JAMBUKESWARAR (JAMBU LINGAM) THIRUCHIRAPALLI, TAMIL NADU

“शिवाय गौरीवदनाब्जबृंदा
सूर्याय दक्षाध्वरनाशकाय।
श्रीनीलकण्ठाय वृषध्वजाय
तस्मै शिकाराय नमः शिवाय।”

Meaning

I offer my salutations to Shiva, who is the resplendent sun for mother Gaun's lotus face (sun causes the lotus flower to open up and bloom. Shiva makes mother Gauri's face bloom), who is the destroyer of Daksha's sacrificial ritual, who is the blue necked Lord (due to the Haalahala poison which he agreed to consume), whose banner bears the emblem of a bull and who is embodied as the letter Shi.

Getting there

Air: Thiruchirapalli Airport (13.9 km) provides both domestic as well as international services.

Railway Trichy Railway Junction is well connected by trains to the rest of the country

Road: National Highways connect Trichy to Tamil Nadu as well as neighboring states.

Deity: Shiva

Sthala Purana

Sri Jambukeshwara Temple is built around a lingam partly submerged in water. The presiding Deity is Shiva as Kalahasteeswarar. The lingam here is one of the five supreme Imgur representing punch boor gas (the five elements): appear (water), Girl (fire), show (air), Yakub (ether), and prime (earth).

Once, Shiva banished Parvati to earth for mocking his penance. Parvati, in the form of Akilandeswari, found the Jambu forest (Thiruvanaikoil) for her penance. She made a lingam out of the water of river Cauvery under the Venn Nauval tree (the tree on top of the saint Jambu). This ingaw is known as Appa Langa (water Angan). At last, Shiva appeared before Akilandeswan and taught her Shinz Gnana. Alilandeswan took Upadesa (lessons) facing East from Shiva, who stood facing west. In the temple, the shrine to Akilandeswan faces cast, while the lord's shrine faces west.

Another legend is about Malyavan and Pushpadanta, two squabbling Shri Gamar, Once, Malyavan cursed Pushpadanta to become an elephant on earth and the latter cursed the former to become a spider on earth. The elephant and the spider came to Jambukeswaram and continued their Shiva worship. Daily, the elephant collected water from river Cauvery and conducted ablution to the fare under the Jambu tree. The spider constructed his web over the anga to protect it from falling leaves and the sun's rays. When the elephant saw the web, he thought it was dust. He tore it and cleaned the beam by pouring water. The spider spun the web again and the elephant tore it. Angry, the spider crawled into the trunk of the elephant and bit it. Both the elephant and the spider died. Moved by their devotion, Shiva freed them from the curse. As an elephant had worshipped Shiva here, this place became known as The Anal Kas (thiru means holy, dan is an elephant, Kau (kad) means forest). Later, Thiruaanukan became "Thiruvanaikaval and Thiruvanaikod. The spider was reborn as King Kochengot Chola(Kotchengannan Chola meaning red-eyed king) or Kocenganan.  He built 70 temples, one of which was Jambukeswarar. The Shin Lege under the Jambu tree is submerged in water from a subterranean spring but there is another lingam in the shrine. Sculptures and carvings are of the Chola period which is 1,500 years old. 

Sevas and pujas: 6 am-9.30 pm.

Utsav

Brahmaotsavam: Shiva is dressed like Parvati and Parvati as Shiva, both are taken out in a procession.

Aadi Poorum Akilandeswari is taken out on different bunur each day.

Aadi Velk A month of five Fridays which are auspicious to Akilandeswan

Best time to visit: November to March.

Interesting facts: The priest wears feminine attire while offering the mid-day puja, signifying that Parvati is offering prayers to the lord

Places nearby: Ramanatha Swamy temple, Rock Fort, and Pachamalai Hill Station.