045. ThirukKadigai (Sholingur) - Sri Yoga Narasimha Swamy Temple

 About the Temple & Location:

This sthalam is also named as "Kadigachalam". If we travel from Chennai, we have to first travel to Arakkonam. From their, by travelling about 25 Kms , we can reach this Sholingar. Lots of bus facilities are available from Arakkonam and all the passenger trains in this route stops at Sholingar station. However, no express or super-fast train halts here.

The Malai Adi Vaaram (Bottom of the Mountain) of this temple is called "Konda Palayam". Konda means Hill and Palayam means a town.

Sthlapuranam :

Once, there was a king by named "Hiranyan" did a strong tapas and got the varam. To kill him, Sriman Narayanan took the Avatharam of Sri Narasimhar.

To get the seva of Narasimha avathar, Saptha Rishis (7 great Rishis) started their tapas here. Within 1 Kadigai, Narasimhar gave his seva as "Yoga Narasimhar". So this sthalam is called "Thirukkadigai".

Kadigai represnts the fraction of time. Since the Perumal gave his seva to the rishis within a kadigai, this sthalam is called as "Thirukkadigai".

Indirathuyman, the King of North Madurai killed the Asuraas who were giving problems to Rishis and people over here. Since, he helped the rishis and bhaktas, he was given the Vajrayudham by Indiran (Weapon of Indiran) to Indirathuyman. To help him, Yoga Narasimhar asked Anjaneyar to help him.

Yoga Anjaneyar is found in chinna malai in Yoga Nilai (stage). This is one of the said story about this Divya desam.

To make Prahaladhan (Son of Iranyan) happy, Yoga Narasimhar gave his seva for 1 Kadigai in Yoga Nilai. Because of this, the sthalam is also called as "Kadikasalam".

It is said that even if we sleep for 1 Kadigai in this sthalam, we will get Mukthi. That kind of nature and speciality, this Kshetram has got.

On the order of Bhairava Munivar, the mountain in this Kshetram is said to grow up towards the sky. So, Indiran asked Balaraman to help him, thereby stopping the mountain to grow. And on his request, Balaramar stopped the growth of the mountain. This is also one of the said story about this sthalam.

In this sthalam only, Thottacharyar (Periya Bangaru) who come along the family of Mudaliyaandan, was appointed as 74th Simmasanathipathi (leader) to spread the Vaishnavism by Erumbiyappa Varadhachari and Udayavar Ramanujar.

In Panguni Uttiram, Hanumath Jayanthi festival is done in a very grand manner by the trustees of Erumbiyappa.

Thottacharyar has written numerous poems and stories in Sanskrit. He is one of the Great bhakta of Kanchi Sri Varadharajar. He used to attend and worship the Garuda Seva of Kanchi Varadhar which is done in Vaikasi Month.

But, once due to illness, he could not go to Kanchipuram to attend the Garuda Seva Utsavam. He was very much depressed of not attending the utsavam. Thinking about that, he finished all of the daily duties and sung 5 Slogas in "Devaraja Panjagam" which explains the inconvenience of not attending the Garuda seva. At that time, in Thakkan Kulam (Pushkarani of this sthalam), Sri Varadharajar in Garuda Vaaganam gave his seva to Thottacharyar.

As a rememberance to this great event, even now during Garuda seva, Sri Varadharajar in Garuda seva comes out and waits for a minute in the Gopura vaasal. It is said at that minute, he is giving his seva to Thottacharyar in Sholingar.

Yoga Aanjaneyar is found in Chinna malai (small hill). It is about 200 feet high. The speciality about chinna malai is the pose in which Anjaneyar is found. Only in this sthalam, he is found in sitting pose with four hands, holding Sangu and Chakkaram. It is true that if one is surrounded and dominated by Evil, takes bath in the Hanumantha theertham, he will be cured completely.

Specials:

• Both in Periya and Chinna malai, the Perumal - Sri Yoga Narasimmar and Lord Anjaneyar are found in Yoga Stage.

• The Small Mountain (Chinna Malai) is about 200 feet where lord Aanjaneya is seated holding Changu and Chakkaram (Conch & Wheel) in west facing direction. Here lord gave his presence to Lord Aanjaneya. Aanjaneya is considered to be the resemblance (or) Avathaar of Shiva, but here he is resembling the avathar of Vishnu.

• It is said all evil activities are cured if we take bath in the theertham of in this sthalam and by worshipping Yoga Narasimhar and Yoga Anjaneyar.  

• It is also known as Pithru Kshetram, as during the Pithru Paksha, known as Mahalayam or MahaLaya Paksham, all the departed souls assemble here during the fifteen days of Mahalaya.

Moolavar and Thaayar:

The Big Mountain (Periyamalai) is about 400 feets high where Moolavar - Yoga Narasimar is found in Irundha (sitting) kolam facing his thirumugham towards East direction. The other names of the Perumal are "Thakaan" and "Akkarakani". Akkaram means Money and Wealth. This sthalam is also called as "Kadikasalam".

Thaayar

The Thaayar of the Sthalam is Sri Amirtha Valli and she is found in a separate sannadhi.

Utsavar :
Sri Bhaktavatsala Perumal (Thakkan), Periyapiratiyar and Bhoomi piratiyar are found in Bhoga stage (Dhyanam stage) in the temple in Malai Adivaaram (foot hill). There are separate sannadhis for Andal, Alwaars, Garuda Vagana Varadharaja Perumal, Erumbiyapa and Thottacharyaar. Both the God's in Periyamala and Chinnamala, Narasimar and Aajaneyar are in Shantha stage (Yoga Nilai).

Utsavams:

All Utsavams are conducted to Bhakthavatsalar in the temple at the bottom. Special Poojas for Thayaar on every friday are done. In Kaarthigai month and in sundays, special poojas for Aajaneyar is done.

Mangalasasanam:

• Thirumangai Alwar - 3 Paasurams

• Pey Alwar - 1 Paasuram
  Total - 4 Paasurams.

Pushkarani:

There are Four Pushkaranies.

• Amirtha Theertham (Thakkan Kulam).

• Narasimma Theertham.

• Hanumantha Theertham.

• Brahma Theertham.

Vimanam:
Simha Koshtakkruthi (Simhagra) first vimaanam, found on the entrance of the Periya malai.

Simha Koshtakkruthi (Simhagra) Vimaanam. When entered through the entrance and going round it, we can see the thaayar sannadhi and after it, we can get dharshan Sri Yoga Narasimhar. Yoga Aanjaneyar's temple is also found on the top of the chinna malai. If we see the direction in which the Yoga Aanjaneyar is facing, we can see the Yoga Narasimhar's temple.

Sculptures and some historical news:

• This sthalam is also called as "Chola Lingapuram" since he found a siva lingam and built a temple for it. Later, the shtalam is called as Cholasingapuram" and now as "Sholingapuram".
  

• Karikaala Cholan, when separating his Rajyam (entire empire) as small districts, he named it as "Kadigai Kottam". In this sthalam, pallava kings started numerous educational institutions and sculpturing centers.

The steps from the foot hill to the mountain temple was constructed by Rajayya.