The Story of Kotchengatchozha Nayanar

Kotchengatchozha Nayanar was a Chozha king with a unique past. In a previous life, he was a spider that lived near the Chandra Tirtham in a forest. The spider's devotion was to protect a Shivalingam from falling leaves by spinning a web over it. At the same time, a white elephant also worshipped the same lingam daily with water and flowers. The elephant, not understanding the spider's devotion, would destroy the web each day. One day, the spider, frustrated, crawled into the elephant's trunk and bit it, causing both creatures to die.

Shiva was so pleased with their devotion that he blessed the elephant with boons and reincarnated the spider as a king in the Chozha dynasty. The spider was born to King Subadevan and his wife Kamalavati. When Kamalavati was giving birth, an astrologer predicted that if the baby was born 24 minutes later, he would rule a great empire. The queen, with immense determination, had her legs raised to delay the birth. When the child was finally born, his eyes were red from the strain, and he was named Kotchengatchozha, meaning "red-eyed king."

Remembering his past life, Kotchengatchozha Nayanar became a great builder of Shiva temples. He was particularly known for constructing Madakoyil temples—temples built on a raised platform, so high that an elephant could not enter, a nod to his rivalry with the elephant in his previous life. He built 70 such temples across his kingdom and generously provided for their maintenance.

He ruled his vast empire justly, all the while keeping the feet of Shiva in his heart. After a lifetime of dedicated service and temple building, Kotchengatchozha Nayanar was granted a place in the divine abode of the Lord. His story is a testament to the idea that devotion, regardless of the form it takes, is always rewarded.