Visited on: 11th February, 2017.
Location
Ethirkolpadi is situated at a distance of about 17 kms from Mayiladuthurai on the Mayiladuthurai to Kumbakonam (via Kuthalam) route. From Kuthalam take the diversion road to Panthanallur route. After crossing the village Anchar Varthalai ask for Melak Koil. Ethirkolpati temple is locally known as Melak Koil. (Mayiladuthurai to Kuthalam is 11 kms and Kuthalam to Ethirkolpadi is 6 kms).
Other Devara Paadal Petra Shiva Sthalams near this temple are – Kuthalam, Therezhunthur, Thirukkozhambam, Thiruvaduthurai, Thiruvelvikudi, Thirumanancheri, Thirumangalakkudi, Thirukkodikkaval and Kanchanur.
General Information
- Moolavar
- Sri Iravadheswarar, Sri Madhyaneswarar
- Ambal
- Sri Vasa Malarkkuzhal Nayaki, Sri Sugantha Kunthalaambigai
- Theertham (Holy water)
- Iraavadha Theertham
- Sthala Vriksham (Sacred Tree)
- Vilvam
- Pathigam (Hymn) rendered by
- Saint Sundaramurthy (Sundarar)
- This is one of the 276 Devara Paadal Petra Shiva Sthalams and 24th Shiva Sthalam on the northern bank of the river Cauvery in Chozha Nadu (Vadakarai).
- Lord Shiva in this temple is a Swayambumurthi (self-manifested).
- This west facing temple has a 3-tiered main tower (Rajagopuram) and it has 2 corridors.
- The last consecration ceremony (Kumbabishekam) took place on 03.02.2016 and prior to that on 22.08.2004.
History of the Temple
As per the stone inscriptions available here, this ancient temple is believed to have been built during the period of the Chola King Kulothungan.
The historical name of the lord is “Thiru Ethirkolpadi Udaiyar”, that of the goddess is “Perungarunai Pirattiyar” and that of this village is Ethirkolpadi.
Legend
Ethirkolpadi enjoys a special place in mythology because it is linked to the legends of a few nearby Paadal Petra Shiv Sthalams.
- At Therezhunthur, Lord Shiva cursed Goddess Parvathy which made her turn into a cow. Lord Mahavishnu played the role of a shepherd here.
- At Thirukkozhambam, Goddess Parvathy, who was in the form of a cow, worshiped Lord Shiva. During the worship, as the cow’s leg hit Lord Shiva by mistake, its hoof made a mark on the lord’s chest.
- At Thiruvaduthurai, again Goddess Parvathy (in the form a cow) worshiped Lord Shiva. It is here that Goddess Parvathy was relieved of her curse and got restored to her original form.
- At Thiruthuruthi (Kuthalam), Sage Bharatha performed a yagna and it is believed that Goddess Parvathy came out of the fire in the form of a child.
- At Ethirkolpadi, Lord Shiva was received as a groom by his father-in-law, Sage Bharatha.
- At Thiruvelvikudi, the wedding ceremony including the yagna (“Velvi”) was performed. This is the great place where the earthly wedding of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvathy took place.
- At Thirumanancheri, Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvathy granted their wedding darshan to everyone.
It is believed that once Goddess Parvathi was cursed to be born on earth. She is believed to have appeared from the fire of Sage Bharatha’s “Kameshti yagna”. Sage Bharatha raised her as his own daughter. When she grew up and attained the marriageable age, the sage prayed to Lord Shiva that he help him find a suitable groom for her. Responding to his prayers, Lord Shiva appeared before him and told him that he would marry his daughter soon. The lord further told the sage that his daughter was none other than Goddess Parvathy herself. He also explained him that the reason for her appearance on earth was to grant her the wish of being married on earth.
Lord Shiva, as the bridegroom, is believed to have been received by his father-in-law Sage Bharatha at this place. Hence this place gets the name “Ethirkolpaadi” (“ethirkol” means “to receive someone” and “paadi” means village in Tamil).
Another legend associated with this temple is that of Iraavadham, the white elephant of Lord Indra. One day, after finishing his daily worship in Kasi, Sage Dhurvasar met Lord Indra who was coming in his ceremonial procession. Sage Dhurvasar offered him a lotus flower which had been adorned on the lord. Without giving any respect, Indra took the flower and placed it on his white elephant which the elephant then removed and threw on the ground. The sage was angered by this and cursed the elephant to become an ordinary wild elephant. To seek relief from this curse, Iraavadham visited many Shiva temples. Ethirkolpadi is one such temple. As the lord of this temple is believed to have been worshiped by Iravadham, he is praised here as “Sri Iravadheswarar”. After worshiping Lord Shiva at many places, it is believed that Iraavadham was finally relieved of the curse at the Sri Sundareswarar temple in Madurai.
It is also believed that Lord Indra worshiped Lord Shiva here.
Deities in the temple
Other than the shrines of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvathy, shrines and idols of lords Vinayakar, Murugan with his consorts, Natarajar, Dakshinamurthy, Jaya Durgai, Gajalakshmi, Bharatha Lingam, Thunaivantha Vinayakar, Nalvar, Suryan, Chandran, Bala Saraswathi, Saneeswarar and Sorna Bairavar can be seen in the corridors.
Salient Features
As Iraavadham is believed to have worshiped Lord Shiva here, the sanctum sanctorum is large enough to allow the entry of an elephant.
In his hymn of this temple, Saint Sundarar mentions that nothing except for the lord will come with you when you die.
Newly wedded couples come here and worship the lord in the hope that they remain close to each other like Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvathi.
Greatness of this temple
Parents believe that worshiping the lord here would help them find suitable grooms for their daughters.
Devotees also believe that by worshiping Lord Shiva here, obstacles from their marriage proposals will be removed.
Important Festivals
Some of the important festivals celebrated in this temple are -
Indira Vizha in the Tamil month of Chithirai (April-May),
Somavaram in the Tamil month of Karthikai Mondays (Nov-Dec),
Thiruvadhirai in the Tamil month of Margazhi (Dec-Jan),
Shivaratri in the Tamil month of Masi (Feb-Mar) and
Thirukkalyanam of Goddess Parvathi.
Pradosham is also observed regularly.
Temple Timings
From 07.00 AM to 11.00 AM and 05.00 PM to 08.00 PM.
Temple Address
Sri Iravadeswarar Temple,
Mela Thirumanancheri,
Kuthalam Via,
Mayiladuthurai Taluk,
Nagapattinam District
Tamil Nadu – 609813.
Tele: +91 - 4364 -235 -487.
Contact the temple priest Sri D.Senthil Kumar Gurukkal at 80121 60621 or Mr.Rama Murthy, temple care taker at 96002 08708.
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