Kodakanallur Sri Kailasanathar(Chevvai) Temple (Nava Kailasam) -Tirunelveli

Address

kodakanallur Sri Kailasanathar Temple, Kodakanallur Town, Tirunelveli District Ph: 91- 99659 23124

Diety

Srikailayanathar

Introduction

Kodaganallur Kailasanathar Temple is one of the Nava Kailasam Temples. This temple is associatedwith Sevvai, or Mars (Chevvai or Mangal), among the Navagrahas. This is the third among the nine Nava Kailasam temples. It is also a special temple for Viruchigam (Scorpio) and Mesha (Aries)Rasis (moon signs). Kodaganallur is home to many ancient temples apart from the KailasanatharTemple. These temples, dating back to the 12th century, include a Vishnu temple for Periya Piran and aShiva Temple for Sri Abhimuktheshwar. The only Sankara Mutt established in Tamilnadu by the Sringeri Mutt of Karnataka is in this village.

Puranic Significance

Legend has it that Sage Agasthiyar was doing penance in the Podhigai hills. Romasa Rishi was his chiefdisciple; he wanted to attain liberation and he prayed to Lord Shiva. The Lord wanted to exalt himthrough his Guru, Sage Agasthya, who put nine flowers in the Thamirabarani River and asked Romasato install a Shiva lingam and pray wherever these flowers docked on the banks of the river. He was alsoadvised to bathe at the confluence of the river – where it met the sea. Romasa followed all these instructions and attained liberation. The nine abodes where the flowerswashed up on the shores of the river are called Nava Kailasam and the temples built at these spots aresmall but exquisite. One of the Lotus flower reached in the village near Kodaganallur, This temple isdedicated to the one of the planet, Chevvai (Mars). Once, a sage was doing penance in this area, he was assisted by his son. Once the son went to the forestto get firewood, at that time a young prince visited the sage, he attempted to wake up the sage from hispenance and ask for the development of the Kingdom. The sage was in his ritual process and refuses towake up; angry prince took a dead snake and placed it around the sage’s neck. The Sage was in deeppenance he never noticed the snake in his neck, the sage son came back with firewood and noticesomeone done a great sin. He got angry and came to know that the prince did it. he went to the palace,and said” Prince” you have done a very sinful work you placed a dead snake in my father’s neck.One day it will get alive and kill your father” and he left the palace angrily. A few days later, the Kingwent to see his horoscopes. The palace priest said “you will die in the venom of a snake”. So he decided to build a chamber were snakes cannot come in, the king lived there happily. As per the sage son wordsthe king must die in a snake bit, but there is no way. The snake took rebirth in the form of a mangoworm, at a particular day king ordered for mango; he got the same mango with worm which killed the King. As the sin done by the karkodagan, he decided to do penance towards lord Siva. To get rid of the sinthus lord came from Kailash to help his devotee he is called in the name of Kailasanathar , and in thisplace karkodagan got mukthi so its name Karkodaga Nallur.