Hundreds of yellow thread hang from steel rods around the sanctum sanctorum. Each one of them has a turmeric stick tied on to the thread and a number tag attached. I try to peer closer to read a tag - B2657. Another - G3328. Why have these threads been tied here and why are they tagged? This is Vidyambigai Samedha Bheemeshwar Temple at Mudichur, where people pray for their children's marriage. All sincere prayers are definitely answered and after marriage, the couple come here and remove the yellow thread that had been tied (that's why the tag - B stands for Boy and G for Girl!) and offer abhishekam to the Lord as a token of gratitude.
So, how did this temple become a "Parihara Sthalam" ? Thats an interesting story.
Over 1300 years ago, there was a Shiva Devotee named Kameshwaran in this village. He found a Shivalingam and started worshipping it in a small shrine. In the same village, lived a man called Vishwam with his adopted daughter Vasuki. Kameshwaran and Vasuki fell in love and wanted to get married. But Vishwam was against the match. Not wanting to hurt his feelings, Kameshwaran and Vasuki prayed to Lord Shiva everyday to join them in matrimony.Hearing their sincere prayers, Lord Shiva appeared beforeVishwam as Parameshwaran, the Gurukkal at the temple and asked him to bring Kameshwaran and Vasuki to the temple. Unable to act against the words of the Gurukkal, Vishwam did as told. Parameshwaran got the two of them married. Lord Shiva and Parvathi appeared before the couple, who were overwhelmed with happiness. Since Lord Shiva got Kameshwaran and Vasuki married here, the place came to be known as Manamudicha Nallur ( place where the wedding was conducted), which now is called Mudichur.
Even today, hundreds of eligible men and women go around the Nagapeetam outside the temple and tie yellow threads around the Sanctum Sanctorum praying for successful marriage proposals. The Shivalingam worshipped by Kameshwaran was called Parameshwaran, after the avatar Lord Shiva took to get them married. Slowly he came to be known as Bheemeshwara which is how he is referred to today. The Goddess is a manifestation of the three devis and is called Vidyambigai.
The temple is a great example of Shaiva - Vaishnava unity. The temple complex houses Sridevi Bhoodevi Samedha Damodhara Perumal. This was a sought after Vaishnavite Shrine of Yore. It is believed that Saint Ramanuja had given a Pravachanam here on his way to Shriperumbudur. In the 1800s, Sri Appariyaar Swamy is said to have collected the "Naalayira Divya Prabandham" through manuscripts, and helped collating them for print. Some also say that since the Divya Prabandham work was completed here, the place came to be known as Mudichur.
The temple had been badly damaged during the Manimangalam War fought between Narasimha Varma Pallava (popularly known as Mamalla) and Pulikesi II in 642 AD after which for many many years it lay in a state of neglect. No worship happened. The temple was covered with thick bushes and there were many snakes so people were afraid to go in and pray. The only activity in the temple used to happen on Karthigai Deepam day when a huge lamp was lit on the 1300 year old lamp post opposite to the Damodhara Perumal Shrine. The lamp post stands even today tall and beautiful. Unfortunately, I was not allowed to take pictures inside the shrine due to some local governance issues with the temple and so one has to personally visit to see the beauty of the shrine and the idols. It is only in the 1980s that the local youth got together to clear all the bushes, and repair and reconstruct the shrines. Today the small temples of both Perumal and Shiva and well maintained with a number of flowering plants all around the shrines.
Karthigai Deepam festival is a very important festival in this temple. Lighting of Sokka Panai and Theppam Festival happen during the month of Karthigai and it is a visual delight to watch the gloriously lit theppam floating in this beautiful temple tank. The tank is large and is fenced to prevent people from bathing in the deep waters. However, a lot could be done to clean and maintain the tank.
So, how did this temple become a "Parihara Sthalam" ? Thats an interesting story.
Over 1300 years ago, there was a Shiva Devotee named Kameshwaran in this village. He found a Shivalingam and started worshipping it in a small shrine. In the same village, lived a man called Vishwam with his adopted daughter Vasuki. Kameshwaran and Vasuki fell in love and wanted to get married. But Vishwam was against the match. Not wanting to hurt his feelings, Kameshwaran and Vasuki prayed to Lord Shiva everyday to join them in matrimony.Hearing their sincere prayers, Lord Shiva appeared beforeVishwam as Parameshwaran, the Gurukkal at the temple and asked him to bring Kameshwaran and Vasuki to the temple. Unable to act against the words of the Gurukkal, Vishwam did as told. Parameshwaran got the two of them married. Lord Shiva and Parvathi appeared before the couple, who were overwhelmed with happiness. Since Lord Shiva got Kameshwaran and Vasuki married here, the place came to be known as Manamudicha Nallur ( place where the wedding was conducted), which now is called Mudichur.
Even today, hundreds of eligible men and women go around the Nagapeetam outside the temple and tie yellow threads around the Sanctum Sanctorum praying for successful marriage proposals. The Shivalingam worshipped by Kameshwaran was called Parameshwaran, after the avatar Lord Shiva took to get them married. Slowly he came to be known as Bheemeshwara which is how he is referred to today. The Goddess is a manifestation of the three devis and is called Vidyambigai.
The temple is a great example of Shaiva - Vaishnava unity. The temple complex houses Sridevi Bhoodevi Samedha Damodhara Perumal. This was a sought after Vaishnavite Shrine of Yore. It is believed that Saint Ramanuja had given a Pravachanam here on his way to Shriperumbudur. In the 1800s, Sri Appariyaar Swamy is said to have collected the "Naalayira Divya Prabandham" through manuscripts, and helped collating them for print. Some also say that since the Divya Prabandham work was completed here, the place came to be known as Mudichur.
The temple had been badly damaged during the Manimangalam War fought between Narasimha Varma Pallava (popularly known as Mamalla) and Pulikesi II in 642 AD after which for many many years it lay in a state of neglect. No worship happened. The temple was covered with thick bushes and there were many snakes so people were afraid to go in and pray. The only activity in the temple used to happen on Karthigai Deepam day when a huge lamp was lit on the 1300 year old lamp post opposite to the Damodhara Perumal Shrine. The lamp post stands even today tall and beautiful. Unfortunately, I was not allowed to take pictures inside the shrine due to some local governance issues with the temple and so one has to personally visit to see the beauty of the shrine and the idols. It is only in the 1980s that the local youth got together to clear all the bushes, and repair and reconstruct the shrines. Today the small temples of both Perumal and Shiva and well maintained with a number of flowering plants all around the shrines.
Karthigai Deepam festival is a very important festival in this temple. Lighting of Sokka Panai and Theppam Festival happen during the month of Karthigai and it is a visual delight to watch the gloriously lit theppam floating in this beautiful temple tank. The tank is large and is fenced to prevent people from bathing in the deep waters. However, a lot could be done to clean and maintain the tank.
For more details of the Theppam Festival and lovely pictures, you may access the Treasures of Tamilnadu blog here
As we enter the temple, we find the Hanuman shrine to our right, and a small shrine for Garudalwar in front of the ancient lamp post. Both Hanuman and Garuda face the Damodara Perumal temple. The left side of the temple complex is made up of the Vidyambigai Samedha Bheemeswarar temple and the shrines around it - namely for Vinayaka, Muruga, Navagraha, Chandikeshwara, Durga, Bhairava and Chandran. Most of these idols are made from Natural Moon Stone (Chandrakanta Stone) and hence are unique in their own way.
Worshipping Chandra made from Chandrakanta stone is said to rid one of all dosas. A few metres away from the temple, is a huge Peepal Tree (Aala maram). Big enough to shoot Panchayat scenes in tamil movies. Under the Peepal Tree, is a shrine for Aalavatta Amman, a frontier Goddess for this region
How to reach the temple:
From Tambaram, take the right towards Mudichur Road. After travelling about 4 kms down the road, you will reach a church on your right side and a board which reads Mudichur on the left. Take the left turn at the Board. The road will take a natural curve towards the Aalavattamman temple and then reach the Shiva Vishnu Temple. Several buses and share autos are available from Tambaram bus stand and railway station Mudichur.
Temple Timings:
The official timings of the temple are 7 am to 10 am in the mornings and 5 pm to 8 pm in the evenings. However the temple is usually opened only by 8 am in the morning so it is advisable to go after that.
With the Karthigai Deepam festival falling on 8th December this year, do visit this temple to worship Vidyambigai, Bheemeshwarar and Sridevi Bhoodevi Samedha Damodhara Perumal and also witness Karthigai Deepam Chokkapanai, Theppam and other festivities.
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