Alangaram of the Panchamoorthies for Maharadham Procession

Below are the Alangarams of the Panchamoorthies in the Kalayana Mandapam, on the morning of November 22, 2015. After aarti, the Panchamoorties are taken to their respective Radhams (chariots) that they may perform circumambulation of Arunachaleswarar Temple on this day of the great Festival of Maharadham. 

Lord Ganesha

During functions of Deepam Festival, the panchamoorties are taken on procession. These panchamoorties are: Ganesha, Arunachaleswarar, Amman, Subramaniyar and Chandikeswarar. 

Arunachaleswarar

The Goddess

Lord Subramaniyar

Chandikeswarar

Chandikeswarar as he became to be known is one of the 63 Nayanmars. For those unfamiliar with the history of Chandikeswarar and how he gained stewardship of the Gods, the story goes as follows:- 

“Chandikeswarar,a devotee of Lord Shiva was born in the village of Seynalur on the banks of the river Manni in the Chola country, as a young lad named Vicharasarman. 

He was the son of a pious and learned Brahmin named Yajnadatta. Vicharasarman was of great intelligence. One day when the lad was going to school, he saw a cowherd brutally assaulting a cow. Angry at the behaviour of the cowherd, young Vicharasarman took upon himself the duty of tending the cows of the village, to which the villagers acceded. From that day the cows looked happier and yielded more milk. More than the cow’s udders could hold. Vicharasarman, seeing that the milk was being wasted, collected it in vessels, set up lingams made of sand and poured this excess milk to bathe the lingas with intense piety for Shiva.The cowherd who had lost position on account of this Brahmin boy, saw him in this act and found this a good cause for denouncing him. He immediately brought it to the notice of the village elders as well as Yajnadatta, Vicharsarman’s father. The father saw his son pouring milk on small sand mounds and without investigating, kicked one of the lingas in anger. Young Vicharasarmana came out of his reverie and cut off the leg of his father with an axe with which he had kicked a linga. 

Shiva was pleased with the devotion of this boy and he appeared in person along with Parvati his consort, before the boy. Shiva embraced him and made him in charge of his ganas (devotees or followers). He was also made the steward of his household, naming him Chandikeswarar.”