sree thirukarkadEswarar Temple, Tirundhuthevankudi

 temple, Shiva temple, thevara paadal petra sthalam

 Upload a photo

NCN042 - thirunthudEvankudi is 42nd thEvAra temple of chOzha dhEsh(Naadu)located in north shore of river Cauveri.BRasiT - birth rAsi temple for those who born in kataga rAsi.MuVT - moolavar vishEsha temple, the lingam has the crab hole path on the top.PT Health - Curing all kind of health problems. Tirundhuthevankudi also known as 'nandAng koyil' by local people. No one knwon the name thirundhudhEvankudi.
location: nandAngkoil is about 2kms from thiruvisanalloor thEvAra temple. buses available from kumbakonam.
Main Deity: Swayambu lingam known as Karkadeswarar, Devadevesar east facing with Arumarundha nayaki ammai, Aravindanayagi
Theertham: Pankaya theertham and Cauveri
Name: Crab worshiped Shiva here and hence the name Karkata. This temple is nowadays known as Nandaankovil. The original name Thiru Nandu (meaning crab) Devan Kudi has become Tirundhu devan kudi
Significances:
kadaka or Ahilyam or Ashlesha Nakshatram in particular. People born under this Nakshatram/ Rasi are advised to light Nallennai vilakku (Sesame or Gingely Oil lamp) and worship Lord Shiva on ashtami (eighth day from New Moon or Full Moon), New Moon days, Tuesdays and Saturdays apart from Ahilya Nakshatram thithis.
Legends:
Indran worshipped the lingam here with 108 lotuses everyday. Varunan was given the task of creating those flowers in the temple moat. Indran ran short of a flower during pooja one day. He enquired with Varunan who was very confident that he had created 108 flowers. When this continued for a few days, Indran himself decided to keep a watch on the flowers. Ultimately, he noticed one of the flowers moving out of the water into the garba graham (sanctum sanctorum) through the drain onto the top of the Shivalingam. On closer scrutiny, he saw that it was a Golden crab that had brought the flower from the waters. As he was about to hit the crab, it made a hole right on top of the Shivalingam and disappeared into it. Since then He came to be known as Karkadeswarar (Karkata means Crab).
The image of a golden crab as well as the hole created by it can be seen on the Shivalingam during the ablution rituals (abhishegam).
It is believed that this Crab was a Yaksha who taunted Sage Dhurvasa. He mimicked the walk of the Sage like the crawl of a crab and made fun of him. The Sage who was well known for his short temper, cursed the Yaksha to turn into a crab. Quickly realising his folly, the Yaksha apologised to the Sage and sought a remedy. The Sage advised him to worship Lord Shiva at this temple for absolution of his sin.
Shiva, in the guise of an elder, is said to have rid of painful affliction of a devout King; The Lord also said to have directed the King to a spot where the current lingam was found and then disappeared. Shiva is also said to have revealed to him, the medicines for other afflictions, hence the name Arumarundu Devar, the Lord of Medicine and Healing.
It is believed that the vegetation covering the temple is of medicinal value. It is speculated that in the days of its glory, this village would have been a medical care center with an Ayurvedic dispensary, providing herbal remedies to various ailments.
Temple:
The temple is fairly big surrounded by a moat called Tirumaruvum Poihai in the midst of green fields. There are only paddy fields as far as you can see.
There are two shrines for Ambal here, Arumarundu Nayaki and Apoorva Nayaki. The idol of Arumarundu Nayaki was once stolen and a replacement idol was installed but within a day of installing the new idol, the stolen idol was recovered. Hence the original idol then came to be known as Apoorva Nayaki.
Chandra in this place is in yoga posture and this is a Chandra dosha nivarana sthalam.
The Shivalingam has the mark of a cut on its face.

Timings: 9 AM to 1 PM and 4 PM to & 7 PM. As this is a very desolate place the temple closes early.
Phone: 0435 - 200 0240, 99940 15871

tawp.in/r/am4
www.shaivam.org/siddhanta/sp/spt_p_tirundu_devan_kudi.h...
www.shivatemples.com/nofct/nct42.html
www.thevaaram.org/thirumurai_1/koil_view.php?koil_idFie...
shanthiraju.wordpress.com/
For photos, visit:
www.flickr.com/photos/rajushanthi/sets/7215763029312633...