Kannayiram Udayar Temple - Where The Shiva-lingam Has A Thousand Cavities!



In this blog we will read about a unique temple of Lord Shiva - Kurumanakkudi Kannayiram Udayar temple which is situated in Mayiladuthrai district of Tamil Nadu. Lord Shiva is worshipped here as Kannayiranathar and His consort is Devi Murugu Valar Kothai Naayaki. 

The word 'Kannayiram' means a thousand eyes. (Kannu - eyes, ayiram - thousand). There is a legend associated with this name.

Deva Indra was attracted to Ahalya, the wife of Rishi Gautama. Once, during the Rishi's absence, he took on the disguise of the Rishi, visited his home and tricked Ahalya into believing that he was her husband. When Rishi Gautama returned home and saw Indra and Ahalya, he became furious. He cursed Ahalya to turn into a stone. He prophesied that she would be relieved of her curse when Lord Rama's feet would touch her. He also cursed Lord Indra that his body would be disfigured. A thousand spots appeared on Indra's body as a result of the curse. Lord Brahma advised Indra to worship Lord Shiva to get rid of the spots. It is believed that Indra worshipped Lord Shiva at the place where the temple is currently located. Taking pity on Indra, Lord Shiva changed the spots on Indra's body into thousand eyes. It is said that the shiva-linga in the temple has thousand cavities that signify the eyes given to Indra.

This temple is also said to be the place where Lord Vishnu in His Vaaman Avatar, worshipped Lord Shiva before heading off to disrupt Bali's yagna. Hence this place also got the name Kurumanakkudi, Kuru meaning small/short. 

The architechture of the temple is such that from one particular spot, one can view both the lingam and the Vimaana (the top) of the temple. All the twelve Raashis (zodiac signs) are beautifully inscribed inside the temple. 

People worshipping the Lord and the Devi in this temple are believed to get rid of problems related to marriage, child-birth, adverse effects of the planetary movements as well as vision-related problems. 

Om Namaha Shivaaya! Om Devyai Namaha!



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