Irumbai Mahakaleshwarar Temple – Legends
Kaduveli
Siddhar:
The temple is particularly associated with the legend of
Kaduveli Siddhar, a famous yogi who lived in the area some four to five hundred
years ago. According to the legend, Kaduveli Siddha was performing harsh
penance sitting under a Peepal tree in yogic pose for days. The heat of his
body was so intense that the rain gods suffered, no rains came and the people
were exposed to hardship and drought. The situation was so bad that it finally
came to the ears of the King, who ruled from Edyanchavadi village.
No one dared to disturb Kaduveli in his penance as he
chanted the mantra of Eshwara, and soon an anthill started to rise up around
him. Finally, a temple dancer, named Valli, devoted to the Lord Shiva, decided
to do her best to get the attention of the yogi, and to rescue the King and his
people from the adverse effects of his tapasya (penance). She observed that
occasionally the Siddha would, with his eyes shut, put out his hands to catch
and consume the falling, withered Peepal leaves.
So, she prepared some thinly fried Appalam (pappad), and
started placing them in the yogi’s outstretched hands, as he tried to catch the
falling leaves. Soon he started eating the Appalams and getting his taste back.
Slowly he grew fatter until finally the anthill broke and he was once more
exposed to the rays of the sun. Finally, he opened his eyes. Valli was
extremely happy and was able to take him back to her house where she kept him
happy, dancing for him and learning songs for him.
Meanwhile the God of Rain was relieved from the torture
he felt from the heat of the yogi’s tapasya, the rain fell in plenty, and the
people were happy once again. In order to celebrate this event, the King
ordered a big Puja to be held at Irumbai temple, which was to be followed by a
classical performance by Valli in which she would act out the cosmic dance of
Lord Shiva, in the form of Nataraja. During the performance, however, one of
her anklets fell off, and she started to lose her balance and rhythm.
Kaduveli, who saw the Lord Shiva in Valli, picked up the
anklet and put it back on her feet. This exposed him to the ridicule of the
King and court for having touched the feet of a dancing girl, and he was
heckled and jeered. Furious, he invoked the Lord Shiva to come out of his
temple by singing a song and prove his innocence by causing a rain of stone.
The song that the Siddhar sang is as follows:
“வெல்லும் பொழுது விடுவேன் வெகுளியை
செல்லும் பொழுது செலுத்தினேன் சிந்தையை
அல்லும் பகலும் உன்னையே தொழுதேன்
கல்லும் பிளந்து கடுவெளியாமே”
Immediately the lingam in the sanctum sanctorum of the
temple exploded into three pieces, and wherever those fragments fell, that
place became a desert. The Siddhar cursed that these places would become uninhabited
and devoid of all vegetation. To this day, there is such a desert called
“Kaduveli” at a distance of about three kilometers from this village.
On realizing the truth and power of the Siddhar the King
begged for forgiveness and pleaded him to quench the effects of the curse. The
Siddhar was appeased by the King’s request and said that although he could not
change what had already happened, in the future, people from far-off lands
would come and make the deserted lands green and fertile again.
Further, the Siddhar was also requested to mend the
broken Shivalingam. He sang the following song to join the broken fragments.
When he finished this song, the fragments were joined together.
“எட்டும் அறிந்த உந்தனுக்கு
எட்டும் அறியாத எந்தனுக்கு
எட்டு அறிந்தும் ஒன்று சேருமே”
Today, there are villagers who feel that the Aurovilians
are the people from far-off lands mentioned by the Siddha and that the curse is
now beginning to leave them. This story was put together by several
Aurovilians, based on a tape-recorded conversation with the temple Brahmin at
Irumbai.
Mother
performed penance on Lord Shiva:
Two demons securing boons from Lord Shiva wanted to have
Mother Parvathi for them and marry her. Mother Parvathi incarnated as Maha
Kali and destroyed them. For killing the lives, even Mother was inflicted
with the Brahmahatti Dosha and was wandering in this place. She performed
penance on Lord Shiva and got relieved of the Dosha.
Makalanathar:
Later, a Rishi, Maakalar by name, during his pilgrimage
installed one Linga in Ujjaini in North and one at Ambar Makala near
Mayiladuthurai in South and worshipped them. By knowing the reputation of this
place, he installed one Linga here too and named the Lord Makalanathar.
Kuyil
Mozhi Nayaki:
Ambica was watching the penance of Kaduveli Siddhar and
was telling Lord the greatness of his penance in her sweet voice, hence, the
name Kuyil Mozhi Nayaki.
Irumbai:
Another reasoning behind the name Irumbai is that this
place was once densely populated by Iluppai trees and so the village got the
name Iluppai. Over a period of time this name got changed to Irumbai.
