Sri Nilathingal Thundathan Perumal Temple is located in Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu. It is situated within the Ekambaresvara Temple, one of the prominent Shiva temples in the city. Kanchipuram, known as the city of temples, is a significant religious center for both Vaishnavism and Shaivism. 

Unique Worship Tradition

In most Vishnu temples, worship is conducted according to Vaishnava Agama traditions, while in Shiva temples, Shaiva Agama practices are followed. This distinction reflects the specific rituals and practices associated with each deity. However, the Sri Nilathingal Thundathan Perumal Temple in Kanchipuram stands out with a unique tradition. Although the temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu, it is located within the Ekambaresvara Temple, a famous Shiva shrine. Unlike typical Vishnu temples, here a Saivite purohita performs the worship for Perumal. This blending of traditions, where a Saivite priest conducts the worship of a Vaishnavite deity, makes this temple unique.

Legend of Churning of the Ocean

The legend of the churning of the ocean, known as the Samudra Manthan, is a famous episode from Hindu mythology. It describes how the Devas (gods) and Asuras (demons) worked together to churn the Ocean of Milk to obtain the nectar of immortality, Amrita. They used Mount Mandara as the churning rod and Vasuki, the serpent king, as the rope. Lord Vishnu took the form of Kurma (a giant tortoise) to support the mountain on his back.

During the churning, many treasures emerged, but so did the deadly poison Halahala, which threatened to destroy the universe. To save everyone, Lord Shiva drank the poison, but it burned his throat, turning it blue, and he became known as Neelakantha (the blue-throated one).

In the context of Sri Nilathingal Thundathan Perumal Temple, the legend says that Lord Vishnu, who was assisting in the churning, was affected by the scorching heat of the Halahala poison. At that moment, the soothing rays of the moon (Nila) provided him comfort, and thus he came to be known as Nilathingal Thundathan (the one touched by the moon’s rays). This name highlights the cooling effect of the moon during the cosmic event.

Legend of Parvati Devi

The legend of Goddess Parvati associated with Sri Nilathingal Thundathan Perumal Temple begins when she playfully covered Lord Shiva's eyes with her hands. Since Shiva’s eyes represent the Sun and the Moon, her act plunged the entire world into darkness. To atone for this, Lord Shiva instructed Parvati to perform penance on earth.

When Parvati came to earth to perform penance, she took birth as a child at Badarikasrama. She was raised by the sage Katyayana, who gave her the name Katyayani. This name signifies her as the foster daughter of Katyayana, and she is revered as one of the forms of the divine mother. Katyayani is also worshipped as the sixth form of Durga, symbolizing strength and righteousness.

Before Goddess Parvati, as Katyayani, left for Kanchipuram to perform penance, sage Katyayana gave her thirteen sacred articles. These items were imbued with divine power, and upon reaching Kanchipuram, they transformed into significant symbols associated with Lord Shiva. The items and their transformations are as follows:

1. Yogadandam (staff used in penance) – Transformed into a trident (trishula), a symbol of Shiva’s power.
2. Rosary – Became a bilva garland, sacred to Shiva, as the bilva tree is closely associated with him.
3. Skin of a tiger – Transformed into somavritta, the adornment of Lord Shiva, representing his wild, ascetic nature.
4. A holy book – Became Kamadhenu, the wish-fulfilling cow, symbolizing prosperity and abundance.
5. Fried green gram – Turned into sprouted green gram, a symbol of growth and fertility.
6. Sand from the Ganges – Transformed into a lingam, the sacred symbol of Lord Shiva’s cosmic energy.
7. Umbrella – Became an ornament shaped like a serpent, representing Shiva’s serpent garland.
8. Fan made of palmyra leaves – Turned into a parrot, a symbol of wisdom and devotion.
9. Two chowries (fly-whisks) – Became two beautiful women (Saktis), divine attendants of Parvati.
10. Water pot – Transformed into the pedestal for the lingam, symbolizing stability and support for the universe.
11. Vidyadharam (sacred knowledge) – Became a needle, symbolizing precision and focus in penance.
12. Deepastambham (lamp post) – Represented divine light and became part of the spiritual energy in the temple.
13. Ganges water – Held transformative powers to purify and bless the environment during the penance.

Parvati came to Kanchipuram and performed severe penance under a mango tree, creating a Shiva Lingam out of sand. Lord Shiva tested her devotion by releasing a flood from the Ganges. To protect the Shiva Lingam made of sand, Parvati’s two divine attendants (Saktis) intervened. One of these Saktis assumed the form of Kali and contained the floodwaters in a skull. For this act of stopping the cosmic flood, she became known as Maha Pralayabandhini, which means ‘the great one who stopped the deluge.’ Then Lord Shiva made the skull overflow.

In this moment of difficulty, she prayed to her brother, Lord Vishnu, for help. Vishnu appeared in his Visvaroopa form (universal form) and stopped the flood. Impressed by her devotion, Lord Shiva blessed Parvati, acknowledging the depth of her penance. When Vishnu appeared in his divine form, the rays of the moon fell upon his throat, giving him the name Nilathingal Thundathan. This legend reflects the connection between Shiva and Vishnu in this temple and highlights Parvati’s devotion.

Hymns on Nilathingal Thundathan Perumal

Thirumangai Alvar - Pasuram No. 2059:

'O Lord, who stands high, above the lofty mountains! O Nilathingal Thundathan (the one graced by the moon)! O Lord of Kanchi, the sacred place filled with divine beauty! O Lord of Thiruvehkaa and the other sacred waters! O one who resides in the hearts of those who think of you! O protector of the universe, praised by the world! O one who resides in the heavens, full of dark clouds! O playful one, residing in the southern land of the lush, fragrant garden! O Lord, who is firmly seated in my heart! I worship your divine feet.'

This hymn expresses the deep devotion of Thirumangai Alvar to Lord Vishnu, praising him as Nilathingal Thundathan, and calling attention to the various forms of the Lord and his presence in sacred places like Kanchi and Thiruvehkaa. It reflects the Alvar’s surrender and worship of Vishnu’s divine feet.

Divyakavi Pillai Perumal Iyengar - 108 Titupati Andaadhi

'O Lord, who gives darshan at Nilathingal Thundam! O Lord, at whose feet Arjuna placed flowers! The same flowers were later seen on the crescent moon, Perched atop the matted locks of Lord Shiva, After He had performed the Pandarangam dance. O Lord! Even after witnessing this miracle, Foolish mortals still fail to realize Your supreme divinity.'

This hymn refers to the story where Arjuna offers flowers at the feet of Lord Krishna (an avatar of Vishnu), and later, those very flowers are seen on Lord Shiva’s head. This reflects the unity between Vishnu and Shiva, with the hymn emphasizing Vishnu’s supremacy. The hymn also points to the ignorance of those who fail to see Vishnu as the ultimate truth, despite these divine occurrences.

Festivals

• Every Pournami.
• Purattasi Saturdays.
• Vaikuntha Ekadashi.

Special prayers

Those suffering from heat (Pitta) related diseases pray for relief here and also for progeny.

Location

How to reach

1. By Air:
• The nearest airport is Chennai International Airport, which is about 72 kilometers away from Kanchipuram. From Chennai, you can take a taxi, bus, or train to reach Kanchipuram.
2. By Train:
• Kanchipuram has its own railway station, Kanchipuram Railway Station. It is connected to major cities like Chennai, Tirupati, and Bangalore. You can take a direct train to Kanchipuram or reach Chennai and take a local train or taxi from there.
3. By Road:
• Kanchipuram is well connected by roads and can be reached by buses or private vehicles.
• From Chennai: You can take a state-run or private bus, or hire a taxi. The journey by road takes around 1.5 to 2 hours.
• From Bangalore: Kanchipuram is about 280 kilometers from Bangalore. You can drive, take a bus, or hire a taxi, and the journey takes about 5-6 hours.
4. By Bus:
• Regular bus services run from cities like Chennai, Vellore, and Bangalore to Kanchipuram. Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC) and private buses are available.

Knowledge Bank

What does Ganesha mean?

In Sanskrit, Gana (गणः) means group and Isha (ईशः) means the Lord. Ganesha means the Lord of groups. In Vedic philosophy, everything exists in groups. For example: 11 Rudras, 12 Adityas, 7 seas, 5 sensory organs, 4 Vedas, 14 worlds, etc. Ganesha is the ruler of all such groups which means that he is the Lord of everything.

Who gave birth to Brahma?

Brahma came from Parabrahma, the one and only supreme reality. At the time of creation, Brahma appeared on a lotus coming out of the navel of Mahavishnu.