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This
hallowed, ancient Saiva kshetra houses the grand icons of the Triad
- Brahma, Vishnu and Siva in separate independent Tirukkovils. Each
diety has an exciting legend and is adored with unprecedented zeal.
According to legend, the emergence of Siva here was primarily due to
annihilation of the arrogance of the sages of Darukavan. With a view
to teaching the erring, Vishnu, assumed the form
of Mohini and made them mad after her bewitching beauty. Lord Siva
in the form of Bikshandar lured the arrogant munipatnis to fall in
love with Him. The sages then performed Adhisara sacrifice to
retaliate their attempts, when terrible things, like tiger, a big
column of fire, deer, trident, serpent came out from the fire pit
one after another in succession, and they were directed against
Siva. The Lord took each and converted them into His weapons. He
changed the tiger's skin into cloak; made serpents, His kantabharana;
and deer, trident, and fire into His mighty weapons. The exasperated
sages directed incantations, which the Lord absorbed at once in his
Dhamaru. The witless, helpless sages fell prostrate and begged for
mercy. This happened here and the Saivate part of the Tirukkovil
contains a big Sivalinga and is worshipped with great ardor.
This
lies on the Trichy-Musiri road and can be reached by town bus from
Tiruchi.
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