Chokkalingaswamy Chintamani

Saivite Temples, Tirunelveli District

God

Chokkalingaswamy, facing east

Goddess

Meenakshi, facing east

Other Deities

Around main deity sanctum – Sankataharachaturthi Vinayakar, Ayyappan, Rameswarar, Kasi Viswanathar, Saraswathi, Mahalakshmi, Saneeswarar, Shanmuga with consorts, Nataraja, Naalvar. Sanctum niches – Dakshinamurthy, Durga, Chandikeswara. Around Goddess shrine – Kanni Vinayaka, Naagar, Chandikeswari

Chokkalingaswamy Chintamani is a small east-facing temple situated in a single prakaram. A temple tank is in front of the temple. A large and beautiful Vinayaka idol is outside the entrance under a Peepal tree. Entrance to the main deity is through a gateway mandapam in the east. A similar gateway mandapam is also in front of the goddess shrine, though closed. A large Maha Mandapam with about 77 pillars is in the front, common to both the sanctum sanctorum and the goddess shrine. Both of them have an ardha mandapam and antralaya before the deities. The main deity is a large 5 feet tall Lingam. The Vimaanam of the main deity is also large. The temple layout is said to be a miniature version of the Madurai Temple.

Holy Water (Theertham) – Vilwa Theertham

Sacred Tree (Sthala Vriksham) – Vilwam (Aegle marmelos)

History

Chokkalingaswamy Chintamani is an old temple as is evident from its architecture. Historical information is not available as of now.

Legend

A Pandya King called Pooliyan who built the nearby Balasubramanya Temple at Puliankudi was obsessed with his devotion to Lord Chokkanadar of Madurai. The lord appeared in his dream and asked him to build this temple here at Chintamani near Puliankudi.

Directions

Chokkalingaswamy Chintamani is about 32 kilometers north of Tenkasi, just outside Puliyangudi before Vasudevanallur, on the road to Rajapalayam.

Stay and Food

None locally. The closest is Tenkasi and Rajapalayam depending on your travel plan.

Saivite Temples

Chokkalingaswamy, Chintamani