My Hometown

  Sankarankovil is one of the largest municipality in the Tenkasi district , in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It was formerly called Sankaranayinarkoil. Sankarankovil is home to the Sankara Narayanar temple .

Sankarankovil is home to the Sankara Narayanar Temple, which was built by Ugra Pandiyan BC 900 and houses the deity by the name Sankara Narayanan, which is half Shiva and the other half Vishnu. According to folklore, the devotees of Hari (Vishnu) and Shiva once quarreled with each other to determine which god was more powerful, until Shiva appeared as Sankaranarayanar to show his devotees that Hari and Shiva were one and the same. Thus, it is held sacred by Saivites and those Hindus who believe that Shiva and Vishnu are a single deity. Srivaishnavites of Tamil Nadu who worship Vishnu only do not accept this and hence reject the temple. The deities of the temple are Sri Sankareswarar, Gomathi Amman and Sri Sankara Narayanar. Sankarankovil is also said to be home to the deity named Avudai Ambal.

In older times, the city was called as Sankaranayinarkoil. It is also noted for the "Adi Thabasu" festival.

The general belief is that the Holy Sand "Puttrumann" (Puttru = Ant Hill, Mann = Sand) that one gets from this temple is capable of curing all the diseases. Devotees believe that Sankarankovil's Nagachunai (sacred tank) have been dug by serpent kings named Paduman and Sangam which has a miraculous power to heal those who bath there. Once, a "Devan" (Angel) called "Manikkeerivan" was cursed by the goddess Parvathi. Because of which, he had to come to earth and work as gardener in a beautiful garden. One day while he was clearing a snake pit, the snake tail was also cut. He found a Sivalingam next to the snake. He went and informed about this to his king "Ugra Pandiyan". The king considered it to be the god's wish to stay there and constructed the temple and a city around it.

The snake pit (Ant Hill) is called "Vanmeekam" (Tamil: வன்மீகம்). Hence the deity Sri Sankaralingar is also called "Vanmeeganadhar" (Tamil: வன்மீகநாதர்)

Sankarankovil includes many localities, including Karivalamvandha Nallur, Gomathi Nagar, Gomathiyapuram Nagar, Ramasamiapuram, Sangupuram Nagar, Lakshmiyapuram Nagar, Vadukkupudhur, Therkku Sankarankovil, NGO Colony, Ezhil Nagar, and Mullai Nagar.