INTRODUCTION
Kochchenganan was an ancient chola king. He was supposed to have lived before several thousands of years ago. He was an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva, and spent his life towards devoting Lord Shiva in shiva temples and offering various puja services and performed abhishekhams and homams to please the god. He also ruled his kingdom in a proper manner, and provided all the amenities to his people. He had given a golden rule without causing any difficulties to the people of his kingdom.
He was mentioned in the Sangam poetry. He was praised by the great poet Poygaiyar for his efficient rule and for his sincere shiva bhakti on Lord Shiva. He was also praised by the great Nayanar Saints Thirugnana Sambanthar and Sundaramoorthy Nayanar for his skills in warfare and for his dedicated service on Lord Shiva and to his devotees. His importance was mentioned in the famous text Periyapuranam.
He built the Ayyarappan Temple in Kurumbalur. He used to worship Lord Shiva at the Ayyaarappan Temple on a daily basis. He made arrangements to perform regular pujas for Lord Shiva. He also provided food to the devotees at the temple. He built the Thiruvanaikaval temple at Trichy, and Kailayanathar Temple at Nagapattinam.
IMPORTANCE
He had done lot of good activities in his life like constructing shiva temples, renovation of various temples and conducted rituals in the temples in his region. He regularly chants the shiva panchakshara mantra “OM NAMAH SHIVAYA”, and also celebrated the festivals like Shivarathiri and Thiruvathirai in a grand manner, and established flower gardens in the temples and done various good activities to the people. He also invoked the shiva bhakti spirit among the people. And he asked the people to chant the shiva panchakshara mantra on a daily basis.
Let us worship the great nayanar and be blessed.
“OM SREE KOCHCHENGANAN NAYANARE NAMAHA”
“OM NAMAH SHIVAYA”
“OM SAKTHI PARASAKTHI”
WRITTEN BY
R.HARISHANKAR