TEMPLE TO PRAY FOR EYE ISSUES.:SRI KANNAYIRA NATHA SWAMY TEMPLE, TIRUKKARAVASAL

TEMPLE TO PRAY FOR EYE ISSUES.:

SRI KANNAYIRA NATHA SWAMY TEMPLE, TIRUKKARAVASAL

Preamble:

It is so common in India that there are Temples that are thought to cure specific bodily problems.

One particular temple where you can pray for is at the village by name Tirukkaravasal nestled between Tiruvarur and Tiruthuraipoondi State High way in Tamilnadu, India. The prayer before the Lord Shiv here is said to cure eye vision related discomforts.

The Lord ruling this temple is Sri KANNAYIRANATHA SWAMY – Kannayiram in Tamil means the Lord having 1000 eyes and in Sanskrit, the Lord is known as SAHASRANETHRESWAR.

His Consort there in this Temple is Goddess KAILASANAYAKI AMMAI.

This kshetra, is one of the sabdavidanga – one of the seven – holy places where besides the ruling Lord of the temple, Swamy THYAGARAJA, known and celebrated for His love for dances, is worshipped as equally as the ruling Lord of the Temple is prayed.

History:

The Chola Kings, whose origin could be traceable to 3rd BCE, time King Ashoka and Maurya were heralding their empires.   The Chola Kings and their lineage were staunch Saivites – those worshipping Lord Shiv.  In order that people have temples in each village in their Kingdom, the Kings went constructing numerous temples across the length and breadth.  Legends vouch that they extended temple constructing activity even beyond and overseas.

This Kannayira Natha Swamy temple, going by culverts Nos. 452, 453 and 454, owed its establishment to Chola King I Raja Rajan Mummudi Chola.

Thus it’s millennia old Temple.

Yet another landmark of this temple was the Saivite Poet Tirugnanasambandar sang the glory of the Lord in this holy place. Tirugnanasambandar belonged to 7th Century.

Nagarathar’s contribution in 19th Century:

The male members from this small vysya community used to cross seas to earn livelihood in other parts of Asia like Malaysia, Singapore and Burma a.k.a Myanmar.  It’s their tradition that they set apart a portion of their earnings to establish new temples, strengthen structures of ancient temples, renovate and endow a huge sum for maintenance and renovation of the temples, perform periodical utsavs, Kumbabishekam etc.  Besides they helped establishing lot of Veda Patasalas, Goshals and encouraged continuity of Thirumurais – saivite songs.

In this Tirukkaravasal temple too, three families, viz., Muthu. KR.AR., Muthu K.M and Muthu.K A. hailing from Devakottai in Sivaganga District in the early 1900s began constructing massive stone structure for this Temple.  Ever since, they were hereditary Trustees and have been taking huge efforts to maintain this Temple, perform annual Utsavs and Temple car festival in Tamil Vaikasi month.  So far, between 1918 and 2005, Kumbabishekam was done four times.

Current KUMBABISHEKAM PROJECT:

Currently the Muthu. KR family has under the auspices of HRCE department initiated the Mega Project of Repair work in the temple and have  performed the  Kumbabishekam on 2nd of  Feb 2024.   Thanks to good support from all well-wishers.

May all visit the Temple and be blessed by Sri Kannayiranatha Swamy.

Ohm Nama Sivaya.