Masilamaniswara Temple, Thirumullaivoyal
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The Masilamaniswara Temple, Thirumullaivoyal or ''Masilamaniswara Temple'' is a
Hindu Hindus (; ; also known as Sanātanīs) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism, also known by its endonym Sanātana Dharma. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pp. 35–37 Historically, the term has also be ...
temple dedicated to
Shiva Shiva (; , ), also known as Mahadeva (; , , Help:IPA/Sanskrit, ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐh and Hara, is one of the Hindu deities, principal deities of Hinduism. He is the God in Hinduism, Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions w ...
located in
Thirumullaivoyal Thirumullaivoyal is a western neighbourhood of Chennai the capital of the India state of Tamil Nadu, under Avadi City Municipal Corporation Limits. It is located in the Chennai Metropolitan Area in Thiruvallur district, from Avadi and from A ...
in the
Chennai Chennai, also known as Madras (List of renamed places in India#Tamil Nadu, its official name until 1996), is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Tamil Nadu by population, largest city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost states and ...
-
Avadi Avadi () is a city Located within the Chennai metropolitan area, Its the headquarters of Avadi Police, Avadi City Police, Avadi City Municipal Corporation, Avadi City Corporation and Avadi taluk, Avadi Taluk located within the Thiruvallur dist ...
road,
India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
. The temple is incarnated by the hymns of
Tevaram The ''Tevaram'' (, ), also spelled ''Thevaram'', denotes the first seven volumes of the twelve-volume collection ''Tirumurai'', a Saivism, Shaiva narrative of epic and Puranas, Puranic heroes, as well as a Hagiography, hagiographic account of ...
and is classified as ''
Paadal Petra Sthalam The Paadal Petra Sthalams (), also known as Devara Sthalams, are 276 temples that are revered in the verses of Shaiva Nayanars in the 6th-9th century CE. The Divya Desams by comparison are the 108 Vishnu temples glorified in the poems of the ...
''. The temple is incarnated by the hymns of
Sundarar Sundarar (), also referred to as Chuntarar, Chuntaramurtti, Nampi Aruran or Tampiran Tolan, was an eighth-century poet-saint of Tamil Shaiva Siddhanta tradition of Hinduism. He is among the Tevaram trio, and one of the most prominent Nayanars, ...
,
Ramalinga Swamigal Thiruvarutprakasa Vallalār Chidambaram Ramalingam (5 October 1823 – 30 January 1874), also known as Vallalār, Ramalinga Swamigal and Ramalinga Adigal, was one of the known Tamil people, Tamil Hindu saint and a true God of Enlightenment who t ...
and
Arunagirinathar Arunagirinathar (', ) was a Tamil language, Tamil Shaivism, Shaiva saint-poet who lived during the 14th century in Tamil Nadu, India. In his treatise ''A History of Indian Literature'' (1974), Czechs, Czech Indologist Kamil Zvelebil places Aru ...
. His consort
Parvati Parvati (, , IPA: /Sanskrit phonology, pɑɾʋət̪iː/), also known as Uma (, , IPA: Sanskrit phonology, /ʊmɑː/) and Gauri (, , IPA: /Sanskrit phonology, gə͡ʊɾiː/), is one of the principal goddesses in Hinduism, revered as the Devi, ...
is depicted as Piraisoodi Amman. The presiding deity is revered in the 7th-century Tamil Shaiva canonical work, the ''
Tevaram The ''Tevaram'' (, ), also spelled ''Thevaram'', denotes the first seven volumes of the twelve-volume collection ''Tirumurai'', a Saivism, Shaiva narrative of epic and Puranas, Puranic heroes, as well as a Hagiography, hagiographic account of ...
'', written by Tamil saint poets known as the
nayanars The Nayanars (or Nayanmars; , and later 'teachers of Shiva') were a group of 63 Tamils, Tamil Hindu saints living during the 6th to 8th centuries CE who were devoted to the Hindu god Shiva. Along with the Alvars, their contemporaries who were de ...
and classified as ''
Paadal Petra Sthalam The Paadal Petra Sthalams (), also known as Devara Sthalams, are 276 temples that are revered in the verses of Shaiva Nayanars in the 6th-9th century CE. The Divya Desams by comparison are the 108 Vishnu temples glorified in the poems of the ...
''. The temple is believed to have been built by
Cholas The Chola dynasty () was a Tamil dynasty originating from Southern India. At its height, it ruled over the Chola Empire, an expansive maritime empire. The earliest datable references to the Chola are from inscriptions dated to the 3rd cen ...
during 9th century CE and with significant additions from later
Chola The Chola Empire, which is often referred to as the Imperial Cholas, was a medieval thalassocratic empire based in southern India that was ruled by the Chola dynasty, and comprised overseas dominions, protectorates and spheres of influence ...
kings and by the subsequent ruling empires. It houses five-tiered gateway towers known as ''
gopurams A ''gopuram'' or ''gopura'' (Tamil: கோபுரம், Telugu: గోపురం, Kannada: ಗೋಪುರ, Malayalam: ഗോപുരം) is a monumental entrance tower, usually ornate, at the entrance of a Hindu temple, in the South In ...
''. The temple has numerous shrines, with those of Masilamaniswarar and Kodiyidai Nayagi Amman being the most prominent. The temple has six daily rituals at various times from 6:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., and four yearly festivals on its calendar. The temple is one of the Sakthi triad in the region of
Tondaimandalam Toṇḍaimaṇḍalam, also known as Toṇḍai Nāḍu, is a historical region located in the northernmost part of Tamil Nadu and southernmost part of Andhra Pradesh. Toṇḍaimaṇḍalam was divided into 24 ''kottam''s — smaller district ...
, the other two being the
Vadivudai Amman Temple Thyagaraja Temple (also called as Vadivudai Amman Temple) is a Hindu temple dedicated to Hindu god Shiva. It is located in Tiruvottiyur in the northern part of Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. The temple is revered by the ''Tevaram'' hymns of Saivit ...
at
Tiruvottiyur Tiruvottriyur (Thiruvottiyur or TVT) is a neighbourhood in North Chennai, administered by the Greater Chennai Corporation. It is part of the Tondiarpet division, located to the north of Chennai. It is one of the fifteen administrative zones in ...
and the
Thiruvudai Amman Temple Thirumanangeeswarar Temple is a Hindu temple located in Melur, south of Minjur, Chennai, Tamil Nadu. The temple is dedicated to Thiruvudai Amman as its chief goddess (''Ichchaa Sakthi''). The temple is one of the Sakthi triad in the Tondaiman ...
at
Minjur Minjur is a suburb located in the northern outskirts of Chennai, India. It is located in Thiruvallur district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Minjur is called 'Vada Kanchi' meaning North Kanchipuram. The locality has two famous temples for Sh ...
.


Legend

In ancient times, the forest surrounding
Tirumullaivayil Thirumullaivoyal is a western neighbourhood of Chennai the capital of the India state of Tamil Nadu, under Avadi City Municipal Corporation Limits. It is located in the Chennai Metropolitan Area in Thiruvallur district, from Avadi and from A ...
was ruled by two notorious tribesmen, Vaanan and Onan from the
Kurumbar Kuruba is a Hindu caste native to the Indian state of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. They are the third-largest caste group in Karnataka. Traditionally, these are shepherds who used to do the work of sheep/goat and animal ...
tribe. they are feudal lords of thirumullaivayil. King Thondaiman wanted to the area under his control . All his attempts went futile and finally he decided to defeat them in war. He set out for the war with all his infantry and cavalry with elephants and chariots. En route to the war, they waded through a dense growth of ''Mullai'' plants (
Jasmine Jasmine (botanical name: ''Jasminum'', pronounced ) is a genus of shrubs and vines in the olive family of Oleaceae. It contains around 200 species native to tropical and warm temperate regions of Eurasia, Africa, and Oceania. Jasmines are wid ...
climbers). The foot of the elephant on which he was mounted was entangled in the dense foliage. The king and his men, in an attempt to free the elephant from this mess, went on to cut the wild twines with their swords and daggers. Suddenly they noticed blood gushing out from the leaves and found a '
lingam A lingam ( , lit. "sign, symbol or mark"), sometimes referred to as linga or Shiva linga, is an abstract or Aniconism, aniconic representation of the Hinduism, Hindu Hindu deities, god Shiva in Shaivism. The word ''lingam'' is found in the Up ...
' bleeding. Shocked, the king was in great distress that he has committed a sin. Seeking mercy and forgiveness from Shiva, he prayed to him. Without any delay
Shiva Shiva (; , ), also known as Mahadeva (; , , Help:IPA/Sanskrit, ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐh and Hara, is one of the Hindu deities, principal deities of Hinduism. He is the God in Hinduism, Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions w ...
and
Parvati Parvati (, , IPA: /Sanskrit phonology, pɑɾʋət̪iː/), also known as Uma (, , IPA: Sanskrit phonology, /ʊmɑː/) and Gauri (, , IPA: /Sanskrit phonology, gə͡ʊɾiː/), is one of the principal goddesses in Hinduism, revered as the Devi, ...
appeared before the king lest he indulge in causing self-inflicted injury out of grief. Shiva asked the King to build a temple for him right there and promised that he would reside there as Masilamaniswara, Shiva who is as precious as a gem, but without stains maasu' - dirty or stain (caused by the profuse bleeding), 'ila' - without, 'mani' - gem It is believed that Shiva also promised to support him in destroying the Kurumbars by sending his holy steed, the
Nandi Nandi may refer to: People * Nandy (surname), Indian surname * Nandi (mother of Shaka) (1760–1827), daughter of Bhebe of the Langeni tribe * Onandi Lowe (born 1974), Jamaican footballer nicknamed Nandi * Nandi Bushell (born 2010), South Afr ...
bull. On his orders, the
Nandi Nandi may refer to: People * Nandy (surname), Indian surname * Nandi (mother of Shaka) (1760–1827), daughter of Bhebe of the Langeni tribe * Onandi Lowe (born 1974), Jamaican footballer nicknamed Nandi * Nandi Bushell (born 2010), South Afr ...
also gets ready to go and fight for the King. This is why the
Nandi Nandi may refer to: People * Nandy (surname), Indian surname * Nandi (mother of Shaka) (1760–1827), daughter of Bhebe of the Langeni tribe * Onandi Lowe (born 1974), Jamaican footballer nicknamed Nandi * Nandi Bushell (born 2010), South Afr ...
in this temple faces outwards, ready to leave for the battle on the orders of Shiva, whereas in all other Shiva temples, it faces inwards facing the sanctum.


History

The temple has inscriptions from the period of
Chola The Chola Empire, which is often referred to as the Imperial Cholas, was a medieval thalassocratic empire based in southern India that was ruled by the Chola dynasty, and comprised overseas dominions, protectorates and spheres of influence ...
and
Pandya The Pandya dynasty (), also referred to as the Pandyas of Madurai, was an ancient Tamil dynasty of South India, and among the four great kingdoms of Tamilakam, the other three being the Pallavas, the Cholas and the Cheras. Existing sinc ...
, as per which, it was located on the banks of a tributary of river
Palar Palar (Tamil: ''பாலாறு'' pālāṟu paːlaːɾu literally "milk river") is a river of southern India. It rises in the Nandi Hills in Chikkaballapura district of Karnataka state, and flows in Karnataka, in Andhra Pradesh and i ...
. The temple has inscriptions from the period of
Medieval Cholas The Chola Empire, which is often referred to as the Imperial Cholas, was a medieval thalassocratic empire based in southern India that was ruled by the Chola dynasty, and comprised overseas dominions, protectorates and spheres of influence ...
and has received various architectural additions during their regime. An inscription from the period of
Uttama Chola Uttama, also known as Madhurantaka, Uthaya Kumar, was a Chola Emperor who ruled from 971 to 985 in present-day Tamil Nadu, India. According to Tiruvalangadu plates of Rajendra Chola, Madhurantaka Uttama's reign is placed after Aditya II. The l ...
(970-85 CE) recorded as AR 669 of 1904 indicates that
Sembiyan Mahadevi Sembiyan Mahadevi was Queen consort and empress of the Chola Empire from 949 CE – 957 CE as the wife of Gandaraditya Chola. She is the mother of Uttama Chola. She was one of the most powerful empresses of the Chola empire who over a period of ...
, the mother of Uttama bought 9,300 ''kulis'' of land for 80 ''kalanju'' of gold from the Mahasabha of Ambattur and made a gift to the temple. This is the northernmost of temples where Sembiyan Mahadevi donated for the temple construction. There are also inscriptions from the regime of Parthivendravarman, a feudatory of Uttama Chola, which mentions the reconquest of the regions lost to
Rashtrakutas The Rashtrakuta Empire was a royal Indian polity ruling large parts of the Indian subcontinent between the 6th and 10th centuries. The earliest known Rashtrakuta Indian inscriptions, inscription is a 7th-century copper plate grant detailing th ...
during the
Battle of Takkolam A battle is an occurrence of combat in warfare between opposing military units of any number or size. A war usually consists of multiple battles. In general, a battle is a military engagement that is well defined in duration, area, and force ...
fought during 949 CE. Another inscription recorded as 677 and 678 of 1904 from the period of
Rajendra I Rajendra I (26 July 971 – 1044), often referred to as Rajendra the Great, was a Chola Emperor who reigned from 1014 to 1044. He was born in Thanjavur to Rajaraja I. His queen was Vanavan Mahadevi and he assumed royal power as co-regent with ...
(1012–1044 CE) records gifts to the temple. There are other inscriptions from subsequent Chola kings like
Kulothunga III Kulothunga III was a Chola emperor who ruled from to 1218. He ascended the throne after succeeding his elder brother Rajadhiraja II. Kulothunga Chola III gained success in war against his traditional foes. He gained victories in war against ...
(1178–1218 CE) and
Rajaraja III Rajaraja Chola III (died 1260) was the Chola emperor from 1216 to 1246. He succeeded Kulothunga Chola III on the Chola throne in July 1216. Rajaraja came to the throne of a kingdom much reduced in size as well as influence. With the rise of ...
(1216–1256 CE). There are inscriptions from
Pandya The Pandya dynasty (), also referred to as the Pandyas of Madurai, was an ancient Tamil dynasty of South India, and among the four great kingdoms of Tamilakam, the other three being the Pallavas, the Cholas and the Cheras. Existing sinc ...
king
Jatavarman Sundara Pandyan I Jatavarman Sundara I, also known as Sadayavarman Sundara Pandyan, was an emperor of the Pandyan dynasty who ruled regions of Tamilakam (present day South India), Northern Sri Lanka, and Southern Andhra between 1250–1268 CE.Sethuraman, p124 H ...
and from kings of
Vijayanagara Empire The Vijayanagara Empire, also known as the Karnata Kingdom, was a late medieval Hinduism, Hindu empire that ruled much of southern India. It was established in 1336 by the brothers Harihara I and Bukka Raya I of the Sangama dynasty, belongi ...
like Harihara Raya II (1377–1404 CE), Harihara Raya II (1377–1404 CE) and
Mallikarjuna Raya Mallikarjuna Raya (reigned May 1446 – 14 July 1465), also known as Deva Raya III, was an Emperor of Vijayanagara from the Sangama Dynasty. Mallikarjuna Raya succeeded his father Emperor Deva Raya II, who had brought prosperity throughout th ...
(1446–1465 CE). The large
Nandi Bull Nandi (), also known as Nandikeshvara or Nandideva, is the bull ''vahana'' (mount) of the Hindu god Shiva. He is also the guardian deity of Kailash, the abode of Shiva. Almost all Shiva temples display stone images of a seated Nandi, generally ...
statue is believed to have been built to commemorate the victory of king Thondaiman over two demon brothers.


Architecture

The ''vimana'' (roof) of the sanctum sanctorum is designed in a special way that is exclusive to
Pallava The Pallava dynasty existed from 275 CE to 897 CE, ruling a significant portion of South India, the Deccan, also known as Tondaimandalam. The Pallavas played a crucial role in shaping in particular southern Indian history and heritage. The ...
architecture - the Gaja Prishtam, that looks like the rear of an elephant (''Gaja'' - elephant, ''prishtam'' - rear). It is built on a circular base and is known as ''Thoonganai Maadam'' in
Tamil Tamil may refer to: People, culture and language * Tamils, an ethno-linguistic group native to India, Sri Lanka, and some other parts of Asia **Sri Lankan Tamils, Tamil people native to Sri Lanka ** Myanmar or Burmese Tamils, Tamil people of Ind ...
(' - sleeping, ' - elephant, ' - top of a building (or temple)) or simply, 'a building that looks like the rear of a sleeping elephant'. The Goddess is called ''Kodiyidai Nayagi'' - She who has a waist as slender as the Jasmine climber. She is considered to be a very powerful deity and is known to bestow Her gracious blessings for newly weds, unwed girls for speedy marriage and for a happy married life. There is a scar on the
lingam A lingam ( , lit. "sign, symbol or mark"), sometimes referred to as linga or Shiva linga, is an abstract or Aniconism, aniconic representation of the Hinduism, Hindu Hindu deities, god Shiva in Shaivism. The word ''lingam'' is found in the Up ...
, which is covered with sandalwood paste. There is a smaller linga made of mercury on which ablution is performed. The Vinayaka in this temple is called Valampuri Vinayaka. The temple tank is located outside the temple premises. Unlike other temples, the image of
Nandi Bull Nandi (), also known as Nandikeshvara or Nandideva, is the bull ''vahana'' (mount) of the Hindu god Shiva. He is also the guardian deity of Kailash, the abode of Shiva. Almost all Shiva temples display stone images of a seated Nandi, generally ...
faces a direction opposite to the sanctum. There are smaller shrines in the temple for Cholapureeswar and Kuchalapureeswarar who are believed to have been worshipped by
Lava Lava is molten or partially molten rock (magma) that has been expelled from the interior of a terrestrial planet (such as Earth) or a Natural satellite, moon onto its surface. Lava may be erupted at a volcano or through a Fissure vent, fractu ...
and
Kusha Kusha () is a Chandravamsha king in Hindu mythology. He was the father of Kushanabha Kushanabha () is a king featured in Hindu texts. He is described to be the king of the Amavasu dynasty and belongs to the Chandravamsha line. He is stated to ...
, the sons of
Rama Rama (; , , ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the seventh and one of the most popular avatars of Vishnu. In Rama-centric Hindu traditions, he is considered the Supreme Being. Also considered as the ideal man (''maryāda' ...
. The positions of the deities - Shiva and Parvati (Kodiyidai Amman) is also found to be interchanged as against what is usually found in Shiva temples. It is believed to be so because Shiva and his Consort were in a hurry to give '
Darśana In Indian religions, a ''darshan'' (Sanskrit: दर्शन, ; 'showing, appearance, view, sight') or ''darshanam'' is the auspicious sight of a deity or a holy person. The term also refers to any one of the six traditional schools of Hind ...
' (holy appearance) to the King. With Shiva's blessings and
Nandi Nandi may refer to: People * Nandy (surname), Indian surname * Nandi (mother of Shaka) (1760–1827), daughter of Bhebe of the Langeni tribe * Onandi Lowe (born 1974), Jamaican footballer nicknamed Nandi * Nandi Bushell (born 2010), South Afr ...
's support, the King did win over the battle and proceeded to his capital. As a memoir of the victory, he seized a very prized possession of the
Kurumbar Kuruba is a Hindu caste native to the Indian state of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. They are the third-largest caste group in Karnataka. Traditionally, these are shepherds who used to do the work of sheep/goat and animal ...
s—two pillars made of the tree trunk of 'Vellerukku' (white Crown flower -
Calotropis gigantea ''Calotropis gigantea'', the crown flower, is a species of '' Calotropis'' native to Cambodia, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines,Thailand, Sri Lanka, India, China, Pakistan, and Nepal. It is a large shrub growing to tal ...
). These pillars can be seen even today placed on both sides, decorating the sanctum sanctorum of the presiding deity.


Religious importance

Thirumullaivoyal is one of the many temple towns in the state which is named after the grooves, clusters or forests dominated by a particular variety of a tree or shrub and the same variety of tree or shrub sheltering the presiding deity. The region is believed to have been covered with Chamapaka forest and hence called Chamapakavanam. She and Her counterparts, ''Tiruvudai Amman''
Thirumanangeeswarar Temple Thirumanangeeswarar Temple is a Hindu temple located in Melur, south of Minjur, Chennai, Tamil Nadu. The temple is dedicated to Thiruvudai Amman as its chief goddess (''Ichchaa Sakthi''). The temple is one of the Sakthi triad in the Tondaiman ...
- She who symbolises
Lakshmi Lakshmi (; , , sometimes spelled Laxmi, ), also known as Shri (, , ), is one of the principal goddesses in Hinduism, revered as the goddess of wealth, fortune, prosperity, beauty, fertility, sovereignty, and abundance. She along with Parvat ...
and ''Vadivudai Amman''
Thyagaraja Temple, Tiruvottiyur Thyagaraja Temple (also called as Vadivudai Amman Temple) is a Hindu temple dedicated to Hindu god Shiva. It is located in Tiruvottiyur in the northern part of Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. The temple is revered by the ''Tevaram'' hymns of Saiva ...
- She who is resplendent with her gracious beauty, are believed to be three Goddesses who shower all auspicious things in life if visited and worshipped on the same day of ''Chitra Pournami'' - the full moon day in the Tamil month of Chithirai.
Sundarar Sundarar (), also referred to as Chuntarar, Chuntaramurtti, Nampi Aruran or Tampiran Tolan, was an eighth-century poet-saint of Tamil Shaiva Siddhanta tradition of Hinduism. He is among the Tevaram trio, and one of the most prominent Nayanars, ...
, an 8th-century Tamil ''Shaiva'' poet, venerated Masilamaniswarar in ten verses in ''
Tevaram The ''Tevaram'' (, ), also spelled ''Thevaram'', denotes the first seven volumes of the twelve-volume collection ''Tirumurai'', a Saivism, Shaiva narrative of epic and Puranas, Puranic heroes, as well as a Hagiography, hagiographic account of ...
'', compiled as the '' Seventh Tirumurai''. As the temple is revered in ''Tevaram'', it is classified as ''
Paadal Petra Sthalam The Paadal Petra Sthalams (), also known as Devara Sthalams, are 276 temples that are revered in the verses of Shaiva Nayanars in the 6th-9th century CE. The Divya Desams by comparison are the 108 Vishnu temples glorified in the poems of the ...
'', one of the 275 temples that find mention in the Shaiva canon. The temple is counted as the 52nd in the list of temples in the northern banks of Cauvery. The temple with Kodiyidai Amman as its chief goddess is the third of the Sakthi temple triad in the region of the
Tondaimandalam Toṇḍaimaṇḍalam, also known as Toṇḍai Nāḍu, is a historical region located in the northernmost part of Tamil Nadu and southernmost part of Andhra Pradesh. Toṇḍaimaṇḍalam was divided into 24 ''kottam''s — smaller district ...
, namely, Thiruvudai Amman (also known as ''Ichchaa Sakthi'', the goddess who fulfills devotees' wishes), Vadivudai Amman (also known as ''Gnaana Shakti'', the goddess who blesses with gnana or knowledge), and Kodiyidai Ammam (also known as ''Kriya Shakti'', the goddess who assists in all actions). The Vadivudai Amman shrine or Thyagaraja Temple is at
Tiruvottiyur Tiruvottriyur (Thiruvottiyur or TVT) is a neighbourhood in North Chennai, administered by the Greater Chennai Corporation. It is part of the Tondiarpet division, located to the north of Chennai. It is one of the fifteen administrative zones in ...
while the Thiruvudai Amman shrine or Thirumanangeeswarar Temple is at
Minjur Minjur is a suburb located in the northern outskirts of Chennai, India. It is located in Thiruvallur district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Minjur is called 'Vada Kanchi' meaning North Kanchipuram. The locality has two famous temples for Sh ...
.


Worship practices

The temple priests perform the '' puja'' (rituals) during festivals and on a daily basis. Like other Shiva temples of Tamil Nadu, the priests belong to the
Shaiva Shaivism (, , ) is one of the major Hindu traditions, which worships Shiva as the supreme being. It is the second-largest Hindu sect after Vaishnavism, constituting about 385 million Hindus, found widely across South Asia (predominantly in ...
community. The temple rituals are performed four times a day; Ushathkalam at 6:30 a.m., Kalasanthi at 8:00 a.m., Uchikalam at 12:00 a.m., Sayarakshai at 5:00 p.m., and Ardha Jamam at 8:00 p.m. Each ritual comprises four steps: ''
abhisheka Abhisheka () is a religious rite or method of prayer in which a devotee pours a liquid offering on an image or murti of a deity. This is common to religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism. Hinduism An abhiṣeka is conducted by pries ...
'' (sacred bath), ''alangaram'' (decoration), '' naivethanam'' (food offering) and ''deepa aradanai'' (waving of lamps) for both Masilamaniswarar and Kodiyidai Nayagi. The worship is held amidst music with ''
nagaswaram The ''nadaswaram'' is a double reed wind instrument from South India. It is used as a traditional classical instrument in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka and Kerala and in the northern and eastern parts of Sri Lanka. This in ...
'' (pipe instrument) and ''
tavil A ''thavil'' (Tamil:தவில்) or ''tavil'' is a barrel-shaped percussion instrument from Tamil Nadu. It is also widely used in other South Indian states (Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Telangana) as well as in the North and East of ...
'' (percussion instrument), religious instructions in the
Vedas FIle:Atharva-Veda samhita page 471 illustration.png, upright=1.2, The Vedas are ancient Sanskrit texts of Hinduism. Above: A page from the ''Atharvaveda''. The Vedas ( or ; ), sometimes collectively called the Veda, are a large body of relig ...
(sacred texts) read by priests and prostration by worshipers in front of the temple mast. There are weekly rituals like ' (Monday) and ' (Friday), fortnightly rituals like ''
pradosha Pradosha or Pradosham (IAST: Pradoṣa) is a bimonthly occasion on the thirteenth day ('' Trayodashi'') of every fortnight in the Hindu calendar. Aiya V. 1906, p. 103 It is closely connected with the worship of the Hindu god Shiva. The auspicio ...
m'' and monthly festivals like '' amavasai'' (new moon day), ''kiruthigai'', '' pournami'' (full moon day) and ''sathurthi''. Mahashivaratri during February - March and Thiruvadihari during December are the major festivals celebrated in the temple. Every year in the month of ''Chittirai'' (Mar-Apr), on ''Sadaya nakshatra'' (Sadayam star), the ''Santhana kappu'' is refurbished with ''Veru kappu''. This is believed to be the treatment for the blood that oozed out of the deity because of the king's attack.


See also

*
Heritage structures in Chennai Chennai, with historically rich records dating at least from the Pallava dynasty, time of the Pallavas, houses 2,467 heritage buildings within its metropolitan area (Chennai Metropolitan Area, CMA), the highest within any metropolitan area limit ...
*
Religion in Chennai Chennai is religiously cosmopolitan, with its denizens following various religions, chief among them being Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Sikhism, Jainism, Buddhism, and Zoroastrianism. Chennai, along with Mumbai, Delhi, Kochi, and Kolkata, is o ...


External links


(Official site)


References

{{Places of worship in Chennai Hindu temples in Tiruvallur district Padal Petra Stalam Shiva temples in Tiruvallur district