Shankaralingeswarar, facing east
Shankaralingeswarar, facing east
Gomathiammai, facing east
Shankaranarayanar in a separate sanctum. Outer Prakaram – Punnai Vana Vinayaka, Naagar, Mahavishnu. Mahamandapam area – Muruga with consorts, Navagraha. Sanctum of main deity – south side – Naalvar, Sekkizhar, Mahavishnu, 63 Nayanmar, Juradevar, Gandhari, Saptha Maadhar, West – Vinayaka, Subramanya with consorts, North – Vanmeeganadar, Saneeswara, Kasi Viswanathar, Bhairava, East – Surya, chandran. Sanctum Niches – Dakshinamurthy, Yoga Narasimhar, Brahma, Durga, Chandikeswara
Goddess sanctum – Shenbaga Vinayaka, Muruga with consorts, Saraswathi, Chandikeswari
Shankarankovil is a large east-facing temple with a huge 9 tiered Rajagopuram at the entrance in the east. This is preceded by a Mandapam outside. The Rajagopuram leads into the outer Prakaram in the sides. The main corridor leads into the second Prakaram where a large common Mahamandapam is present. There are several large pillars with beautiful carvings here. Straight ahead is the sanctum sanctorum of the main deity Shankaralingeswarar. On the north side is the separate east-facing sanctum of Goddess Gomathiammai. In between these two sanctums is the sanctum of Lord Shankaranarayanar who is represented as a half Shiva and half Vishnu idol. All 3 sanctums have their own Mahamandapam, Mani Mandapam, Ardha Mandapam, Antralaya and a circumambulatory Prakaram. The entrance to the inner Prakaram of the main deity and goddess has 3 tiered gopurams above. The sanctum sanctorum of the main deity has many excellent small carvings around the outer walls including Dwrapalakas, Yoga Narasimha, Karthaveeriyan, Dasakanda Ravanan, Hiranya Samhara Moorthy, Ganapathi, Veena Kali, Badrakali, Mariyaadum Perumal, Agora Veerabadhra, Nataraja, Rishabaroodar, Upadesa Dakshinamurthy, Rudramurthy, Aimukha Brahma, Simhavaahana Ganapathi, Rama, Manmada, Venkatachalapathi, Shenbaga Villavaraki, Shankaranarayanar, Chandrasekharar, Simhasaneswari, Mahavishnu, Balasubramanya, Durga, Shanmukha, Mahishasuramardhini, Kabali, Kalabhairava, Oorthuva Thandavar, Thillai Kali, Gajasamhara Moorthy, Daksha Samhara Moorthy, Uchishta Ganapathi, Rama Lakshmana, Parameswara, Mayuraroodar, Veerabadhra, Trivikrama, Vamana Avatar, and Hamsaroodar. Each of these small works of art requires attention and each one is named to identify easily. The idol of Shankaralingeswarar is a small lingam. Near him is goddess Manonmani. In the north side of the Ardha Mandapam is Nataraja, Sivakami and Karaikal Ammaiyar. A Flagstaff and large Nandi face the main deity outside the sanctum sanctorum. In the pillars are the carvings of King Ugra Pandyan, Umapathi Sivam, and Vadamalaiyappa Pillai praying to the Lord.
Around the prakaram of Shankaranarayanar are some excellent ancient paintings including Tharuna Ganapathi, Bakthi Ganapathi, Veera Ganapathi, Pinjala Ganapathi, Uchishta Ganapathi, Subra Ganapathi, Lakshmi Ganapathi, Vigneswara Ganapathi, Heramba Ganapathi, Narthana Ganapathi, Bhuvana Ganapathi, Oortha Ganapathi, Sakthi Ganapathi, Nithya Ganapathi, Vallabha Ganapathi, Maha Ganapathi, Renganadar, Gnana Sakthidarar, Dhandayudhapani, Devasenathipathi, Subramanya, Yoga Dhandayudhapani, Gajavahanar, Saravanabhavar, Karthikeya, Kumara, Shanmuga, Tharakari Devasenathipathi, Brahmasastha, Valliammai wedding, Pavunnadar, Balasamy, Dasavatar, Kalinga Narthana, and Govardhanagiri Venugopala Krishna. In this sanctum is kept a Spatika Lingam in a beautiful silver case. Ablution is performed only to this Lingam and not the Shankaranayanar idol.
In front of the Goddess’s sanctum is a Sri Chakra. In the north side prakaram of the goddess shrine is a Putru Marundhu (snake mound medicine) which is believed to have medicinal values. A Flagstaff and large Nandi face the goddess outside the sanctum.
In the northeast corner of the outer Prakaram is a small Temple Tank called Naga Theertham. The annual float festival takes place at Aavudai Poigai (Pond) on the south side of Shankarankovil town. The temple cars are stationed outside the Rajagopuram.
Shankarankovil is one of the Pancha Bootha (5 Elements) Temples in the region representing Land (Prithvi). The others are Palvannanadar Karivalamvanthanallur (Fire), Devadanam, Virudunagar District (Sky), Mathyasthanadar, Dharugapuram (Water), Tirupuranathar, Thenmalai (Air).
Agni Theertham, Agastya Theertham, Surya Theertham, Bhairava Theertham and Gowri Theertham. Also present are Shankara (also called Indra) Theertham in the southwest side of the main deity and Naaga Theertham (Temple Tank) in front of the goddess’s sanctum.
Sacred Tree (Sthala Vriksham) – Punnai (Calophyllum inophyllum)
The original ancient Shankarankovil temple did not have the Shankaranayanar Sanctum. This has been added later. Shankarankovil has many inscriptions relating to various contributions to the temple made by Kings. They are as follows:
* 1022 CE inscription of Pandya King Sekharam Ugrapandyan about building up the temple
* 1095 CE inscription of Seevalaba Mara Pandyan about building the Prakaram
* 1506-7 CE inscription of Parakrama Pandyan
* 1475 CE inscription of Pandya King Koneri Meikondan Kulasekaradevan
* 1428 CE Inscription of Parakrama Pandyan on a rock panel in the south side of Shankarankovil temple mentioning land grants
* 1428 CE Inscription of Parakrama Pandyan on the south side of the Ardha Mandapam of the sanctum sanctorum mentioning allocation of land and a house for one Kailasanada Bhattar
* 1428 CE Inscription of Parakrama Pandyan relating to further land grants to the temple
* 1413 CE Inscription of Parakrama Pandyan on the north wall of the sanctum sanctorum mentioning allocation of land for one Sadhasiva Bhattar
* 1510 CE damaged inscription on the south wall of the Gopuram
* 1475 CE inscription of Kulasekhara Pandyan on the north wall of the Aavudayamman temple mentioning the grant of a village called Kottur to the temple
* 1475 CE damaged inscription of Kulasekhara Pandyan on the north wall of the Aavudayamman temple
* 1479 CE inscription of Parakrama Pandyan on the north wall of the goddess sanctum mentioning donation of a village
* Inscription in the south entrance belonging to Vikrama Deva Pandyan mentioning land grant
* Inscription in the south entrance belonging to Tirubhuvana Chakravarthi mentioning land grant
Lord Shiva is believed to have appeared as an amalgamation of himself and Lord Vishnu here at Shankarankovil as requested by Goddess Parvati. The Lingam here was discovered by a watchman of the nearby Nandavanam in a snake mound. A snake’s tail was cut off in the attempt to take the lingam out. He ran to inform King Ugra Pandyan who was in the area at the same time. At the same time, the King’s elephant is believed to have lied down and gored the earth with his tusks. The King who realized the strangeness of the situation was ordered by Lord Shiva to build a temple for him. Since the Shiva Lingam came from a snake mound he is also called Vanmeeganadar. Indran, Bhairava, Surya, Agni, and Sage Agastya are believed to have worshiped the lord and goddess here at Shankarankovil. Jayantan, son of Indra, in the form of a crow, pecked Sita and troubled her. Seeing this Lord Rama cursed him to remain a crow. On the advice of Indra, he worshiped the lord here at Shankarankovil with a pearl garland and regained his original form. Sangan and Padman, two Naagar (serpents) in their debate about whether Shiva or Vishnu is higher were granted the vision of the amalgamation of Shiva and Vishnu as Shankara Narayana here at Shankarankovil. They created the Naaga Theertham tank here and worshiped the Lord. Since the theertham was created by Serpents it is said that no other water-borne life form is found in this tank.
Shankarankovil is 56 kilometers northwest of Tirunelveli, 48 kilometers northeast of Tenkasi, and 30 kilometers south of Rajapalayam.
Shankarankovil has a few small decent restaurants and lodges in the road leading to the Rajagopuram.