Siva Logam on Earth

A visit to Mayuram(Mayiladuthurai)and a dip in the Holy Cauvery river during the month of Thulam (Oct-Nov) is said to remove all sins and grant every desire and liberate the souls from rebirth.Cauvery is considered as Holy as Ganges during this month.Gangadevi and Dakshinamurthi idols are well decorated and brought near Cauvery ghat on New Moon day of the month.

There is a saying in this region,"Aayiram aanalum Mayuram aagathu" which is interpreted in many ways.Some people say that it means peacock has no equal among the birds.According to the legend,Parvathi worshipped Lord Shiva in the form of Mayura(Peacock), and she saw the Lord's Gowri Thandava. hence the name,Gowri Mayuram. Since the Puranam of this place says that Mayuram has no parallel even if thousand important Shiva sthalams are compared with it, it appears that the above saying is more apt with this explanation.

The legend further says that all Devas sought pardon at the feet of Shiva after realising the wrong support they extended to Dhaksha.

As the Lord granted all boons and pardoned the Devas,

He is known as "Vallal". He is different from other "Vallals" as He is the one and the only God to ask the devotees"What more you want",hence the name "Vadhaanyeswarar" in Sanskrit.In other words He provokes the devotees to ask for more boons than they wished. Goddess Parvathi is called "Abhayaambikai"as She gives asylum for everybody.

It is highly doubtful whether a month long festival is celebrated in any other place with all important deities taken out every day for the procession.Right from the 1st day of the month Thulam, the deities are taken in a procession upto Cauvery till the 1st day of the month of Vruchikam.

The last 10 days of Thulam month in particular,are famous as the deities are taken out in different "vahanam" twice in a day.The last day is called "Kadaimuham" and a dip in Cauvery on that day is equal to taking bath on all the other days of the month.

The ten day festival begins with "Dwajarohanam"followed by processions in several vahanams such as Vrishabam,Bootham.Kalpaga Vriksham,Chariot etc.

Kalyana Utsavam is conducted on the 7th day evening in a grand manner.Head of Thiruvavaduthurai Mutt who manages the Temple attends this function People assemble in thosands on Kadaimuham day and stand in the river,waiting for the arrival of deities from Mayuranatha Swami Temple,Vadhanyeswara swami Temple,Ayyarappar Temple and Kasi Viswanatha swamy Temple.Once the asthra devar from these Temples are dipped in the river,people take the Holy dip follwed by deeparadhanai to all deities on both sides of the river.
The salient feature of the last day is the simultaneous playing of "Mallari"by several Nadaswaram Vidwans in front of Pancha Murthis at the entrance of the Temple. Music lovers assemble here to listen to the unique music offering to the deities.

Although the monsoon is severe during this month, people do not look at it as a constraint.People assemble at the river unmindful of the rain.One should undergo this fantastic experience.

Yes. It is Shiva Logam on Earth.