Tenkasi

History of TenkasiTenkasi is one of the municipalities in the Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu, India. Tenkasi, South Banaras is also famous for its temple. The story of its temple is narrated in an inscription on a four sided pillar set up in front of the gopuram. It is said that God Viswanatha appeared in the dream of Arikeari Parakrama Pandyan who was living in the fort constructed by him at Vinthankottai which is in the east of Tenkasi the frequently visited Banaras to worship Lord Viswanatha, and Lord ordered him to build a new temple at Tenkasi.The king started the work in 1446 A.D the central shrine, the ardhamantapam and the mahamantapam were finished and the god was established in this shrine. Ten years later the building of the nine stories gopuram began and in six years it was completed. In the same year 1463 A. D the king died. The temple contains many Pandya inscriptions of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. It is believed that if a person dies in Banaras he will attain salvation. But if a person born, lives and dies in Tenkasi he will get salvation was the verdict of many puranas. Many festivals are conducted in this temple in a grand manner. In the months of Ani (June/July) sangabhishekam is celebrated. In Avani (July/August) float festival is conducted and in the month of Purattasi (September / October) Navarathri festival takes place. Similarly Thirukkalyanam festival in Aypasi (October/November), Surasamharan festival and the Pandya King's great festival in Masi (February/March) are celebrated in grand scale. Thiruvathirai festival in Margali (December/January) is famous here. Thousands of pilgrims assemble in this temple to witness the cosmic dance of Lord Nataraja. During all these festivals Parakkirama Pandya's statute is honoured with poojas and sandal paste is applied to it and even today car festival is started by this king alone. This is the only temple where the founder of the temple is always honoured first. Tenkasi, located just 5 kms. away from Courtallam is also a renowned cultural tourism centre.