Tuesday, August 12, 2014

Nellayappar at Thirunel-veli


The temple features:
This temple is located in Thirunelveli, 147 kms in the southern direction from Madurai in Tamil Nadu.
The carpet area of the temple is 6,38,400 sqft and the entrance is built on the eastern side. It has a 9-stage tower and 4 corridors.(Pragarams)
The deity is called Nellaiyapper and it is said that it is self incarnated in the east facing pose. The Lord's consort Devi Kanthimathi has a separate Temple. This temple's carpet area is about 850 x 756 ft, in the south facing pose. The temple tree is Bamboo and there are many theerthams. But the important theerthams are Potramarai, Karumari, Bairava and Sarva. There are many stone inscriptions here giving details of the kshetram.
The saints who sang hymns on the Lord:
Thiru-gnana-sambandhar
Legend:
There are many legends connected with this temple. In the south-eastern corner of the prakaram a Siva Lingam called as Anavarata Khan was installed by a Nawab. It is said that the nawab's wife was suffereing from some acute respiratory disease. The Nawab consulted an astrologer on the way to cure his wife's disease.
The astrologer advised him that his wife should worship Nellaiappar and perform puja ceremonies in the temple. According to astrologer's advice she performed all the pujas.The muslim queen was cured from her disease. She not only recovered from her disease but also gave birth to a male child. The boy was named Anavarata Khan and the shrine was built in a corner of the prakaram in memory of the Muslim queen and the prince.
Another legend: A Brahmin became very distressed and prayed to the Lord for help to protect his paddy field from the rain. The Lord pleased with his prayer protected the paddy field from the rain by covering it and standing around it like a fence. So this place is named as Thiru-Nel-Veli ( Nel - means paddy and Veli - means fence). The Lord also came to be known as Nellaiappar.
The Devi is called Kanthimathi (Kanthi means lustre and Mathi means moon). The temple is situated in the canter of the town. It was built by a Pandya king in the 7th Century. 

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