Rahu Stalam is a Hindu temple dedicated to the deity Shiva,
located in Tirunageswaram, a village in the outskirts of Kumbakonam, a town in
Tamil Nadu, India. It is significant to the Hindu sect of Saivism as one of the
temples associated with the nine planet elements, the Navagraha Stalas, and
specifically Rahu. Shiva is worshiped as Naganathar, and is represented by the
lingam. His consort Parvati is depicted as Piraisoodi Amman. The presiding
deity is revered in the 7th century Tamil Saiva canonical work, the Tevaram,
written by Tamil saint poets known as the nayanars and classified as Paadal
Petra Sthalam.
It houses four gateway towers known as gopurams. The temple
has numerous shrines, with those of Naganathar, Rahu and Piraisoodi Amman being
the most prominent. The temple complex houses many halls; the most notable is
the ornamental entrance hall built during the Nayak period.
The temple has six daily rituals at various times from 5:30
a.m. to 10 p.m., and twelve yearly festivals on its calendar. Many serpents,
including Adishesha, Takshaka and Karkotaka, worshipped Shiva at this place,
leading to the name "Tirunageswaram". As per Hindu legend, the king
of snakes, Adisesha did penace at this place, called Senbaranya Kshetram on
account of the presence of large number of Senbaga trees. Shiva was pleased by
the penance and appeared to him. Since Shiva gave a boon to the king of
Serpents, he is called Naganathar.[1] A Goddess Girigujambal is believed to be
worshipping Shiva here with goddesses Lakshmi, Saraswathi, Ganesha, Muruga, and
Shasta. Maha Bhairava is still believed to be guarding and assisting the divine
mother during her prayers. The Goddess is said to be Swayambu as she is present
in the form of Meru. Hence, no abhishekam (ablution) is performed for the
image. As per a Hindu legend, Indra was cursed by sage Gautama as he misbehaved
with the latter's wife Ahalya. To obtain deliverance from the sage's curse, it
is said that Indra worshipped Giri-Gujambigai with a scented material termed
Punugu for 45 days. Sages like Gautama and Parashara and kings like Bhagiratha
and Nala are said to have worshipped Naganathar at this place.
The name "Kumbakonam", roughly translated in
English as the "Jug's Corner",is believed to be an allusion to the
mythical pot (kumbha) of the Hindu god Brahma that contained the seed of all
living beings on earth. The kumbha is believed to have been displaced by a
pralaya (dissolution of the universe) and ultimately came to rest at the spot
where the town of Kumbakonam now stands.The drops of nectar are believed to
have fallen onto five shrines around Kumbakonam, namely Mahlingeswarar temple
at Tiruvidaimarudur, Tirudharasuram, Naganathar Temple at Tirunageswaram,
Tiruvorgam and Tirupadalavanam.The temple is another masterpiece which
exhibits the Chola style of architecture. It is believed to have been built by
Aditya Chola I in the 10th century A.D. Later rulers have modified the temple
with their own additions. The temple has a separate shrine for Rahu.
The temple priests perform the pooja (rituals) during
festivals and on a daily basis. Like other Shiva temples of Tamil Nadu, the
priests belong to the Shaivaite community, a Brahmin sub-caste. The temple
rituals are performed six times a day; Ushathkalam at 6:00 a.m., Kalasanthi at
9:00 a.m., Uchikalam at 1:00 p.m., Sayarakshai at 5:00 p.m., Irandamkalam at
7:00 p.m. and Ardha Jamam at 9:00 p.m. There is a separate calendar for the
Rahu Abhishekam (sacred ablution): it is performed twice in a day at 11:30 a.m
and 5:30 p.m. and additionally twice at various times in the day. Each ritual
comprises four steps: abhisheka (sacred bath), alangaram (decoration),
neivethanam (food offering) and deepa aradanai (waving of lamps) for both
Annamalaiyar and Unnamulai Amman. The worship is held amidst music with
nagaswaram (pipe instrument) and tavil (percussion instrument), religious
instructions in the Vedas (sacred text) read by priests and prostration by
worshippers in front of the temple mast. There are weekly rituals like somavaram
and sukravaram, fortnightly rituals like pradosham and monthly festivals like
amavasai (new moon day), kiruthigai, pournami (full moon day) and sathurthi.
The Brahmotsvam or prime festival is celebrated for ten days
in the Tamil month of Karthigai (November–December). There is a procession in
silver vehicle, marriage festival of the presiding deity, another procession
around the streets of Tirunageswarm in temple chariot, sanctification in temple
tank and concludes with Vidayathri (farewell function) when a flower palanquin
takes the images of the temple deities around the temple. The festival is
celebrated amidst music with nagaswaram (pipe instrument) and tavil (percussion
instrument) and religious instructions in the Vedas (sacred text) and Tevaram
read by priests. Kandasashti festival is celebrated for six during October or
November every year when Murugan, the son of Shiva, symbolically kills the
demon Surapadma. The scene is enacted in the South street of the temple during
the festival. As per local legend, Rahu got relieved of his pains praying to
Naganathar during a Shivaratri day and the day is celebrated in the temple.
Navarathri festival is celebrated for nine days for Girigujambigai and the
images of Naganathar and Girigujambigai is taken in horse chariot on
Vijayadasami, the concluding day of the festival. Sekkizhar Vaikasi Pooja is
celebrated from 1969 on the birth date of Sekkizhar, the author of Periya
Puranam, the epic describing the life history of the 63 nayanars. Rahu Peyarchi
is a festival celebrated once every 1.5 years on the star when Rahu switches
its planetary position from one raasi (galaxy) to the other.
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