Mayavaram Mayuranathar or Mayureshwarar

மயிலாடுதுறை  (Mayiladuthurai) is named so because the Goddess Parvathi took the form of Pea hen and danced to Marry the God Shiva. The tamil word Mayil means Peacock and Aadu means to dance and Thurai means venue or place.The presiding deity is a swayambhu lingam or a self-manifested lingam, the symbol of the Hindu god Shiva. Shiva's consort is known by the names Abhayapradhambikai, Abhayambikai, Anjalanayaki and Anjalai. Abayambal is an enchanting Beauty.

According to myth, the goddess Parvathi, once offended Lord Shiva. Shiva was so annoyed he cursed Parvathi to be born as a lowly Peahen. Later, when Parvathi repented, Shiva reduced this sentence. Parvathi had to pray first at Mylapore and then at Mayavaram at the end of which she was ridden of her curse and became known as "Abhayambal".


My Trip: We visited this temple on our way back from Vaideeswaran temple. We reached the temple around 11 AM. We entered via one of the side gates which had a School for the Kids. Walking through the Prahara, we could see Abhayambal first dressed in Green a mesmerizing beauty. Then we has the darshan of the Lord Parameshawara named Mayuranathar. The temple is quite simple with all the Upa- devathas.

Side entrance of the temple

The beautiful view of the Gopuram

The shrine depicting the Naalvar (Appar Sundarar Manikavasagar Thirugnanasambandar) and Abhayambal. Also Shivan Parvathi seated

For more history and details:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mayuranathaswami_Temple,_Mayiladuthurai
http://www.hindubooks.org/temples/tamilnadu/mayavaram/

Thiruvavaduthurai (திருவாவடுதுறை )

Thiruvavaduthurai..திருவாவடுதுறை

Thiruvavaduthurai temple is a very beautiful temple among the Shiva sthalas. It is called the temple for Sabha vimochanam ( Place for clearing all the Sins).

This temple is well known for the following

1. Growing Nandhi
2. Thirumular Thirumandiram
3. White Natural Neem tree
4. Sacred Fig that spread across
5. This village has three rivers flowing through it

The residing deity is Lord Shiva named Masilamaiswarar .

My trip: I visited this temple one fine evening. We went by car with the aid of Google Navigator. Started from Kuthalam, visited Govindhapuram and on the way back to kuthalam went to this temple. It was around 6:40 PM I reached the entrance of this temple. The temple has a Pond (Kulam) in front of it. Just above the Kulam I saw the entire saptarishi Mandalam ( The sacred 7 constellations).
 The day being Pradhosham, I was lucky enough to get the Maha arathi of the Utsava murthi in Alankaram with all the Upa devathas (Vinayagar, Murugan & Thirumular).

As soon as you enter the temple the Nandhi will strike your eyes with its huge structure and Gigantic eyes and horns. It is said to be growing and has the ceiling of the Mandapam very close to its head.
No words to describe the devotional vibration that I had as soon as I entered the temple. This temple comes under the Thiruvavaduthurai Aadheenam. As it was dusk, & getting late, I was not lucky enough to visit the praharas  which is said to have upa devathas.

One must definitley visit this temple to feel the vibration of the SIVAM which had been flourisihng during the past of the Tamil History. This is the place where Thirumular has written Thirumandiram.


தென்னாடுடைய  சிவனே  போற்றி ! என்னடவற்கும்  இறைவா போற்றி  போற்றி
For more details on the distance from near by places to this temple visit:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masilamaniswara_Temple,_Thiruvaduthurai

For more details about the Aadheenam:
http://temples.discovertamilnadu.net/tiruvaduthuraiadeenamhome.html