Thirukannapuram Garuda Parvatham Mythology

There is a peak called Garuda Parvatham on the eastern edge of this temple. It’s partly buried in water. The Himalayan mountain range is the father of Garuda Parvatham. Thirukannapuram Garuda Parvatham Mythology, Significance and History

Thirukannapuram Garuda Parvatham

There was a time when Lord Indra scared all the mountains by cutting off their wings. It scared Garuda Parvatham that it would lose its wings, too. In order to get away from Lord Indra and protect its wings, it came to the sea east of Thirukkannapuram and drowned. The mountain was safe from harm because of the holy power of the Krishna Kshetram and the divine kindness of Lord Sowriraja Perumal. But Indra was calmly waiting on the shore of the sea with the Vajra in his hand. If the mountain ran away, he would follow it and cut its wings close.

At that moment, Peria Thiruvadi, also known as Garudalwar, was coming back with Amrit (nectar) in his hand to keep the promise he made to his mother, Kadru, and free her and himself from slave bonds. The fact that he took the amrit (nectar) after beating the Lord of the Devas is said to have made the bird think that no one else was greater than him. While he was out and about, he came to Krishnaranyam and didn’t treat the guards there with enough respect. So, the soldiers in Vishnu Sena grabbed him by the shadow and pulled him down. Peria Thiruvadai struck Garuda Parvatham, who was in the water. When Indra, who was standing on the shore, saw Peria Thiruvadi get off the Garuda Parvatham, he became scared and forgot about his job to cut the wings off the Garuda Parvatham. He instead went back to heaven. At the same time, Peria Thiruvadi realized that the Lord of this kshetram, Sowriraja Perumal, could make him humble. He chose to do repentance and ask that powerful Lord to bless him. God was pleased with how much he had changed and showed up in front of him. The Lord told him that people who don’t respect the guards of this kshetra are usually put to death. They should have killed him, but instead, they just drained him of strength and dropped him on the Garuda mountain. The Lord told him to show respect to the fighters in this area and to the kshetra itself from now on. The Lord told him to pick any good thing. The bird wanted the Lord to make him his vahanam and let him live with the Lord all the time. He also said that the Garuda parvatham, which let him fall on it after being dragged from the sky, could no longer be afraid of Indra. Perumal blessed Garuda Parvatham and told him that he would be safe from harm from now on and that he would always be a part of this holy kshetra. The Lord also said that the sea was dirty because of Indra’s Brammahatya dosha. Because of this, it will be cleaned up and allowed to stay behind the mountain range. So, from that day on, Peri Thiruvadi became Sowriraja Perumal’s vahanam, and the mountain became the eastern border.

The God sitting on Garuda is still seen today, on Masi Makam, the full moon day in the month of Masi. The bird goes to the side of the sea to feed the Garuda parvatham. The fact that this festival is still held today supports the story that was told earlier. Thirumalairayan Pattinam is the name of the town by the water. Thirukkannapuram is 15 km away. When God and His spirit reach that spot, a group of fishermen wait to greet the Lord. They call the Lord “Mapillai” because Sowriraja Perumal, who is the Lord of this kshetram, was able to make him humble. He chose to do repentance and ask that powerful Lord to bless him. God was pleased with how much he had changed and showed up in front of him. The Lord told him that people who don’t respect the guards of this kshetra are usually put to death. They should have killed him, but instead, they just drained him of strength and dropped him on the Garuda mountain. The Lord told him to show respect to the fighters in this area and to the kshetra itself from now on. The Lord told him to pick any good thing. The bird wanted the Lord to make him his vahanam, which means he wanted to live with the Lord all the time. He also said that the Garuda parvatham, which helped him land when he was pulled from the sky, could no longer be afraid of Indra. Perumal blessed Garuda Parvatham and told him that he would be safe from harm from now on and that he would always be a part of this holy kshetra. The Lord also said that the sea was dirty because of Indra’s Brammahatya dosha. Because of this, it will be cleaned up and left behind the mountain range. So, from that day on, Peria Thiruvadi became Sowriraja Perumal’s vahanam, and the mountain became the eastern border.
Today, on Masi makam (the full moon day in the month of Masi), the god sitting on the Garuda bird still goes to the shore to bless the Garuda parvatham. The fact that this festival is still held today supports the story that was told earlier.

Thirumalairayan Pattinam is the name of the town by the water. Thirukkannapuram is 15 km away. A group of fishermen waits to greet the Lord when He and His vehicle arrive at that spot. They call the Lord “Mapillai,” which means “son-in-law.” They put up nets all along the routes and also in the middle of the paths to block the sun.

In yet another story about Garuda Parvatham, the god wears an ornament on his shoulder that is close to his wrist. It is said that Perumal also taught Garuda Parvatham how to say the Ashtakshara mantra. As the mountain chanted this Ashtakshara mantram, God was pleased. He then showed up in front of the mountain and told it could pick up any good thing. God was seen in Ramavatara when He killed the asura named Vikatakshan. The mountain asked God to show it that form.
God did what he said. The rock went crazy with awe when it saw how beautiful that divine form was. The rock slowly let its eyes feast on the divine form, which began at the Lord’s feet and went up to the head. At that moment, the mountain saw that the ornament that should have been on the shoulder had moved to the wrist.

So, he turned to the Lord and said, “Lord, this is very strange.” Why do you have a jewel on your wrist when it should be on your shoulder? Is there a great reason for this?” The Lord responded that he had set up Uthama’s marriage to Sushankan, the son of a Chola king, a long time ago. Uthama was the daughter of the Pandiya king, Chithasiravasu. At that time, Chithasiravasu, the king of Pandya, gave this shoulder ring to the god. When the king saw that the jewel had passed the holy wrist, he said it looked beautiful even when worn close to the wrist. He asked the Lord to keep wearing it around the wrist. The Lord agreed with the king, which is why we can still see the ornament that is usually worn on the shoulder or God’s wrist.

Temples near Thirukannapuram

1. Brihadeeswara Temple, Thanjavur is 75 Km away.
2. Thingalur Chandran Temple is 74 Km away.