1) Tanjore---Saw first the historical Brihadkaarnyeswar temple or better known as 'The Big Temple'.Lighted 150 lights for the welfare of the entire family in front of Lord Brihadeeswar.The temple front is adorned by a big Nandi beautifully carved.Next went to see the tanjore palace where the saraswathi Mahal library is situated.The library has many old palm leave books and old manuscripts atht date back in century.Old atlas,old maps and old printing material dating back in time gave a glimpse into old history.What could have happened in those days from the eyes of a king who happened to collect some materails and keep them preserved for posterity.
2)Next visit was to the first navagraha temple meant for the 'Moon'.From there we went to Tyagaraja the singing seer of Indian(SouthIndian) Carnatic music.
3)Then to the temple for the deity called 'Eintharappan" meaning the deity for the five rivers.Here ,there is a nook from where the saptha swara can be heard when you call.The echo is quite distinct.The structure amazed me and I was thinking of that person who constructed this corner, bearing in mind the sciece of sound.The five rivers are respectively the Kaveri,Vettar,Vennar,thenar and the Iyyar.
4)On the way we went to another temple where the Goddess Durga is presiding and is called Punnai Nallar Mariyamman.
5)At this place itself another temple is devoted for Kothanda Rama with Seetha and Lakshman and Hanuman.Sugreeva also is there and all are reported to be made in saligraama stone.
6)The day being Thurseday we wanted to see Alangudi where Guru has one separate sannidi.Lot of crowd was there but we managed to see the lord.We halted at this place and next day morning went to see Oppiliappar koil and the tale is said that since Bhoomi devi was young she did not know to cook and cooked for the lord dishes without salt.So the Lord is called Oppiliappar or Uppilla appar.Lord without salt and the lord said he liked the dishes that way without salt.fter this we went to visit Thirunageswaram where Rahu ahs a temple..The main lord at all the Navagraha temples are always Siva and consort Parvathi only.The names of the main deities however differ as the people thought fit.For example at Thirunageswaram the deity is calledNaganatha swami and Devi is called Girikujambal.But Rahu, one of the Navagraha is given a separate temple in the same kshetra where the main lord is also there.
7)Next visit was to Adhi kumbeswrar temple which gives the name Kumbakonam to the town.Here the consort of the lord is called Mangalambikai.Then we went to Durgai temple on way to Papanasam which was beautiful.After worshipping here we went to the 108 Sivalinga temple which has the following history as explained by the temple authorities.When ram was returning after the war he felt that he was being followed by the "paap'of two Raksha's he had killed. So to get rid of the Paap he decided to worship Siva and asked Hanuman to bring the Siva Liga from Himaalya and meanwhile Seetha started making 100s of lingas out of mud and started pooja.By that time Hanuman returned and seeing Seetha with all the lingams put the lingam he brought down.That Lingam is the one outside the temple and inside counting the Swami there are 107 Lingams.If one worships all the Lingams the paap is supposed to have been erased.So the name of the temple as "Paapnasam".
8)Next visit was to Thirukarukkavoor where the Goddess Garbha rakshambigai is famous for giving children to those women who are deprived of bearing children.The Lord is again Siva and is calledc Mullai Vana swami.Here too the Devi has protected a woman having her confinement destroyed by the saap of a Muni.So the Devi is being worshipped strongly here.
9)While returning to Kumbakonam town again we visited Sarangapaani temple where Lord Vishnu lies lordly tp protect everyone and the deity is so beautiful and majestic.The time we went was really lucky in that we all were called to come near the deity and the priests expalined the different aspects of the Lord and showed us the feet and the abaya mudra and the place where Lakshmi sits near the Lord and the other deities around him.The Devis; name here is Komalavalli.
10)Again we saw one more temple dedicated to rama called the Ramaswami temple and the Lord with his consort Seetha and brother Lakshmana and Hanuman is beautifull and happily we worshipped them all.
11) We saw the Mahamaham tank at Kumbakonam too.Next we went to Sooryanar koil where Lord soorya has a separate temple and has all the other remaining Navagraha around him.Visiting this temple you can actaully worship all the Navagraha's at one place itself.The Lod is called Sivasooryanaraayna swami and consorts are called Chaya devi and Usha devi.However it must be mentioned that in all other navagraha temple prsiding deity is always Siva and consort.Only the graha's are worshipped specially and has prominence in rituals.
12)Next we went to Kanjanoor where Sukra or Venus has special temple.The lord is called Agneeswarar and the consort is Karpagambigai.The next place of visit was to Keezhperumpallam where Kethu has a temple.The lord is called Naganatha swami and consort is Soundara nayaki.Next on line was Thiruvenkaad where Budha has a temple.The lord here is called Swetharanyeswarar and his consort is called Brahma Vidhyambigai.In each place the worship is done following rules regarding lighting of lamps and going round the deity.
13)On the way we went to thirukadaioor where the venerable Abhirami and Lord Siva presides over innumerable sixty year plus couples who do their shashtiabda poorthy wedding, meaning completing 60 years for the man with his wedded wife.The day we went over 20 weddings were being conducted and there was the sound of Nadaswaram reminding one of wedding days.What a sweet way to celebrate!.
14)We halted at thirukadaioor for the night and went next day to Thirunallar where saneeswara has atemple.ince the day happens to be saturday there was plenty of rush here.After finishing this temple we went to vaitheeswaran koil where the Lord vaithyanatha swami and Devi Thaiyyal nayaki pesides over and gave Kuja or mars respite from his affliction in the skin.So many come here to do the ritual of worshipping Kuja and the Deities to get cured of skin afflictions.
15)Next we went to Chidambaram where the dancing Lord Siva as Nataraja is worshipped.The consort Sivakami is also beautiful to look at and we worshipped her also.
Aftr these visits we went to chennai where we aagin went to see the kapaleeswarar koil.Beautiful temple structure kept clean and the Devi looks stunning.In all these places especially in Tanjore, Vaitheeswaarn koil and Chidambaram the structures are huge and Iwas thinking of the huge festivals that could have been conducted here in far back days and the throngs of people who had stood there watching them.More in next write ups.
Jayamala.
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