Tirumundeeswaram Sri Sivalokanathar Temple - Villupuram

Address

Tirumundeeswaram Sri SivalokanatharTemple,Gramam, Gramam Post,Via Ulundurpettai Ulundurpettai Taluk,Villupuram District,PIN 607203

Diety

Sivalokanathar, Mundeeswarar, Mudiswarar Amman: Soundaryanayaki, Kanarkuzhali,

Introduction

Sivalokanathar temple (also called Thirumundeeswaram or Sivalokanatha temple, Gramam) is a Hindu temple dedicated to the deity Shiva, located in Gramam, a village in Villupuram district in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Shiva is worshiped as Sivalokanathar, and is represented by the lingam. His consort Parvati is depicted as Soundaranayagi. The presiding deity is revered in the 7th century Tamil Saiva canonical work, the Tevaram, written by Tamil saint poets known as the Nayanars and classified as Paadal Petra Sthalam. The temple complex covers around one acre and can be entered through a seven-tiered gopuram, the main gateway. The temple has a number of shrines, with those of Sivalokanathar and his consort Soundaryanayagi, being the most prominent. All the shrines of the temple are enclosed in large concentric rectangular granite walls. Thala Virutcham : Vanni Theertham : Brahmma theertham

Puranic Significance

According to legend, this is the place where Mundi, one of Lord Shiva’s securities (Dwarapalakas), worshiped him. Hence this place is called “Mundeescharam” and the lord is praised as “Sri Mundeeswarar”. Lord Shiva’s other dwarapalaka, Thindi is believed to have worshipped Lord Shiva in “Thindeeswaram” (now called Tindivanam). Another legend associated with this place is that of a king called Chokkalingam who is believed to have visited this place in Dwapara Yuga. He is believed to have noticed a strange lotus flower in a pond. He wanted to pluck the flower but was unable to do so as it kept moving in the water. The king shot an arrow and as soon as it hit the flower, the water turned red. Upon further investigation, he found a Shivalingam inside the flower. He immediately built a temple there. The Shivalingam still has a scar on it. It is also believed that it is in this place that Lord Shiva gave a bag (Pokkanam) of sacred ash (Vibhuthi) to a king called Veerapandiyan. Hence the lord here is also praised as “Pokkanam Kodutha Nayanar”. It is believed that Lord Brahma and Lord Indira have worshipped Lord Shiva here.

Beliefs

Those desirous of mastering music and dance pray to Mother. Devotees perform abishek to Lord and Mother with vastras

Special Features

This is one of the 276 Devara Paadal Petra Shiva Sthalams and 19th Shiva Sthalam in Nadu Naadu. Lord Shiva in this temple is a Swayambumurthi (self-manifested). This east facing temple has a single corridor and its main tower (Rajagopuram) has 5-tiers. The flag post (Dwajasthambam) was installed recently. The last consecration ceremony (Maha Kumbabishekam) took place on 10.09.2006. This temple is located on the southern bank of the Malattaru (Pennai river), now known as Malattaar. As per the stone inscriptions available in this temple, this place was once the capital of Mudiyur Nadu. Also, these stone inscriptions reveal that this place was once called “Mouli Gramam” (“Mouli” means chieftain and “gramam” means village in Tamil). However, over a period of time, this was shortened to just Gramam.

Festivals

Appar Vizha is celebrated in the Tamil month of Chithirai (April-May), Aani Thirumanjanam in the Tamil month of Aani (June-July), Vinayakar Chaturthi in the Tamil month of Aavani (Aug-Sept) Navarathri in the Tamil month of Purattasi (Sept-Oct), Skanda Shashti and Annabishekam in the Tamil month of Aippasi (Oct–Nov), Thiruvadhirai in the Tamil month of Markazhi (Dec-Jan), Makara Sankranthi in the Tamil month of Thai (Jan-Feb) Mahashivrathri in the Tamil month of Masi (Feb-Mar) and Panguni Uthiram in the Tamil month of Panguni (Mar-Apr) Pradosham is also observed regularly