SivaSailam Temple

Alwarkurichi is a small town 35 km or 45 Min travel from west of Tirunelveli town and 25 km from Tenkasi town and located near western ghats (Ambasamudram – Tenkasi highway) surrounded by paddy fields. Sivasailam is a small village located in Alwarkurichi.

 

 It is surrounded by Velli Malai (Siver Hill), in Western Ghats. a perennial river called Gadananathi River flows and makes the place greenish. Sivasailam is known for a famous temple Sivasailanathar Paramakalyani Amman Kovil  located 3 miles from Alwarkurichi.

 This temple is my Husband's family deity. So I've visited this place several times. Green fields on three sides and a river on the fourth, mountains in the distance and a wonderful breeze almost all the time. A calm and quiet temple; you can generally hear the only sounds of  the breeze and the birds chirping and the river quietly bubbling along.

Sivasailanathar and Paramakalyani Amman:

Main Deity is Swayambu Lingam known as Arul Migu Sivasaila Nadhar and his consort Parama Kalyani Amman. Teertham is known as Athri teertham. We see Dwajasthambam and Nandi facing towards the main sanctum. Nandi devar of this place is very famous for its beauty. I love this temple for its beauty and peaceful surroundings.

Appearance of Shivalingam

It is told that a landlord had many cows in his house. Usually, he made his labourers milk the cows, but one day all the cows refused to give milk. The labourers complained about this leading the owner to get angry and he chased all his cows and labourers from his house. All the cows gathered on a hill with a rock upon it and flooded their milk upon the rock. On the place of this flooding of milk a shivalingam appeared. He is known as Sivasailanathar. Sivasailanathar is the main God for the temple. The statue is said to have been made without any touch of chisel. The statue of Suyambuligam (Shivan) is said to have been formed naturally.

Sivasailanathar saved a priest

It is told that once a pandya king came to the temple and received prasadam from the priest. The priest gave him a garland in which there was a hair. The king got angry with the priest. However, as the priest was pure and truly devoted to Sivasailanathar, Sivasailanathar thought to save the priest Lord told the king I had a hair in back.The next king came to temple and saw jadamudi(long tresses) back of the lingam and The king became very happy and appreciated the priest bhakthi and gave him a vision of shivalingam.. the back of the statue, there are lines that appear like hair, so he is also called Sadaiappar.

This can be seen though a hole while circumambulating at the back of the main sanctum from where one can see the lines from top like hairs falling down at the back of Siva Lingam. This is visible only when the Archakar gives Aarathi at the back of Siva Lingam. There is a legend that to save his daily priest from death Siva did this. When my first visit to this temple My Father in law asked Archakar to show the hair of Sivan exclusively for me.

 

Other deities in the temple are Vinayakar, Murugan, 63 Nyanmars, Dakshina Moorthy, and Natarjar in different sanctums. Paramakalyani Amman with Emerald green cheek gives grace to Devotees.In the south of Mani mandapam, Nadaraja Perumal Statue is placed.

Structure of Nandhi:

Nandi in temple looks beautiful .Nandikeshvarar Statue looks like an Ox sitting by folding its tail. This statue shows the special of Tamil and artistic work of the artist. The speciality of the temple being the beautiful Nandhi. It is one of the most beautiful Nandhis I have ever seen. I am told that the Nandhi was created by the celestal sculptor as per the instructions of Vedas and as soon as the sculptor completed work, he used to get up to the surprise of the sculptor.

 

 More than once when this has happened, he was worried and the Lord Shiva came into his dream and advised him to make punch on the back of the Nandhi so that he will stay. The Nandhi is supposed to have been created many thousands years back but it looks perfect, beautiful and fresh as if was done with all the latest machinery just a few days back. I still can’t believe it.

The priest explains a lot of beautiful legends associated with this temple and its a pleasure to listen to them . The temple is huge with lot of madapam, pillars with sculpture(painted a bit garishly though) . whenever  we visit  to this temple I do meditation and chant Om namashivaya in front of Lord. I feel immense Peace It was a divine feeling and somehow I experienced a divine vibration all around inside this temple.

Balasubramanya Swami Temple-Ayikudi

The Ayikudi Balasubramanya Swami Temple is a small Hindu temple in the village of Ayikudi, near to my native village in Thirunelveli district on the banks of Hanuman River. Ariyar kudi or Arya Kuti – popularly known as Ayikudi, is this beautiful temple for Young Bala Muruga.

The main deity is a beautiful small mulavar murthy of Balasubramanya Swamy, also popularly known here as Rama Subramanya Swamy.He is believed to have been found by a villager in the nearby Mallapuram Eri (irrigation tank). A similar looking Utsavar Murthy of this temple is Muthukumaraswamy, standing next to a peacock on a Padma peetam. Both the Moolavar & Utsava Murthys are so beautiful that the darshan of Karunamurthi Bala Muruga is a treat to all the bhaktas who visit this temple.

 

On the way in search of Sita Devi, Hanuman was very thirsty. He did not want to go in search of water. It is believed that with the sharp edge of his tail he created a Nadi(stream or a small river) and quenched his thirst. Hence the Nadi here is called Hanuman Nadi. Sri Rama drank water from this Nadi and rested on its banks. Since this temple and the Nathi are devoted to Lord Subramania and Sri Rama, the nama Rama-subramanian is a popular name given to children born in this area. Rama Sita Anjaneya images are carved in the pillars of this temple Mandapam.

History                                                                                     

Once upon a time there lived a Bhakta in Ayikudi Agraharam, who become a saint and attained siddhi in this area. His Kaushika vamsa descendants made his Samadhi on the banks of the Hanuman Nadi, where he had propagated Hindu Dharmaand his Bhakthi for Sri Rama and Lord Subramanya, and planted the first Pipal tree there. The Balasubramania vigraha was later found and was installed on his Adhishtaanam with Subrahmanya Shadaksharikalpa Agama Sastra traditions and a small temple was built and pujas conducted by the descendant families.

Intially the roof of the temple was made by coconut & palm leaves. The Travancore Maharaja who happened to visit this area appreciated the devotion of the villagers and decided to help in completing this temple. In about mid 1800s the temple management was taken up by Travancore Samsthanam and they renovated the temple, building the roof and Gopuram, Mayil Mandapam, Mani Mandapam, Praharams and Padithurais around this with all the Pancha Vrukshas and the Pancha Devatas. Then the Utsava Murti was made and grand festivals were arranged by the government, which the villagers enjoyed and participated. Until 1947 the temple was under the Travancore government management.

Pancha Vruksha               

This Lord Muruga temple is on the banks of Hanuman Nadi, depicted under five trees. The main Sthala-Vruksha(sacred tree) is Arasa Maram or the Pipal tree. The other four are Vembu – Neem tree, Karuvepilai – Curry leaf tree, Madhulai- Pomegranate Tree .

Pancha Devas

The importance of this temple is that many Devatha are worshiped in this Sthala (holy site). On the right side of the Moola Vigraha (main deity) are Mahadeva, Mahavishnu, Ambikai, andGanesha and on the left side of the Moolavar is Aditya (Surya) and these are the Pancha-Devatas of this temple. The main Moolavar Sannadi is of Balasubramanya who is located under the Pancha-Vrukshas and in the middle of the Pancha Devathas. 

Sri Rama & Hanuman are always remembered on these riverbanks. The water was used for ceremonies and ritual cleansing by devotees. The sweet tasty water from this Nadi is believed to cure diseases and maladies and gives complete wisdom and long life to the Bhakta. The Padi Payasam Prasad used is made on the shores from this water. 
Festivals:

Skanda Shashti Soora Samhara festival, Chithirai Vishu, Vaigasi Vishakam, Masi Makam, Thaipusam are special festivals of this temple. Hanuman Nadi Padi Payasam, Palkudam, Kavadi are important forms of worship in this temple. This temple Arasa Elai Vibhudhi Prasadham that is the holy ashes given folded in a pipal leaf, is very popular and auspicious. This is one temple where several deities are adored and divine Balasubramanya bestows all boons to bhaktas who visit this shrine.

In past one year I visited this temple three times tohave Dharshan and offer  my prayers. The temple is known for attaining Karya Siddhi or success in endeavours and for bhaktas who visit and participate in the pujas and sponsor the special offering of 'Hanuman Nadi Padi-Payasam'. This is one temple where several deities are adored and divine Balasubramanya bestows all boons to bhaktas who visit this shrine.

Contact Address:

Ayikudi, Balasubramanya Swami Temple

Ayikudi P.O, Tenkasi Taluk

Tirunelveli District                  

Tamilnadu -627 852