History

Sri Sankaranarayana Swamy Temple. Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu appers in the single form to the devotees.

Sri Sankaranarayana Swamy Temple is a famous Hindu temple situated at Sankarankovil in Tirunelveli district of Tamilnadu. Sankarankoil is a distance of 16 km from Thirumalpuram and 56 km from Tirunelveli. Lord Sri Sankaranarayana is the main deity in the temple. Once the devotees of Lord Hari (or Vishnu) and Lord Shiva quarreled with each other to determine whose god is powerful. Then Lord Shiva and vishnu appeared as Sankaranarayanar to make there devotees to understand that both Hari and Shiva are one and the same.
It was built by Ukkira Pandiyan AC 900.It houses the deity by the name Sankara Narayanan, which is half – Lord Shiva and the other half – Lord Vishnu.

The deities of this temple are Sri Sankareswarar, Sri Gomathi Amman and Sri Sankara Narayanar. Sankarankovil is also said to be home to the deity named Avudai Ambal-RR.

The general belief is that the Holy Sand “Puttrumann” (Puttru = Ant Hill, Mann = Sand) that one gets from this temple is capable of curing all the diseases. Devotees believe that Sankarankovil‘s Nagasunai (sacred tank) have been dug by serpent kings named Paduman and Sangam which has a miraculous power to heal those who bathe there. The Annadhanam scheme is being conducted in the temple when daily noon meals are being provided for around 100 devotees.

The Puthu Maan in the temple is taken as a holy sand which could cure lot of disease by all devotees.

It is believed[by whom?] that all devotees who pray to the goddess Gomathi amman have always found solace.
Once upon a time a “Devan” (Angel) called “Manikkeerivan” was cursed by Goddess Parvathi. Because of which, he had to come to earth and work as gardener in a beautiful garden. One day while he was clearing a snake pit, the snake tail was also cut. He found a Sivalingam next to the snake. He went and informed about this to his king Ukkira Pandiyan. The king considered it to be the god’s wish to stay there and constructed the temple and a city around.

The snake pit (Ant Hill) is called “Vanmeekam” (Tamil: வன்மீகம்). Hence the deity Sri Sankaralingar is also called “Vanmeeganadhar”.

Gomathi Amman :

Gomathi amman is one of the manifestation of Adhi shakthi. The temple is popularly known as Sankaranayinarkoil (or Sankarankovil) and she is the consort of vanmikanathar and seen along with sankaranarayanar(the unification of shiva and vishnu). This temple is 900 years old and was built by Ukkira Pandian a king from Pandiya dynasty. Adi Thabasu is very famous festival celebrated there every year.
There is a circular hole in front of the Sanctum Sanctorum of the Goddess with a design of Sri Chakra inside it. There is a popular belief that any one afflicted with mental disorder worships the deity sitting on the hole will be cured of the disease.

“Aadi Thapasu”is one of the important festivals of Gomathi amman celebrated in the Tamil month of Aadi in a grand scale. The story on this: Sri Gomathi Ambal did Thapas at Punnai kshetra and Lord Shiva gave Her darshan as Sankaranarayanaswamy on the Uthirada day in the month of Adi (July–August) and thereby indicating that God Shiva and God Vishnu are same. Further to prove this theory, it is also said that Sankaranarayanasami gave darshan to Sankan and Padman. It is in practice to make the psychiatric patients, or those suffering from diseases and persons believed to have been haunted by evil spirits, to sit on Sri Chakra peetam, in front of Goddess Gomathi Amman continuously for 40 days so that they could be cured.

Maavilakku(offering made of rice) is an important offering to this amman. Those who to come visit this temple also offer miniatures of snake, scorpion and other reptiles to get rid of curses.
When a farmer was working in a nearby field (Perungulathoor) to destroy an ant hill he found blood flowing out from the Ant Hill after hit by the axe. He immediately rushed to the king and reported the incident. When the king came and searched he found the siva lingam inside the Ant Hill with two snakes (believed to be Sankan and Padman) protecting it. This lingam is brought from that place to the current temple. Mud is taken from this place every year on a particular occasion and placed inside the temple(on the praharam of gomathi amman’s sanctum santorum) and it is believed that applying the holy sand/mud taken from the snake pit on one’s body can cure various diseases.

It is believed that all devotees who pray to the goddess Gomathi amman have always found solace.

Festivals :

• Chithhirai Bramotsava ( 10 days ) Every April
• Adi thapasu festival ( 12 days ) August
• Iyppasi Thirukkalyanam festival ( 10 days ) October
• Theppam floating festival – Thai last Friday ( Every February )

Thiru Kotti Ayyanar Temple Festival :

The great Thiru Kotti Ayyanar Temple is situated near Sankarankovil. Sankaranarayan Temple is completely linked with the activities of this temple in the Tamil month of masi people from all over Tamil Nadu will visit here and get the Tharshan of great Thiru Kotti Ayyanar. The great power of this god is whenever you calling him in tough times you can able to understand any gesture and your problem will be solved after the guesture. It is exactly far from 6 km from sankarankovil. At one time the temple is own[clarification needed] property of Kalappakulam village and the great story is their.