Follow on

SIRKAZHI - Siva Temple

Sattanathaswamy temple in the heart of the town enshrines a Swayambhu Lingam. Brahmapureeswar, Tirugnana Sambandar and Tirunilai nayaki are enshrined in three separate temples, each with a prakara and many mandapams. Muthu Saatanathar's shrine houses on the terrace, the beautiful statues of Uma & Maheshwar. The image of Sattanathar is installed in a separate narrow niche and to avail the darshan, one has to go with bent head. There is a staircase in the Northern side taking the devotees to the top for darshan.

This sacred place is called Thonipuram - boat city named for its boatshape. During the Mahapralaya, the whole was submerged under water, except for this bit of land which remained dry unaffected by the floods. Lord Maheshwar accompanied by Parvathi rested here & charmed by its sanctity, he made it his abode. Goddess Kali offered prayers to the Lord with great fervour & hence the place came to be called Sri Kalipuram & this in due course came to be called Sirkali.

It is at this shrine that Parvathi Devi fed Thirugnana Sambandar. That day is celebrated on the 2nd Chitra as Tirumulaippal. Festivals during Adi and Navaratri are also very auspicious. There are twenty two thirthas in the town and two in the temple itself - Brahma Thirtham and Parachara Thirtham. Eminent Nayanmars like Tirunavukkarasu, Sundarar and Manickavachakar sang in praise of this Lord.

15 kms from Sirkali, is the famous seaport Poompuhar, situated at the confluence of river Cauvery with the Bay of Bengal. It was the principal port of the Imperial Cholas and the seat of the immortal characters of Silappadhikaram by Ilango - Kannaki and Kovalan. The original city was submerged long ago, but currently there is a superb art gallery depicting various scenes from the Silapadhikaram. Other monuments Pavai Mandram, Ilango Mandram, Negungal Mandram, Kotha Pandal lure tourists and pilgrims alike.

Brahmapureesar Temple
Sirkazhi, Sirkazhi Taluk
Nagapattinam District 609110

Source: hindubooks.org/
Ashtalakshmi temple, Besant Nagar, Chennai