Dindigul Sri Kalahastheeswarar & Abhirami Ambikai Temple- Dindigul

Address

Dindigul Sri Kalahastheeswarar & Abhirami Ambikai Temple- Dindigul town, Dindigul District – 624 001. Phone Numbers: +91-51- 2433 229, 2460 903.

Diety

Kalahastheeswarar, Padmagireeswarar Amman: Gnanambikai, Abhirami Ambikai

Introduction

Kalahastheeswarar temple is a Shiva temple and is located in Dindigul town, Dindigul district, Tamil Nadu state, India. The presiding deity is called as Kalahastheeswarar/ Padmagireeswarar and Amman (Thayar) is Gnanambikai, Abhirami Ambikai. This temple is 1000 years old Shiva temple. A Tamil devotee scholar Pala Pattadai Chocknatha Pulavar had sung the glory of the Lords of this temple. Thala Virutcham: Gooseberry Theertham: Five springs

Puranic Significance

This is a very ancient Shiva temple, built by Chera kings and renovated by Cholas, Pandyas, kings of Vijaya Nagar and Naickers of Madurai. The Temple is believed to be 1000 years old. Lord Vinayaka of the temple is praised as Vanni Vinayaka. Lord Shiva who came here as Bhairava to destroy Thindimahasura is in the prakara. Mother Baladurga graces devotees from a pillar. Garuda Bhagwan graces from another pillar. Great Saivite Acharyas praised as Santhana Kuravas, Meikanda Thevar, Maraignana Sambandar, Arulnadhi Shivacharya and Umapathi Shivacharya grace the devotees from the front mandap. Lord Brahmma performed penance in this place on Lord Shiva for relief from an evil effect-dosha- he was suffering then. Lord gave him darshan from a Lotus-Padma- tank. Hence, Lord Shiva is praised as Padmagiriswara. He marched on a demon Dindimasura. At the very sight of Lord, the demon became good and surrendered at His feet. As requested by Him, Lord agreed to make the place known after his name as Dindeeswaram. Later, the demon invaded Devas who fell at the feet of Lord of Padmagiri. As a token of their gratitude to Lord, the Devas installed a Shiva devotee Dharmabala as the king of Dindeeswaram and left the place. He built a temple to Lord Padmagiriswara on the hill top. During the rule of the Moghuls, people brought down Lord and Ambica to the ground temple as procession deities in the present Kalahastheeswara temple. They showed equal respect and importance to both Shivas and Ambicas. Dindeeswaram later came to be known as Dindigul.This is a hill temple.

Beliefs

Devotees pray to Lord Kalahastheeswarar for relief from the adverse aspects of the serpent planets, pardon for sins committed and to get back the job lost. Those seeking child boon pray on Kruthika star days. Devotees perform abishek to Lord and Mother offering vastras.

Special Features

The temple has two presiding deities in two separate sanctum sanctorums. There was no shrine for Ambica in the beginning. Mother Kali came here to destroy a demon named Analan and was very furious. Lord Shiva softened her fury and married her. She looked very alluring then and therefore, was named Abhirami Ambica. A festival remembering the furious Kali destroying the demon and her wedding with Shiva is celebrated during Chithirai month – April-May. Though a Shiva sthala-place, Ambicas occupy a prominent place. The temple is popularly known as Abhirami temple. The name Abhirami contains auspicious Mantra letters. Worshipping Mother in the name of Abhirami, naturally the devotees chant this Mantra bring them manifold blessings. There is a shrine for Lord Varadaraja Perumal in the prakara facing north, a direction said to be very auspicious and prosperous. People pray here seeking prosperity. Sri Anjaneya having His shrine separately in other temples or before the Lord Graces the devotees so close to Perumal Himself in the shrine, a respect to His Bhakti. On the Vaikunta Ekadasi day, Perumal passes through the entrance of Mother Abhirami as there is no special Sorga Vasal – entrance to Paradise for Perumal in the temple. It is said that He uses this entrance with liberty as the Brother of Mother Abhirami. Varuna the God of Rain lost his job due to a curse by Indira. He prayed to Lord Shiva here and got back his job. Those who had lost their jobs pray to Lord here on their birth star days or on Poornima-full moon days offering Rudrabisheka and Samba rice nivedhana to regain the job. Those aspiring promotions also follow this worship.

Festivals

12 day Chithirai big festival in April-May with flag hoisting on the Kruthika star day and concluding on the Chithirai star day with theerthavari, drawing huge crowd; Aadi Shukravara Utsav with flower palanquin procession of Lord and Mother; Vinayaka Chaturthi in August-September; Navarathri in September-October; Aipasi Skanda Sashti in October-November; Karthikai Deepa festival in November-December; Margazhi Thiruvadhirai in December-January; Fridays of Thai month January-February; Masi Magam in February-March and Panguni Uthiram in March-April are the festivals celebrated in the temple. Devotee crowd is usually huge on full moon, new moon and Pradosha days each month.