Thursday, January 7, 2016

Nellaiappar Temple – Legends

Nellaiappar Temple – Legends
Legend of Vedapattar:
According to historical facts, this town was known as Venuvanam. There was a Siva devotee named Vedapattar. Lord Siva wanted to test Vedapattar’s devotion. So he made Vedapattar lose his wealth and suffer. Still, he did not give up the habit of praying to God.
One day, Vedapattar left some paddy in the sanctum of Lord Siva and went to take bath in the river. Meanwhile, it started pouring. Seeing this, Vedapattar rushed to the sanctum to save the paddy. To his surprise, he saw that there was no rain around the paddy, and God had put a fence around it and saved it.
He ran to inform the king, Rama Pandian, about the miracle. From then on the city came to be known as Nel veli – paddy that was saved by a fence. The name Nelveli got changed to Tirunelveli in time.
Legend of Anavarata Khan:
There is another legend connected with this shrine. In the south-eastern corner of the prakaram, a Siva Lingam, known as Anavarata Khan, has been enshrined. It is said that the wife of one of the Nawabs was suffering from some acute disease and consulted the Brahmins as to how she might be cured of it. The Brahmins advised her to worship Nellaiappar and perform some religious ceremonies in the temple. She readily agreed and did the poojas through the temple priests. To the surprise of all, the Muslim queen not only recovered from her disease but also gave birth to a male child. The boy was named Anavarata Khan and the shrine with a Sivalingam known as Anavarata Khan was built in a corner of the prakaram in memory of the Muslim queen and the prince. An opening in the outer wall of the prakararn just opposite the shrine was provided so as to enable the Nawab and his son to worship the Lingam, standing outside the temple.
Legend of Venuvananathar:
According to yet another legend associated with this temple, Lord Siva once took the form of a Lingam, came to Tirunelveli and took his abode here. All the four Vedas stood around him as bamboo trees and provided him shade. So this Sthalam is came to be known as Venu Vanam (Venu means bamboo tree and Vanam means forest) and the Lord came to be known as Venuvananathar.
Legend of Agastya witnessing Celestial Wedding of Shiva & Parvathi:
When Lord Shiva and Devi Parvati got married in the Himalayas, the Northern portion became heavier because of the massive congregation for the divine wedding. In order to maintain balance of the Earth, Lord Shiva sent sage Agastya to the South promising to give him darshan in the South in their wedding glory. It is believed that the Divine Couple, as promised, gave darshan to sage Agastya here in Tirunelveli. The sage also got such darshan in other places like Thirumaraikadu, Thirunallur, Papanasam and a few other shrines.
Sage Agastya has worshipped Lord Siva in this temple. The Lord is also called as Venunathar, Veithanathar, Nelvelinathar and Salivanathar. The Ambal is also called Vadivudaiamman and Thirukamakottamudaiya Nachiar. Lord Vinayaga is also called Polla Pillaiyar and Lord Muruga, as Arumuga Peruman.
There is also a shrine to Vishnu near the sanctum, signifying the belief that Nellai Govindan (Sri Vishnu) visited Tirunelveli to officiate the divine marriage of Nellaiappar and Kanthimathi
Nellaiappar Temple has a shrine to Shiva and Parvathi. Shiva is said to have been worshipped by Sage Agastya in a bamboo grove.
Legend of Rama:
Lord Rama also worshipped at this temple after killing the magical Mareecha some nine miles away at Manoor.  Mareecha had lured Rama away from Sita so that Ravana could kidnap her.

As per another legend, Lord Rama worshiped Nellaiappar and got a weapon named 'Pasupathasthra' which was helpful for him to fight the demon Ravana.