Veeravanallur Bhoominathar Temple – Thirunelveli

Address

Veeravanallur Bhoominathar Temple – Thirunelveli

Veeravanallur, Thirunelveli district,

Tamil Nadu – 627426

Phone: +91 94864 27875

Moolavar

Bhoominathar

Amman

Maragathambigai.

Introduction

• Location: Veeravanallur, Thirunelveli District, Tamil Nadu (approximately 6 km west of Cheranmahadevi, 37 km from Thirunelveli). The nearest railway stations are Ambasamudram and Veeravanallur, while the closest airports are in Madurai and Thiruvananthapuram.
• Deity: Presiding deity is Lord Bhoominathar (a form of Lord Shiva), and the goddess is Maragathambigai. The holy water (Theertham) is called Gnana Theertham, and the temple’s Sthala Vriksham (sacred tree) is the Punnai tree.

Puranic Significance

• The Legend of Yama: According to the legend, after Lord Shiva saved Markandeya from Yama (the God of death), Yama turned into a creeper. His inability to fulfill his duty led to no deaths on Earth, causing Bhoo Devi (Earth) to struggle with overpopulation. Bhoo Devi prayed to Shiva, who then restored Yama to his role, and thus he is worshipped as Bhoominathar in this temple.
• Notable Worshippers: Great sages and deities like Agasthiyar, Dharmar, Nakushan, Vishnu, Brahma, Sage Viruhar, Sage Visu, Sage Kanagar, Sage Bargavar, and even Ganga worshipped Lord Shiva at this temple.

Special Features

• Architecture: The temple has a unique and distinct architectural style with fine wooden carvings on the entrance doors, depicting various deities. The temple is east-facing, built in the traditional ‘maada kovil’ style, which is a raised platform reached by steps. It has two praharams (circumambulatory paths) and an incomplete tower. The temple is about 1500 years old and is known for its beautiful sculptures, particularly on the pillars.
• Main Shrine: The main shrine houses a small Shiva Linga (Bhoominathar) within the moolasthanam (sanctum sanctorum). The shrine includes an ardha mandapa and maha mandapa. The entrance to the ardha mandapa features a Ganesha idol, and the maha mandapa contains two bas reliefs of Ganesha and Kartikeya on peacock. Inside the maha mandapa, there are several utsava idols such as Nataraja, Sivakami, Chandrasekhar, Uma, Bhikshatana, and others.
• Inner Prakara: This section includes idols of three Ganeshas, the 63 Nayanmars (saint poets), Sapta Matas, Surya, Chandra, Veerabhadra, and Adhikara Nandi. There are also sub-shrines for Ganesha, Subramanya-Valli-Devasena, and Mahalakshmi.
• Maragathambigai Shrine: The goddess Maragathambigai is enshrined separately with two arms in a standing posture. Her shrine, located to the left of the Bhoominathar shrine, includes a pillared mandapa and Nandi mandapa.
• Sandana Sabhapati Shrine: Near the Nandi mandapa is a large mandapa dedicated to Nataraja, known as Sandana Sabhapati. The idols of Nataraja, Sivakami, Patanjali, Karaikkal Ammaiyar, and Vyagrapathar are made from sandalwood.

Festivals

• Masi Magam: One of the most significant festivals celebrated at the Bhoominathar Temple, with grand festivities in honor of Lord Shiva. The temple also celebrates other Shiva-related festivals with great devotion and fanfare.

References

https://tamilnadu-favtourism.blogspot.com/2017/03/bhoominathar-temple-veeravanallur.html

Century/Period

1500 years old

Managed By

Hindu Religious & Charitable Endowments Department (HR&CE)

Nearest Bus Station

Veeravanallur

Nearest Railway Station

Ambasamudram & Veeravanallur

Nearest Airport

Madurai and Thiruvananthapuram.

Location on Map

lightuptemple