The Never-Dry Spring at Thiruvanaikaval
The famous Jambukeswarar Temple is located in Thiruvanaikaval, a suburb of the town of Tiruchirappalli on the northern banks of the Kaveri river that surrounds, along with river kollidam, the Thiruvanaikaval-Srirangam Island. As an appu-sthalam , it is one of the Pancha Bhoota Stalams , and Shiva is venerated here as Jambukeshwara, an embodiment of the element water(appu). The spring underneath the lingam never goes dry even in the driest season. According to the puranas, there was once a forest of jambu trees in the place of modern Tiruvanaikkaval. Lord shiva appeared as a Lingam under one of the trees that came to be called the Jambulingam. Nearby was a tank called Chandratirtha which was filled by water from the river Cauvery. There is a legend that Parvathi worshipped Shiva here and installed the idol in the sanctum. Even today at noon the 'Archakar' dresses like a woman and does Pooja to Jambukeswara and to a special variety of black cow called Karam Pasu.