Sangameswarar Temple

Not to be confused with Sangameswara temple, Kurnool.

Sangameswarar Temple
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Name
Other names	Thirunana
Proper name	Sangameswarar Temple
Geography
Country	India
State	Tamil Nadu
District	Erode
Location	Kooduthurai, Bhavani, Erode
Culture
Primary deity	Shiva
Architecture
Architectural styles	South Indian, Temple

Sangameswarar alayam (also called Thirunana and Thirukooduthurai) is a temple in Bhavani, in the Erode district, of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva.

The temple was built at the confluence of Kaveri river, Bhavani river and ‘agaya gangai’, an invisible underground water source.

The temple was praised in old Tamil literatures Thirupugazh, Pillaithamizh by Thirugnanasambandar and Arunagiriyar, as Thirunana.

Sangameswarar alayam is a Tamil Nadu tourism spot and has a huge hall for social events, a beautiful river side garden, round boat ride, swim and bath area, and an elephant too. Here Kaveri river, Bhavani river and Amudha river join together. River Amudha flow as Antharvahini, just like Sarasvathy at Triveni Sangamam of Allahabad. The place is also known as Dakshina Triveni Sangamam. This place is also known as Padhuma Giri which is surrounded by Naga Giri, Veda giri, Sanga Giri and Mangala Giri.The temple is known as Kooduthurai by locals.

History and myths

Image of the shrines

Kubera, son of Vishrava was gifted an aircraft to visit Shiva temples across the country in recognition of his devotion to Lord Shiva. While he was flying near the river Cauvery Kubera was surprised to see a deer, tiger, cow, elephant, snake and rat drinking water near an Ilandhai tree on the river bank without enmity, to answer his wonder Kubera heard a voice from the sky saying it was a place where vedas visited, inhabited by gandharvas and advised him to worship the shivalingam under the iilanadhi tree.

The temples Ilandhai tree gives fruit on all season which was used for everyday puja even today. During the period of Chera Chola and Pandya’s there was a cave connection existed between Chidambaram and Sangameshwarar temple and puja’s are performed at same time in both temples.

The cow behind the Vishnu statue remains the harmony between Saivism and Vaishnavism. It was said from generations that every inch under the temple has one shivalingam.

In the year 1804, William Karo, a British Collector of Coimbatore district, visited Bhavani, camping in the Travellers' Bungalow. One night, when he was asleep, a small girl woke him up and got him out of the Bungalow. Once they were out, the Bungalow collapsed. Shocked by this incident, the Collector turned to thank the girl but to find, she wasn't there. The next day, the priest on duty informed him that it was Bhavani Vedanaayaki Amman, who saved his life. He bore three holes in the temple wall exactly opposite to Vedanaayaki Amman shrine and torched these holes to pray the goddess. He offered a gold plate to the goddess with his signature dated 11/01/1804. The holes and the gold plate are present even now and are taken care with caution.

Architecture

File:Sangameswarar1.jpg

Ghat where sacrifices are performed

This temple is located in Bhavani in Erode district of Tamil Nadu. It is 15 km from Erode, 30 km from Gobichettipalayam, 56 km from Salem and 106 km from Coimbatore. Bus facilities to Bhavani are available from all the major towns in the region.

The temple is constructed on a 4-acre (16,000 m²) plot. The main Gopuram with 5 tiers is located on the north side of the temple. The presiding deity is Lord Shiva known as Sangameswarar along with his consort Pannaar Mozhiyaal or Vedanayagi. A shrine dedicated to Kartikeya is situated between the shrines of Siva and Parvati. There is also separate shrine inside the temple for Lord Vishnu and his consort Soundaravalli Thaayar. The stala vriksham is an ilandai (Zizyphus mauritiana) tree. The annual Brahmotsavam is celebrated in the Tamil month of Chitrai.

Rock status of this temple represents the beauty of stone carving and the culture of the people. When water or milk poured on the two identical stone statues in font of ambal sannidhi- Hindu goddess, one smiles at you, while the other sheds tears at you. The temple got a precious Ambal statue, a Hindu goddess donated by a district collector during British period for saving his life. Of all the seven holy Shiva centers of the Kongu Region, Bhavani is known as Thirunana in script. The holy waters of Sangameswarar temple is known as Cauvery theertham, Surya theertham and Gayatri theertham.

Literary Mention

The Nayanmars Thevaram pathigam is composed by Sambandar. He had composed 10 poems in this temple in the praise of the lord which comes under 2nd Thirumurai. Saint Arunagirinathar who visited Thirunanaa, has composed many songs (Thirupugazh) on Lord Subramanya.

External links

Sangameswara Temple