Kalikandeeswaran, Thippira Malai, Kanyakumari

Basic information about the temple

Moolavar:	Kalikandeeswaran	Ambal / Thayar:	x
Deity:	Siva	Historical name:
Vriksham:		Teertham:	Haran Kulam
Agamam:		Age (years):
Timing:	to & to	Parikaram:
Temple group:		–
Sung by:		Temple set:
Navagraham:		Nakshatram:
City / town:	Thippiramalai	District:	Kanyakumari
Maps from (click):	Current location	Nagercoil (30 km)	Kanyakumari (48 km)
	Tirunelveli (92 km)	Thoothukudi (147 km)

Location

Sthala puranam and temple information

This is a small and pretty Siva temple located adjacent to the Balakrishnan (Krishnar) temple at Thippiramalai, near Nagercoil.

Not much information is available by way of sthala puranam for this temple. However, there is an interesting story behind the Nandi here, which is set under a namaskara mandapam.

The sculptor of this Nandi had done such a beautiful job of it, that Nandi came to life! Moreover, it would regularly make an appearance in the dreams of the villagers. The piercing eyes of Nandi would also make the villagers and devotees, faint. Worried at this turn of events, and at the request of the locals, the sculptor chiselled off the right eye of the Nandi murti, and the left side of the nose was also intentionally damaged. After this, the instances of Nandi appearing in people’s dreams, stopped.

It is also said locally that once a man hit the Nandi (which had gained life) with a staff, while it was running across the village. Later, when devotees visited the temple, they saw a scar on Nandi’s leg, which is there even today.

It is said that Siva knew of the coming of Kali yugam, but also felt it was necessary. Kali, on its part, apologised to Siva for causing terrible consequences in this yugam. To protect people on the earth, Siva used His trident to create a hole in the ground from which water gushed out. Kali bathed in this and received Siva’s blessings. This is the temple tank today, known as Haran Kuam (or Ari kulam). Because Siva knew the coming of Kali yugam, He is named Kali-Kanda-Easwaran here.

Built in the Kerala style, this temple is set inside a garden of flowering plants. The temple itself has most of the usual elements of a Siva temple, barring the koshta deities. There is no gopuram here, but the garbhagriham is topped by a simple Dravida vimanam. There is a separate Navagraham shrine.