Thanumalayan Temple

Thanumalayan Temple
Thanumalayan Temple
Religion
Affiliation	Hinduism
District	Kanyakumari
Deity	Thanumalayan
Location
Location	Suchindram
State	Tamil Nadu
Country	India
	Location in Tamil Nadu
Geographic coordinates	8°9′17″N77°27′55″E / 8.15472°N 77.46528°E
Architecture
Type	Dravidian architecture
Creator	Cheras, Pandyas, Travancore royal family, Cholas

Last updated November 16, 2024

The Thanumalayan Temple, also called Sthanumalayan Temple, is an important Hindu temple located in Suchindram in the Kanyakumari district of Tamil Nadu, India. The Thanumalayan Temple is of importance to both Shaivaite and Vaishnavite sects of Hinduism, as the name Stanumalaya denotes the Trimurti; "Stanu" means Mahesha; "Mal" means Vishnu; and the "Ayan" means Brahma.^[1] It counts among the Abhimana Kshetrams in Vaishnavite traditions. It is one of the 108 Shiva Temples revered by the Kerala Hindu culture, though this temple is now in Tamil Nadu, after Kanyakumari District was merged into Tamil Nadu from Travancore.

The temple complex covers around two acres and has two gateway towers called gopurams . The tallest is the eastern tower with 11 stories and a height of 44 metres (144 ft). The temple has numerous shrines, with those of Sthanumalayan and that of Hanuman being the most prominent. The temple has six daily rituals at various times from 5:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., and many yearly festivals on its calendar, with the festival during Margazhi being the most prominent. The present masonry structure was built during the Chola dynasty in the 9th century, while later expansions are attributed to Thirumalai Nayak and the Travancore Maharajas. The temple is maintained and administered by the Dharmapuram Aadhenam. The temple is associated with Indra whose sin was propitiated after worshiping the presiding deity and also Anasuya known for her chastity. The temple is maintained and administered by the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department of the Government of Tamil Nadu.

Legend

Pillared corridors in the temple

The place got the name of Suchindrum from the Sthala Purana. Hindu mythological legend has it that king of devas, Indra got relieved of a curse at the place of the main linga in the temple. The term "Suchi" in Suchindrum is believed to have derived from the Sanskrit meaning that stands for "purify". Accordingly, Indra is supposed to visit the temple for performing "Ardhajama Pooja", or worship, at midnight every day. As per another legend, sage Atri and his wife Anasuya stayed at Jnaranya. Sage Anasuya was highly devoted to her husband. The trinity of Hinduism, namely, Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva wanted to make her name eternal with their divine act. They came to the sage's hermitage as Brahmin mendicants. Anasuya treated them with utmost care. The Brahmins put forth a condition that they would accept her hospitality with a condition that she would come out nude. With her power of chastity, she converted the three to small kids and served them with her breast milk. Atri returned to the hermitage at the behest of Parvathi, Saraswathi and Lakshmi (the wives of the trinity) to restore their husbands to their original form. Anasuya obliged immediately and restored the kids to their original form. The trinity blessed the couple for their devotion. The three emanated in the form of three Lingas and the place where the couple worshiped the trinity is believed to be the temple.^[2]

History

There are several inscriptions from the period of early and medieval Cholas along with other Pandya rulers and Chera rulers in the region. There are two records from Kopparakesarivarman who took Madurai and Eezham (Sri lanka) from the 30th and 40th regnal year of Parantaka I (907–950 CE).^[3]

The current temple was renovated in the 17th century and is famous for its sculptures. It was previously administered and controlled by "Thekkumon Madam", a famous Namboothiri priest family. The main deity of the temple is Lord Shiva, Lord Vishnu and Lord Brahma in a single form called Sthanumalyam. This 17th-century temple is famous for its architectural grandeur. The seven-storey white gopuram (gateway tower) is visible from a distance. Its 44 m (144 ft) facade is covered with sculptures of Hindu deities. The Travancore Maharajas, under whose administration the temple remained till Kanyakumari's merger with Tamil Nadu, have made many endowments for its upkeep. During the reign of Ayilyam Thirunal Rama Varma Maharajah of Travancore, a lottery scheme was introduced in 1875 CE, to raise funds for rebuilding a portion of the temple and a sum of over Rs. 40,000 was realised.

Architecture

The temple is one of the few temples in the Kanyakumari region in both Kerala style architecture and Tamil style architecture. The Navaratri Mandapam built during the 16th century has a typical wooden structure like Kerala temples.^[4] The temple is known for its quality of workmanship in stone. There are four musical pillars carved out of a single stone, and which stand at 18 feet (5.5 m) in height; these are an architectural and design highlight of the temple grounds. They are in the Alankara Mandapam area, and they emit the sounds of various musical notes when struck. There are an additional 1035 pillars with carvings in the area known as the dancing hall.^[5]

There is an Anchaneya (or Hanuman) statue which stands at 22 feet (6.7 m) and is carved of a single granite block. It is one of the tallest statues of its type in India. It is also of historical interest that this statue was buried in the temple in 1740 and was subsequently forgotten. It was rediscovered in 1930, and subsequently restored for viewing by the then Devaswom Board Commissioner Rajya Seva Praveena Sri M.K. Neelankantha Iyer of Kottarathu Mathom, Moncompu.^[5] There is also a Nandi statue, made of mortar and lime, which is 13 feet (4.0 m) tall and 21 feet (6.4 m) long, it is one of the biggest Nandi statues in India. There are also various scenes from Ramayana and Mahabharatha depicted in various pillars in the temple.^[6]

Religious significance

The religious significance of the temple stems from the fact that the main statue of linga represent Siva (Sthanu), Vishnu (maal) and Brahma (Ayan) (as well as giving the temple its name). The representation of the three central gods of Hinduism in one linga makes it unique in India. The 10-day procession including the car festival in the last few days is celebrated in this temple between December and January, attracts crowds of thousands of people. Special worship practices are followed and the festival images of Sthanumalayan, Aram valartha Nayagi and Vinayagar are taken in the temple car around the streets of the temple. Another festival known as Teppam is celebrated during between April and May every year. The Sanskrit work Sucindrastalamahatmya gives a full-fledged legendary account of the origin and development of this temple.^[7]

Administration

The temple is maintained and administered by the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department of the Government of Tamil Nadu.^[8]

Related Research Articles

Uthamar Kovil in Uthamarkoil, a village in the outskirts of Tiruchirappalli in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, is dedicated to the Hindu Trimurti of Vishnu, Shiva, and Brahma. Constructed in the Dravidian style of architecture, the temple is glorified in the Nalayira Divya Prabandham, the early medieval Tamil canon of the Alvar saints from the 6th–9th centuries CE. It is one of the 108 Divya Desams dedicated to Vishnu, who is worshipped as Purushothaman Perumal and his consort Lakshmi as Poornavalli Thayar.

The Adikesava Perumal Temple is a Hindu temple located in Thiruvattar, Thiruvananthapuram district, Kerala, India and is one of the 108 Divya desams, the holy sites of Hindu Vaishnavism according to existing Tamil hymns from the seventh and eighth centuries C.E. The temple is one of the historic thirteen Divya Deshams of Malai Nadu. The temple is a picturesque setting surrounded on three sides by rivers namely, It was the Rajya Temple and Bharadevatha shrine of Erstwhile Travancore. After state reorganisation, the temple handed over to Tamilnadu H&RCE Dept. The presiding Vishnu in the form of Ananthapadmanabhan/Adikeshavaperumal is believed to be older than Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram city. Since Vishnu resides here in a reclining position, and is surrounded by rivers, the temple is called as "The Srirangam of Chera Kingdom".

The Great Living Chola Temples is a UNESCO World Heritage Site designation for a group of Chola dynasty era Hindu temples in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The temple at Thanjavur was added in the list in 1987, while the other two temples were added in 2004.

Devi Kanya Kumari is a manifestation of the Hindu goddess Mahadevi in the form of an adolescent girl. She is variously described by various traditions of Hinduism to either be a form of Parvati or Lakshmi. She is also worshipped as an incarnation of the goddess Bhadrakali by Shaktas, and is known by several names such as Shrī Bāla Bhadra, Shrī Bāla, Kanya Devi, and Devi Kumari.

Thirunandikkara Cave Temple, also referred to as Thirunanthikarai rock-cut Shiva temple, is a 9th-century rock-cut Hindu cave temple in Kanyakumari district, Tamil Nadu, India. It is dedicated to Shiva, with murals and inscriptions. It is attributed to the Ay king Vikramaditya Varaguna by Archaeological Survey of India, but to Pandya rulers (Nedunjadaiyan) a few decades earlier by Ajit Kumar, an archaeologist. It is part of a larger active temple complex named the Thirunanthikarai Shri Nandeeswara temple, Thirunanthikarai and is carved out of the side of a rocky hillock to the north of the temple complex. According to Rao, one of the inscriptions suggests that this may be a late 8th-century cave temple or early 9th.

Suchindram is a panchayat town in Kanyakumari district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu with Indian postal code as 629704. It is an important pilgrim centre and the site of the famous Thanumalayan Temple. There is an Anjaneya,, statue which stands at 22 feet and is carved of a single granite block.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tiruvelukkai</span> Hindu temple in Kanchipuram

Tiruvelukkai located in Kanchipuram in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, is dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu. Constructed in the Dravidian style of architecture, the temple is glorified in the Nalayira Divya Prabandham, the early medieval Tamil canon of the Alvar saints from the 6th–9th centuries CE. It is one of the 108 Divya Desams dedicated to Vishnu, who is worshipped as Aḻagiya Singar (Narasimha) and his consort Lakshmi as Amruthavalli.

Karpaka Vinayaka Temple or Pillaiyarpatti Pillaiyar Temple is a 7th-century-CE rock-cut cave shrine, significantly expanded over the later centuries. It is located in Pillayarpatti village in Tiruppathur Taluk, Sivaganga district in Tamil Nadu, India.

Arulmigu Murugan Temple, Thiruparankundram is a Hindu temple dedicated to the god Murugan at Thiruparankundram, Tamilnadu, India. It is regarded as one of the "First Houses of Murugan". The temple uses rock-cut architecture and is believed to have been built by the Pandyas during the 6th century. According to legend, Murugan slayed the demon Surapadman and married his consort Devasena at the temple. Murugan is also said to have worshipped his father Shiva at the site as Parangirinathar.

The Swaminatha Swamy Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to god Murugan. It is located in Swamimalai, 5 km from Kumbakonam, on the banks of a tributary of river Kaveri in Thanjavur District, 290 km from Chennai, the capital of Tamil Nadu, India. The temple is fourth abode of Murugan among six (Arupadaiveedugal). The shrine of the presiding deity, Swaminathaswamy is located atop a 60 ft (18 m) hillock and the shrine of his mother Meenakshi (Parvati) and father Shiva (Sundareswarar) is located downhill. The temple has three gopuram, three precincts and sixty steps and each one is named after the sixty Tamil years. The temple has six daily rituals at various times from 5:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., and three yearly festivals on its calendar. The annual Vaikasi Visagam festival is attended by thousands of devotees from far and near.

Arunachalesvara Temple, is a Hindu temple dedicated to the god Shiva, located at the base of Arunachala hill in the town of Tiruvannamalai in Tamil Nadu, India. It is significant to the Hindu sect of Shaivism as one of the temples associated with the five elements, the Pancha Bhuta Sthalas, and specifically the element of fire, or Agni.

The Ashtabujakaram or Ashtabuja Perumal Temple located in Kanchipuram in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, is dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu. Constructed in the Dravidian style of architecture, the temple is glorified in the Nalayira Divya Prabandham, the early medieval Tamil canon of the Alvar saints from the 6th–9th centuries CE. It is one of the 108 Divya Desams dedicated to Vishnu, who is worshipped as Ashta Bhuja Perumal and his consort Lakshmi as Alamelumangai.

Hara Saabha Vimochana Perumal Temple in Thirukandiyur, a village in the outskirts of Thiruvayaru in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, is dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu. Constructed in the Dravidian style of architecture, the temple is glorified in the Nalayira Divya Prabandham, the early medieval Tamil canon of the Alvar saints from the 6th–9th centuries CE. It is one of the 108 Divya Desam dedicated to Vishnu, who is worshipped as Hara Saabha Vimochana Perumal and his consort Lakshmi as Kamalavalli Nachiyar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marundeeswarar Temple</span> Hindu temple in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India

Marundeeswarar Temple is a temple dedicated to Hindu deity Shiva, located in Thiruvanmiyur, Chennai adjacent to the beach of Bay of Bengal. It is one of the 275 Paadal Petra Sthalams where two of the most revered Nayanars, Appar and Tirugnana Sambandar, have glorified the temple with their verses during the 7th century CE. The temple has been widely expanded by Chola kings during the 11th century CE. The temple has two seven-tiered gateway towers, a huge tank, with the overall temple area covering 1 acre. The Marundeeswarar temple has been a place of curative worship for people with diseases.

Devanatha Hemabhujavalli Temple (Thiruvaheendrapuram) is a Hindu temple in Thiruvanthipuram, a village in the outskirts of Cuddalore in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, dedicated to the god Vishnu and goddess Lakshmi. Constructed in the Dravidian style of architecture, the temple is glorified in the Nalayira Divya Prabandham, the early medieval Tamil canon of the Alvar saints from the 6th–9th centuries CE. It is one of the 108 Divya Desams dedicated to Vishnu, who is worshipped as Devanatha and Lakshmi as Hemabhujavalli. Though the presiding deity is Devanatha and Hemabhujavalli, the temple is known for Hayagriva, the ninth avatara of Vishnu in the Dashavatara of Vishnu and a god of knowledge. The temple is the only historical temple in South India to have a shrine of Hayagriva on hilltop.

Kandeeswarar Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to the god Shiva located in Kandiyur also known as Thirukkandiyur or Tirukkandiyur, near Tiruvaiyaru, Tamil Nadu, India. Shiva is worshiped as Kandeeswarar, and is represented by the lingam and his consort Parvati is depicted as Mangalanayagi. The presiding deity is revered in the 7th century Tamil Saiva canonical work, the Tevaram, written by Tamil poet saints known as the nayanars and classified as Paadal Petra Sthalam. As per legends, Shiva is believed to have destroyed eight different demons and the eight Ashta Veeratanam temples are built signifying each of his victories in the war. The temple is one of the eight where Shiva is believed to have removed one of the five heads of Brahma.

Tirupavalavannam or Pavalavanam temple located in Kanchipuram in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, is dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu. Constructed in the Dravidian style of architecture, the temple is glorified in the Nalayira Divya Prabandham, the early medieval Tamil canon of the Alvar saints from the 6th–9th centuries CE. It is one of the 108 Divya Desams dedicated to Vishnu, who is worshipped as Pavalavannar Perumal and his consort Lakshmi as Pavalavalli.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nadutariappar Temple, Kanrappur</span> Shiva temple in Tamil Nadu, India

Nadutariappar Temple, Kanrappur is a Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva located at Kanrappur near Tiruvarur, Tamil Nadu, India. The temple is incarnated by the hymns of Appar and is classified as Paadal Petra Sthalam.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kannayariamudayar Temple, Thirukkarayil</span> Hindu temple

Kannayiranathar Swamy Temple, Thirukkarayil is a Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva located in Thirukaravasal in Nagapattinam district of Tamil Nadu, India. Constructed in the Dravidian style of architecture, the temple is believed to have been built during the Cholas period in the 9th century CE. Shiva is worshipped as Kannayiranathar and his consort Parvathi as Kailasanayaki.

Datta Jayanti, also known as Dattatreya Jayanti, is a Hindu festival, commemorating the birth of the Hindu deity Dattatreya (Datta), a combined form of the Hindu male divine trinity of Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva.

References

↑ "History of Suchindram temples". The Hindu . 29 January 2002. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
↑ V.K., Subramanian (2003). Art Shrines of Ancient India. Abhinav Publications. p. 88. ISBN 9788170174318.
↑ S.R., Balasubramanyam (1975). Middle Chola temples Rajaraja I to Kulottunga I (AD. 985-1070) (PDF). Thomson Press (India) Limited. pp. 210–1. ISBN 978-9060236079.
↑ Temples of South India. Publications Division Ministry of Information & Broadcasting. 15 September 2017. p. 127. ISBN 9788123025728.
1 2 "The Sampradaya Sun — Independent Vaisnava News — Feature Stories — September 2009". The Sampradaya Sun. Retrieved 4 March 2012.
↑ Biswas, Subhash C (2014). India the Land of Gods. PartridgeIndia. p. 125. ISBN 9781482836554.
↑ "Thousands participate in Suchindram car festival". The Hindu. 10 January 2017. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
↑ Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Act, 1959

External links

Suchindram Temple

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.

[1] "History of Suchindram temples". The Hindu . 29 January 2002. Retrieved 24 May 2020.

[2] V.K., Subramanian (2003). Art Shrines of Ancient India. Abhinav Publications. p. 88. ISBN 9788170174318.

[ASI-3] S.R., Balasubramanyam (1975). Middle Chola temples Rajaraja I to Kulottunga I (AD. 985-1070) (PDF). Thomson Press (India) Limited. pp. 210–1. ISBN 978-9060236079.

[4] Temples of South India. Publications Division Ministry of Information & Broadcasting. 15 September 2017. p. 127. ISBN 9788123025728.

[Sam-5] 1 2 "The Sampradaya Sun — Independent Vaisnava News — Feature Stories — September 2009". The Sampradaya Sun. Retrieved 4 March 2012.

[6] Biswas, Subhash C (2014). India the Land of Gods. PartridgeIndia. p. 125. ISBN 9781482836554.

[7] "Thousands participate in Suchindram car festival". The Hindu. 10 January 2017. Retrieved 24 May 2020.

[8] Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Act, 1959

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]