Thiruvanaikaval (Tamil: திருவானைக்காவல்) (also Thiruvanaikal, Jambekeswaram) is a famous Shiva temple in Tiruchirapalli
(Trichy), in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. The temple was built by Kocengannan (Kochenga Chola), one of the Early Cholas, around
1,800 years ago. It is located in the Srirangam island, which has the famous Ranganathaswamy temple.
Thiruvanaikal is one of the five major Shiva Temples of Tamil Nadu (Panchabhoota Sthalams) representing the Mahābhūta or five
great elements; this temple represents the element of water, or neer in Tamil. The sanctum of Jambukeswara has an underground
water stream and in spite of pumping water out, it is always filled with water.
It is one of the 275 Paadal Petra Sthalams, where all of the four most revered Nayanars (Saivite Saints) have sung glories of the
deity in this temple. The temple has inscriptions from the Chola period.
Mythology
Formation of 'Appu Lingam' (Parvathi’s penance)
Once Parvati mocked Shiva’s penance for betterment of the world. Shiva wanted to condemn her act and directed her to go to the
earth from Kailasam (Shiva's abode) to do penance. Parvathi in the form of Akilandeswari as per Shiva's wish found Jambu forest
(Thiruvanaikoil) to conduct her penance. She made a lingam out of water of river Cauvery (also called as river Ponni) under the
Venn Naaval tree (the Venn Naaval tree on top of the saint Jambu) and commenced her worship. The lingam is known as Appu
Lingam (Water Lingam).[3] Siva at last gave darshan to Akilandeswari and taught her Siva Gnana. Akilandeswari took Upadesa
(lessons) facing East from Shiva, who stood facing west.
The legend of the name 'Thiru Aanai Kaa'
The second precinct of the temple with pillars sculpted during the Nayak period There were two Siva Ganas (Siva’s disciples who
live in Kailash): 'Malyavan' and 'Pushpadanta'. Though they are Siva Ganas they always quarrel with each other and fight for one
thing or other. In one fight 'Malyavan' cursed 'Pushpadanta' to become an elephant on earth and the latter cursed the former to
become a spider on earth. The elephant and the spider came to Jambukeswaram and continued their Siva worship. The elephant
collected water from river Cauvery and conducted ablution to the lingam under the Jambu tree (Eugenia jambolana) daily. The
spider constructed his web over the lingam to prevent dry leaves from dropping on it and prevent sunlight directly falling on it.
When the elephant saw the web and thought it was dust on lingam. The elephant tore them and cleaned the lingam by pouring
water and the practice continued daily. The spider became angry one day and crawled into the trunk of the elephant and bit the
elephant to death, killing itself. Siva, in the form of Jambukeswara, moved by the deep devotion of the two, relieved them from the
curse. As an elephant worshipped Siva here, this place came to be known as Thiru Aanai Kaa (thiru means holy, aanai is elephant,
kaa (kaadu) means forest). Later the name 'Thiruaanaikaa' become 'Thiruvanaikaval' and 'Thiruvanaikoil'.
As an outcome of making sin by killing the elephant, in the next birth, the spider was born as the King Kochengot Chola
(kotchengannan cholan meaning red-eyed king) and built 70 temples and this temple is the one among them. Remembering his
enmity with the elephant in his previous birth, he built the Siva Sannathi (sanctorum) such that not even a small elephant can enter.
The entrance on the sanctorum of Jambukeswara is only 4 foot high and 2.5 foot wide.
