Thirukkadaiyur (Thirukadavur) is a village on the east coast of
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is a States and union territories of India, state in southern India. It is the List of states and union territories of India by area, tenth largest Indian state by area and the List of states and union territories of India ...
, about 300 km south of
Chennai
Chennai (, ), formerly known as Madras ( the official name until 1996), is the capital city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost Indian state. The largest city of the state in area and population, Chennai is located on the Coromandel Coast of th ...
and 15 km north of
Karaikal
Karaikal ( /kʌdɛkʌl/, french: Karikal /kaʁikal/) is a town of the Indian Union Territory of Puducherry. Karaikal was sold to the French by the Rajah of Thanjavur and became a French Colony in 1739. The French held control, with occasi ...
. The history of the village is associated with the legends of Markandeya and Abirami Pattar. The village is centered around
Amritaghateswarar - Abirami Temple of Tirukkadaiyur, which is a replica. The original temple,
Thirumeignanam Gnanaparameswarar Temple
):ta: திருமெய்ஞானம் ஞானபரமேஸ்வரர் கோயில் is a Hindu temple located at Thirumeignanam in Thanjavur district, Tamil Nadu, India. The temple is dedicated to Shiva, as the moolavar presidi ...
, called ''Thirumeignanam'', built in the 11th century, was ravaged by the sea, and is in ruins now. People worship and pray at Thirukkadaiyur temple for having a longer life.
In modern times, the village is part of
Nagapattinam district
Nagapattinam district is one of the 38 districts (a coastal district) of Tamil Nadu state in southern India. Nagapattinam district was carved out by bifurcating the erstwhile composite Thanjavur district on 19 October 1991. The town of Nagapatt ...
and is administered by a village panchayat. As per 2021 census, the village had a population of 6,244. The village is connected by bus transport and is located on the
Chidambaram
Chidambaram is a town and municipality in Cuddalore district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, on the banks of the Vellar River where it meets the Bay of Bengal. It is the headquarters of the Chidambaram taluk. The town is believed to be of si ...
-
Nagapattinam
Nagapattinam (''nākappaṭṭinam'', previously spelt Nagapatnam or Negapatam) is a town in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and the administrative headquarters of Nagapattinam District. The town came to prominence during the period of Medieval ...
highway. There is a small seaport under the control of Tamil Nadu Maritime Board.
Legend
![Raja Ravi Varma, Markandeya](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0a/Raja_Ravi_Varma%2C_Markandeya.jpg)
Thirukkadaiyur derives its name from the pot, called ''Gatam'' in
Tamil
Tamil may refer to:
* Tamils, an ethnic group native to India and some other parts of Asia
** Sri Lankan Tamils, Tamil people native to Sri Lanka also called ilankai tamils
**Tamil Malaysians, Tamil people native to Malaysia
* Tamil language, nati ...
.
Vishnu
Vishnu ( ; , ), also known as Narayana and Hari, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the supreme being within Vaishnavism, one of the major traditions within contemporary Hinduism.
Vishnu is known as "The Preserver" within t ...
,
Indra
Indra (; Sanskrit: इन्द्र) is the king of the devas (god-like deities) and Svarga (heaven) in Hindu mythology. He is associated with the sky, lightning, weather, thunder, storms, rains, river flows, and war. volumes/ref> I ...
, and the other
Devas
Devas may refer to:
* Devas Club, a club in south London
* Anthony Devas (1911–1958), British portrait painter
* Charles Stanton Devas (1848–1906), political economist
* Jocelyn Devas (died 1886), founder of the Devas Club
* Devas (band), ...
needed an outstanding place to consume the Amrita that had been churned during the
Samudra manthan
The Samudra Manthana ( sa, समुद्रमन्थन; ) is a major episode in Hinduism that is elaborated in the Vishnu Purana, a major text of Hinduism. The Samudra Manthana explains the origin of the elixir of eternal life, amrita.
Nom ...
and, therefore, brought the Amrita pot here. Before consuming it, they forgot to worship
Ganesha
Ganesha ( sa, गणेश, ), also known as Ganapati, Vinayaka, and Pillaiyar, is one of the best-known and most worshipped deities in the Hindu pantheon and is the Supreme God in Ganapatya sect. His image is found throughout India. Hindu d ...
, who has to be worshiped before any great undertaking. Ganesha, hurt and offended at the unintentional slight by them, stole the pot of Amrita and hid it at Tirukkadaiyur. Ganesha created a
Shiva Lingam
A lingam ( sa, लिङ्ग , lit. "sign, symbol or mark"), sometimes referred to as linga or Shiva linga, is an abstract or aniconic representation of the Hindu god Shiva in Shaivism. It is typically the primary ''murti'' or devotional im ...
, dedicated to his father and mother, and poured some of the Amrita over it. The Shiva Lingam at this temple is known as ''Amrita Ghat Eshwarar'', which, translated from
Sanskrit
Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had diffused there from the northwest in the late ...
literally means "Lord who leads to immortality" ('Immortality' (''Amrita'') 'Step' (''Ghat'') 'Lord' (''Eshwarar'')). It is also believed that Abhirami incarnated here by the power of Vishnu. As per popular legend, near the temple of Tirukkadaiyur, there lived a
sage
Sage or SAGE may refer to:
Plants
* ''Salvia officinalis'', common sage, a small evergreen subshrub used as a culinary herb
** Lamiaceae, a family of flowering plants commonly known as the mint or deadnettle or sage family
** ''Salvia'', a large ...
named Mrikandu and his wife Marudmati. They were both devotees of Shiva and worshiped him day and night for many years, asking to be graced with a child. After many years of
penance
Penance is any act or a set of actions done out of Repentance (theology), repentance for Christian views on sin, sins committed, as well as an alternate name for the Catholic Church, Catholic, Lutheran, Eastern Orthodox, and Oriental Orthodox s ...
, Shiva appeared before Mrikandu and Marudmati. He told them that he heard their prayers and would give them a choice: they could either have a gifted son who would live only up to sixteen years, or a son of low intelligence who would live a longer life. Mrikandu and Marudmati chose the former, and were blessed with
Markandeya
Bhargava Markandeya ( sa, मार्कण्डेय ) is an ancient rishi (sage) born in the clan of Bhrigu Rishi (Bhargava Brahmins Community). The Markandeya Purana especially, comprises a dialogue between Markandeya and a sage cal ...
, an exemplary son, destined to die at the age of sixteen.
As Markandeya grew, so did his devotion to Shiva. As advised by his father, Markandeya worshipped the Shiva Lingam at Tirukkadaiyur, even bringing water from the
Ganges
The Ganges ( ) (in India: Ganga ( ); in Bangladesh: Padma ( )). "The Ganges Basin, known in India as the Ganga and in Bangladesh as the Padma, is an international river to which India, Bangladesh, Nepal and China are the riparian states." is ...
to the temple via an underground passage. On the day he was destined to die,
Yama
Yama (Devanagari: यम) or Yamarāja (यमराज), is a deity of death, dharma, the south direction, and the underworld who predominantly features in Hindu and Buddhist religion, belonging to an early stratum of Rigvedic Hindu deities ...
, the deity of death, appeared with his noose in his hand to tie around the
soul
In many religious and philosophical traditions, there is a belief that a soul is "the immaterial aspect or essence of a human being".
Etymology
The Modern English noun ''soul'' is derived from Old English ''sāwol, sāwel''. The earliest attes ...
of Markandeya and take it away with him. Markandeya sought refuge in the temple and embraced the Siva Lingam. Shiva appeared and warned Yama not to touch Markandeya, as he was under his protection. Yama refused to listen and threw the noose, binding around both Markandeya and the Lingam together. Angered by Yama's extraordinary arrogance, Shiva kicked and held him under his foot, thereby making him inactive. Markandeya was blessed by Shiva to remain sixteen years old eternally. Meanwhile, with Yama being rendered inactive, there were no deaths on earth, but people were still being born. Burdened by the weight of so many people and unable to sustain their hunger, the earth-goddess,
Bhumi Devi
Bhumi ( sa, भूमि, Bhūmi), also known as Bhudevi and Vasundhara, is a Hindu goddess who is the personification of the Earth. She is a consort of the god Vishnu. According to Vaishnava tradition, she is the second aspect of Vishnu's consor ...
, appealed to Shiva for help. Shiva, feeling compassionate for the earth-goddess, released Yama, allowing deaths to occur again. However, in order to remind Yama never to try again to kill any one who is worshiping Shiva, the
icon
An icon () is a religious work of art, most commonly a painting, in the cultures of the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, and Catholic churches. They are not simply artworks; "an icon is a sacred image used in religious devotion". The most ...
of Shiva in this temple is depicted with his forefinger raised in warning about it.
History
There are several inscriptions in the temple belonging to the
Medieval Chola
Medieval Cholas rose to prominence during the middle of the 9th century CE and established one of the greatest empires of South India. They successfully united South India under their rule and through their naval strength extended their influen ...
s. On the southern wall in the central shrine, there is an inscription from the 13th year reign of the king,
Rajaraja I
Rajaraja I (947 CE – 1014 CE), born Arunmozhi Varman or Arulmozhi Varman and often described as Raja Raja the Great or Raja Raja Chozhan was a Chola emperor who reigned from 985 CE to 1014 CE. He was the most powerful Tamil king in South ...
Cholan, indicating stipulation of delivering paddy to the temple by a merchant in return to the land offered by the temple. Another inscription in the temple indicates the record (ARE 242 of 1925) of a gift of paddy to the temple by the king,
Rajendra Chola
Rajendra Chola I (; Middle Tamil: Rājēntira Cōḻaṉ; Classical Sanskrit: Rājēndradēva Cōla; Old Malay: ''Raja Suran''; c. 971 CE – 1044 CE), often referred to as Rajendra the Great, and also known as Gangaikonda Chola (Middle Tamil ...
, for conducting an eight-days temple festival annually. A third inscription on the same wall indicates a record dated to 1054 AD from the reign of the king,
Rajadhiraja Chola
Rajadhiraja I (994 CE - 1052 CE) was a Chola emperor, the most skilled military commander among the Chola rulers and the successor of his father, Rajendra I. He was the only Chola emperor who was killed while leading his army in war, and altho ...
informs about a gift of land by a devotee to feed 17 devotees. The fourth inscription (ARE 244 of 1925) in the shrine from the period of the king,
Kulothunga Chola I
Kulottunga I (;1025 CE - 1122 CE) also spelt Kulothunga (), was a Chola Emperor who reigned from 1070 CE to 1122 CE succeeding his cousin Athirajendra Chola. He also served as the Eastern Chalukya king from 1061 CE to 1118 CE, succeeding his ...
, indicates that Mahasabha of Tirukadavur selling 1.74 ''velis'' of land that had been lying fallow for 50 years. Another interesting inscription from the outer precinct from the period of the king,
Rajaraja II Cholan indicates confiscation of lands from a custodian of a temple who colluded with Vaishnavites (worshipers of
Vishnu
Vishnu ( ; , ), also known as Narayana and Hari, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the supreme being within Vaishnavism, one of the major traditions within contemporary Hinduism.
Vishnu is known as "The Preserver" within t ...
). There are also several other inscriptions indicating donations for performing art, drama, dance and music.
The temple is maintained and administered by the
Dharmapuram Adheenam
Dharumapuram Aadheenam is a Saivite monastic institution based in the town of Mayiladuthurai, Tamil Nadu. As of 2019, there were a total of 27 Shiva temples under the control of the adheenam.
History & activities
The adheenam was founded dur ...
.
Culture, Administration and utility services
As per 2021 census, the village had a population of 6,244. The village is connected by bus transport and is located on the
Chidambaram
Chidambaram is a town and municipality in Cuddalore district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, on the banks of the Vellar River where it meets the Bay of Bengal. It is the headquarters of the Chidambaram taluk. The town is believed to be of si ...
-
Nagapattinam
Nagapattinam (''nākappaṭṭinam'', previously spelt Nagapatnam or Negapatam) is a town in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and the administrative headquarters of Nagapattinam District. The town came to prominence during the period of Medieval ...
highway. There are three secondary schools and one senior secondary school in the village. There are a total of 1,528 households and the total area of the village is . There was one medical practitioner with M.B.,B.S. degree and four other medical systems practitioners. Being a tourist village, the public transports like autorickshaws, car-taxis and buses are common. The village also has an Anganwadi centre and noon meal nutrition centre. The village is also agrarian with a total of irrigated lands. The village has a minor port close to the private PPN Power Generating Company. The port is under the control of Tamil Nadu Maritime Board. Shastiapthapoorthi (60th birthday), Bhimaradha Shanthi (70th birthday), Sadabishegam (80th birthday) and other Ayul Shanthi fire worships are very famous here.
Accessibility
The village is connected by buses from
Mayiladuthurai
Mayiladuthurai (formerly known as Mayavaram or Mayuram) is a town and district headquarter of Mayiladuthurai district in Tamil Nadu, India. The town is located at a distance of from the state capital, Chennai.
Mayiladuthurai was ruled by Mediev ...
to
Poraiyar. The buses travelling to
Poraiyar,
Karaikal
Karaikal ( /kʌdɛkʌl/, french: Karikal /kaʁikal/) is a town of the Indian Union Territory of Puducherry. Karaikal was sold to the French by the Rajah of Thanjavur and became a French Colony in 1739. The French held control, with occasi ...
,
Nagapattinam
Nagapattinam (''nākappaṭṭinam'', previously spelt Nagapatnam or Negapatam) is a town in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and the administrative headquarters of Nagapattinam District. The town came to prominence during the period of Medieval ...
stop at Thirukkadaiyur bus-stop.
References
External links
{{commons category
Villages in Mayiladuthurai district