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PHOTO: S.JAMES

MYTHICAL FIGURES Parents in-laws of Lord Siva

This is the Kanchanamalaiamman Temple where serenity engulfs when you step into the mandap. Mellifluous music of ‘Thevaram’ sung by housewives fills the air. This is a place dedicated to the memory of Queen Kanchanamala, who had the rare distinction of being the mother-in-law of Lord Sundareswarar or Siva.

Much is known about Meenakshi, but, how many know about her mother Kanchanamalai? Legends galore here where there can be no temple without a legendary history or reference to the ‘Thiruvilayadals’ (divine sports) of Lord Siva, who performed them to liberate his beloved devotees?

The Kanchanamalai Amman Temple on Ezhukadal Street witnessed two of such Thiruvilayadals of the Lord. The story goes that Malayadhwaja Pandiyan, the king who ruled Madurai and his wife Kanchanamalai did not have an offspring for a long time.

He performed a ‘Putrakameshti yajna’ and a three year-old-girl emanated from it on a golden lotus with three breasts. She was named as Thadathagai, popularly known as Goddess Meenakshi.

Malayadhwaja Pandiyan taught her martial arts and she became an excellent warrior. When her father died, she took over the reigns of the kingdom and ruled it gloriously. She married Lord Siva in Madurai and continued her golden rule here. It is said that of the 64 Tiruvilayadals, the Ninth and the Tenth were performed for Kanchanamalai. When Thadathagai Piratiyar (Goddess Meenakshi) and Soundarapandiyan (Lord Sundareswarar) were ruling the Temple City, sages and saints visited them.

On one occasion, Gowthama Munivar paid respect to Goddess Meenakshi and Lord Sundareswarar and also visited the palace of Kanchanamalai, who enquired about the kinds of penance (thavam) that can put an end to rebirth.

Gowthama Munivar elaborated on three kinds of penance such as, ‘Manasam,’ ‘Vasikam’ and ‘Kayikam,’ and said that ‘Kayikam’ penance is the most important of the three.

One could perform ‘Kayikam’ penance to escape rebirth by bathing in the seven seas, which is a confluence of various sacred rivers.

When Kanchanamalai expressed the wish to her daughter to perform the ‘Kayikam’ penance, Lord Siva the dutiful son-in-law brought the waters of seven seas very much into her palace.

From that day onwards it was referred to as ‘Ezhukadal.’ Before Kanchanamalai took bath in the water, she was reminded of the rules that she could enter seawater only by holding the hands of either the husband or the son. In case of unavailability of husband or son, she can enter the water by holding the tail of a cow.

Depressed by the predicament she was wondering what to do when Lord Siva came to her rescue by bringing Malayadhwaja Pandiyan from heaven (pithruloham). And soon, both Malayadhwaja Pandiyan and Kanchanamalai attained ‘mukti.’ The temple is the place where Kanchanamalai attained ‘mukti.’

Though named after Kanchanamalai the temple has no image of her. It has the sannidhis of Eswara (Linga), Ambal, Lord Vinayaga, Lord Muruga and Nandhi.

The Linga in the temple is called ‘Mukti Lingam’ as it has a round structure (Aavudai) similar to the ones at Kasi and Tiruvannamalai temples, says G. Nagaraj, one of the devotees.

The temple has a sanctum sanctorum, Artha mandapa that has the statues of Lord Vinayagar, Lord Muruga and Nandhi and a Maha mandapa with beautifully carved pillars and exquisitely carved figurines of Valluvoor Natarajar (Lord Siva dancing wearing the skin of elephant), Lord Bairavar and Lord Brahma.

As it was basically a mandap, the temple lacks gopuras.

A handful of devotees have joined together to carry out renovation works of course, with the consent of the Meenakshi Amman Temple authorities.

The devotees also plan to build a gopura, install Lord Muruga and Lord Vinagayar and figurines of Malayadhwaja Pandiyan and Kanchanamalai at the entrance besides installing ‘Kalyana Navagrahas’ in Maha Mandapa of the temple.

However, there is no archaeological record or reference for this legend, points out C.Shanthalingam, Archaeological Officer.

He says that Malayadhwaja Pandiyan, Kanchanamalai, Thadathagai Piratiyar are all puranic characters.

About the name ‘Ezhukadal,’ Mr. Shanthalingam says that during Nayak period, the word ‘samuthiram’ was popularly used to refer a big water body and Nayak rulers were known for their digging of tanks.

The tank may have come into existence during their period with the name ‘Ezhukadal,’ he opines.

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