According to the legend, the area that is now Tiruvanaikka was once a dense forest of jamun trees, with a nearby water body called Chandratheertha that was fed by the sacred waters of the river Cauvery. In this idyllic setting, God Shiva manifested as a Lingam, under one of the jamun trees. This particular Lingam came to be known as Jambulingam. The story also involves two of Shiva's ganas, or attendants, named Pushpadanta and Malyava. Due to a curse, they were reborn in the forest as an elephant and a spider, respectively. The elephant devotedly worshipped the Jambulingam, offering flowers and water fetched from the near by water body, while the spider spun intricate webs over the Lingam to protect it from falling leaves. However, the elephant viewed the spider's webs as impure and destroyed them, leading to a fierce battle between the two that ultimately resulted in both of their deaths. Moved by their devotion, Shiva granted them both moksha, or spiritual liberation. The spider was then reborn into a royal Chola dynasty as the renowned king Ko-Chenkannan. Remembering his past life, the king went on to construct around 70 temples, known as Maadakovils, including the famed Jambukeswarar Temple at Tiruvanaikka. Interestingly, it is said that Ko Chenkannan intentionally designed the temples in such a way that elephants could not enter the sanctum and approach the Shivalingam, perhaps as a symbolic gesture related to his own history.
Tiruvanaikka, one of the most revered Panchabhootha temples, is a sprawling complex spanning approximately 18 acres, enclosed by towering walls and adorned with magnificent towers in all four cardinal directions. The temple's sanctum, housing the main Jambukeswarar lingam, is uniquely situated below ground level, resulting in persistent water seepage that adds to the mystical ambiance. Devotees navigate through five expansive prakaras before reaching the inner sanctum, where the Jambukeswarar is worshipped in the form of an 'Appu Lingam'.
In the fourth prakara, the sannidhi of Goddess Akhilandeswari, facing east, commands reverence. The resplendent earrings, known as Thadakas, adorning the ears of the goddess are strikingly visible, drawing the gaze of devotees. According to temple lore, Adi Shankaracharya installed these earrings, fashioned in the form of Sri Chakra, to pacify the once fierce and formidable Goddess, whose wrath struck fear in the hearts of worshippers. To further appease the divine mother, Her children Vinayaka and Muruga were strategically placed in front and behind her sannidhi, respectively.
The daily rituals at Thiruvanaikka are imbued with profound symbolism and reverence. During the 'Ushath Kala', the time just before sun rise, 'Go Puja' (cow worship, where cows are venerated and honored) is performed, while the ritual of 'Annabhishekam' is done during 'Uchi kala'; noon-time ritual or puja performed around midday. The pinnacle of devotion is witnessed during the 'Uchi Kala' puja when the Shivacharya, adorned in feminine attire and crowned like Mother Akilandeswari herself, enters the Swami Sannidhi amidst an elephant procession, accompanied with drum beats, and performs abhishekam to the presiding deity. The temple's rich history is interwoven with captivating legends, one of which recounts how God Shiva himself, disguised as a Siddhar, personally distributed 'Tiru Neeru' as wages to the laborers who constructed the fourth wall of the temple, with the ashes miraculously transforming into gold commensurate with each worker's effort, thus earning the wall the moniker "Thiruneetran Madhil."
First Tower - West
Mallappan Gopuram
Third Tower - West
Raja Gopuram - East
Outer Corridor - North
Outer Corridor - East
Adi Jambukeswar Sannidi
Kubera Linga
Shankaaranyeshwar