EshwartheGod: Sangameshwarar Temple, Bhavani

Details

Location of the temple	Tirunanaa (now known as Bhavani)
Lord Shiva known as	Sangameswarar
Female deity known as	Vedhanayagi
Pathigam	Sambandar - 1
How to reach	Bhavani is located 56 Kms from Salem and 15 Kms from Erode. Bus facilities to Bhavani are available from Coimbatore, Tirupur, Erode and Salem.
Temple address	Arulmighu Sangameswarar Temple Bhavani Erode District PIN 638301

Temple: This Shivasthalam is located on the confluence of 2 rivers Bhavani and Cauvery. The temple is located on the northern bank where the 2 rivers meet. The temple is constructed on a 4 acre land. The main tower with 5 tiers is located on the north side of the temple. Eventhough this temple is a Saivite temple for Lord Shiva as Sangameswar, there is a separate shrine inside this temple for Lord vishnu as Adhi Kesava Perumal with his consort Soundaravalli Thaayar.

The shrine for female deity Vedhanayagi is facing east. To the right side of this shrine is the shrine for Lord Subramanya. Saint Arunagirinathar who visited Thirunanaa, has composed many songs (Thirupugazh) on Lord Subramanya. On the south side of the temple, the images of 63 Nayanmars are kept.

It is said that during the East India Company regime the then Collector of Coimbatore and Salem Districts, Willam Garrow, who had his headquarters at Bhavani, worshipped Goddess Vedanayaki. As only Hindus were allowed to enter the temple, the collector worshipped the Goddess from the outside of the temple by seeing her through an opening made in the temple wall. One night when the collector William Garrow was sleeping in his bungalow, the Goddess directed him in his dream to leave the bungalow at once. As the collector left the bungalow, entire bunalow collapsed. In appreciation to the Goddess who saves his life, he presented to the temple an ivory cradle, which is still in the temple, with his signature.

Specialties:

This is the temple that releases people afflicted with Naga Dhosha – subjected to the anger of serpents. They make an idol of the Snakes and install it in the Vinayaga temple on the banks of the river Cauvery to quench the dhosha severety.
Those having problems with the Planet Mars, if men, should tie a Mangal Sutra to a plantain tree and leave it in the river. Women perform pujas to Bodhi stick with leaves (Arasamaram) and leave it in the river.
This is the place where rivers Cauvery, Bhavani and Amirtha (invisible) meet. People perform rites here to satisfy their departed elders.
The other speciality in Bhavani is, that when dead bodies are burnt, the skulls do not scatter as generally found in yards of other places. Because it said that there are 1008 Sivalingas under the earth.
For cure from high fever, people offer rice prepared with pepper and Jeeragam to the Lord and get cured.
Besides the above prayer offerings, people also come here for removal obstacles to marriage etc.
There will be heavy crowd here during new moon days and 18th of Adi Tamil month (July-August). Devotees offer pujas to Mother Cauvery with coconut, fruits, flowers, ear rings made of palm leaves, black pearls etc. It is a scene of great delight. Also those who bathe in the confluence spot of Cauvery and Bhavani rivers during the Solar and Lunar Eclipse attain salvation. They offer fine clothing to the Lord and the Goddess.
It is also believed that performing pujas, offering donation for righteous causes ensure the devotee with manifold benefits.
The Ilandhai tree in the temple yield sweet fruits offered to the Lord each day during puja times. Women seeking boon for a child consume the fruits and get fertility.
The Amirthalingeswarar in the temple is placed on a seat called Avudayar according to Saiva principles is a mobile one that can be removed and placed on the seat again. Men and women seeking boons for children take the Sivalinga, perform puja and walk around it for three times and place it back on the Avudayar. The Amirthalinga is in the southern entrance of the temple.
The other names of the Lord here are, Alagesan, Sangamanathar, Maruthulingam. Vakreswara, Nattatriwara and Thirunannavudayar.
The Goddess Vedanayaki is also known as Sangameswari, Bhavani Amman, Maruthunayaki and Vakreswari. It is said that the Four Vedas came into being on this soil only.
The holy waters of Bhavani are known as Cauvery theertham, Bhavani and Amirtha River, Surya theertham, Gayatri theertham. The temple is situated on the confluence spot of Cauvery and Bhavani known as Kooduthurai. Of the seven holy Shiva centers of the Kongu Region, Bhavani is one. The scriptural name is Thirunana

More on Bhavani:

As the confluence of Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswathi are revered as Triveni Sangamam of the North; Bhavani is the Triveni Sangamam of the South with the confluence of rivers Cauvery, Bhavani and Amirtha. Lord Muruga, Somaskanda is in between the Lord and the Goddess in the temple. Arunagiriyar in his Thirupugazh sings this Muruga. As the temple is in a pleasant environment on the banks of the three rivers, this is also a tourist center. Thirugnanasambandar sings the Lord. The Goddess is praised in a Pillaithamizh literature.

There is a cow behind the Vishnu statue. The temple is a splendid example of harmony between Saivism and Vaishnavism as temple as both are in the same campus.

Conveyance facilities are comfortably available as Bhavani lies on Erode Mettur road. Nearest railway station is Erode and airport Coimbatore.

Festivals:

13 days Car festival in the Tamil Month Chithirai (April-May) and this is the most famous of the temple attracting lakhs of devotees. Also on Adiperukku day, Amavasyas, especially Thai Aamavasya, eclipse days are devotionally followed in Bhavani temple bathing in the river and performing rites. Devotees from other states would be large in numbers during November and December months corresponding to Tamil Karthikai and Margazhi. Also special pujas are performed to the Lord and Goddess on English and Tamil New Year days, Pongal and Deepavali days.

History:

Kubera, son of Vaisira was gifted with an aircraft in recognition of his devotion to Lord Shiva. While visiting all the Shiva temples in various places in the country, he saw an Ilandhai tree on the banks of Cauvery where the deer, tiger, cow, elephant, snake and the rat were drinking water without any sign of enmity It was a place inhabited by holy men, gandharvas and such good people. Kubera heard a voice from the sky saying that the Vedas came to the Earth on this place near the Ilandhai Tree and there was a Shivalinga beneath it and advised him to worship the Lord and reap the benefits. The Lord appeared before Kubera. At his request, the Lord also is named Alagesan.

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