Bhoominadar Veeravanallur

Bhoominadar, Veeravanallur

Saivite Temples - Tirunelveli District

God

Bhoominadar, facing east

Goddess

Maragadambika, facing east

Other Deities

Adhikara Nandi, Suryan, Juradevar, 63 Nayanmar, Sapthamadar, Vinayaka, Kasi Viswanathar, Kailalasanathar with consort, Subramanya with consorts, Saneeswara, Nataraja, Bhairava, Navagraha, Chandran. Sanctum niches – Dakshinamurthy, Chandikeswara

Bhoominadar Veeravanallur is a large east-facing temple with separate sanctums for the main deity and goddess. The entrance is through a huge unfinished Rajagopuram with some excellent carvings in it. The outer Prakaram is beautifully tree-lined with shrines for Ganesha, Naagar, and Murugan. The western doorway is closed and has a small mandapam inside. The holy tree of the temple Punnai is in this Prakaram. Both the sanctums of the lord and his consort have Mahamantapam, Ardha Mantapam, and Antralaya before the sanctum sanctorum. There are many beautifully carved pillars (about 24 in each of the Mantapas) including Yaali pillars. The Natarajar Sabai Mantapam is on the right as you enter. The entrance gate to the temple is a very large wooden structure and has beautifully small carvings of scenes from Shiva Purana, Dasavatara, and others. There is a large temple car outside with a large podium with a flight of steps to take the processional deities to the car. Opposite the Rajagopuram is a mandapam and after that is a large temple pond with a Mantapam in the middle.

Holy Water (Theertham) – Agni Theertham (Gnana Theertham. 7 other theerthams here associated here including Vyasa Theertham, Agasthya Theertham, Gautama Theertham, Durga Theertham, Ganga Theertham, Parmagal Theertham and, Gauri Theertham.

Sacred Tree (Sthala Vriksham) – Punnai (Calophyllum inophyllum)

History

Bhoominadar Veeravanallur is an ancient temple going back to the Pandya Period. Many inscriptions are found here, the details of the same are not available as of now.

Legend

Bhoominadar Veeravanallur is said to have been built by Adhiveera Valudi Maran who had lost his kingdom in a war. He came to this area and discovered a Lingam and was worshiping it. The Lord appeared in his dream and asked him to wage war again with the remnants of his army. As he approached the enemy his army was made to look multiplied vastly by the Lord’s miracle and the enemies took flight. He came back to built this temple. The name Veeravanallur is thus attributed to the king’s name.

Another legend is that to save the life of Markandeya, Lord Shiva had kicked the god of death, Yama, and made him lose all his powers (the legend of Thirukadavur temple in Nagapattinam district). Yama fled and his himself in the form of weeds in the Agni theertham pond here at Bhoominadar Veeravanallur. Bhoodevi burdened with population due to the absence of Yama created a Lingam and worshiped the lord to restore him. Since the lingam was created by Bhoo Devi (mother earth), the lord here is called Bhoominadar. Lord Shiva then order Nandi to locate Yama and restore him.

Yama, Bhoodevi, Indra, Indra’s minister Visumugan, Brahma, Viruga, Ganga, and Sage Agastya have worshiped the lord here at Bhoominadar Veeravanallur.

Directions

Bhoominadar Veeravanallur is 29 kilometers west of Tirunelveli. In the Ambasamudram road, after crossing Cheranmahadevi, take a right at the Veeravanallur name board to reach Bhoominadar Veeravanallur. There is also a beautiful Perumal temple in Veeravanallur.

Stay and Food

None locally except tea shops. The closest for food and stay is Tirunelveli or Ambasamudram.

Saivite Temples

Tamilnadu Temples