Swamimalai
Encyclopedia
Swamimalai is a panchayat town near Kumbakonam
in Thanjavur district
in the India
n state
of Tamil Nadu
. It lies on the banks of river Cauvery, on the road connecting Kumbakonam
and Thiruvaiyaru
. It is most famous for the being one of the six "Padai Veedugal" (Battle Camps) of the Lord Murugan. The name of the town means 'God's mountain'. It has the only school that teaches the art (craft) of making bronze icons. Like the rest of this part of the Thanjavur district it is mainly an agricultural town producing rice
and sugar cane.
. The sacred story associated with this temple is that Lord Karthikeya expounds the meaning of pranavam (AUM) to His father, Lord Shiva, at this location. Hence, one can see the Lord Karthikeya depicted as Guru (teacher) and Lord Shiva listening as shishya (disciple)in the raja gopuram of the temple complex.
The reinitiation and reassertion of the knowledge takes place after an intense debate with regards to the pranava mantram (AUM) between Lord Brahma (who is the embodiment of creationary aspect) and Lord Karthikeya, during which Lord Brahma fails to adequately convey the meaning of AUM. Hence, Lord Karthikeya suspends Lord Brahma from his duties by imprisoning him. Lord Shiva and Goddess Shakthi object and Lord Shiva asks Lord Karthikeya if He(Murugan) is aware of the meaning. In response Lord Murugan says that He is well aware of it and that He will teach Lord Shiva the meaning of the mantram if He(Lord Shiva) will take Him (Lord Murugan) as His Guru. Thus Murugan imparts this universal mantra to His father.
The Murugan here is also known as Swaminathan and "Thagapan Swami" (literally "Father God" - referring to the fact that Murugan taught His father and hence was His father's Guru.)
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.
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.
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.
Other sub-temples mentioned below under the administrative control of Swamimalai temple are also to be renovated at a modest cost of about Rs. 5 lakhs each.
1. Dharmapureeswarar Temple, Vallalarkoil;
2. Chakravageeswarar Temple, Chakkrapalli;
3. Ezhutharinathar Temple, Innambur;
4. Skandanathar Temple, Tiruerakaram; and
5. Thirupandeeswarar Temple, Adanur.
, Swamimalai had a population of 6985. Males constitute 49% of the population and females 51%. Swamimalai has an average literacy rate of 75%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 80%, and female literacy is 70%. In Swamimalai, 11% of the population is under 6 years of age.
Kumbakonam
Kumbakonam , also spelt as Coombaconum in the records of British India , is a town and a special grade municipality in the Thanjavur district in the southeast Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Located 40 kilometres from Thanjavur and 272 kilometres from Chennai, it is the headquarters of the Kumbakonam...
in Thanjavur district
Thanjavur District
Thanjavur District is one of the 32 districts of the state of Tamil Nadu, in southeastern India. Its headquarters is Thanjavur.-Geography:...
in the India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n state
States and territories of India
India is a federal union of states comprising twenty-eight states and seven union territories. The states and territories are further subdivided into districts and so on.-List of states and territories:...
of Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
. It lies on the banks of river Cauvery, on the road connecting Kumbakonam
Kumbakonam
Kumbakonam , also spelt as Coombaconum in the records of British India , is a town and a special grade municipality in the Thanjavur district in the southeast Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Located 40 kilometres from Thanjavur and 272 kilometres from Chennai, it is the headquarters of the Kumbakonam...
and Thiruvaiyaru
Thiruvaiyaru
-External links:**...
. It is most famous for the being one of the six "Padai Veedugal" (Battle Camps) of the Lord Murugan. The name of the town means 'God's mountain'. It has the only school that teaches the art (craft) of making bronze icons. Like the rest of this part of the Thanjavur district it is mainly an agricultural town producing rice
Rice
Rice is the seed of the monocot plants Oryza sativa or Oryza glaberrima . As a cereal grain, it is the most important staple food for a large part of the world's human population, especially in East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, and the West Indies...
and sugar cane.
History
The town has one of the six (padal petra sthalangal) temples of Lord Karthikeya. It is fourth among the Padai VeedugalArupadaiveedu
The Arupadaiveedu are the most important shrines for the devotees of Muruga in Tamilnadu, India.They are:*Palani Murugan Temple *Swamimalai *Thiruthani...
. The sacred story associated with this temple is that Lord Karthikeya expounds the meaning of pranavam (AUM) to His father, Lord Shiva, at this location. Hence, one can see the Lord Karthikeya depicted as Guru (teacher) and Lord Shiva listening as shishya (disciple)in the raja gopuram of the temple complex.
The reinitiation and reassertion of the knowledge takes place after an intense debate with regards to the pranava mantram (AUM) between Lord Brahma (who is the embodiment of creationary aspect) and Lord Karthikeya, during which Lord Brahma fails to adequately convey the meaning of AUM. Hence, Lord Karthikeya suspends Lord Brahma from his duties by imprisoning him. Lord Shiva and Goddess Shakthi object and Lord Shiva asks Lord Karthikeya if He(Murugan) is aware of the meaning. In response Lord Murugan says that He is well aware of it and that He will teach Lord Shiva the meaning of the mantram if He(Lord Shiva) will take Him (Lord Murugan) as His Guru. Thus Murugan imparts this universal mantra to His father.
The Murugan here is also known as Swaminathan and "Thagapan Swami" (literally "Father God" - referring to the fact that Murugan taught His father and hence was His father's Guru.)
Pujas and Festivals
Daily pujas to the deities are performed six times a day (six kalams). Usha Kalam, Kalasandhi and Uchikala poojas are performed in the forenoon and the afternoon poojas commencing from Sayaratchai and Rendam kalam are concluded with Arthajama pooja in the night.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.
Sub- Temples
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.
Other sub-temples mentioned below under the administrative control of Swamimalai temple are also to be renovated at a modest cost of about Rs. 5 lakhs each.
1. Dharmapureeswarar Temple, Vallalarkoil;
2. Chakravageeswarar Temple, Chakkrapalli;
3. Ezhutharinathar Temple, Innambur;
4. Skandanathar Temple, Tiruerakaram; and
5. Thirupandeeswarar Temple, Adanur.
Geography
Swamimalai is located at 10.95°N 79.33°E. It has an average elevation of 25 metres (82 feet).Demographics
India censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
, Swamimalai had a population of 6985. Males constitute 49% of the population and females 51%. Swamimalai has an average literacy rate of 75%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 80%, and female literacy is 70%. In Swamimalai, 11% of the population is under 6 years of age.