Sri Adhi Ratneswarar temple – Thiruvadanai

Forgotten Temple of Tamil Nadu

Thiruvadani, the temple town is located about 25 lilometres from Devakottai  towards South in the Chettinad area. The ancient temple dedicated to Lord Shiva is known as Adhi Rathneswarar Temple.
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Legend:

Vaaruni the son of Varuna the God of rain  stayed in the Ashram of Sage Durvasa who was in deep meditation. Vaaruni’s friends played there using the fruits and flowers in the ashram and disturbed the penance of the sage. The angry sage cursed Vaaruni for his deed to become a strange creature with the head of a goat (Aja) and body of an elephant (Gaja). In Tamil the name will be Aadu (goat) and Aanai (elephant), hence the name of the place Thiru Aadu Aanai – Thiruvadanai.

Vaaruni realized his folly and begged for forgiveness. He was told to go to this temple in the Pandya kingdom, pray to Lord Shiva for his redemption. When Vaaruni did his penance  Lord appeared before him and granted him a boon. Vaaruni in his Aja Gaja (Aadu-Yanai) form begged the Lord that his life  be a lesson to those who showed disrespect to elders and that this place should be known as Thiruvadanai. His wish was granted and the place came to be known as Thiru Aadu Aanai.

The temple is praised by Saint Tirugnanasambandar in his Thevaram hymns. This is the 9th temple in Pandya region praised in Thevaram hymns.

During their exile, Pandavas brother Arjuna got the pasupatha missile from Lord Shiva.  He was asked by the Lord to come to Thiruvadanai to know how to use the weapon.  As a mark of his bhakti, Arjuna installed the Somaskanda in the temple, according to a story.

Sun was very proud of his radiating power.  When the brightness on Lord rose up, Nandhi the bull vehicle of the Lord drew it, the Sun losing his brightness.  Sun begged Nandhi to show him the solution.  Nandi advised Sun to worship Lord of Thiruvadanai installing Him on a seat made of sapphire gems for remedy.  Sun being the Adhi-first among the nine planets worshipped Lord Shiva Adhi Ratneswarar as suggested.  

Festivals:

10 day Vaikasi Visaka Vasanth Utsav (summer festival) in May-June, 15 day Aadi Pooram in July-August, Navarathri in September-October, Pradoshas – 13th day of both full moon and new moon fortnights in all months, Karthikai in November-December and Chaturthi in Avani-August-September are the festivals celebrated in the temple.

Greatness Of the Temple:

Three yard sticks are used to decide the reputation of great temples, viz. Murthy, Sthala and Theertha.  Temples are famous for one or two of these aspects and some have all the three attributes.  Thiruvadanai Adhi Ratneswarar temple has all the three attributes.  Lord Shiva is a swayambu.  He is also praised as Aadanai Nathar and Aja Gajeswarar.  The sacred springs are Surya Pushkarini, Varuna, Vaaruni, Markandeya, Aghasthya and Kamadenu theerthams.

Mother Snehavalli, the consort of the deity is the deity for planet Shukra-Venus.  The temple is famous for Shukra worship.

Significances:

• One of the 275 padal petra sthalams.
• This temple is more than 1000 years old.
• According to Purana, Soorya worshipped Lord Siva here with sapphire gems. Hence the lord name is Ratneswarar. In Tamil, Ratnam means Sapphire.
• This temple offers pujas to Sun God.
• Arjuna learned how to use Pasupatha missile from this place.
• Arunagirinadhar sang Thirupugazh on Murugan of this place.
• Sambandhar sang hymns on Lord Shiva of this place.
• This temple was worshiped by Agasthya, Markandeya and Kamadenu.

Temple’s Speciality:

This is one of the Shiva temples offering pujas to Sun God. Sun worshipped Lord Shiva placing Him on a stage – Avudayar – made of sapphire gems, hence the name of the Lord, Adhi Ratneswarar.
Footnote:

When I visited this temple a few years back, I expected a small shrine but was surprised to find a big temple maintained well. Incidentally my father worked in this temple in the 1920's much before I was born. It was in the attempt to trace his journey in life, I landed in this temple town. - KSK