Subramanyaswamy Tiruchendur

Subramanyaswamy, Tiruchendur

Other Temples - Thoothukudi

God

Subramanyaswamy, facing east

Goddess

Valli and Deivanai, facing east

Other Deities

Thoonduki Vinayaka, Mukkurini Vinayaka, Venkatesa Perumal, Renganadar, Gajalakshmi, Sage Agastya, Dakshinamurthy, Saint Arunagirinadar, 63 Nayanmar, Pancha Bottha Lingams, Chandikeswara, Nataraja, Sivakami, Karaikkal Ammaiyar, Saneeswara, Bhairava, Shanmuga with consorts

Subramanyaswamy Tiruchendur is a large east-facing temple situated on the seashore. This is the second of the 6 Arupadai Veedu temples of Lord Muruga. The others are Thiruparankundram, Pazhani, Swamimalai, Pazhamudhircholai and Tirutani. There is a huge 9 tiered Rajagopuram on the west side and a 5 tiered Gopuram on the eastern side. There are 3 Prakarams. The outermost one runs around the compound wall. The inner one runs inside the compound wall and has beautiful pillared corridors. The innermost prakaram runs around the shrines and the sanctum sanctorum. The main deity of Lord Subramanya is facing east in a meditative standing position. The goddesses Valli and Deivanai are behind facing east in separate shrines on either side of the sanctum sanctorum. To the left of the main deity is the processional deity of Lord Senthil Nathar with his consorts. There is also a shrine for Lord Muruga as Shanmuga with his consorts.

Holy Water (Theertham) – 24 Theerthams: Mukaramba, Deivayanai, Lakshmi, Sidhdhar, Ashta Dikpala, Gayatri, Savitri, Saraswathi, Airavata, Trisuli, Valli, Durga, Gnana, Sathya, Dharma, Muni, Deva, Pavanasa, Skandha, Sita, Dasa Ganga, Gandhamathana, Mathru, Pithru Theerthams

Sacred Tree (Sthala Vriksham) – No information

History

Subramanyaswamy Tiruchendur temple has been in existence from the ancient days. Subramanyaswamy Tiruchendur finds mention in the Epic Silapadikaram written by Ilango Adigal in the 5th – 6th Century CE. Saint Arunagirinadar (15th Century CE) has sung hymns for the lord here at Subramanyaswamy Tiruchendur.

The original temple constructed on the sandstone reefs had weathered over centuries. The Temple as it exists today is only from 1941. From the original temple, four inscriptions belonging to the Pandya Era have been found. Inscription of Jatavarman Varaguna Pandya (regnal years 862 CE onwards), a devotee of Lord Muruga of Tiruchendur, on a rock during his 13th regnal year, mentioning contributions of gold to 12 villages around to provide rice grains every year for the Subramanyaswamy Tiruchendur temple. An inscription of Mara Varman Kulasekhara Pandyan (regnal years 1268 -1301 CE) and Vikrama Pandya.

Legend

Subramanyaswamy Tiruchendur is the place where Lord Muruga slew the Asura Surapadman in an epic battle. In the battle the lance of Lord Muruga pierced the body of Surapadma, transforming it into a frightful mango tree, that broke into two. The broken pieces instantly transformed themselves into a mighty Peacock and a Cock. Lord Muruga took the peacock as his Vahana (mount) and the cock onto his banner. This event is enacted every year in the seashore and is a major attraction and important ritual called Soora Samharam (destruction of Soorapadman). After this exhausting battle Lord Muruga who wanted to rest and relieve himself of anger desired to worship his father, Lord Shiva. He told the divine architect Mayan to construct this temple. The main deity is in a meditative posture praying to Lord Shiva.

Lord Brahma is believed to have regained his third head which was nipped off by Lord Shiva after bathing in the sea here. Angasundari who was born with a horse face got a beautiful human face after bathing in the Mukuramba Theertham here at Subramanyaswamy Tiruchendur. Saint Kumara Kurubara gained speaking ability after worshiping and serving the Lord here at Subramanyaswamy Tiruchendur. The Skandha Pushkarini Theertham here in the form of a well was created by Lord Muruga with his Vel (lance) to satiate the thirst of his soldiers. This well in the south of the temple is 14 feet square, has 34 steps within, and below that is a 1 foot square well with 7 steps that provide excellent freshwater even today. Saint Mouna Swamy while building the temple used to give wages in the form of ash packed in a paneer leaf. This was to be opened at the

Around 1648 CE, a group of sailors, later identified as Dutch, landed in Tiruchendur and carried away the processional idols of Lord Shanmukha and Natarajar, thinking that they were made of gold. But a storm descended on the sea and rocked the ship violently, scaring the sailors who threw the idols into the sea. The loss of the idols was communicated to Vadamalaiyappa Pillaiyyan, the local administrator at Tirunelveli of the Nayak Ruler. Pillaiyyan was very disturbed and ordered for a similar idol to be made in Panchaloka (an alloy of 5 metals). As it was getting ready in 1653 he had a dream of the lord himself telling him what to do. He set out to sea and came to the spot where a lemon was floating and a Garuda (Brahminy Kite – mount of Lord Vishnu) was circling and recovered the original Idol and re-installed it. The replacement idol was then consecrated in the temple of Thirupurandeeswarar in Palayamkottai.

Directions

Tiruchendur is 55 kilometers southeast of Tirunelveli and 40 kilometers south of Thoothukudi. The temple has ample paid parking. Avoid festivals and important religious days if you want to enjoy a comparatively relaxed time. The beach in front is beautiful and fit for bathing with due safety precautions.

Stay and Food

Tiruchendur has hotels, lodges, and restaurants for a comfortable stay and good food.

Other Temples

Tamilnadu Temples