| Maanikkavaacakar: the Saivite Saint Poet is the
author of the renowned Tiruvaacakam and Tirukkovaiyaar
that comprise the 8th Tirumurai of the Saivite liturgy. |
|
Maanikkavaacakar:
The Saint Poet spent much of his life in the
Pandya Kingdom. Chidambaram,Tirupperunturai Tiruvannamalai
and Uttarakosamangai are some of the shrines linked with the
Saint's life. |
| Miracles associated with the life of Maanikkavaacakar
at Tirupperumturai and Madurai are narrated in the Tiruvilaiyaadal
Puraanam. |
Maanikkavaacakar's
association with Chidambaram: Several miracles
are associated with Maanikkavaacakar's tenure at Chidambaram. |
Aarudra
Darisanam: Visit Templenet's earlier
feature on Arudra Darisanam - covering aspects of the Maanikkavaacakar
festival at Chidambaram. |
| Tiruvaadavur near Madurai is the
birthplace of Maanikkavaacakar. A grand temple to Shiva is located here;
there is also a shrine to the Saint Poet here. |
Tirupperunturai near Arantaangi
near Thanjavur houses a grand temple to Shiva built by Maanikkavaacakar. This temple is a
treasure house of sculptural wealth. |
Maanikkavaacakar
spent a portion of his life Uttarakosamangai
in the Pandya Kingdom, near Rameswaram with a grand shrine featuring an emerald image of
Nataraja |
| The Natarajar temple at Chidambaram,
one of the greatest cultural centers of India, is closely associated with the life of
Maanikkavaacakar. |
|
Maanikkavaacakar
composed the Tiruvempavai hymns while at Tiruvannamalai.
The Tiruvempavai hymns occupy a special place in the Maargazhi worship services. |
Shrines revered |
in the Tiruvaacakam |
hymns of Maanikkavaacakar |
| Chidambaram, Madurai Tirupperunturai, Tiruvaadavur, Uttirakosamangai and Tiruvannamalai are associated with the
life of the Saint Poet. |
Avinaashi: located in Kongu
Naadu, near Coimbatore is a Shivastalam held in great regard - and is also associated with
Sundara moorthy Nayanar. |
Tiruvaarur: located near Thanjavur
enshrines Tyagaraja - Somaskanda and is a shrine held in great reverence in the Saivite
tradition. It is the foremost of the Sapta Vitanka Stalams. |
| Tiruvaanaikkaaval: located near
Tiruchirappalli is one of the Pancha Bhoota Shivastalams. It is a very ancient and a well
visited shrine, located near Srirangam. |
Tiruvidaimarudur: The vast temple
complex here, near Kumbhakonam enshrines Mahalingeswarar - and is also known as the
Madhyarjuna Kshetram. |
Eengoi Malai near Tiruchirappalli is an
ancient Shivastalam associated with the legend of Agastyar taking up a form of a fly to
get past the surging thousands to worship Shiva. |
| Kanchipuram: The sprawling
Ekambreswarar temple at Kanchi, is one of the Pancha Bhoota Shivastalams representing the
element Earth. |
Tiruvaiyaru: The vast temple complex at
Tiruvaiyaru is an ancient center of worship, also closely associated with the Saint Appar. |
Kadambur: This ancient temple is built
in the form of a chariot replete with sculptural work and is considered to be have been a
model for later temples of this type. |
| Kailasam: The snow covered Mount
Kailash in the lofty Himalayas is considered to be an Abode of Shiva. |
Tirukkalunkunram: Located near Chennai,
this vast twin temple complex, on a hill and at the foothills, is an ancient one with
sculptures from the Pallava period. |
Kutralam: The holiday resort of
Kutralam, located in verdant surroundings near Tirunelveli, houses the Chitrasabha, one of
the five dance halls of Nataraja. |
| Tiruchirappalli: The Rockfort temple
complex at Tiruchirappalli enshrines Taayumaanavar (Maatrubhuteswarar) and Ucchi
Pillaiyaar. |
Panaiyur: is one of the five
Shivastalams associated with palm trees, that have been revered by the Tevaram hymns. |
Tiruppazhanam is considered to be one
of the Saptastanam temples of Tiruvaiyaaru, located near Thanjavur. |
| Tiruppurampayam near Kumbhakonam is known
for its shrine to Dakshinamurthy and is associated with the legend of the great deluge. |
Tiruppoovanam: is located between Madurai and
Rameswaram in Pandya Naadu. Nataraja's Taandavam here is known as Bhramha Taandavam. |
Tiruvaanchiyam: is located near Nannilam near
Thanjavur. Manikkavacakar sings of the miracle of a Naga kannika (Snake princess)
who worshipped Shiva and became one with Him here. |
| Tiruvenkaadu: located near
Mayiladuturai has grand shrines to Aghora Veerabhadrar and Natarajar (Aadi Chit Sabha). |
Mahendram,
Devur, Idavai, Ooriyur, Kalladam, Kavaittalai, Kazhumalam, Chandradeepam, Santamputtur,
Paandur, Paalai, Puliyur, Poovalam, Velamputtur |
Tirutturutti: located near
Mayiladuturai at Kutralam, is connected to several interesting legends surrounding Shiva's
marriage with Parvati. |
