Sri Veerateeswarar Swamy Temple – Korukkai

 

Sri Veerateeswarar Swamy Temple is located at Korukkai in Mayiladuthurai district of Tamilnadu State.

The main deity of this temple is Veeratteswarar, who is an incarnation of Lord Shiva facing the West direction a Swayambhu.

Goddess Gnanambikai is the consort of Veeratteswarar.

Thirukkurukkai is one of the 8 Veeratta Temples and Shiva is believed to have burnt Manmada (Cupid) here.

This is one of 275 Devara sthalam and one of Attaveerattana sthalam.

The temple faces the West and has a five-tiered rajagopuram. The temple tank, the Soola Theertham is located outside the main entrance.

The sanctum houses the image of Veeratneeswarar in the form of lingam. The sanctum has an ardhamandapa before it and a Mahamandapa, the worship hall. The Mahamandapa houses the metal image of Kamadahanamurthy sported with six hands holding six different weapons. There are metal images of Kamadeva and Rati. The images of Sanahathi sages are near the images of the presiding deity.

The Maha mandapam also houses another metal image of Murugan, Somaskanda, and Vinayagar. The shrine of Ambal in the form of Gnangmigai faces South. The image is sported in a standing posture with four hands. The temple has two precincts and all the shrines in the temple are enshrined in rectangular granite walls. There is a hall called Sambuvinotha Sabhai (also called Kamanganasini Sabhai) which houses the images of Sivagami and Manikkavacakar.

As per Hindu legend, Kamadeva, the cupid, was married to Ratī. One of the principal myths regarding Kama is that of his incineration by Shiva, the Kama Dahana. It occurs in its most developed form in the Matsya Purana (verses 227–255) but is also repeated with variants in the Shaiva Purana and other Puranas. Indra and the gods were suffering at the hands of the demon Tarakasura. Tarakasura obtained superior powers from Brahma from his severe penance. He could not be defeated by anyone except by Shiva's son. Brahma advised the celestial deities that Parvati should get offspring from lord Shiva who would be able to defeat Taraka. Indra requested Kamadeva to break Shiva's penance. To create a congenial atmosphere, Kamadeva (Madana) created an untimely spring (akāla-vasanta). After he awoke Shiva with a flower arrow, Shiva, furious, opened his third eye, which incinerated Madana instantaneously and he was turned into ash. Lord Shiva agreed with Parvati's proposal and their pooja resulted in the birth of lord Karthikeyan who defeated Taraka. Rati prayed to Indra, who along with celestial deities prayed to Shiva that it was under their request that Kama disturbed his penance. Shiva gave a boon that Kama would be reborn in Treta Yuga in the womb of Krishna's wife Rukmini as Pradyumna and marry Rati.

 

As per another legend, a sage named Theerthapahu, unaware of the power of Soola Theertham, the water body of the temple, prayed to bring water from the river Ganga for his worship. His hands were shortened during the worship and after realizing the mistake, he punished himself by hitting his head against a rock. Shiva was pleased by his devotion and cured his hand. He came to be known as Kurungai Munivar (meaning a sage with short hands in Tamil) and the place came to be known as Kurungai, which eventually became Korukkai. The place has other names like Kamadahanapuram, Kampakapuram and Yogeesapuram. It is believed that Vishnu, Lakshmi, Brahma, and Muruga worshipped the Shiva at this place.

There are monthly celebrations like amavasai (new moon day), kiruthigai, pournami (full moon day), and sathurthi, as well as weekly rituals like somavaram and sukravaram and fortnightly rituals like pradosham. During the Thiruvadhirai festival in the Tamil month of Margazhi (December–January), there is a temple procession. The two main festivals in the temple are the 10-day Brahmostavam and the Kamadhahana festival, which takes place during Masimagam in February and March.

Temple Timings

7.00 am to 12.00 noon

3.30 pm to 9.00 pm

How to reach the Temple

6 km from Nidur

Nearby Temples

Tiruindalur, Sri Parimala Renganathar Temple – 9 km

Mayiladuthuari, Sri Mayuranathar Temple – 12 km

Vazhuvur, Sri Veeratteswarar Temple – 19 km

Sri Uchira Vaneswarar Temple – 19 km

Srikazhi, Sri Sattainathar Temple – 23 km

Srikazhi, Sri Trivikrama Vamana Temple – 24 km

Thirukadaiyur, Sri Amritha Kadeswarar Temple – 31 km

Nagoor, Sri Naganathar Swamy Temple – 60 km

Sri Loganatha Perumal Temple – 67 km

Sri Nattrunai Appar Temple – 68 km

Sri Kayarohaneshwarar Temple – 68 km

Sri Soundararaja Neelamega Perumal Temple – 69 km