Kala Chandra and Kaduveli Sittar

Saint Tirugnanasambandar had praised the Lord of the temple in Thevaram hymn as one wearing the sacred ash, accompanied by the daughter of the Mount (Parvatha Rajakumari), one who stripped the skin of the wild elephant, wearing the crescent moon and worshipped by those of impeccable traits, all merciful in Irumbai. This is the 32nd Shiva temple in Nadunadu region praised in Thevaram hymns.

Lord Shiva in the temple is a swayambumurthy. Shivalinga in the temple is split into three parts with three faces. All the three faces are covered by a copper plate and pujas performed. It is said that the three faces represent three Lords Brhamma, Vishnu and Shiva. This form of Lord Shiva is very rare in temples.

Sri Vinayaka of the temple is worshipped as Lord Sundara Ganapathi.  The vimana, tower above the sanctum sanctorum is of Ekadala design.  The temple is praised in the hymns of Saint Gnanasambandar and Arunagirinathar.  Lord Nataraja graces from a shrine left of that of Ambica.  His leg is seen slightly folded which is attributed to His pleasant state of mind.   There is a fire circle around Lord Nataraja, Mother Shivakami, a rare darshan for the devotees.  As this shrine is just before that of Ambica, the devotee can have the darshan of presiding Shiva, Nataraja and Ambica simultaneously.  Behind is the shrine of Lord Muruga with six faces accompanied by His consorts Valli and Deivanai.  Kalabhairava graces from a separate shrine facing south.

A Rishi, Maakalar by name, during his pilgrimage installed one Linga in Ujjaini in North and one at Ambar Makala near Mayiladuthurai in South and worshipped them. Coming to know the reputation of this place, he installed one Linga here too and named the Lord Mahalanathar. Devotees perform special abishek to Lord with vastras on realizing their wish.

A Siddha known as Kaduveli Siddha was performing penance sitting under a peepal tree(Arasa Maram).  It was drought time in the place and people were suffering from poverty.  Assuming that rain failed in the place due to Siddha’s penance, the king sent a woman of enticing beauty to spoil Siddha’s penance.  When the Siddha woke up from the penance, the king told him that he only did it doubting that his penance would have caused the monsoon failure.  On hearing the king, Siddha stopped his penance, stayed there and was serving Lord Shiva.  The place became prosperous with good rain and crop.

People celebrated a festival in praise of Lord.  The woman who disturbed the penance was dancing before the Lord in procession when her anklet got loose and fell off.  To avoid the merriment of the celebration, Siddha took the anklet and fixed it back on the leg of the Devadasi.  People began to mock at the Siddha blaming him of his strange behaviour.  Angry Siddha sang on the Lord saying that he gave up the penance for the sake of the people who are now misunderstanding him.  The Linga in the temple split into three.  King fell at the feet of the Siddha and apologized.  Siddha sang again forgiving the king.  The split parts joined again, Lord Shiva appeared and granted salvation to the Siddha.

Mother Ambica is worshipped as Kuyil Mozhi Nayaki – Ambica with a voice as sweet as that of nightingale.  She is seated on a Lotus designed peeta facing south with features of Mother Mahalakshmi the Goddess of Wealth.  Ambica was watching the penance of of Kaduveli Sidda and was telling Lord the greatness of his penance in her sweet voice, hence, the name Kuyil Mozhi Nayaki.  People use to perform abishek to Ambica with honey and consume it seeking Her blessing for a sweet voice and mastery of fine arts.

Lord Moon-Chandra has His shrine in the prakara facing west, holding a palm leaf praised as "Kala Chandra".  Devotees worship him with milk rice seeking His blessings to shine in education and arts. All the 9 planets in the Navagraha shrine are with their spouses.  Sun is on Lotus peeta in sitting form with His legs folded with his spouses Usha and Pradusha on His lap.  This is a rare darshan of Sun.

Moolavar : Maha Kaleswarar

Urchavar : Chandrashekarar

Amman / Thayar :  Kuyilmozhi Nayaki

Thala Virutcham :  Punnai

Theertham : Makala Theertham

Agamam / Pooja : Shivagama

Old year : 1000-2000 years old

Historical Name : Tiru Irumbai Makalam

City : Irumbai

District : Viluppuram

State :  Tamil Nadu

Shri Mahakaleswarar Temple, Irumbai-605 010, Arovil. Villupuram district.






















Kaduveli Siddha

Thirumurai 2.117

திருவிரும்பைமாகாளம்

பாடல் எண் : 1

மண்டுகங்கை சடையிற் கரந்தும் மதிசூடிமான்
கொண்டகையாற் புரமூன் றெரித்த குழகன்னிடம்
எண்டிசையும் புகழ்போய் விளங்கும் இரும்பைதனுள்
வண்டுகீதம் முரல்பொழில் சுலாய்நின்ற மாகாளமே.

பாடல் எண் : 2

வேதவித்தாய் வெள்ளைநீறு பூசி வினையாயின
கோதுவித்தாய் நீறெழக் கொடிமா மதிலாயின
ஏதவித்தா யினதீர்க் கும்மிடம் இரும்பைதனுள்
மாதவத்தோர் மறையோர் தொழநின்ற மாகாளமே.

பாடல் எண் : 3

வெந்தநீறும் எலும்பும் அணிந்த விடையூர்தியான்
எந்தைபெம்மா னிடம்எழில் கொள்சோலை யிரும்பைதனுள்
கந்தமாய பலவின் கனிகள் கமழும்பொழில்
மந்தியேறிக் கொணர்ந்துண் டுகள்கின்ற மாகாளமே.

பாடல் எண் : 4

நஞ்சுகண்டத் தடக்கி நடுங்கும் மலையான்மகள்
அஞ்சவேழம் உரித்த பெருமான் அமரும்மிடம்
எஞ்சலில்லாப் புகழ்போய் விளங்கும் இரும்பைதனுள்
மஞ்சிலோங்கும் பொழில்சூழ்ந் தழகாய மாகாளமே.

பாடல் எண் : 5

பூசுமாசில் பொடியான் விடையான் பொருப்பான்மகள்
கூசவானை யுரித்தபெரு மான்குறை வெண்மதி
ஈசனெங்கள் இறைவன் னிடம்போல் இரும்பைதனுள்
மாசிலோர்கண் மலர்கொண் டணிகின்ற மாகாளமே.

பாடல் எண் : 6

குறைவதாய குளிர்திங்கள் சூடிக் குனித்தான்வினை
பறைவதாக்கும் பரமன் பகவன் பரந்தசடை
இறைவனெங்கள் பெருமான் இடம்போல் இரும்பைதனுள்
மறைகள்வல்லார் வணங்கித் தொழுகின்ற மாகாளமே.

பாடல் எண் : 7

பொங்குசெங்கண் அரவும் மதியும் புரிபுன்சடைத்
தங்கவைத்த பெருமானென நின்றவர் தாழ்விடம்
எங்குமிச்சை யமர்ந்தான் இடம்போல் இரும்பைதனுள்
மங்குல்தோயும் பொழில்சூழ்ந் தழகாய மாகாளமே.

பாடல் எண் : 8

நட்டத்தோடு நரியாடு கானத்தெரி யாடுவான்
அட்டமூர்த்தி யழல்போ லுருவன் அழகாகவே
இட்டமாக இருக்கும் இடம்போல் இரும்பைதனுள்
வட்டஞ்சூழ்ந்து பணிவார் பிணிதீர்க்கும் மாகாளமே.

பாடல் எண் : 9

அட்டகாலன் றனைவவ் வினான்அவ் வரக்கன்முடி
எட்டுமற்றும் மிருபத்திரண் டும்இற வூன்றினான்
இட்டமாக விருப்பா னவன்போல் இரும்பைதனுள்
மட்டுவார்ந்த பொழில்சூழ்ந் தெழிலாரும் மாகாளமே.

பாடல் எண் : 10

அரவமார்த்தன் றனலங்கை யேந்தி யடியும்முடி
பிரமன்மாலும் அறியாமை நின்ற பெரியோனிடம்
குரவமாரும் பொழிற்குயில்கள் சேரும் இரும்பைதனுள்
மருவிவானோர் மறையோர் தொழுகின்ற மாகாளமே.

பாடல் எண் : 11

எந்தையெம்மான் இடம்எழில் கொள்சோலை யிரும்பைதனுள்
மந்தமாய பொழில்சூழ்ந் தழகாரு மாகாளத்தில்
அந்தமில்லா அனலாடு வானையணி ஞானசம்
பந்தன்சொன்ன தமிழ்பாட வல்லார்பழி போகுமே.

concealing the river Kankai which flows swiftly in the caṭai.
wearing a crescent.
the place of the youth who holds a deer in his hand and burnt the three cities.
in Irumpai whose fame has spread in all the eight directions and is eminent.
is the temple, mākāḷam surrounded by gardens where bees hum like music.

Civaṉ is the origin of the Vētams.
you exterminated all acts by smearing white sacred ash.
the place which removes the causes of faults.
is mākāḷam in irumpai which is worshipped by great sages and brahmins who have learnt the vetam.

Civaṉ adorns himself with well-burnt sacred ash and bones;
has a bull as his vehicle.
the place of our father and god.
in irumpai which has gardens of beauty.
is mākālam where the female monkeys climb up the gardens in which the fragrant fruits of the jack-trees spread their fragrance, bring the fruit, eat them and leap.

containing the poison in the neck.
the place of the god who flayed an elephant, to make the trembling daughter of the mountain to be frightened.
is irumpai which is eminent by its never-decreasing fame which has spread far and wide.
is mākālam which is beautiful by being surrounded by gardens tall enough to touch the clouds.

Civaṉ smears himself with a white sacred ash which is without darkness.
has a bull.
the god who flayed an elephant to make the daughter of the mountain shrink back from fear.
the Lord of the universe who wears a white crescent.
the place of our master;
expletive.
is mākaḷam in irumpai where devotees of spotless character adorn him with flowers.

Civaṉ danced wearing a cool crescent.
the supreme god who decrease gardually the acts of his devotees and who has the six attributes.
the Lord who has a spread-out catai.
the place of our god.
is mākāḷam in irumpai which the brahmins well-versed in vētams pay homage to, and worship with joined hands.

the abode of Civaṉ who remains to be praised as the god caused to stay in his twisted murky caṭai a cobra with red eyes, bursting in anger and a crescent.
the place of Civaṉ who stays everywhere out of his free will.
is beautiful mākāḷam in irumpai surrounded by gardens on which clouds settle.

Civaṉ dances in fire in the cremation-ground where jackals dance with.
has eight forms.
has the colour like the fire.
the place where he stays beautifully, desiring it.
is mākāḷam in irumpai which removes the diseases of those who pay homage by going from left to right.

Civaṉ took away the life of Kālaṉ who previously killed living beings.
Civaṉ fixed his toe to crush the ten heads and twenty shoulders all totalling thirty, of that arakkaṉ.
Civaṉ dwells in mākāḷam surrounded by gardens in which honey pours, in irampai out of his will.

the place of the god who tied a cobra and who holds fire in the palm and whose feet and head Piramaṉ and Māl could not know.
is mākāḷam which the celestials and brahmins worship by long practice in irumpai where in the gardens where in the bottle-flowers trees many indian cuckoos gather.

in mākāḷam which is beautiful being surrounded by gardens in which the southern breeze moves, in irumpai which has beautiful gardens and which is the abode of our father and god.
about Civaṉ who dances in fire which does not extinguish.
the reproach of those who can sing the tamiḻ verses composed by beautiful Nyaṉacampantaṉ, will take leave of them.