The History of Kotchengatchozha Nayanaar
In Chandra Thirtha in the
Chola kingdom there was a thick grove. In that grove under a Jambu (Vennaval) tree
appeared a Siva Lingam, whose feet were hard to find even for Lord Vishnu. There
was a white elephant of great austerity that used to anoint the Lord with the
water it brought in the trunk and worshipped with the bunch of flowers everyday
and prostrate before the Lingam. In the same place there was a giant spider
worshipping the God of gods. It used to build the web over the Lord's place so
that no dry leaf falls on the gold like lightning matted hair of the Supreme.
Both the creatures were doing in their love for the Siva Lingam, the service
and worship they can offer.
The next day when the
elephant came to worship, he found the web, and, thinking that someone had
polluted the place, tore the web, offered his worship and went away. The spider
came upon the scene, felt sorry that his web had been destroyed, wove another
web and went away. The next day, as the elephant was pulling the web away, and
spider got irked by the elephant disturbing its sincere service. It entered the
trunk of the elephant and bit. In the acute pain the elephant dashed against
the ground and died. Because of the crash the spider also died on the spot
which was caught in the elephant’s trunk, and perished. With the admirable devoted
worship of both the spider and the elephant the place got the name Thiruvanaikka.
The Merciful one gave boons to the elephant and blessed the spider to rule the
land taking birth in the tradition of Choza kings.
The Choza king Chubadhevan served
under the holy feet of the Dancing Lord of Thillai along with the queen Kamalavadhi.
Worried about not having an offspring the queen & king prayed to the God. The
Lord granted their wish. Soon Kamalavati conceived a child. Due to God’s grace,
this spider was born as the son of Suba Devan, the Chola king. The time of
delivery came; Astrologers foretold that if the child could be delivered after
a nazigai (1 nazigai = 24 mins), it would rule the three worlds! The queen asked
that she should be tied to the roof of the room upside down, with a tight
bandage around her waist. When the auspicious time came, she was released and
the child was born. This was the spider reborn! The child had red eyes as he
had remained in his mother’s womb a little longer. The mother, looking into his
eyes, said: ‘Kochekannano’ (the child with red eyes – My red eyed baby), and
expired. Hence, he was named Kochengat Cholan. When he reached the proper age
(16 yrs), his father enthroned him king, retired from the world and, after
severe penance, reached the Lord’s Abode.
The king Kochchenkatchozar,
reminisce the services of his previous birth with the grace of the Lord wanted
to build many wonderful abodes to the Lord of the five Elements. He went to the
place of his previous service Thiruvanaikka (place of Water out of five elements)
and constructed a mammoth temple for the Lord, who was under the Jambu tree. He
sent his brave ministers in all the directions and built huge temples in all
the states of the kingdom for the eight shouldered Lord. He gave huge donations
for the maintenance of those abodes with heart full of devotion. With his royal
umbrella giving shade for a very big empire he ruled the land.
He went to the dancer in
the common place's Thillai to salute the Golden feet. He constructed mansions
for the disciplined priests of Thillai who spent their life in the service of
the Almighty. With the land praising his services he took shelter under the
holy feet of the Lord who is the Supreme owner of all the fame. Let the great
and holy devotion of Kochchenkat Choza Naayanaar with which he built gigantic
marvelous numerous temples for the Lord stay in the mind. It is said he built
70 Madakkoil. Madakkoil are temples that have to be climbed until first floor
and see the Lord. This is built so that no elephants can enter the Karpagraga (Sanctum
Sanctorum) of the temple. Kochengat Cholar promoted Shaivism. Finally he
reached the Lord’s Abode. His glories were sung by the poet Poygayar in his
‘Kalavazhi Narpathu’.
Note: It is said the Elephant & Spiders were Gandarvas
(Cosmic beings) by name Pushpadhandhan & Malyavaan respectively in their
original births. Because of their ego clash to prove the bhakthi for the Lord they
took birth as animals to worship Lord Shiva in the Jambu grove.
Some of the
Maadakkoil's constructed by Kotchengatchozhar
- Aakkoor Thaanthonrimaadam (ஆக்கூர் தான்தோன்றிமாடம்)
- Aanaangoor (ஆனாங்கூர்)
- Aavoorppasupatheecharam (ஆவூர்ப்பசுபதீச்சரம்)
- Ambarperunthirukkoil (அம்பர்ப் பெருந்திருக்கோயில்)
- Arisirkaraipputhur (அரிசிற்கரைப்புத்தூர்)
- Ilavanasurkottai (Near Ulundurpettai - Thirukkovilur)
- Indhalur - Thaanthonriyappar (இந்தளூர் - தான்தோன்றியப்பர்)
- Kaichinam (கைச்சினம்)
- Keezhvelur (கீழ்வேளூர்)
- Kudavayil (குடவாயில்)
- Kuthappar (கூத்தப்பார்) - Near Thiruerumbur
- Malaiyeeswaram (Nagappattinam)
- Marugal (மருகல்)
- Mookkeecharam (Uraiyur) [மூக்கீச்சரம் [உறையூர்)]
- Naalurpperunthirukkoil (நாலூர்ப் பெருந்திருக்கோயில்)
- Naduvananathar (Nagappattinam)
- Nallur (நல்லூர்)
- Nannilam (நன்னிலம்)
- Ninriyur (நின்றியூர்)
- Pandaaravaadai (பண்டாரவாடை)
- Pasupathikoil (Pasumangai) - Near Ayyampettai
- Pazhaiyaarai Vadathali (பழையாறை வடதளி)
- Perungadambanur (Nagappattinam to Thirumarukal)
- Peruvelur (பெருவேளூர்)
- Sattainathar (Nagappattinam)
- Seerkazhi
- Seygnalur (சேய்ஞலூர்)
- Sikkal (சிக்கல்)
- Thalaichangadu (தலைச்சங்காடு)
- Thalaichangadu - Thakshineswarar temple (தலைச்சங்காடு - தக்ஷினேஸ்வரர் கோயில்)
- Thirukkaruppariyalur (Thalaignayiru / Kokudikoil) திருக்கருப்பறியலூர் (தலைஞாயிறு / கொகுடிக்கோயில்) - Route : Vaidheeswarankoil to Pandanainallur
- Thandalai NeeIneri (தண்டலை நீள்நெறி)
- Thevur (தேவூர்)
- Thiruchaaikkadu (திருச்சாய்க்காடு)
- Thiruchemponpalli (திருச்செம்பொன்பள்ளி)
- Thirumanamedu (திருமணமேடு)
- Thiruvaanaikkaa (திருவானைக்கா) (Not Maadakkoil but buit by Kotchengar)
- Thiruveezhimizhalai (திருவீழிமிழலை)
- Thiruvilaiyaattam (திருவிளையாட்டம்)
- Vaikal Maadakkoil (வைகல் மாடக்கோயில்)
- Valivalam (வலிவலம்)
- Virkudi (விற்குடி)
- Rudragangai (Near Poonthottam & Kotthavasal)
- Madhalivelur (Madhirivelur) Nagappattinam Dt.
- Gajaranyam - Sri Gajaranyeswarar Temple (Near - Kallanai; Thiruchirappalli)
- Ilangadu - Sri Palavaneswarar Temple (Near - Kallanai; Thiruchirappalli)
- Oorudaiyappar - Thiruppanandal
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