Last week me and my family went about several temples in and around kumbakonam and one

was Lalithambikai temple. I had visited thirumeeyachur along with family while visiting other
temples in kumbakonam.This temple was 2000years old.. I do not know the story of the anklet
or rather do not have full information about the temple, except that this is a temple for lalitha, I
have never visited lalitha temple anywhere before so I was very curious.

Lord Shiva is a swayambumurthi in the temple. Mother Lalithambika is seated on the Sri Chakra
Raja Simhasana-throne with Her merciful Abhaya Hasatha Mudra-assuring all protection to
devotees- with Her folded right leg placed on the left as an Empress. Mother Lalithambika is all
powerful.
In the evening we visited the temple. We got Ekantham' (private) darisanam In siva sannathi no
one was there. Kovil Gurukkal narrated the story /Greatness of the temple in front of lord.
Greatness of this Temple:

Lord Shiva Presiding deity Meganatha Swami is a swayambumurthi in the temple is facing east.
Mother Lalithambika is seated on the Sri Chakra Raja Simhasana-throne with Her merciful
Abhaya Hasatha Mudra-assuring all protection to devotees- with Her folded right leg placed on
the left as an Empress. Mother Lalithambika is all powerful. This is the birth place of Garuda,
Aruna the charioteer of Sun, Vali, Sugriva, Yama and Saneeswara. Hence, people perform
Ayush Homa and Mrutyunjaya Homa in this temple for longevity. Agasthya worshipped Mother
with his own hymn Lalitha Navaratna Mala.

Sun worshipped in the temple for relief from a curse and got back His glittering power. Mother
Kali had worshipped Lord and Mother here. Tirugnana Sambandar had sung the glory of Lord in
the shrine under the Rajagopuram and Saint Tirunavukkarasar had praised the Lord in the
Ilankoil in the north prakara of the temple. This is a temple of Mother importance.

Yama the God of death and the deity of Sadhya Star worshipped Lord Shiva performing abishek
with 1008 conches. These conches have the power of granting longevity. Yama brought the
sacred plant Pirandai belonging to the creeper category to earth. He offered rice nivedhana
prepared with this pirandai to Lord. This is followed now by devotees for relief from diseases
and for longevity. So They also offer Pirandai Rice nivedhana placed on a lotus leaf to Lord and
eat it for cure from diseases. We feel blessed.

She is marvelous. The moment I lit lamps in Lalithambigai sannidhi and came to have darshan i
was mersmerised by the alankaram, her beauty, the divinity. I have never seen Goddess so
beautifully giving darshan to her devotees. I sat and chant Lalitha sahasranam in front of
Godess.where lalitha sahasranamam emerged. I sat nearly oneand half hrs in front of goddess .
Finally Gurukkal came and did archana for us and showed arathi with many lamps in it. It was a
sight that had enough force to bring tears in my eyes. I closed my eyes and chant sapthasthi
many times. It was a moment I feel the serenity in my heart.

Story of the Temple

This temple is located in Thiruvarur District Nannilam circle, one and half kilometres west of
Peralam village. Rajendra Chola and Sembian Maadevi are said to have renovated this ancient
temple. The consort of Lord Meghanatha is Goddess Lalitambika. Her shrine on the right has got
a 5-tiered Rajagopuram. The imposing five feet idol of Sri Lalitambika is installed over Sri Chakra
in the sanctum sanctorum. The deity is seated resting her folded right leg on the sea in a
Abhaya, Varada Mudra posture t. Her left leg is in Sukhasana posture. She is said to be in
Manonmani Swaroopa and hence is also known as Santanayaki. The Goddess is installed over
Sri Chakra and is seated with her right leg folded.

Karththuru, vinathai are the two wives of kashyapa maharishi. They had a fight in between
them about the black spot on the tail of uchchaisiravas – indra’s horse. Repenting they came to
thirumIyachchUr and worshiped the Lord. The Lord blessed then and gave them an egg each,
asked to preserve for an year to get splendid sons. They got garudan, arunan respectively.
When arunan took the form of mohini (charming girl) sun despoilt her. When aruNan pleaded
to the Lord, He cursed sun to get darkened. As per His advice, sun worshiped the Lord at
thirumIyachchUr for seven months.

Surya Bhagavan is believed to have workshipped Lord Siva as Gajaaruda seated on an elephant
among thick clouds. Hence the Gajruda Vimana Still as his darkness did not change, he cried in
grief, ”he migura”.

Hayagrivar conveyed to Sage Agasthiyar Lalita Sahasranamam

Lord Shiva cursed Surya the sun God whos body was burnt. So Surya does Tapas ( meditation )
here for 7 month. Surya started screaming since he regained the color of his body even after
showing such devotion. The Goddess Parvathi who was alone with Lord Shiva got disturbed by
Surya’s scream and was about to Curse him.

Since Surya is already suffering by curse , The Goddess got angry at the sun for shouting in Their
abode. The God pacified her saying sun was looking for relief.(This Pacifying scene is depicted
by the sculpture ) One of the key attraction of this temple is this sculpture where Lord Shiva is
holding parvati’s cheeks …its said that Lord is pacifying the mother of universe. In one angle the
sculpture godess appears to be in anger on the other angle she looks romantic.

Lord Shiva blessed her to be in peace as “Shanta Naayagi” . By His Grace sun was cured. The
pacified Goddess does austerities getting the name Shanta Naayagi”
 Since Shiva himself asked Lalithambigai to be calm, the angels called “vasini ” emerged from
mouth of Lalithambigai and sung the 1000 holy names in praise of Goddess which came to be
known as Lalitha Saharanaamam.

From the mouth of shakti appeared the vachini devatas and they gifted us with Lalitha
Sahasranamam Hayagrivar conveyed to sage Agasthiyar lalita sahasranAmam. As told by him
Agasthiyar came to this temple and worshiped the God in the Amla Phaladi Krana Puja as done
by the sun and saluted Sri Lalithambiga. As told by him agasthiyar came to this temple and
worshiped the God in the “Amla phalAdi krana puja” as done by the sun and saluted “srI
lalitAmbika”. yama dharma rAja worshiped the Lord here.

Sage Agastya is believed to have sung Lalita Navaratnamala in praise of the Goddess. He has
also composed a hymn named Rahasyanamasahasram. Saivite saints Tirugnana Sambandar and
Tirunavukkarasar have sung in praise. Asthabhujanga Durga is on the Northern side of the outer
Praharam. A parrot is in her right hand. The parrot is supposed to be taking the message to
Lalithambigai when devotees, who want their prayers to come true. Some lucky devotees can
see that spectacle of a Parrot flying from above Durga’s shrine to the dhwajasthambam
opposite Lalithambigai’s shrine!!This is believed by the devotees.

Kshetrapuraneswarar is in the Western side of the outer Praharam. Lord Shiva is seen holding
the cheeks of his consort and pacifying her. We can see the statue with smile and anger from
either side of the divine statue. On the Northern side of the outer Prahara near the Sakala
Bhuvaneswarar shrine is the Asthabhujanga Durga.

In the right hand of Durga is a parrot. Devotees, who want their prayers to come true, convey
the same to Lalithambigai through this Durga. The parrot is supposed to be taking the message
to Lalithambigai.
On the northern side of the praharam, you have the shrine of Sakala Bhuvaneswarar and His
consort is Minnumegalaial. This is supposed to be an Ilam Kovil (temple within temple). Since
there are two temples side by side, a unique feature of this temple is that you can see Shiva
(present as Lingothbhavar) Vishnu and Brahma simultaneously from the North West corner of
the outer prahara (Circumambulatory path).
Specialites:
Sun worships the Lord with his rays falling on the Lord from 21st to 27th of chiththirai.
Auspicious place to chant lalitA sahasranAmam
gajapRishta vimAnam
Glorious durgA
Beautiful artworks – service by choza kings
Unmarried women worship lord siva with garland and make an archanai to get married soon.
People who are affected by diseases offer a special food called pirandai satham for pooja which
is kept above lotus flower to lord siva .After pooja, food is given as prasadam to the people
affected by diseases.
Lalitha sahasranamam and lalitha navarathnamala is read by common people before
manonmani amman in sri chakra peedam here to get her blessings as this amman is said to be a
very powerful one.
This temple is situated at a distance of 1 km from peralam which is near mayiladuthurai.
The temple is open from 7.00 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. and from 4.30 p.m. to 8.30 p.m.