Swamimalai:-
Swamimalai is near Kumbakonam. It is a railway station on the main line from Madras to Tiruchirapalli. There is a famous shrine built on a hillock, dedicated to Lord Subrahmanya locally known as Swami- natha. It is the fourth of the six sacred places (houses) of Lord Subrahmanya, the others being Tiruchendur, Palani, Tiruttani, Tirupparankunram, Tirukkazhukkunram.
Idol of Swaminathaswami:-
The Lord is in the form of Wisdom (Jnana) and those worship him will be enlightened (get education and wisdom) by his grace. Being the embodiment of Pranavamantra, the meaning of Omkara (Pranava) was revealed by Lord Muruga to Lord Sive (Iswara) as per his request and hence the Moolavar (presiding Deity – Murti) is name Swaminathaswami (Acharya of his own father).
About Temple:-
Swamimalai – is located on the banks of river cauvery – at a distance of 5 KM along the western side of Kumbakonam in Tamil nadu, India. The temple is located at a height of 60 feet – above an artificial hillock and is reached by a flight of 60 steps – which signify 60 years. This south Indian temple of Swaminatha Swami can be reached easily by motorable roads from Kumbakonam.
There are three prakarams and three entrances in this Murugan shrine. The southen entrance is the main entrance to the temple and the main temple tower (Raja gopuram) – with its 5 tiers – is located above this entrance.There is a temple dedicated to Meenakshi Sundareswarar ( depicting Lord Vishnu giving his sisters hand in marriage to Lord Shiva ) – this temple is known as Kizh Koil . The main temple that enshrines Lord Muruga as Swaminadha swami is known as Mel Koil. There are several small temples around the Meenakshi Sundareswarar temple. As we enter the 2nd Prakaram, there is a very beautiful structure that portrays the teaching of Omkara by Muruga to Lord shiva. Once we cross the 2nd prakaram we can see the temple of Netra Vinayagar (Lord Ganesh who blessed a devotee with eyesight) -along with s tatues of several other gods and goddesses including Karthaveeryarjuna, Idumban and subramanya swamy. As we approach the sanctum sanctorum, we pass across worshipping Sabhabathi, Senapathi, Shanmuka with Valli and Devasena – all being various manifestations of Lord Kumara or Karthikeya.
There is a beautiful statue of Nataraja or dancing Lord Shiva as well. Poet Saint Arunagirinathar – who sings about this temple in detail in this sacred Tamil hymn Thiruppugazh is also represented in the form of an idol here. The main lord of swami malai – affectionately called as Swaminadha – is 6 feet tall with broad shoulders holding sakthi vel and dhandam(staff). Instead of Mayil Vahanam or the peacock vehicle, Elephant is depicted as the vahana (divine vehicle) in front of the lord. This feature is very unique, not available in any other temples of Lord Muruga. The stala vriksham for Thiruchendur temple is the Amla tree( Nellimaram) .
There are five Theerthams or divine water sources, in and around the temple. They are: Vajra Theertham, Saravana Theertham Netra Pushkarini( well)and Kumaratturai (Kaveri) Legend has it that a blind devotee by name Sumathi lost his eyesight because of his sins. Sage Bharatwaja asked him to go and worship Netra vinayaga and take a dip in the Netra teertham to get over his sins and regain his sight. It is believed that the devotee took a dip in the
sacred waters and regained his sight as he approached the Netera Vinayagar temple.
Temple (Holy Tree), (Sthalavrutsha) : - Nelli tree (Physemblica, Linn Euphorbiaceae).
Scared Tank (Theertham) :-
There are four Holy Theerthams
Vajra Theertham
Kumara Theertham
Saravana Theertham
Netra Theertham
History of the Temple:-
The temple of Swaminatha is very ancient one and it is known to have existed even in the 2 nd century BC. It is said that Parantaka Chola I built the temple. The temple was damaged to a great extent and the Gopurams were demolished and razed to ground in the year 1740 when the Anglo-French War was waged later when war broke out between Hyder Ali and the British.
Swamimalai is fourth among the six padai veedu or sacred shrines dedicated to Lord Muruga. The presiding deity here expounded the meaning of the Pranava mantra OM to his own Father Lord Siva Himself.
Mythology says that saint Bhrugu before commencing an arduous tavam or penance, got the boon that anybody disturbing his mediation will forget all his knowledge. Such was the power of the penance that the sacred fire emanating from the head of the saint reached up to the heavens, and the frightened devas surrendered to Lord Siva praying for his grace. The Lord extinguished the sacred fire by covering the saint's head by hand. With the saint's penance thus disturbed the Lord became oblivious of all his knowledge and is said to have regained them by learning the Pranava mantra from Lord Muruga at this shrine.
Once when Brahma, the lord of all creations was proceeding to Kailasa, the ever-playful child Lord Muruga asked him for the meaning of the Pranava OM. When Brahma admitted his ignorance, the Lord imprisoned him. With Brahma imprisoned, all creations came to a standstill and the devas prayed to Lord Siva to get Brahma released. When Muruga insisted that the imprisonment was a just punishment for the ignorance of Brahma, Lord Siva asked him whether he himself knew the meaning of the primordial Pranava OM. Lord Muruga said that he knew the meaning of OM and can expound it to the latter only if he can accept him as guru and listen to the exposition as a devoted disciple. As Lord Siva acceded to the request of Lord Muruga and heard the exposition of OM as a disciple, the place came to be known as Swamimalai and the presiding deity as Swaminathan.
The temple is built on an artificial hillock of about sixty feet height with sixty beautifully laid stone steps representing the Hindu cycle of sixty years - leading to the Lord . In the ground floor there are temples dedicated to Lord Sundareswarer and Goddesss Meenakshi.
Sri Meenakshi Sundareswarar temple at the foot hill which is said to have been built by the Pandya ruler Varaguna Pandyan from Madurai. The golden chariot is taken in procession on special occasions here.
Hymns in praise of the presiding deity have been sung by saint Nakkeerar in Tirumurukatrupadai and by Saint Arunagirnathar in Tiruppukazh.
Muruga teaches his father:-
The story of Swamimalai is wonderful indeed. There are two versions.
First one:-
It was during the days when Shiva and Parvati lived at Kailas with their children Ganapati and Muruga. One day, the Creator God Brahma, one among the Holy Trinity (Brahma – Vishnu – Maheshwara) came to see Shiva. The boy Muruga chatted with Brahma and casually asked if he knew the meaning of the Holy Mantra ‘Aum’ (Om). The Creator was a little embarrassed and had to confess his ignorance. Muruga, the ever playful boy, taken aback by the ignorance of Brahma, shut him in a room as a punishment.
Childish prank it was for a boy, but the whole universe was affected by this, since the Creator himself was held captive. Creation stood at standstill. Alarmed at the situation, Devas prayed to Shiva to free Brahma. Shiva came to know what had happened and asked his dear son to release Brahma. Later, Shiva asked the young boy: “You imprisoned Brahma alleging he doesn’t know the meaning of Pranava. But, do you know it yourself?”
“Yes, father”, said the child. The curious father asked him to explain then. However, Muruga said “For that, father, you must accept me as your Guru and bow down to me just as a disciple to a Guru”. Shiva smiled and readily agreed. Seated on his father’s lap, the young boy Muruga in his sweet childish voice explained to Shiva the meaning of the adimantra Om as no one would. The astonished but proud father blessed the child who was after all the very Fruit of Knowledge. This initiation happened at Swami malai. Hence Muruga here is called Swaminathan, the Lord of Swami (Shiva) Himself .
Second One:-
The great sage Bhrigu once decided to engage himself in an austerity (tapas). The penance was very severe and the seer proclaimed beforehand that whoever disturbed his penance would be suitably punished: would forget whatever he or she had learnt!
The tapas then started. The spiritual heat that emanated from the hermit was unbearable to all living beings: Even gods (Devas) found it too hot. They requested Shiva to protect them from this. The compassionate Shiva covered the head of the hermit with His hand so as to protect the gods. Shiva in this way saved the gods, but the price He had to pay for this action was heavy: The sage’s tapas was a little disturbed and Shiva forgot the very meaning of the Pranava mantra Om!
But His little darling Muruga came to know this and rose to the occasion quickly. At Swamimalai, Muruga initiated his father again and imparted the knowledge of the Holy Mantra.
The important festivals conducted in the temple are:-
1. Monthly Kirutikai festival;
2. Temple Car festival in April;
3. Visakam festival in May;
4. Navaratri festival in May;
5. Skanda Shashti festival in October;
6. Tiru Karthikai festival in Nov/December;
7. Taippūcam festival in January; and
8. Pankuni Uttiram festival in March.
Golden Chariot:-
The temple has an imposing golden chariot made of seven kilos of gold, 85 kilos of silver and other metals like copper, beautifully illuminated with electric bulbs.
Devotees on payment of Rs. 1001 can take the deity in a procession in the golden charriot around the outer corridor. Devotees are offered a shawl, eversilver pot and a small box with the Lord’s prasadam.
Facilities
For the convenience of the pilgrims and devotees, 11 rooms, four cottages, two VIP cottages, one donor cottages, three marriage halls and one dining hall have been constructed and are let out at nominal rent ranging from Rs. 20/- to Rs. 100/- per day only.
Sub-temples near to Swamimalai:-
Among the sub-temples under the administration of the Swamimalai temple, the Sveta Vinayagar temple at Tiruvalanchuli is an important one. The presiding deity Lord Sadaimudinathar and Goddess Perianayaki have been sung by Tirugnanasambandar and Tirunavukkarasar in Tēvāram. A unique feature of this temple is the Sveta Vinayagar or White Pillaiyar made of the sea foam formed at the time of churning of the Milky Ocean by the devas and asuras to get the nectar. The sacred Cauvery River flowing nearby herself has turned around in a right semicircle around this shrine and hence the name Valanchuli or right twist. Renovation of this temple at a cost of Rs. 50 lakhs is progressing.
Another architecturally beautiful temple at Kilpazhayarai dedicated to Lord Somanathaswami is also under renovtion at an estimated cost of Rs. 50 Lakhs. It is worth mentioning that this shring is the birthplace of Saint Managaiyarkarasi, one among the 63 Nayanmars. Hymns in praise of the presiding deity have been sung by Tirunavukkarasar.
Pooja Timings:-
Poojas Offered Timings
Viswaroopa darshan 05.30 hrs
Udhaya Maarthandam 06.00 hrs
Mudhal Kaala Sandhi, Siru Kaala Sandhi and Periya Kaala Sandhi From 08.00 hrs
Uchikaalam 12.30 hrs
Saayaratchai 17.00 hrs
Ardhajaamam 21.15 hrs
Ekantham 21.30 hrs
Nearest Major Town/City:-
Tanjore - 35 km from Tanjore to Swamimalai
How to Reach:-
By Air:-
The nearest airport to Swamimalai is in Trichy, and it is situated at a distance of ninety kilometers away.
By Train:-
Swamimalai does not have a train station, and the nearest station is Kumbakonam, at a distance of 5 kms from Swamimalai
By Road:-
The Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation has buses that connect Swamimalai to almost all the major cities of the state. One can avail of regular buses to Swamimalai from Kumbakonam, Trichy, Chidambaram and Chennai.
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