WRITTEN BY LONDON SWAMINATHAN

Post No. 11,062

Date uploaded in London – –    29 JUNE 2022         

Contact – swami_48@yahoo.com

Pictures are taken from various sources for spreading knowledge.

this is a non- commercial blog. Thanks for your great pictures.

tamilandvedas.com, swamiindology.blogspot.com

IF U DONT SEE THE PICTURES HERE, GO TO MY OTHER BLOG, swamiindology.blogspot.com

We had some free time before the Shasti Aptha Purthy ( of a relative) event at Thirukkadaiyur and decided to visit Thiru Ven Kadu (meaning White Forest and Svetaaranyam in Sanskrit. I had the darshan of Lord Shiva on 28^th May, 2022.

Ven = Sveta= White

Kaadu = Aranya = Forest

Thiru = Holy = Sri = Sir title in the West

It is a Shiva temple with a special shrine for Budha (Mercury) one of the Nava Grahas (Nine Planets).

It is very near Thirukkadaiyur, just 16 kilometres or 10 miles away. We reached the temple in 20 minutes.

Now, some details in bullet points:-

1.It is 8 miles from Sirkazi. God’s name Svetaranysvarar

Goddess Name- Brahmavidya Nayaki

2. Sung and sanctified by all the Four Saivite Saints- Sambandhar, Appar, Sundadarar and Manikkavasagar.

3. The shrine is at least 1400 year old. Choza inscriptions are available from Later Choza period.

4.Vijaya Nagara kings added new structures to Choza period Temple

5.Thre are three water tanks in the temple- Surya, Chandra and Agni Theerthas.

There are three Trees (Kondrai, Al/banyan and Vilva; three main shrines and three tanks. Under the Banyan tree, there is Rudra patha (foot print of Rudra); but we did not go there.

6.Aghora Murthy with a trident in his hand facing south is a remarkable idol here. Special Pujas are done on Sunday nights.

7.Natarajar shrine and Vishnu shrine, side by side, would remind one of Lord Nataraja of Chidambaram. This temple is called Adi Chidambaram

8. Shiva is in Linga form; it a small village.

9.Students who want good education and who has Jataka doshas (regarding planet Budha/Mercury)come here to get the blessing of the gods.

10.It is a tradition among Bhaktas/devotees to visit all the Nine Planet Shrines in this area, mostly around Kumbakonam.

11.Pillai Idukki Amman, supposed to be goddess Parvati, is holding the child Sambandhar.

–subham–

tags- Navagraha Kshetra, Budha shrine, Mercury, Thiruvenkadu, Svetaranyam, Aghoramurthy