Jambukeswarar Temple

Getting there

• By air

  Tiruchirappalli International Airport is about 5 km from the city centre.

• By train

  Tiruchchirappalli Junction is a junction station in the city of Tiruchirappalli.

• By road

  The most commonly used local transport in Tiruchirappalli is the state-run Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation bus and the auto rickshaw.

Rules to know

• In the Ardha Mantapa, devotees go in groups of six during sevas such as Abhishekam, or on payment of a small fee.

Why devotees come here

Jambukeswarar Temple stands in Thiruvanaikaval, a neighbourhood of Tiruchirappalli on Srirangam island, on the northern bank of the Kaveri. It is one of the major Shiva temples of Tamil Nadu. Shiva is worshipped here as Jambukeshwarar, with Parvati as Akilandeswari.

Parvati made a lingam out of water from the Kaveri, also called the Ponni, under a Venn Naaval tree and worshipped Shiva here. Tiruchirappalli, on the banks of the Cauvery, is the fourth largest city in Tamil Nadu. Legend says Shiva, moved by the devotion of an elephant and a spider who worshipped this lingam, freed them from their curse.

Chola kings made grants to the temple in the 11th and 12th centuries, and many inscriptions from them record these gifts. The Hoysala king Someswara, son of Vira Narasimha, later expanded it widely. The outer wall of the fifth precinct stretches over 1.6 km and stands more than 7.6 metres high.

The sanctum is a square structure at the centre of the innermost enclosure, and it is lit only by ghee lamps. Devotees see the deity through a stone window with nine openings, which are believed to represent the Navagraha.

Festivals

• Every yearNatyanjali

  An annual festival of classical Indian dance. The temple is one of its hosts.

Tips for your visit

• The noon pooja is very famous, and many pilgrims attend it every day.
• The sanctum door on the southern wall is small, about 1.2 metres high.

Questions people ask