Sankaranayinar
Koil is in Tirunelveli
district. There
are numerous legends
associated with
the temple.
 The
image on the temple
is of half Siva
and half Vishnu.
The right hand side
of the image is
Siva with the cobra,
deer; moon etc whereas
the left portion
is Vishnu with the
conch and the chakra.
There is a legend
that says that Siva’s
consort Gomati Amman
went on a penance
at Pungavanakshetram
to see Hari and
Hara as one. There
is a legend about
the temple wherein
one of the ruling
Pandyan chiefs saw
a cobra clinging
to a Sivalingam
beside an anthill
in the jungle. He
then got a temple
constructed around
the Lingam which
marked the origin
of the present Sankaranayinar
Koil. The lingam
thus is a Mritika
lingam, or Earth
lingam. A particular
feature of this
temple is that the
pilgrims offer silver
and copper cobras
in a box kept in
front of the shrine.
Model Limbs in metal
or wood are also
offered. There is
a srichakrapeetham
kept in front of
the Gomati Amman
which is supposed
to cure all diseases.
Childless couples
also come and worship
here.
Sankaranayinar Koil
is situated around
thirty four miles
from Tirunelveli.
There is a railway
station in Tirunelveli
which is well connected
from major cities
of the state. |
