Thiruvakarai temple

Introduction to Thiruvakarai Temple

Tamilnadu is the hub for ancient Hindu temples. Thiruvakarai Temple is one such temple located at Thiruvakarai near Thindivanam in Villupuram. People otherwise know it as Thiruvakarai Vakrakali Temple. Thiruvakarai Temple has its mentions in Thevara Songs. The temple lies close to the Auroville and National Fossil Wood Park in Thiruvakarai. Chandramowleeswarar temple and Piraisoodiya Emperuman temple are other names for it. It is the 30th Devaram Padal Petra Shiva Sthalam.

Legend of the Thiruvakarai Temple

As per the temple’s legend, Vakrasura, a demon king, was an ardent devotee of Shiva. He placed a Lingam in his throat and worshipped him. Pleased by his worship, Shiva appeared before Vakrasura and granted him the boon of immortality so that Shiva or his creation would not destroy him.

Empowered with the boon, the demon started torturing all Devas and Rishis. They rushed to Shiva to complain. Shiva asked Vishnu to destroy Vakrasura. Vishnu using his Prayoga Chakra, vanquished the demon. After the demon's death, the demoness Dhunmukhi, sister of Vakrasura, came to the battlefield.

Shiva informed Vakrakali, an incarnation of Parvati, to fight with Dhunmukhi. Since the demoness was pregnant, Vakrakali had hesitation to kill her. According to dharma sastras, killing a pregnant woman or a baby is a sin.

So, Vakrakali tore the stomach of Dhunmukhi. She took the baby out of her womb and wore it as her earring on her right ear. As Kali destroyed the sister of Vakrasura, she stayed here in the Thiruvakarai Temple as Vakrakali, and the place came to be called Thiruvakarai.

The Architecture of Thiruvakarai Temple

The Thiruvakarai Temple features the Dravidian style of architecture. The Chola king Aditya I built the temple in the 10^th century. It faces east with a seven-tiered Rajagopuram, which is 85 feet tall. The entire temple complex covers over 10 acres with three prakaram. The granite walls guard the temple.

The Thiruvakarai Temple complex has three major shrines: the Vakrakali Amman shrine, the Chandramowleeswarar shrine, and the Varadaraja Perumal shrine. Though the presiding deity is Chandramowleeswarar, Vakrakali is more famous here.

The Chandramowleeswarar of Thiruvakarai Temple has three faces not seen anywhere in India. Another fact about this temple is Varadaraja Perumal has Prayoga Chakra.

Vakrakali shrine can be seen immediately after the Rajagopuram. Her idol is slightly bent to one side with eight hands. This is a rare idol of Vakrakali. She wears a small baby as her earring and a dead person's skull as her crown. Vakrakali graces her devotees with a smiling face as Santa Swarupi. There is a cremation ground just opposite her shrine.

People can see a newly built mandap connecting the Vakrakali shrine with the Chandramowleeswarar shrine

Nandi and Bali Peed are in this new mandap facing the sanctum. At the entrance of the Rajagopuram, the shrines of Dwara Ganapathy and Murugan are located. After the Rajagopuram, Dhwaja Sthambam (flag post) faces the sanctum.

There is a Sahasra Linga shrine behind the Varadaraja Perumal shrine. The unique feature of this Lingam is it has 1,008 Lingams carved on the main Lingam. Navagraha, Nataraja, Sapta Matrika, and Kala Bairava have separate shrines at the Thiruvakarai Temple.

Surya Pushkarini, Chandra Pushkarini, and Varaha River are the main theertham associated with this temple. People can see the temple tank located adjacent to the temple. Vilvam tree is the Sthala Vruksham of the Thiruvakarai Temple.

Festivals in Thiruvakarai Temple

Chitrapournami Utsavam, Theppam in Thirukulam, and Kaanum Pongal are the most prominent festivals celebrated in the temple. Shivaratri, Vinayaga Chaturthi, Vijayadasami, and Karthigai Deepam are other festivals celebrated here.

The priests of Thiruvakarai Temple cover Vakrakali with sandalwood paste on every new moon day. They perform unique Pooja and Jyothi Pooja at midnight. They also decorate Sri Varadaraja Perumal with sandalwood paste on new moon days.

A wish tree in the temple's compound has Naga, a snake representation. Childless women pray to Vakrakali for progeny by placing stone symbols.

Benefits of Worshipping at Thiruvakarai Temple

Persons with marriage or property problem visit the Thiruvakarai Temple for three weeks and offers sincere prayers to overcome their problems by the grace of Vakrakali.

Devotees perform rituals on Sunday, Tuesday at the temple and pray to her to fulfil their wishes. People suffering from physical or mental illness can visit the Thiruvakarai Temple and perform Pooja on full moon days to get relief.