Suchindram Temple-Brahma-Vishnu-Maheswar Under One Roof

Location:

Suchindram Temple also called Thanumalayan Temple is located in the Suchindram district of Kanyakumari, at a distance of around 11 km from Kanyakumari. The striking aspect of this temple that it’s dedicated to the Trinity of God, Lord Shiva, Lord Vishnu, and Lord Brahma. due to this, it’s of high religious importance to devotees belonging to both Shaivite and Vaishnavite sects.

The Temple:

Suchindram Temple also called Sthanumalayan Perumal Temple, consists of around 30 shrines and presents captivating architecture. The deity in the temple, Sri Sthanumalayan stands for Sthanu means Lord Shiva, Mal stands for Lord Vishnu and Aya stands for Lord Brahma. This temple also popular by the name Suchindram Lord Anjaneyar Temple.

Legend:

Suchindrum name is derived from the Sthala Purana. Hindu mythological legend has it that the king of devas, Indra got relieved of a curse at the place of the most linga in the temple. The word “Suchi” means Suchindrum and believed to have derived from the Sanskrit meaning that stands for “purify”.

There are a number of legends behind Suchindram Temple. As per one of the popular stories of the Suchindram Temple, one day the holy Trinity, Lord Shiva, Lord Brahma, and Lord Vishnu arrived here at the traditional temple. Devi Anusaya, wife of saint Atri stayed here. Trinity decided to check Anusaya. Hence, in the absence of Sage Atri, they visited Anusaya, a chaste woman, in the guise of three sages and asked for food.

When offered food, they refused stating that they have vowed to take offerings only from people who are not clothed. Devi Anusaya agreed to their demand considering it a sin to refuse the help of offering to the seeker, she decided to offer them food and fulfill their demand. She sprinkled water on all the three sages and turned them into babies; Shiva as Durvasa, Vishnu as Dattatreya, and Brahma as Chandra. it had been then she fulfilled their demands and fed all the three babies.

Seeing this, the wives of Tridev, Goddess Saraswati, Goddess Parvati, and Goddess Lakshmi appeared and asked to return their husbands as they were before. All the three Gods changed into their original forms after this.

While leaving for his or her holy abode, all Trimurthi, on the request of Anusaya, manifested as Swayambhu Lingas, under the Amaltas tree, called Sthala Vriksham, whose age is now over 2500 years. A little shrine has been constructed in Konnaya before this holy tree.

There is another story that connects this Suchindram Temple and the town to the Devi Kanyakumari Temple. As per the legend, Lord Shiva stayed in Suchindram when he had come to marry Devi Kanyakumari. He started from here for the marriage that scheduled to be at an auspicious time in the night. it had been when he reached Vazhukkamparai, which around 5 km away from Suchindram, Sage Narada’s guise as a rooster falsely crowed to point the onset of the morning. Lord Shiva misguided and thought that the auspicious moment has passed, He returned to Suchindram without marrying the Devi.

Not one but three mythological stories associated with the history of Suchindram Temple (Suchindram Mandir Kanyakumari). Therefore, today we will tell you in detail about the stories related to the Suchindram temple, the grandeur of the temple, the structure, and other aspects.

This is the most important story of this site which adds to the importance of this temple even more. Once, at the behest of their respective wives, when Lord Shiva, Vishnu, and Brahma came to take the test of Mother Anusuya’s virtuous religion, Mother Anusuya made all three of them children. After that, the mother gave milk to the infant incarnation of Tridev.

Pleased with their mother’s virtuous religion and intelligence, Tridev asked her to ask for a boon. Then Mata Anusuya asked all three of them to stay with her in a symbolic form. With the blessings of Tridev, Mother Anusuya blessed with a three-faced child, called Dattatreya Bhagwan. Since then, Tridev worshiped at this place.

Dev Indra had deceitfully mistreated Gautam Rishi’s wife Mata Ahilya, which Gautam Rishi came to know. Then he cursed Indra to become impotent. To get rid of the same curse, Indra did penance day and night at this place and got freedom from the curse of Gautam Rishi. Since then, the name of this temple also known as Suchindram means the purification of Indra.

Mother Sati committed self-immolation in the Yagya Kund organized by her father for the insult her husband and Lord Shiva. Then Lord Shiva, carrying the dead body of Sati on his shoulder, was wandering around in ten scenes. Seeing this, Lord Vishnu cut the body of Mother Sati into 51 pieces with his Sudarshan Chakra which fell at different places on the earth. Out of that the upper teeth of Mother Sati fell near Suchindram temple. Since then, it also included in 51 Shaktipeeths.

Architect:

The major attractions of this temple are the four musical pillars with a height of 18 feet. These pillars carved out of a single granite stone, there are four musical pillars and also the central pillar surrounded by 24 or 33 small pillars. A striking feature is that each one the pillars of each group, along with the exquisitely carved turret at the top of each group are chiseled out of a single rock of granite. A tap on each of the pillars in a group produces different sounds.

One among the pillars has the magic power to sing those seven syllables – Sa, re, ga, if you slightly knock the musical pillars you’ll listen to octaves of music.

The temple includes a dancing hall as well with around 1035 beautifully carved pillars.
The presiding deity, Sthanu (Lord Shiva), Mal (Lord Vishnu), and Aya (Lord Brahma) are within the sanctum sanctorum of the temple. By the side of sanctum sanctorum, shrine for Lord Vishnu; the idol of the Lord made by combining eight different kinds of metals.

On the right side, there’s the shrine of Lord Rama and Goddess Sita, while on the left side is the shrine of Lord Ganesha. On the front, there’s a Navagraha mandapa. There are around 30 shrines in this temple including those of Kailasanathar, Nataka Sala, Vadakkedam, Kailasattu Mahadeva, Pancha Pandava, Kontai Adi, Guru Dakshinamurthy, Cheravasal Sastha, Lord Muruga, Garuda, Subramania Swamy many other.

The massive idol of Lord Hanuman at a height of 22 feet is sure to allure every devotee here. The statue has been monolithic, carved out from one single granite rock. This state of Lord Hanuman, one of the largest statues in India, kept hidden within the temple as attacks from Tipu Sultan feared. Later within the year 1930, it found and subsequently restored to its previous glory. Another striking aspect, the carving of Vinayaki (Female Vinayaka) in the temple. Majestic Image of Nandi, the vehicle of Lord Shiva captivating with a height of 13 feet and length of 21 feet, and width of 10 feet.

Suchindram Temple situated in the city of Kanyakumari in the state of Tamil Nadu and dedicated to the Tridev (Brahma, Vishnu, and Mahesh). This temple also called Stanumalayan temple, which called after Tridev. during this “Stanu” denotes Lord Shiva, “Mal” denotes Lord Vishnu and “Ayan” denotes Lord Brahma. a seven-story temple whose gopuram about 134 feet high.

The construction of the temple mainly started in the 9th century. The proof of this is some inscriptions of that time. With this, it rebuilt in the 17th century when given a more spacious look and furnished. The architecture of the temple and some sculptures very ancient which shows its glorious history. Till the 17th century, this temple came under the ruler of Namboodiri.

Click to Follow: Facebook and Twitter