Introduction
We can call Thiruvanthipuram Hayagriva Temple, perhaps the most famous temple for Lord Hayagriva in India. Located about 7 kms from the coastal town of Cuddalore in Tamil Nadu, this Vishnu temple is dedicated principally to Devanatha Swamy, who is the presiding deity, and Hemabhujavalli or Sengamala Thayar, his consort. But this temple is more famous for Lord Hayagriva, the horse-faced Avatar of Vishnu, enshrined on top of a hill nearby, which could be the only hill temple for Hayagriva. Here, he can be worshiped in the Yoga posture, deep in divine meditation.
Hayagriva
Hayagriva is a unique incarnation of Vishnu. ‘Haya’ is the horse and ‘Griva’ is the neck; so, Hayagriva remains the God with the head or face of a horse. As per a legend, the wicked Asuras, Madhu, and Kaitaba assumed the form of 2 mighty horses and took away the Vedas from Brahma, the God of creation. As Brahma was unable to perform his creation without these holy texts, he sought Vishnu’s help. The God of protection Vishnu assumed the Hayagriva form to challenge the evil horses, overcame the powerful demons, and restored the Vedas to the creator so that he could continue his function smoothly.
Vedas were the repositories of immense knowledge and ancient wisdom. And it was Hayagriva who retrieved them from the evil forces and made them available again for the benefit of humanity. Hence, it is no surprise that Hayagriva remains the God of knowledge and wisdom and is also regarded as the Guru of Saraswati, the Goddess of Learning.
Legend of Thiruvanthipuram Hayagriva Temple
This is an ancient Haygriva temple that finds mention in many Puranas. According to temple mythology, once, some sages went to the heavenly abode of Vishnu to worship him but were unable to see him there. Then the divine guardians told the disappointed sages that they could have Vishnu’s darshan only in the place where this temple is located now, close to the seashore. On reaching Thiruvanthipuram, where sage Markandeya and his daughter Bhoodevi were already doing penance, they could see Vishnu in his resplendent form and offer prayers to him.
Another story about the temple links Garuda, Vishnu’s celestial mount with it. When Garuda got delayed in bringing the pure water from the Vraja Lake in the nether world as required by Vishnu, the Lord directed Adisesha, the giant serpent, to get water for him. Accordingly, Adisesha created a well there itself by whipping the earth with his tail, and this well water is used in the temple even today. Devotees believe that offering salt, pepper, and jaggery to this water can cure ailments like skin diseases, and accordingly, many are following this practice religiously. Vishnu also pacified a hurt Garuda by establishing Garuda Nadhi, the Kedilam River for his sake, nearby.
As per legends, Devanatha Swamy, the presiding deity, has appeared before sage Markandeya and Indra, the ruler of the heavens, apart from Adisesha, Vishnu’s serpent couch.
Thiruvanthipuram Temple – History and Architecture
Historians believe that the medieval Chola kings originally built this temple, while it was expanded subsequently by the Pandyas, Hoysalas, and the Vijayanagara kings. There are temple inscriptions that speak about the contributions made by various famous kings to this temple.
The temple complex is built in the Dravidian architectural style and is surrounded by a granite compound wall, which encloses all the shrines and water bodies. The five-tiered Rajagopuram, the principal tower, is 60 feet in height.
Lord Hayagriva is enshrined on top of the nearby Oushadhagiri hill, where devotees can worship him along with his consort Lakshmi, as Lakshmi Hayagriva, and also in Yogic posture as Yoga Hayagriva.
While the Azhwar saints have glorified the Thiruvanthipuram Temple in their Divya Prabandham hymns, this remains a Divya Desam, a highly sacred abode of Vishnu on earth.
Significance of Hayagriva Worship
Hayagriva is the supreme God of Learning and Wisdom. It is believed that his blessings can improve intellect, give clarity of thought, analytical skills, and ability to acquire knowledge, grant scholarship, and provide wealth, prosperity, and peace of mind.
