Thanumalayan temple
Encyclopedia
The Thanumalayan temple (Tamil
:தாணுமாலயன் திருக்கோவில்) is an important Hindu temple
located in Suchindram
in the Kanyakumari district
of Tamil Nadu
, India
.
Construction of the temple extended over a period of at least six hundred years. In olden days the temple is controlled by Namboodiris, one of the main Namboodiri family is called thekkumon madam. Parts date back as far as the ninth or tenth century, others from the fifteenth century, and a huge seven-storey pyramidal gopura was erected during the sixteenth century.
The place got the name of Suchindrum, according to Sthala Purana. Hindu Mythological
legend has it that king of devas
, Indra
got relieved of a curse at the place of the main linga in the temple. The term "Suchi" in Suchindrum is believed to have derived from the Sanskrit meaning that stands for "purify".Accordingly Lord Indra is supposed to visit the temple for performing "Ardhajama Pooja" or Worship at midnight every day.
The Anjaneya or Hanuman
statue stands at 22 feet (3m) and is carved of a single granite block and is one of the tallest statues in India. It is of great historical interest that this statue was buried in the temple, fearing an attack by Tippu Sultan and was subsequently forgotten.
The statue was re-installed when Sri M.K. Neelakanta Iyer, the then Secretary of the Devaswom Board, an extremely pious and honourable aristocrat under the Maharaja of Travancore tripped and fell while circumambulating the temple. The Namboothiris were summoned and after a detailed study of Prasnam, it was found that the Hanuman statue was buried there.
The Nandi statue, made of mortar and lime, and which is 13 feet tall is one of the biggest Nandi statue in India.
The religious significance of the temple stems from the fact that the main statue of linga represent Siva (Sthanu), Vishnu
(maal) and Brahma
(Ayan). The representation of the three central gods of Hinduism in one Linga makes it one of the unique temple in India. Anthropologically it could be stemmed from the fact that Travancore with the main temple at Padmanabhapuram
was Vaishnavite and the Nanjil Pillais and other community in Nagarcoil were primarily Shaivaites, because of the influences from Chola, Chera and Pandya kingdoms before the advent of Travancore kingdom. One of the unique aspects of the temple is the presence of the gods across the length and breadth of the Hindu pantheon, from Rama and Krishna to Amman and kandan. The different Hindu sects from Vaishnavism
, shaivism
, to more localised Tamil sects like amman, kandan are represented in the different idols of the temple.
The car festival celebrated in this temple during December/January every year attracts crowds of thousands of people. Another festival known as Teppam is celebrated during April/May every year
The Sanskrit work Sucindrastalamahatmya gives a full fledged legendary account of the origin and development of this temple.
Tamil language
Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...
:தாணுமாலயன் திருக்கோவில்) is an important Hindu temple
Hindu temple
A Mandir, Devalayam, Devasthanam, or a Hindu temple is a place of worship for followers of Hinduism...
located in Suchindram
Suchindram
Suchindram Suchindram Suchindram (Tamil: சுசீந்திரம் is a panchayat town in Kanniyakumari district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is an important pilgrim centre and the site of the famous Thanumalayan Temple (Tamil: தாணுமாலயன் கோயில்).-Geography:Suchindram is located at...
in the Kanyakumari district
Kanyakumari District
Kanyakumari District ) is a district of Tamil Nadu state, India and is the southernmost land area of mainland India.The district is the second most urbanised district in Tamilnadu, next only to Chennai and ahead of Coimbatore. It also has the highest literacy and education levels in the...
of Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
.
History
The Thanumalayan Temple (Sthanumalayan Temple ) is of importance to Shaivaites and Vaishnavite Sects of Hinduism. The name Stanumalaya denotes trimurtis; Stanu means Siva; Mal means Vishnu; and the Aya means Brahma.Construction of the temple extended over a period of at least six hundred years. In olden days the temple is controlled by Namboodiris, one of the main Namboodiri family is called thekkumon madam. Parts date back as far as the ninth or tenth century, others from the fifteenth century, and a huge seven-storey pyramidal gopura was erected during the sixteenth century.
The place got the name of Suchindrum, according to Sthala Purana. Hindu Mythological
Hindu mythology
Hindu religious literature is the large body of traditional narratives related to Hinduism, notably as contained in Sanskrit literature, such as the Sanskrit epics and the Puranas. As such, it is a subset of Nepali and Indian culture...
legend has it that king of devas
Deva (Hinduism)
' is the Sanskrit word for god or deity, its related feminine term is devi. In modern Hinduism, it can be loosely interpreted as any benevolent supernatural beings. The devs in Hinduism, also called Suras, are often juxtaposed to the Asuras, their half brothers. Devs are also the maintainers of...
, Indra
Indra
' or is the King of the demi-gods or Devas and Lord of Heaven or Svargaloka in Hindu mythology. He is also the God of War, Storms, and Rainfall.Indra is one of the chief deities in the Rigveda...
got relieved of a curse at the place of the main linga in the temple. The term "Suchi" in Suchindrum is believed to have derived from the Sanskrit meaning that stands for "purify".Accordingly Lord Indra is supposed to visit the temple for performing "Ardhajama Pooja" or Worship at midnight every day.
Description
The temple is an architectural marvel known for its quality of workmanship in stone. The musical pillars carved out of single stone and which stands at 18 feet is an architectural delight. There are seven musical pillars in the Alangara Mandapam, each cut out of single rock, which emit the sounds of various musical instruments when struck. There are 1035 pillars with carvings in the dancing hall.The Anjaneya or Hanuman
Hanuman
Hanuman , is a Hindu deity, who is an ardent devotee of Rama, a central character in the Indian epic Ramayana and one of the dearest devotees of lord Rama. A general among the vanaras, an ape-like race of forest-dwellers, Hanuman is an incarnation of the divine and a disciple of Lord Rama in the...
statue stands at 22 feet (3m) and is carved of a single granite block and is one of the tallest statues in India. It is of great historical interest that this statue was buried in the temple, fearing an attack by Tippu Sultan and was subsequently forgotten.
The statue was re-installed when Sri M.K. Neelakanta Iyer, the then Secretary of the Devaswom Board, an extremely pious and honourable aristocrat under the Maharaja of Travancore tripped and fell while circumambulating the temple. The Namboothiris were summoned and after a detailed study of Prasnam, it was found that the Hanuman statue was buried there.
The Nandi statue, made of mortar and lime, and which is 13 feet tall is one of the biggest Nandi statue in India.
The religious significance of the temple stems from the fact that the main statue of linga represent Siva (Sthanu), Vishnu
Vishnu
Vishnu is the Supreme god in the Vaishnavite tradition of Hinduism. Smarta followers of Adi Shankara, among others, venerate Vishnu as one of the five primary forms of God....
(maal) and Brahma
Brahma
Brahma is the Hindu god of creation and one of the Trimurti, the others being Vishnu and Shiva. According to the Brahma Purana, he is the father of Mānu, and from Mānu all human beings are descended. In the Ramayana and the...
(Ayan). The representation of the three central gods of Hinduism in one Linga makes it one of the unique temple in India. Anthropologically it could be stemmed from the fact that Travancore with the main temple at Padmanabhapuram
Padmanabhapuram
Padmanabhapuram a city and a municipality near Thuckalay in Kanniyakumari district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.-History:Padmanabhapuram was the old capital of the princely state of Travancore in India...
was Vaishnavite and the Nanjil Pillais and other community in Nagarcoil were primarily Shaivaites, because of the influences from Chola, Chera and Pandya kingdoms before the advent of Travancore kingdom. One of the unique aspects of the temple is the presence of the gods across the length and breadth of the Hindu pantheon, from Rama and Krishna to Amman and kandan. The different Hindu sects from Vaishnavism
Vaishnavism
Vaishnavism is a tradition of Hinduism, distinguished from other schools by its worship of Vishnu, or his associated Avatars such as Rama and Krishna, as the original and supreme God....
, shaivism
Shaivism
Shaivism is one of the four major sects of Hinduism, the others being Vaishnavism, Shaktism and Smartism. Followers of Shaivism, called "Shaivas," and also "Saivas" or "Saivites," revere Shiva as the Supreme Being. Shaivas believe that Shiva is All and in all, the creator, preserver, destroyer,...
, to more localised Tamil sects like amman, kandan are represented in the different idols of the temple.
The car festival celebrated in this temple during December/January every year attracts crowds of thousands of people. Another festival known as Teppam is celebrated during April/May every year
The Sanskrit work Sucindrastalamahatmya gives a full fledged legendary account of the origin and development of this temple.