the Ultimate Web on Indian Gods & Temples

 by Padmani,

Abodes of Shiva

This temple is located 2 kms from Thiruvisanallur and 10 kms from Thiruvidaimarudhur. The route from Kumbakonam is Kumbakonam-Thiruvidaimarudhur-Vepathur-Thiruvisanallur-Thirunduthevankudi.

The temple dates back to the early 12th Century AD, to time of the Chola monarch Kulothunga I. But it have been in existence much earlier in brick and mortar as the Saivate Saint Sambandar of the 7th Century AD has visited the temple and sung in Tevaram praising the Lord here. The scene of crab worshipping the Lord is depicted on a stone pillar in the temple. In the Amman shrine is the exquisite form of Arumarundu Ammai or Aushadambikai, smiling on those who come here for succour. There is yet another shrine alongside, dedicated to Apoorvanayaki.

It is one of the very old temples of these area need to be renovated. It is believed that the crab(Nandu in tamil) worshipped the Lord here. Hence the Lord was called here as Thiru Nandu Devan Gudi. As per the local legend, a crab would bring lotus blooms everyday from the moat that encircled the temple, as its offering to the Lord. Once Lord Indra finding the best blooms in the moat missing, found to his surprise the flowers are being snipped and dragged upto the Lord in the temple by crab. Indra dealt to blow on the Lord but the crab managed to take the refuge in a hole on the crown of the Lord, while the latter bore Indra's ire instead. The cleft on the Lord is attributed to this legend. The Lord himself is yellow in color here, is said to be formed out of the foam arising from the ocean of sugarcane juice of Devaloka. This is the temple for remedies needed for Punarvasu (Punarpoosam), Pushya (Poosam) and Ayilayam (Aslesha) starrers falling under Cancer square in the zodiac. We can see a hole on the Linga made by a cancer (nandu) and an injury scar caused by Indira. Planet Moon is in a shrine at the entrance of the temple in meditating form as Yoga Chandra. Those undergoing Moon main period in their life are advised to offer white vastras (clothes) to Chandra if they have adverse aspects. Another popular legend refers to a king, a devotee of Lord who, suffering from an incurable discease, is said to have been cured of his affliction here, by the Lord in the form of a mendicant.