Irumbai Mahakaleshwarar Temple – Legends

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.