Sankarankovil

Template:Infobox Indian jurisdiction Sankarankovil (Tamil: சங்கரன்கோவில்) is a city and a municipality in the Tirunelveli district of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.

The Temple

Sankarankovil is home to the famous Sankara Narayanan temple. It is situated at Tirunelveli District and 56 km away from Thirunelveli City. Sankarankovil is the second largest town in the district. It is very famous for "Adi Thabasu" festival. In older times, the city was called as Sankaranayinar kovil. Even now it is called as Sankaran Kovil.

Like every other temple, Sankarankovil has its own interesting story. Once the devotees of Lord Hari (or Vishnu) and Lord Shiva quarreled with each other to determine whose god is powerful. Then Lord Shiva appeared as Sankaranarayanar to mark his devotees to understand that both Hari and Shiva are one and the same. So it is held sacred by Saivites and those Hindus who believe that Siva and Vishnu are a single deity one in one and accordingly, desire to worship the two gods into one form. Srivaishnavites of Tamil Nadu who worship Lord Vishnu only, have not accepted the mingling of Siva and Vishnu thus, and therefore, they reject this deity of this temple which depicts the concept of Hari and Haran being one God.

It was built by Ukira Pandiyan AC 900.It houses the deity by the name Sankara Narayanan, which is half - Lord Shiva and the other half - Lord Vishnu.

The deities of this temple are Sri Sankareswarar, Sri Gomathi Amman and Sri Sankara Narayanar. Sankarankovil is also said to be home to the deity named Avudai Ambal-RR.

The general belief is that the Holy Sand "Puttrumann" (Puttru = Ant Hill, Mann = Sand) that one gets from this temple is capable of curing all the diseases. Devotees believe that Sankarankovil‘s Nagasunai (sacred tank) have been dug by serpent kings named Paduman and Sangam which has a miraculous power to heal those who bathe there. The Annadhanam scheme is being conducted in the temple when daily noon meals are being provided for around 100 devotees.

The Puthu Maan in the temple is taken as a holy sand which could cure lot of disease by all devotees.

It is believed that all devotees who pray to the goddess Gomathi amman have always found solace.

History

Once upon a time a "Devan" (Angel) called "Manikkeerivan" was cursed by Goddess Parvathi. Because of which, he had to come to earth and work as gardener in a beautiful garden. One day while he was clearing a snake pit, the snake tail was also cut. He found a Sivalingam next to the snake. He went and informed about this to his king Ukira Pandiyan. The king considered it to be the god's wish to stay there and constructed the temple and a city around.

The snake pit (Ant Hill) is called "Vanmeekam" (Tamil: வன்மீகம்). Hence the deity Sri Sankaralingar is also called "Vanmeeganadhar" (Tamil: வன்மீகநாதர்).

A Precise History of Sri Pambatti Siddhar Samadhi at Sankarankovil

The nobility and sublimity of the Cobra, which symbolically represents the power of Kundalini in human beings, is hailed with mystical flavor in more than a hundred verses by Sri Pambatti siddhar, each ending with the refrain 'Dance Thou Cobra!'.

He is the last among the noted 18 siddhars. He belongs to the Kozhayi family. The Himalayas are their ancestral land. Essentially the Kozhayi's were cowherds and sheep herds and dependent on the products of cows and sheep. Slowly they moved out of their place and in due course came to South India . Some say that Sri Pambatti Siddhar was born at Thirukkokarnam, near Pudukkottai and some others in the Pandya Kingdom . Mrigasirisham was his birth star in the Tamil month of Karthigai (November-December). He was considered a manifestation of Lord Siva. On being given spiritual initiation by his Guru Sattamuni, as the disciple changed the five elements into a five-headed cobra, he came to be known as "Pambatti siddhar". There are a few who say that he got this name because he lent symbolically in his verses the image of a cobra to the Kundalini power.

Sri Pambatti siddhar attained the eight supernatural powers called 'Ashtamasiddhi' after performing penance for a very long time in a cave on Marudamalai, near Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu. Also he lived in places like Mahalingamalai in Vathiraayiruppu, Kollimalai, Madurai , Puliyur and Bhavani.

Sri Sivaprabhakara Siddhayogi Paramahamsar was the worthy disciple of this great siddhar. The former was born in a Namboodiri family of Kaladi, Kerala. As the Guru and his follower remained inseparable, they did atonement for 45 years on the Himalayas and came to Sankarankoil. Sri Pambatti Siddhar established the statue of Goddess Gomathi Amman there. Later, at the south-west corner, about a furlong behind the temple, amidst punnai trees (now door number 15, Puliyankudi Road). Sri Pambatti Siddhar got established in the state of Nirvikalpa Samadhi (also known as Jeeva Samadhi) at the sacred hands of his disciple.

Some books mention that Sri Pambatti siddhar attained samadhi at Virudhachalam and some at Thirukkadaiyur. However, their claims have no established proof. It may be assumed that Sri Pambatti siddhar would have lived in those places and in order to reveal that the disciple could himself assume the frame of his master, might have got established in samadhi in these two places in the guise of Sri Pambatti Siddhar. This might have been possible for him because Sri Prabhakarar got into the bodies of 15 persons at different times by the unique process called 'Metempsychosis' (Transmigration) and proved himself to be the noble student of his aspired preceptor.

It can be authentically proved that Sri Pambatti siddhar got samadhi only at Sankarankoil. Some such proofs are cited below:

1) In his book entitled "History of Siddha Medicine" written in English by Mr. N. Kannuppillai and published by the Government of Tamil Nadu in 1979, under the chapter "Eighteen Siddhars", the author has written on pages 364-366 about Pambatti siddhar and clearly mentioned that he attained samadhi at Sankarankoil.

2) In the hoary palm leaves of Pulithevar entitled " Nerkattum Seval " in the form of a song there are references to the places where the 18 siddhar's had attained samadhi and in it is mentioned that Sri Pambatti siddhar's place of samadhi is at Sankarankoil.

3) Dr. Yogi S. A. A. Ramiah in his book " A Collection of the Verses of the Eighteen Siddhars for Daily Recitatio n" (in Tamil) too makes a similar mention when he records that Sri. Pambatti siddhar in order to attain Svarupa samadhi in Sankarankoil kindled his cobra power of Kundalini.

4) The Gayatri Mantra of Sri Pambatti siddhar is : " Om Sankaranaalaya Pathivaazh Sittharaaya Vechitra Rupaaya Pambatti Sittharaaya Namaha" . This also makes an identical proclamation.

Thus, beyond doubt, it is established that Sri Pambatti Siddhar's Jeeva Samadhi is only at Sankarankoil and not anywhere else.

Demographics

• As of 2001 India census, Sankarankovil had a population of 53,613.
• Males constitute 50% of the population and females 50%.
• Sankarankovil has an average literacy rate of 68%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 77%, and female literacy is 60%.
• In Sankarankovil, 11% of the population is under 6 years of age.

Festivals

• Chithhirai Bramotsava ( 10 days ) Every April
• Adi thapasu festival ( 12 days ) August
• Iyppasi Thirukkalyanam festival ( 10 days ) October
• Theppam floating festival - Thai last Friday ( Every February )

Famous Persons

• Mr.Thangagavelu.Bsc.Agr.MP
• Mr.Karruppasamy MLA (AIDMK)
• Dr.Amsaveni.MBBS.DGO
• Dr.Subburaj.MBBS.
• Dr.Krishna Veni.MBBS.DGO
• Dr.Ponni.MBBS.DGO
• Dr.Abdul Rasak.MBBS.MD(civil surgeon)
• Dr.Pothiraj.MBBS.MD

Thiru Kotti Ayyanar Temple Festival

The great thiru kotti ayyanar temple is sitiuated near sankarankovil. sankaranarayan temple is completely linked with the activitys of this temple..in the Tamil month of masi people from all over Tamil Nadu will visit here and gtet the tharshan of great thiru kotti ayyanar.the great power of this god is whenever you calling him in tough times you can able to understand any guesture and your problem will be solved after the guestureit is exactly far from 6 km from sankarankovil

Picnic Spots

There are many picnic spots in and around Sankarankovil. They are the Kalugumalai and Manappadu.

For the devotees: at Tirunelveli are the Sri Nellayappar and Gandhimathi temples, at Courtallam is the Sri Kutralanathaswamy temple, at Sankarankovil is the Sri Sankaranarayanaswamy temple, at Tenkasi - the Sri Kasiviswanathaswamy temple, at Kalugumalai - the Sri Kalugachalamoorthy temple, at Veerakeralam - Sri Navaneethakrishnan temple and at Srivilliputhur - Andal Temple.

Sri Nellayappar and Gandhimathi temple of Thirunelveli is one of the biggest and famous temples in the state.

Industrial Places

There are many industries in Sankarankovil. Kondalraj Ginning Factory Consists of ^ industries in a same place. 1.Plastic Moulding industries 2.Spinning Mills 3.Oil Industries 4.Furniture manufacturing industries. etc. owned by K.S.Ramasubramanian, industrialist. MODEEGAS DISTRIBUTERS, start on 11.12.1984 the one and only distributors in sankarankovil in 25 years.

Schools

1.Angel High School 2.Sri Mahalakshmi Matriculation School 3.Gomathi Ambal Govt Boys higher secondary school 4.Gomathi Ambal Govt Girls higher secondary school 5.Sri Gomathi Ambal Matriculation School 6.St. Joseph's Hr. Sec. School 7.Sri Vaiyapuri Vidyalaya Higher Secondary School 8.A.V.Hr Sec School
9.SNR Hr Sec School Website:http://snrschool.webs.com/
10.SeventhDay Adventist Matriculation School. 11.36 gst higher secondary school 12.24 manai telgu chettiar school 13.Government High School, Sayamalai. 14.T.D.T.A. Middle School, Sayamalai Valasai, Kalugumalai via. 628552.

Politics

Sankaranayanarkoil assembly constituency (SC) is part of Tenkasi (Lok Sabha constituency).

External links

• www.sankarankovil.com
• www.sankarankoil.com