| The Panguni Uttram
festival is also celebrated every year on a grand scale. The tank opposite the temple is
believed to have been constructed by devas and hence the water is considered very holy.
The Vanni and Vilva trees are held sacred. The religious importance of Tiruvanmiyur has
been sung about in the devotional verses of the great Saints Jnanasambandar, Appar and
Arunagirinathar. Once Sage Vasishtha decided to
offer worship to Lord Viswanatha of Kasi for one Mandalam (45 days). He therefore
requested Indra to spare Kamadhenu, the divine cow, for the purpose. Indra granted the
request of Vasishtha and with Kamadhenu Vasishtha reached Kasi where he performed pooja
for Lord Viswanatha. One day, while grazing, Kamadhenu was attracted by the hillside and
spent a day there. As a result, sage Vasishtha's pooja was interrupted. He became angry
and cursed Kamadhenu to
turn into a wild cow and wander about. Kamadhenu roamed about many places and at last came
to Tiruvanmiyur. |
