Thirukadaiyur Temple

I have returned from my trip in South India recently. I was there for the Bheema Radha Santhi of my parents. South Indians would be familiar with this ritual. Whenever the husband reaches his 60th birthday, the children organize a wedding for their parents which is known as Shastiapthapoorthi. When they reach 70th birthday Bheema Radha Santhi and when they reach 80th birthday Sadaabhishegam is performed. We did this function in Thirukadaiyur’s Sri Abhirami Sametha Amirthagadeshwarar Temple. This temple is famous for performing the above marriages. This is the place where Lord Shiva has bestowed immortality to Sri Maarkandaya and bestowed with ever sixteen age (16). Lord Shiva himself killed Lord Yama and saved Maarkandaya's life.

We used the services of Muthu Gurukkal of Thirukadaiyur for the ceremony. We stayed in Hotel Manivizha, http://hotelmanivizha.com/, where we booked 13 rooms and paid Rs 5900/- inclusive of taxes for a day.

Temples to visit near by are the Sri Markandayar Temple in Thirumanalmedu around 500 meters from Thirukadaiyur, the Ananthamangalam Anjaneya temple and Three Nethra Chathurbuja Veera Anjaneyar. These are a few temples which are near Thirukadaiyur which I visited.

To reach Thirukadiyur

Nearest Railway Station is Mayiladuthurai which is around 22 kms from Thirukadaiyur.
There are also frequent buses from Mayiladuthurai.

hi bonded,
My best wishes to your dad,
I really love this place and i am a frequent visitor to this place.

All the very best for your Dad & Mom bonded.

Thirukadayur is a famous and the right place to do Shastiapthapoorthi and sadhabishekam.

One small correction: Yama was not killed by Lord Shiva. He was kicked by Lord shiva and was held under his left leg which made him inactive for a brief period. If you go around the temple (Pragaram) you have paintings depicting this story. Paintings in the temple also depict the Lord with a raised forefinger, warning Yama not to touch Markandeya . Inspite of that Yama threw the Pasa Kayiru which surrounded even lord Shiva since Markandeyan was clutching the feet of the lord. There is this painting also showing Lord Shiva's neck in the Pasa Kayiru

Yama was inactive for a period during which there were no deaths on earth. As nature should have its way, the Kala-samhara-moorthi, the other name by which Amritaghateswarar is known - Lord Shiva brought Death to life.

The significance of 'kicking with the left leg' is that, Had Lord Shiva desired to kill Yama forever, Lord would have held him under His right leg - as in the case of Muyalaka. The very fact that he used His left leg points , that Lord intended it as a punishment for an act of rashness and not otherwise.

Death was conquered at Tirukkadaiyur, That's why it is highly ritual that couples who have celebrated their Shastiapthapoorthi (completion of 60 years) and sadhabishekam (completion of 80 years) make it a point to have a darshan of the Kala-samhara-moorthi.

Regards

B.S.Prasad

Hi prasad,
I really appreciate your knowledge about this place and hats off to you for your commentry of the paintings at the temple,
with regards
n kumar

Thank you Kumar and Prasad.

This temple also has a Abirami Temple in the same complex. It is here where Abirami Battar composed Abirami Anthathi on the spot.

What amazing experience from bonded, and knowledge from bsprasad.

There is a interesting and inspiring story about Abirami Battar.

This happened during the days of Sarabhoji King. Sarabhoji never liked abirami battar getting all the attention and was waiting for a chance to take him for task.

One day, when abirami battar was enjoying his conversation with Lord Abirami

(Conversation with god will be in a way of Manaseegam. These Battars will have power to move their soul alone from their body and travel all the seven worlds without any problems. They will return when they want. This is called Rajayogam and is considered highly dangerous as a inexperience soul can collapse without returning to the body)

Now returning to the story....

When Abirami battar was in the middle of the conversation, sarabhoji king entered the temple and went directly to the battar and asked when is the full moon day and abirami battar answered in his subconsious mind that it is tomorrow.

Sarabhoji left and when abirami battar returned to his body, His disciples told him about the error. Sarabhoji has warned abirami battar if the moon does not rise on the next day evening abirami battar will be killed.

Abirami battar sang Abirami Andhadhi (1000 Versus). Pleased with abirami battar's singing Lord Abirami threw her nose ring into the sky and the shining diamond in the ring was glittering like a full moon.

Sarabhoji realised the power of Abirami Battar.

There is a famous tamil movie Song " Solladi Abirami " in a old film which depicted abirami battar's story.

Amazing development for this temple. When I was kid, I use to roam around this temple during summer holidays (My family village is near by). It will become dark in evening and only one oil lamp will be there in sanctum. We normally use moonlight days to visit this temple..

Nowadays it is visited by people world over.. amazing..

Hi,

My father will be 75 years old by May 2013. We could not do his Shastiapthapoorthi when he was 60 and 70 years. But when he is 75 by coming May, I wish to perform the same in simple way with my own family members. Can anyone guide me what kind of pooja we need to do and whom to contact.

Thanks
punidha