Temples of Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry #117: Karkadeswarar Temple, Thirunthudevankudi

கற்கடேசுவரர் திருக்கோயில், திருந்துதேவன்குடி

Karkadeswarar Temple

Karkadeswarar Temple

Karkadeswarar Temple

Karkadeswarar Temple

Karkadeswarar Temple

Karkadeswarar Temple

Karkadeswarar Temple

Karkadeswarar Temple

Karkadeswarar Temple

Karkadeswarar Temple

Karkadeswarar Temple

Karkadeswarar Temple

Karkadeswarar Temple

Karkadeswarar Temple

Karkadeswarar Temple

Karkadeswarar Temple

Karkadeswarar Temple

Karkadeswarar Temple

This ancient Sivan temple is a Paadal Petra Sthalam and is in the Kumbakonam area. It is situated amidst lush green fields in the little hamlet of Thirunthudevankudi. It is a smaller temple. Largely ignored by later Vijayanagar or Nayakkan expansions, it has retained the qualities of a standard Chola temple. The locals call it the Nandu Koil or Nandaankoil. Nandu means a crab in Tamil. Karkada means the same in Sanskrit.

Legend says that once a Gandharva or a celestial being was cursed to be born on earth as a crab. This crab worshipped Lord Sivan here to be rid of the curse. Thus the Lord here came to be known as Karkadeswarar, the Lord who was worshipped by the crab. It is also said that once Lord Indran, the king of the Devas, was visiting the temple and saw the crab on the Sivalingam in the Moolasthanam. The crab was carrying a flower to submit to Lord Sivan. Lord Indran was annoyed and tried to strike the crab with his sword. A pore appeared on top of the Sivalingam and the crab hid in there and escaped, but the sword made a mark on the Sivalingam. The hole in which the crab hid and the mark that the sword made are still there. Indran realized his mistake and regretted his arrogance. He asked Lord Sivan for forgiveness. As Lord Indran was taught a lesson and changed his arrogant ways here, the village came to be known as Thirunthudevankudi, the village that corrected a Devan's attitude.

There is also a legend about a king who was cured of paralysis when he discovered a hidden Sivalingam buried in the sand here. Lord Sivan and Uma guised as an old couple guided him. He built the temple to show his gratitude. Dhanvantari, the celestial God of Medicine is believed to have visited this temple. Due to this, the vegetation around this temple is believed to have medicinal properties. There is inscriptional evidence that the temple served as a medical centre and dispensary in ancient times. There is also a sculpture of an ancient physician dispensing medication. Another legend says that Lord Rama and Sita on their way back from Lanka, worshipped Lord Sivan here. There is a shrine here for them.

As a Paadal Petra Sthalam, it was most likely a brick and mortar structure in the early 7th century. The Cholas built it into a granite structure. There are inscriptions belonging to the times of Chembian Mahadevi, Rajarajan I, Kulothungan I, Vikrama Cholan and Rajadhirajan II. There is an inscription dated 1117 CE that describes the construction of one of the Amman shrines. The temple appears to have been largely ignored during the ensuing Pandiyan, Vijayanagar and Nayakkan times and no inscriptions are found from those times. This has helped preserve the Cholan character of the temple. Most of the structures we see today appear to have been built by Kulothungan I in the late 11th century.

At 0.75 acres in area, it is not a big temple. It is an east facing temple with two Amman shrines. It has two prakarams. Originally there appears to have been only one prakaram with the second prakaram of recent origin. The 3 tier rajagopuram is also a recent addition, it looks like. The temple originally only had a mottai gopuram. The vimanam over the sanctum sanctorum is built entirely of granite stone including the kalasam or finial. In later temples the vimanam is a brick and mortar structure and the kalasam is usually made of metal. The vimanam is not adorned with multiple stucco figurines like later vimanams, but looks plain yet elegant. There is no Navagraha shrine here attesting to the great antiquity of the temple. The practice of Navagraha worship is more recent.

This is the 96th Paadal Petra Sthalam and the 42nd on the northern bank of the Kaveri. Thirugnanasambandar rendered the pathigam. Appar mentions it by name in two of his compositions but did not dedicate a pathigam to it. Sampandar sings thus:

மருந்துவேண் டில்லிவை மந்திரங் கள்ளிவை

புரிந்துகேட் கப்படும் புண்ணியங் கள்ளிவை

திருந்துதே வன்குடித் தேவர்தே வெய்திய

அருந்தவத் தோர்தொழும் அடிகள்வே டங்களே.

Thevaram 3.025

(You do not need medicine to cure your illnesses, you experience a magical feeling, you get blessings that are thoughtfully wished for, when you witness the disposition and devotion of the ardent worshippers of the Lord at Thirunthudevankudi)

The sthalavirutcham is the Nangai tree. The main theertham is known as the Navapashana Theertham. The major festivals are Mahasivarathri in February/March and Thirukarthigai in November/December. The Utsavar is Somaskandar. The temple is now administered by the HR and CE.

The temple is located 100 km or 2 hours east of Thiruchirapalli and 130 km or 2.5 hours south of Pondicherry. It is 10 km or 20 mins northeast of Kumbakonam. We visited in June 2025. We were based in Kumbakonam.

Dinamalar Temples - Karkadeswarar Temple

N. Chockalingam 1971, Census of India 1961. Volume IX. Part XI -D. Temples of Tamil Nadu: Thanjavur Pages 168-69

Thevaram - 3rd Thirumurai

Courtesy Google Maps