic temple houses Arulmigu Jambukeswarar (presiding deity/moolavar). The sanctum (karuvarai/moolasthanam) of Jambukeswara Swamy has a visible water flow underneath the ground. Devotees rushing through the crowds to have a glimpse of the unusual sight of water flow in the sanctum are a common sight at this temple. Panguni Brahmmotsavam in Mar-Apr and Aadi Pooram in Jul-Aug are the major festivals celebrated in the temple.

pooja and darshan timings

Temple Timings:
5:30 AM to 1:00 PM & 3:00 PM to 8:30 PM

Pooja Timings:
Ushakkala Pooja: 6:30 AM to 7:30 AM
Kaalasandhi Pooja: 8:00 AM to 8:45 AM
Uchikkala Pooja: 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Saayaraksha Pooja: 5:00 PM to 5:45 PM
Ardhajama Pooja: 9:00 PM

Approx. Visit Duration:
3 to 4 hours

pooja and darshan timings

deities

Arulmigu Jambukeswarar (Moolavar)
Chandrasekharar (Urchavar)
Somaskandar (Urchavar)
Sri Akhilandeswari (Thayar)
Venn Naval Maram
Nava Theertham
Saivagama
Sri Vidya Vaideega
Saraswathi
Panchamukha Vinayaka
Shani Baghawan with Jeshtadevi
Kubera Lingam

specialties

The temple absolutely needs no introduction as it is one among the 'Pancha Bhootha Sthalams' and is one of the long-familiar names among the Shiva devotees living across the country. Thiruvanaikaval Jambukeswarar Temple represents the element of nature - Water (neer in Tamil). Therefore, the temple is also popularly called as 'Appu Sthalam'.

The not-so-commonly-encountered sight of water streaming inside the sanctum of a temple is nothing short of a divine intervention! In spite of water being pumped out regularly, the Jambukeswarar karuvarai is filled with water all the time. The temple is also notable for the fact that it is one among the 275 Paadal Petra Sthalams.

The four most devotional Saivite Saints of Lord Shiva - Appar, Sundarar, Sambandar, Manikkavacakar have done voluminous glorification of Arulmigu Jambukeswarar in their work. The goddess of the temple is Devi Akilandeswari Amman (thayar). The name Akhilandeshwari implies 'Ruler of the Universe' which can be explicated as 'Akilam' meaning Universe, 'Aanda' meaning 'Ruler', 'Eshari' meaning 'Goddess'.

Thiruvanaikaval Temple is also considered as an 'Upadesa Sthalam' as the Goddess Akhilandeshwari took lessons from Arulmigu Jambukeswarar in this temple. According to sacred scriptures, Goddess Parvati in her avatar as Goddess Akhilandeshwari carried out a penance in Thiruvanaikaval. The Goddess made a Shiva Lingam using only the holy waters of River Kaveri and kept the Lingam under a 'Venn Naval Maram'. Acknowledging her earnest worship, Lord Shiva gave darshan to the Goddess and gave lessons on Shiva Gnana. Hence, Thiruvanaikaval Temple is an ‘Upadesa Sthalam'.

As Goddess Akhilandeshwari worshipped Arulmigu Jambukeswarar in this temple, even today an unusual divine formality is followed. That is to say, the temple priest attires like a woman and performs poojas to Arulmigu Jambukeswarar and the holy temple cow (karaam pasu). As Lord Shiva was like a teacher and Goddess Akhilandeshwari was like a student who took lessons, there is no divine marriage (thirukalyanam) ritual conducted in this temple (unlike other Shiva temples).

location

Arulmigu Jambukeswarar Akhilandeswari Temple, Thiruvanaikkaval, Trichy - 620005

Contact Details: (0431) 2230257
The temple features five massive enclosures. The outer most walls also known as Vibudi Prakara extends for about 1.6 km and stands majestically for over 7.5 meters tall. The quaternary enclosure comprises of a small temple tank and a massive hall with almost 800 hefty pillars.

The tertiary precinct comprises of a vast coconut field, a minuscule temple tank and two royal towers. The next enclosure features a 65 feet tall, beautiful gopuram and a lot of more modest sannidhis. The last precinct, that is the innermost enclosure houses the holy sanctum sanctorum with Arulmigu Jambukeswarar offering his blessings to devotees.

Important Festivals are Vasantha Urchavam: Tamil month Vaikasi - 10 days; Thai Theppam: Tamil month Thai - Float festival; Brahmotchavam: Tamil month Panguni - 40 days; Aadipooram: Tamil month Aadi - 10 days (Aadi Fridays are special); Navarathiri: Tamil month Purattasi - 10 days; Panchaprakara festival, Shivarathiri and Car festival are some of the other important festivals