Visiting The Lord of The Mango Tree

Anshika Rana

Visiting The Lord of The Mango Tree

The bustling cultural centre of Kanchipuram is home to a sacred temple of Shiva, where the deity is worshipped under the peculiar name of "Lord of the Mango Tree." The Ekambaranathar temple features grand architecture, intricate sculptures, and majestic gopurams that reflect not only the temple's cultural heritage but also the history of the kings and dynasties that shaped both the temple and Kanchipuram. The temple's subtle integration of religion, history, and culture makes it a must-visit destination for visitors to the area.

Parvati embracing Shiva in the form of Lingam; Source: Veludharan blogspot

The Ekambaranathar Temple is a holy site in Kanchipuram, located only half a kilometer from the railway station. It is one of the five holiest temples of Lord Shiva, known as Panch Bhoot Sthala, and it is revered by Hindu devotees as a place of spiritual enlightenment and marital well-being.

According to legend, the temple's name means "lord of the mango tree" in Sanskrit, and it comes from a tale of devotion involving Shiva and Parvati. Parvati once blindfolded Shiva, and the entire world became dark. Shiva then cursed her to turn black like Kali. To regain her golden complexion and seek forgiveness, she went on a devout penance near a mango tree in a temple near the Vegavathi river. Shiva tested her devotion by throwing hurdles in her way, but Parvati's faith was steadfast. She made a Linga out of the sand to reunite with Shiva and impressed Him with her commitment. He appeared before her under the mango tree, and the god came to be known as Ekambaranathar.

The temple's 3,500-year-old mango tree, Sthala Virutch, still stands in the courtyard as a symbol of divine presence and a testament to the power of devotion. It is said to bear four types of mango on its four branches, representing the four Vedas. A Shiva temple is attached to the tree

The temple was built by the ancient kings of the Pallava dynasty and has been shaped by several dynasties that have ruled over Kanchipuram. Each dynasty left its mark on the temple's architecture and artwork. In the 15th century, the Vijayanagara kings endowed it with numerous splendid accessions. History informs us of a merchant from Madras named Panchiyappa Mudaliar, who was such an earnest devotee of Lord Shiva that he travelled from Chennai to Kanchipuram every day, a distance of 62km, to offer prayers at this temple. He spent a substantial amount of wealth on the temple renovation, and his abysmal reverence for his God is recorded by his riding a horse carved out in one of the pillars of the temple.

The temple is adorned with several awe-inspiring hallways. From the entrance, there are two halls: the Vahana Mandapam, or vehicle hall, and the Sarabesa Mandapam, also known as Navaratri hall. The most spectacular hall, with elaborately sculpted pillars, is the Aayiram Kaal Mandapam, or the "hallway with a thousand pillars", built by the Vijayanagara kings.

The temple complex covers 23 acres and boasts a blend of several architectural styles, including pillared hallways, shrines, mandapas, and grand gopurams adorned with intricate carvings and sculptures.

As one approaches the southern gopuram, Rajagopuram, their heart fills with awe and divine energy that fills the air. They find themselves tiny against the majestic structure, realizing they are but a speck in the universe. Rajagopuram is an eleven-storeyed southern gopuram built by Vijayanagara king Krishnadevraya. It exudes brilliance in its pale yellow colour except for its bottom two storeys, which feature in grey. The bottom half of the gateway has the shrines of Vinayaka and Muruganon on either side and the towering top seats eleven kalashas or filled pots, representing prosperity and auspiciousness. In the middle of the gopuram is an image of Parvati embracing Shivalinga. A modern diorama of the image also presents itself on the left while walking through its entrance. The temple has four gopurams in total.

Upon entering the temple premises, visitors are greeted by a series of corridors and mandapas. A long corridor, resting on grey stones, is decorated with queues of double pillars on both sides, carved with sculptures of horses and animals full of motion. The floor is painted with kolams or floral patterns, in radiant and iridescent colours, to welcome visitors into the temple. In the middle of the corridor stands the Dhwajastambha, or the flagstaff, on an elaborately carved stone base, and at the far end of the corridor is a small Nandi mandapa in which a sculpture of Nandi rests on its limbs.

The main temple features a tall shikhara, topped with seven pitchers, also known as kalasha. It has a long and tall corridor, decorated with pillars on either side, leading to the sanctum sanctorum, which contains a lingam along with an image of Shiva. Behind the lingam is a plaque on the wall depicting Shiva with Parvati and Karthik as Somaskanda. Shiva is depicted as Tazhuva Kuzhainthaar and Parvathi as Elavar Kuzhali.

According to another version of the legend, Parvati worshipped a linga she made with sand under a mango tree. When the Vegavathi river flooded and threatened to engulf the lingam, she embraced it. Impressed by her devotion, Shiva blessed her with his appearance and married her. Since then, he came to be known as Tazhuva Kuzhainthaar or the "one who melted in her embrace". Elavar Kuzhali, or Kamakshi, is worshipped in the Kamakshi Amman temple in Kanchipuram. The marriage between Parvati and Shiva is still worshipped in the temple in the month of Phalgun, which roughly falls in March-April.

As one circumambulates around the temple, one can see a small Kali Amman temple where the goddess Kali is depicted with eight arms against a golden wall. Towards the end of the Parikrama, and very close to the sanctum, is a small shrine dedicated to Mahavishnu named Nilathingal Thundam Perumal Temple, which is hailed by Alvar devotees as one of the 108 Divya Desams. It also includes a small Ganesha temple located in the courtyard. Another temple features 1008 lingas made on a larger linga. Surprisingly, there is no separate shrine for Parvati, as is the case with most Shiva temples in Kanchipuram. It is believed that the Kamakshi Amman Temple is the consort for Ekambaranathar. These two temples, in addition to the Kumar Kottam temple nearby, complete the image of Somskanda depicted in the sanctum.

The Ekambaranathar temple in Kanchi represents the Earth element in the Panch Bhoot Sthalas, which are the five temples of Shiva, each representing one of the five elements of nature: air, water, land, sky, and fire. The fact that the linga here is made of earth complements this association. Abhisheka is performed here by pouring water on the Yoni or pedestal since the linga, made of earth, would melt away due to the action of water.

The Ekambaranathar temple is more than just a place of worship; it is a veritable treasure trove of culture and history. Visitors can connect with the divine and at the same time immerse themselves in the history of South India, which is reflected in the temple's architecture.