BHOOTHALINGASWAMYTEMPLE, BHOOTHAPANDI, KANYAKUMARI DISTRICT-TAMILNADU-Compiled
Dear friends, Today my posting is about the Bhoothalingaswamy Templelocated at Boothapandi, in the Kanyakumari district, dedicated to the deity Lord Shiva and notablefor its ancient architectureand religious significance. It serves as the headquarters of theThovalai taluk and is situated 7 km (4.3 mi) northeast of the village Nagercoil, which ispositioned on the western bank of the River Pazhaiyar, at the foot of the hillknown as Thadagai Malai, which is widely believed by Hindus to be the abode of Thadakai in the Ramayana,thus adding to its religious importance. According to the Travancore Manual, Boothapandi is "an ancient palace founded by oneof the Pandya sovereigns". Vague traditions are preserved inthe Keralopathi and Kerala Mahatmiyam, where the Pandya invasion of Kerala is referred to mythically. The Mahatmiyam narrates a tale of the Pandyas invading Keralawith an army of Bhuthatans (spirits), eventually defeated by Parasurama, the warrior sage. As a result of this conflict, the boundary between Kerala and Pandyakingdoms was repaired at Boothapandi as a compromise. A laterinterpretation of the Parasurama legend suggests that it symbolicallyrepresents the advent of the Aryans into Kerala. Bhoothapandi is famous for the Nanchilnadu paddycultivation just like Kuttanad in Kerala. Before linguistic formation, the Nagerkovil district waspart of Kerala. Later it became Kanyakumari District. While working inNagerkovil Telecom as SG Junior Engineer, Bhoothapandi exchange was under myjurisdiction. Hope a divine reading. Gopalakrishnan 28-07-2025. History and legend The Bhoothalingaswamy Temple is said to have been constructedby King Pasum Pon Pandiyan, the son of Boothapandiyan. The presiding deity of the temple is the Swyambu Lingam, alsoknown as Salian Kanda Thirumani. In the 17th century, members of the Saliyarcaste lived in the town. According to a local legend, one of the communitymembers discovered his cow being milked by an unknown individual. Toinvestigate, he followed the cow and found it discharging milk on a bush. In a fit of anger, he destroyed the bush, revealing a stone idolbeneath it. Upon slashing the idol, it started to bleed, which astoundedthe man. As a result, the decision was made to construct a temple for the stoneidol, now known as Lord Shiva, hence earning the name Salian Kanda Thirumanifor the deity. This legend has been passed down through generations and adds tothe temple's cultural significance. In response to this miraculous finding, the king decided toconstruct a temple dedicated to Lord Siva, which later became known as theBhoothalingaswamy Temple. This temple is of a type known as "Kudaivarai Kovil,"meaning it was built inside a rock. The temple's rich history and the story of its origin havebeen cherished by the people of Bhoothapandi for generations, adding to itscultural significance and religious importance. Structure of thetemple The temple is east-facing and is located in Boothapandi. It is positioned on theeastern face of a large irregular rock, where a cell serves as the sanctum for the presiding deity,Unlike traditionaltemples, this shrine does not have a vimana over it. The temple complex features a tank with a small Mandapa onits northern side. A thick stone wall surrounds the rock, and later additionsof the ardhamandapa and mahamandapa contribute to the temple's architecture. Upon entering the sanctum, devotees will find the image of Vinayak (Ganesha) on the right side and theimage of Nandi in front of the linga. On the right side of Nandi, facing south,there is an idol of Natarajaalong with Sivakami Ambal. Other deities present in the temple include Adithyan, Subramanian with Valli andDeivanai, and chandikeswarar. Outside the prakaram (outer courtyard), visitors are allowedto perform pooja to Kasi Viswanathar and Ulagayanayagi. Additionally, there is a separate shrine dedicated toSivakami Ambal, which features a small vimana above it, adding to thespiritual significance of the temple. Sculptures The Bhoothalingaswamy Temple has a range of sculptures,including the front of theSivakami Ambal shrine. Notably, the sculptures of Kamadeva (Manmathan) and Rathiare particularly detailed. The chain is made entirely from stone. One aspect of the temple's sculptures relates to thedepiction of a significantevent from the Ramayana. According to the epic, Lord Rama killed Vaalifrom behind. When viewed from the front, an observer can see the image of Ramabehind Vaali. However, when standing in front of Vaali's image, Rama's imageremains hidden. Another art piece found in the temple is the wooden Manamedai(for weddings) within the Mandapa. This piece has been crafted so that thejoints are invisible. The Kalyanamedai contains numerous multi-colored images. In the Kalyanamandapam, aSrichakram is engraved on the panel of a pillar, symbolizing the spiritualsignificance and worship of the divine feminine energy. The temple's architectural layout does not include an innerprakaram for both the shrines. However, on the southwest corner of the commonprakaram of the shrines, one can find the deity Vinayaga, who is locally known as "Ninaithathai MudikkumVinayakar," signifying the auspicious beginning and blessingseekers with good thoughts. There are two entrances on the south wall. The westwardentrance arch on the south wall is decorated with stucco image of Lord Shivawith consort Uma in Ananda-thandava posture. Also there are two musicians oneither side of dancing Shiva. The eastward entrance on the south wall leads tothe river Pazhaiyaru. The simple entrance on the eastern wall is located beforethe sanctum of the prime deity. Theentrance on the northern wall leads to the temple tank with a mandapam inmiddle . Deities Main Deity : Bhootha Linga Swamy. Ambal : Sivagami Ambal. Other Deities : Subramanya Swamy, Maghizhamudaya Sastha, Chandeekeswarar,Dakshinamoorthy, Kanni Vinayagar, Ninathathai Mudikkum Vinayagar, Temple Tree : Vilva Tree (Aegle Marmeolus). Poojas In the Bhoothalingaswamy temple, Nagercoil, the priests ofthe temple, who are typically Brahmins, perform the poojas Here's a moredetailed look: Regular Poojas: The temple conducts daily poojas, includingPradosham, a special time for Shiva worship. Special Poojas: Special poojas are performed on New Moon andFull Moon days. Car Festival Yearly, during the month of Tai (Tamil calendar month from the mid of January tothe mid of February), the people of Bhuthapandy and its surrounding areas cometogether to celebrate a car festival. The festival spans ten days and involves various activities and events. Each year, a committee is formed to organize and oversee thefestivities. Throughout the ten days, the celebration comes alive with avibrant atmosphere and a sense of unity among the community members. Thefestival's nightly events include katcheri (musical performances), orchestra,and Bharatham dance competitions performed by children, adding entertainmentand cultural enrichment to the festivities. As part of the celebrations, the streets are adorned withlight arrangements, creating an ambiance around the four streets (rathaveethi).The fourth and seventh days ofthe festival are particularly significant as they witness the grandThiruvizha (procession). During this time, there are processions featuringelephants, the Horse Bhavani, Siringari melam (traditional percussion music),and Muthu kodai Bhavani. The festival also includes various competitions, such asRangoli (Kolam) competitions for women and girls. The ninth day of the festival is called Therottam, which is ahighlight of the celebration. On this day, three cars are adorned with garlandsand decorations. The main attraction is the big car, which carries the idol ofLord Bhoothalinga Swamy. Additionally, smaller cars hold the idols of Lord Ganapathyand Amman (Goddess Parvathi). The procession marks a significant moment ofdevotion and reverence. Temple Timings : Morning 4:00 A.M. – 11:00 A.M. Evening 4:00 P.M. to 7:30 P.M. How to reach thetemple The route to reach the place from the District CapitalNagercoil is Nagercoil - Vadasery - Putheri - Erachakulam - Easanthimangalam-Thuvarancaud - Bhoothapandi(totalling nine kilometres). From Nagercoil Vadassery bus terminus4A,4B,4G,318,4B buses will go to Bhoothappandi. Bhootha linga swamy temple isin the walkable distance from the bus stand. Prominence of theShrine : Major Sarkar Devaswom; At this temple Lord Shiva is in swayambuform. If you wish something and pray tothe Lord Ganesha here that willhappen. There is a dedicated Sannidhifor Ganesha, Subrahmanya Swamy and Sastha. This temple is constructed insidethe cave. There is huge chain made up ofsingle stone. Flag Pole at this temple is very tall and the Templecar here is very old and high weight. Pooja Details : Pradosham, Special poojas on Full moon (Pournami) & Nomoon (Ammavasai) days. Wow Factor The temple is located at the spot where Rama quelledThadagai. There is a hugechain at this temple which is made up of single stone. Flag pole t at this temple is very tall and the Temple carhere is very old and high weight. There is a dedicated temple for Tamil PoetAvvaiyar located at 5 KMs from Bhootha linga Swamy temple. As per mythologicalstories the temple is located at the spot where Rama killed Thadagai. Address of the temple Bhoothalingaswamy Temple, Bhoothappandi, Nagercoil,Kanyakumari Dt. Tamilnadu How to get there? The town of Boothapandi is connected to Nagercoil by road. Nearest railway station: The closest railway station is theNagercoil Junction Railway Station. Nearest airport is the Thiruvananthapuram Internationalairport -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Thatha_Patty" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/thatha_patty/1852752143.2621272.1753710646077%40mail.yahoo.com.
