| Description: This Divya
Desam is a small shrine in the innermost prakaram of the grand Ekambreswarar Temple (Kachi Ekambam Shivastalam) at Kanchipuram
(shown in the image above). Deities: Nilattingal Tundattaan (Chandra
Choota Perumaal) is the Moolavar in a standing posture facing west, while Ner Oruvarillaa
Valli is the name of Taayaar here.
Legend has it that Parvati meditated upon Shiva, in front of a
Shivalingam fashioned out of earth, under a mango tree. It is believed that the mango tree
withered unable to bear the scorching rays of Shiva's gaze, and that Vishnu the brother of
Parvati, caused waves of nectar to rejuvenate the tree.
Another legend has it that Vishnu distressed by the heat that emanated during the
churning of the milky ocean meditated towards Shiva at Ekambam (Kanchi) and that the
coolness of the moon adorning Shiva aleviated his discomfort; hence the name Nilaatingal
tundattaan.
The Temple: This is a grand temple, dedicated to Shiva, enshrining
Prithivi Lingam, representing one of the five primordial elements - earth. Endowed with a
vast campus with several mandapams lined with pillars with interesting sculptures, this is
one of the well known temples of Tamilnadu. Please
follow this link for more information on Kachi Ekambam.
In a verse referring to Kachi Oorakam and Tiruvegkaa (both in Kanchipuram) Tirumangaialwar
refers to Neerakam, Nilattingal
Tundam, Kaarakam , Kaarvaanam and Kalva(nur).
Nilattingal Tundam is a shrine in the Kanchi Ekambreswarar temple, Neerakam,
Kaarakam and Kaarvaanam are shrines in the Ulagalanda
Perumaal temple (Oorakam) . Kalvanoor is the name of the shrine to Vishnu
(Aadi Varaha Perumaal) in the Kanchi Kamakshi Amman temple.
The Divya Desams revered by the Alwars in Vishnu Kanchi are Attigiri (the vast Varadaraja Perumal temple), Ashtabuyakaram, Tiruttankaa, Tiruvelukkai and Tiruvegkaa,
while those in Shiva Kanchi are Tiru Oorakam (Ulagalanda
Perumaal Koyil) , Tiru Neeragam, Tiruppaatakam,
Nilaattingal Tundam, Tirukkaaragam, Tirukkaarvaanam, Tirukkalvanur, Tiruppavalavannam and Parameswara
Vinnagaram. The vast Ekambreswarar
temple(Prithvi Stalam) revered by the Tevaram hymns, is located in
Periya (Shiva) Kanchi, as are the Kamakshiamman
and the Kumara Kottam temples. |
