SREE VANCHINATHASWAMY, SRIVANCHIAM NEAR NANNILAM
Sree Vanchinathar
Srivanchiam temple is very big and the 5 tier Rajagopuram is 110 ft tall built by Rajendra Chozha in 850 AD. Immediately after the entrance, to the left is the Yamadharmaraja Sannidhi, i.e, on the Southeast (Agni) corner. Here Yamadharmarajan and Chithragupthan bless the devotees. The temple tank Guptaganga is on the North. Though water is not available in the tank, borewells pump water for the devotees to bathe after having darshan at Yamadharmarajan sannidhi. Only change rooms are not available and people change their dress there itself. Yama Dharmaraja felt accumulation of the sins while performing his duty and he wanted a solution for the same and approached Brahma and he advised yama to worship Shiva on the banks of cauvery river and also a sandalwood forest. Yama prayed fervently Lord Siva at this place which was a sandalwood forest and Lord Siva pleased with him instructed Yama to build a temple here for him and also to be his vehicle.
Guptha Vinayagar
Lord Vinayaga and Lord Subramanyam are in the first mandapam. Presiding Deity Sree Vanchinathar is sturdier and tall. He faces east and west and either side Nandhis are there. Mangalanayaki, in standing posture is next to the inner entrance. Next to the Arthamandapa Somaskandar blesses devotees. Inner prakara has the deities Kanni Moolai Vennai Pillaiyar, Chandramouleeswarar, Meenakshi Sundareswarar, Valli devayani sametha Murugan, Panchbootha Lingas, Kailasanathar and Dharmambal, Jestadevi and Sani Bhagavan. Then comes the Chandikeswarar sannidhi. Further before one proceeds to finish the first circumbulation, prayers are offered in Mahishasuramardhini sannidhi. The simha vahini is with 8 hands. She went to Sonamalai, entered the caves and took the Mahishan by his horns and dragged and brought him to Srivanchiam.
Mother Ganga, for cleansing the sins left by devotees, approached Lord Shiva for solution, is also connected with the temple as is the case of Mahamaham tank too. Here it is said slightly differently that Ganga was to pray in a temple in which Yama is blessed by him and River Ganga left only a small portion of powers in the original river and the rest were brought into this temple tank and is believed to reside here secretly and hence known as Gupthaganga. Presently it is known as Muni Theertha. During Masi magam, celebrations with this theertham is carried out.
Sun god, Surya who attended the Daksha Yagna for which Lord Siva was not called had to incur the wrath of Lord Siva and lost his brightness and sunshine and he was in penance here and got back his brightness with the blessings of the Lord.
Srivanchiam temple is kept open during eclipse too whereas other temples have a tradition of closing during eclipse. The theerthavari is performed on the 2nd day of the Masi Magm festival from the temple tank, whereas other temples do it on the last day of the ten day festival of Brahmothsavam. Lord Vanchinathar comes in process in the yama vahanam. Theerthavari festival is conducted during Karthigai month Sundays too. 10 day festival also is celebrated during Aadi Pooram.
"Vanchithu" in Tamil also has a meaning - desirous- (விரும்பி); Sree-Thirumagal sought the hand of vishnu and married and thus the place came to known as Srivanchiam. Both Yama and Surya worshipped here. The Lord is a Swayambunathar.
Sandalwood tree is the Sthala Vruksham.
Temple Timings:
6 am - 12 Noon
3 pm - 8 pm
Sree Vanchinathar
Sree Vanchinathaswamy temple, Srivanchiam is at a distance of 18 kms from Kumbakonam and almost equidistant from Tiruvarur. Buses from Kumbakonam to Nagore take the route to Nachiar Koil, Kudavasal. Upto Kudavasal the road is wider and at Kudavasal, the road leading to Srivanchiam is narrow. Naturally while calculating time for visiting temples this should be taken into account. The bus took 1 Hr and 10 Min for the 18 kms. The village Srivanchiam is in between the rivers Mudikondan and Puttar.
Srivanchiam temple is very big and the 5 tier Rajagopuram is 110 ft tall built by Rajendra Chozha in 850 AD. Immediately after the entrance, to the left is the Yamadharmaraja Sannidhi, i.e, on the Southeast (Agni) corner. Here Yamadharmarajan and Chithragupthan bless the devotees. The temple tank Guptaganga is on the North. Though water is not available in the tank, borewells pump water for the devotees to bathe after having darshan at Yamadharmarajan sannidhi. Only change rooms are not available and people change their dress there itself. Yama Dharmaraja felt accumulation of the sins while performing his duty and he wanted a solution for the same and approached Brahma and he advised yama to worship Shiva on the banks of cauvery river and also a sandalwood forest. Yama prayed fervently Lord Siva at this place which was a sandalwood forest and Lord Siva pleased with him instructed Yama to build a temple here for him and also to be his vehicle.
Guptha Vinayagar
Mangalambigai
Lord Vinayaga and Lord Subramanyam are in the first mandapam. Presiding Deity Sree Vanchinathar is sturdier and tall. He faces east and west and either side Nandhis are there. Mangalanayaki, in standing posture is next to the inner entrance. Next to the Arthamandapa Somaskandar blesses devotees. Inner prakara has the deities Kanni Moolai Vennai Pillaiyar, Chandramouleeswarar, Meenakshi Sundareswarar, Valli devayani sametha Murugan, Panchbootha Lingas, Kailasanathar and Dharmambal, Jestadevi and Sani Bhagavan. Then comes the Chandikeswarar sannidhi. Further before one proceeds to finish the first circumbulation, prayers are offered in Mahishasuramardhini sannidhi. The simha vahini is with 8 hands. She went to Sonamalai, entered the caves and took the Mahishan by his horns and dragged and brought him to Srivanchiam.
Mother Ganga, for cleansing the sins left by devotees, approached Lord Shiva for solution, is also connected with the temple as is the case of Mahamaham tank too. Here it is said slightly differently that Ganga was to pray in a temple in which Yama is blessed by him and River Ganga left only a small portion of powers in the original river and the rest were brought into this temple tank and is believed to reside here secretly and hence known as Gupthaganga. Presently it is known as Muni Theertha. During Masi magam, celebrations with this theertham is carried out.
Sun god, Surya who attended the Daksha Yagna for which Lord Siva was not called had to incur the wrath of Lord Siva and lost his brightness and sunshine and he was in penance here and got back his brightness with the blessings of the Lord.
Srivanchiam temple is kept open during eclipse too whereas other temples have a tradition of closing during eclipse. The theerthavari is performed on the 2nd day of the Masi Magm festival from the temple tank, whereas other temples do it on the last day of the ten day festival of Brahmothsavam. Lord Vanchinathar comes in process in the yama vahanam. Theerthavari festival is conducted during Karthigai month Sundays too. 10 day festival also is celebrated during Aadi Pooram.
"Vanchithu" in Tamil also has a meaning - desirous- (விரும்பி); Sree-Thirumagal sought the hand of vishnu and married and thus the place came to known as Srivanchiam. Both Yama and Surya worshipped here. The Lord is a Swayambunathar.
Sandalwood tree is the Sthala Vruksham.
Temple Timings:
6 am - 12 Noon
3 pm - 8 pm
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