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Above image: Jambukeswara temple, Thiruvanaikaval Priest in woman's dress feeding black cow.....
This very ancient Shiva temple at Thiruvanaikavalnear Tiruchirappalli city, Tamil Nadu, a Pancha Bhoota Stalam (five elements of nature) is dedicated to god Shiva- Jambukeswara and his consort Parvati (Akhilandeswari) A major Saivite shrines in Tamil Nadu here Shiva as Jambukeswara represents the element water; often referred to as ''Appustalam''. The other four sthalams f Tiruvannamalai (fire), Chidambaram (Space), Kanchipuram (Earth) and Kalahasti (Air),near Tirupati, AP respectively.
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In this temple the sanctum is slightly below the mainground level and the moolavar - the main deity is always partly immersed in water. Perhaps the water table may be very near the ground. However, it is said that even during the hot summer the water level in the garbhagriha does not go down.
That, for several centuries, the main deity has remained partly submerged in water, regardless of vagaries of seasons is a matter of puzzle This temple built in the 1st century and patronized by the Chola Pandya, Hoysala and the Madurai Naik kings is glorified by Saivite Saints (7th to 9th CE) have sung songs in praise of the Lord. So was Muthuswamy Deekshitar, one of the carnatic music trinity.
Adi Sankara is said to have visited the Akhilandeswari shrine long ago and presented the goddess with ear-rings bearing the symbol of chakram ((wheel). there is shrine for the saint.
The vast temple complex has five praharams (corridors). The inner most enclosure (126 feet x123 ft), has the sanctum followed by second corridor (306 ft x 197 ft); the third corridor 745ft x197ft surrounded by a tall 30ft wall. The fourth corridor measures 2436 feet by 1493 ft and has a hall with 796 ornate stone pillars and a small water tank fed by springs.The massive outer wall covering the fifth praharam or corridor, known as the Vibudi praharam , stretches over a mile and is two feet thick wide and over 25 feet high. The 2nd and 3rd and 4th praharams were built in 13th century CE.
Since Sangam period the temple has undergone various modifications over the last two thousand years. Hosalas and Pandyas made valuable contribution to the construction of this temple. The temple was built by Kochenga Chola, one of the early Cholas, around 1,800 years ago.
Tit Bits:
As the Goddess Akilandeswari once worshipped Lord Shiva here, the temple priest or archakar dresses like a woman and conducts 'uchikala pooja' (noon prayer) to the deity and to ''ko matha'' (cow) for which cow with black skin or karaam pasu is daily used. This type of pooja (prayer) is rare among Hindu temples. Unlike other Shiva temples, here there is no Thiru Kalyanam ( mock celestial wedding) ritual, because Devi was like a student and Jambukeswara was like a Guru (teacher).
Another daily ritual as part of noon payer protocol is Annabhishekam to the lingam (ablution with cooked rice).
Ref:
Tourist guide to Tamil Nadu (2007).
Ayyar, P. V. Jagadisa (1991). South Indian shrines: illustrated. New Delhi: Asian Educational Services.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jambukeswarar_Temple,_Thiruvanaikaval
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