SIKKAL SINGARAVELAN TEMPLE
AT
NAGAPATINAM
The temple is located in the village of Sikkal, near Nagapattinam in
Tamilnadu. Sikkal Singara Velan Temple is one of the most popular Hindu temples
dedicated to Lord Muruga and a contender for the unofficial seventh Padai Veedu
of Muruga, along with the popular Arupadaiveedu (six abodes of Lord Muruga).
It is one of the rare traditional Hindu temples that have both Shiva and
Vishnu deities in the same complex. It is one of the shrines of the 275 Paadal
Petra Sthalams - Shiva Sthalams glorified in the early medieval Tevaram poems
by Tamil Saivite Nayanar Tirugnanasambandar.The main deity of the temple is
Lord Shiva as Navaneetheswarar. However, primary importance is given to Lord
Subrahmanya Swamy here.
The temple is regarded as an unofficial 7th Padaiveedu of Muruga, along
with the other Arupadaiveedu shrines (6 homes of Lord Muruga). This is the
200th Devaram Paadal Petra Shiva sthalam and 88th sthalam on the south side of
river Cauvery in Chozha Nadu. Although it is a Shiva temple it is more famous
for the Murugan here and is known as Singaravelan temple. There is a perumal
temple next door which is also a unique feature.
Once upon a time, Kamadenu was cursed by lord Shiva, when it ate meat.
Later feeling guilty of its action, it got rid of its sin by taking bath in the
holy water point of this temple and worshiped here, as told by Lord Shiva.
After getting rid of the sin, Kamadenu offered its milk which later become
Parkulam (literal meaning: the milk pond), which is located behind the temple.
Six worship services are offered each day here. A number of marriages
are performed in this temple in the kalyana mandapam. Bhrammotsavam for Shiva
is celebrated in the month of Chittirai, while the Skanda Sashti annual
festival is celebrated for 10 days in the month of Aippasi.
On the fifth day of the festival, a bejeweled image of Skanda is gifted
with a spear, in Velnedunkanni's shrine, and the image of Skanda is said to
break out in sweat upon receipt of the spear. Karthikai asterism each month attracts
large crowds here, when the processional image of Singaravelar is placed in the
Karthikai Mandapam.
It is this holy water point (The Parkulam) of the temple where Vashista
Maharishi performed a pooja here, by making a lingam with the butter from the
Parkulam. After completing the pooja he tried to move that lingam, but it
sticked to that place, and never moved.
As a result Vashista Maharishi regarded this place as Sikkal. Here the
Lord Shiva is called ‘Thiru Vennai Nathar’ (Vennai means butter) as he was made
up of butter. Interestingly, Thirukkannankudi - a Vaishnava Divyadesam (near
Keevalur nearby) has a legend associated with Vasishta offering worship to an
image of Krishna which he had fashioned out of butter.
It is also said that Lord Murugan had got his Vel (weapon) from his
divine mother at Sikkal, to kill the Asura, Soorapadman in Srilanka. He
performed Soora Samharam (literal meaning: killing Soorapadman) by setting up
the base camp in Thiruchendur
The day before the ‘Soora Samharam’, Singaravelar (Lord Murugan) would
get the “Vel” (a weapon) from Ambal and the following day he would quell Soora.
Prior to this Singaravelar would appear indignant and he couldn’t manage the
power of Vel and he started sweating.
Even today, a day before Soora Samharam he will sweat and when they try
to wipe the sweat using silk cloth it won’t stop. This is a wonder here and it
is called “Sweating wonder”.The temple worship timings are from 5.30 AM to
12.30 PM and evening: 4.30 PM to 9.00 PM.
By Air
Nearest Airport is located at Chennai.
By Train
Nearest Railway Station is located at Sikkal
By Bus
It is 5 kilometers in the West from Nagapattinam and 18 kilometers in
the East from Thiruvarur on the way to Nagapattinam
