EKAMBARESWARAR TEMPLE, KANCHIPURAM

EKAMBARESWARAR TEMPLE, KANCHIPURAM

Ekambareswarar temple is in Siva Kanchi and is at a distance of 2 kms from the bus stand. Ekmabareswarar, Kanchipuram is one of the Pancha Bootha Sthalam, representing Earth/Land and thus worshipped as Prithvi Lingam.   The Subramanya Swamy temple known as Kumarakottam is in between the Ekambareswarar and Kamakshi temples and all three together also said to denote the Somaskandar principle. 

The temple covers an area of over 40 acres and the Rajagopuram with 9 tiers is of height 172 ft built by the Vijayanagara Samrajya King Kirshna Devaraya.   Ekambareswarar got his name from Mango tree here where he married Parvathi.   Eka is one and ambram is Mango.

                                                         Mavadi/Mango tree

                                         Thirumana Kolam under the mango tree

Sthala Purana
When Lord Siva was deeply immersed in the task of creation/protection/destruction, his consort Pavathi closed his eyes jocularly, which resulted in the obstruction of his task and thus the normal functioning of the Universe.   Annoyed Lord Siva cursed Parvathi to correct her mistake by being on the earth and she came to the Kampa River side and under a Mango tree in Kanchipuram and did her penance as ordained, by worshipping a  Siva linga made out of Sand.  Lord Siva placed obstacles in her way to test her sincerity and Parvathi overcame all difficulties with the help of Lord Vishnu.   Finally he made Ganges to flood the place.   As the nearby River Vegavati overflowed and would have engulfed the Shiva Lingam.  Parvathi embraced tightly and covered the Lingam from destruction and pleased with the gesture of Parvathi, the Lord appeared before her and also married her here under the Mango tree, now known as Mavadi (மாவடி).    Thus he is also known as 'Thazhuvakuzhainthar' (தழுவகுழைனாதர்).   Thazhuva in Tamil is the English word of Embrace.  Kuzhainthaar - Pleased and happy.

The Sthala Viruksha is Mango tree and under this tree the Lord and his consort give blessing to the devotees in Kalyana Kolam.    The Mango tree is said to be the embodiment of the four vedas, and it is said that it bears fruit of different tastes in different seasons.   

Also when Lord Siva appeared before her here, he gave 2 measures of paddy to do Dharma karyas in the name of Kamakshi in Kamakottam.  The kamakshi amman temple is the Kamakottam.

As the Lingam is of sand, there is no abhishekam done in this temple for the Lord for the top portion and abisheka is done to the bottom portion known as Avudaiyar.  There is no separate ambal sannidhi.  The Urchavar pic:

Sundaramurthy Nayanar while marrying Sangili Nachiar, took a vow in the presence of the Lord Siva that he would not leave her at any time but failed in the promise and lost his eyesight. Sundaramurthy nayanar worshipped the lord here and got his eyesight back for his left eye.

The area around the Flagstaff/Kodikambam is called Kachchi Mayanam.  There are sannidhis for Vikadachakra Vinayagar, Mavadi Kandhar, Nilathunda Perumal also.  Nilathunda Perumal got his name because Chandran's rays cooled the perumal when his body got hot due to the churning of Ksheerasamudra/Parkadal.   Once Mahavishnu threw the Chakrayutha on Thatheesi Munivar and it became blunt.  Vishnu worshipped Lord Siva to get Chakrayutha and he was blessed to have one.   But during the Dhaksha Yaga, the same was thrown on Veerabhadrar and one of the Kabalas worn by Veerabadra consumed it.  Vishu was worried and Vishvaksenar who could not see his Lord in sorrow and wanted to help his Lord.  Vishnu only had protected him from Veerabhadra during the Daksha Yaga.  Vishvaksenar went to Veerabhadra but he was allowed to see by others.  Meanwhile on the advice of one of the rishis, Veerabhadra came to Kanchi to install and worship a Lingam.  Here Veerabhadra told Vishvaksenar that he can get the Chakrayutha from the Kabala of his Kabala Mala by himself.  Surprised by the reply of Veerabhadra, Vishvaksenar not knowing what to do, walked akwardly with his hands and legs skewed, upon which all laughed at his predicament, including the Kabalas in the Mala.  Noticing this, Vishvaksenar continued to walk that way and the Kabala which had the Chakrayutha in its mouth too laughed and the same came out of its mouth.  Before Viswaksenar could pick up the Chakrayutha, Lord Vinayaka took that and asked that he do the vikada koothu for the sake of him once and Vishvaksenar obliged and laughing and pleased, Vinayaka gave the Chakrayutha.  Vishvaksenar handed over the Chakrayutha to his Lord.  The Vinayaka here came to be known as Vikadakoothu Vinayagar.  Pralayam Katha Amman is in the second prakaram.  Next to Mavadi is the Mavadi Kanthan and the sannidhi of Ezhivarkuzhali amman.   A Shasralingam sannidhi is also on the way.

                                                        Pralayakala Amman

Thirugnanasambar's thevaram on Sree Ekanbareswarar, Kanchipuram in Tamil.
தூயானை தூயவா யம்மறை யோதிய

வாயானை வாளரக் கண்வலி வாட்டிய

தீயானைத் தீதில் கச்சித் திருவேதம்பம்

மேயானை மேவவா ரென்றிலை மேலாரே - திருஞானசம்பந்தர்
பொருள்:
தூயவன். தூயனவாகிய மறைகளை ஒதிய வாயினன். ஒளி பொருந்திய வாளினை உடைய இராவணனின் வலிமையை அடர்த்த, தீயேந்தியவன். குற்றமற்ற திருக்கச்சி ஏகம்பத்தில் எழுந்தருளியிருப்பவன். அவனை அடைந்து துதிப்பவர் என் தலைமேல் கொள்ளத்தக்கவர்.

Meaning:  This verse on Ekambareswarar by the great poet and devotee, Thirugnanasambar says of all the people the one without blemish is the Lord who helped defeat Ravana and he is in Kanchipuram.  Hence those who worship him are reverred ones.

Panguni Uththiram festival is celebrated with all fanfare and the Thirukalyanam uthsavam is done during this period.

Temple Timings:

6.00 AM - 12.30 PM

4.00 PM - 08.30 PM