Kottakudi –kurangani KOmbu thooki Ayyanar

Kottakudi –kurangani KOmbu thooki  Ayyanar

Compiled by

P.R.Ramachander

   (Based on article   in Shakthi Vikatan  October issue .)

      This temple is situated in a village called  Kurangani , which is 44  km from  THeni, in the road  going to Bodinayakkanoor and is the shore of Kottakudi river. There is an interesting story behind this temple.   In a village called Kottakudi  near  Madurai, A young pretty girl went to  the pond to bring water,She was seen there by the King of Poojjayaru who fell in love with her. He send word to her relatives that the girl should be entrusted to him.Since the king was already married and had a child, her relatives were not willing   to do this and  so that the entire village moved from there towards theni. But without informing them a young man went to trhe king’s place   and killed his child and joined back the villagers. Since he was expecting an attack from the king he went on telling them    to walk quickly. The villagers became suspicious   and got the truth out of that lad. But  by that time the king’s army had already surrounded them. Then the lad , whose name was Karuthalaimudayar  , asked them to hide for safety behind a big rock, fought with the king’s army   and killed all of them.When the villagers  e requested Karuthalaimudayar, he refused them  saying, “I have enjoyed sacrificing of human beings and so I cannot live with you.” .Later the villagers went to the spot and established a centre stoine in that place  in memory of that great hero.   They also brought a hand full of mud and established  a temple for their   family God Called “Karkudai ayyanar.” And they also named the place as KOttakudi, which was the name  their original village. They started calling this Ayyanar as “Kombu thooki Ayyanar (Ayyanar of lifted horn)”, possibly because  daily in the noon worship at that temple , there is practice of blowing horns to summon the devotees. They also consecrated  idols of Vanapechi , Nagammal  and  Changili Karuppan  below a fig (athi) tree in the temple. 

    Barren couples believe that by tying a cradle on the fig tree, they would be blessed   with babies. They also believe that if they take  the lime fruit given in the temple after worship  to their home,  and add camphor  and salt to its juice   and spray that juice in their house, no evil spirit can do anything to them, Also they believe that  by offering  a dish made from rice   , jiggery and  shredded coconut to the God   , All the civil and criminal cases troubling them would be settled.