Rama’s sacred pilgrimage after the fall of Lanka is familiar to every devotee of the Rāmāyaṇa—but the episode at Thirukurakka, where Hanuman’s tail becomes the eternal throne of the nine planetary deities (Navagrahas), is often overlooked. This remarkable tale weaves together themes of devotion, cosmic justice and the union of Bhakti (devotion) with Jyotisha (astrology), offering profound lessons about sin, atonement, and divine grace.
Atonement at Rameswaram and the Journey Southward
After vanquishing Ravana, Rama and Sita felt the weight of sorrow for slaying a great devotee of Śiva. To purify themselves of this act—however righteous—they sought Sage Agastya’s counsel. The sage instructed them to begin at Rameswaram, where Rama installed a Śivalinga consecrated by Agastya himself. With hearts still heavy, they travelled further south to Thalaignayiru, a quiet hamlet whose very name (“Tail-place”) would soon bear witness to truly cosmic events.
The Missing Lingam and Hanuman’s Quest
Agastya revealed that only a Śivalinga from Kashi (Varanasi)—the most sacred of all Śaiva pilgrimage centers—would fully absolve them. Hanuman leapt across the skies to fetch it, but in Kashi he ran afoul of two formidable guardians:
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Bhairava, the fierce protector of Kashi, who prevented the removal of any consecrated lingam without proper rites.
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Shani, the slow-moving planet Saturn, whose gaze punishes pride and impiety.
Hanuman’s unparalleled strength allowed him to subdue Bhairava and even drag Shani behind him—literally grappling the planet by the tail—until Shani landed at Shingnapur in Maharashtra, a place now famous for its Shani temple. Yet in anger at having been handled so lightly, Shani cursed Hanuman: “Because you have carried me against my will, you shall lose your tail.” Instantly, Hanuman’s glorious, wind-fueled tail vanished.
Divine Counsel and the New Lingam
Back at Thalaignayiru, Sita, anxious lest the sun set before the true lingam arrived, fashioned makeshift one from sand. As the golden hour waned, a celestial voice—Vācḥ devī, the goddess of speech—spoke:
“Anjaneya, install this sand lingam at Thirukurakka if you must, but better still, consecrate your own essence here.”
Hanuman realized that true devotion transcends any material object. Folding his will in surrender, he fashioned a lingam from his own tail bone—an eternal symbol that his very being belonged to Shiva.
The Test of the Earring
To seal the consecration, Shiva himself tested Hanuman’s devotion. He caused one of Hanuman’s divine kundalams (earrings), born with him as a sign of his celestial origin, to vanish. Without hesitation, Hanuman severed his remaining earring and offered it at the lingam’s base. This self-sacrifice pleased Śiva, who not only restored Hanuman’s tail but imbued it forever with the power of the Navagrahas.
The Tail as Cosmic Mandala
Thus, the tail of Hanuman became the living seat of the nine planets—Sun (Surya), Moon (Chandra), Mars (Mangala), Mercury (Budha), Jupiter (Guru), Venus (Shukra), Saturn (Shani), Rahu and Ketu. Symbolically:
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Tail as Axis Mundi: Just as the cosmic axis connects heaven and earth, Hanuman’s tail unites the material and divine realms.
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Planets and Dharma: Each graha governs dharma (righteousness), artha (wealth), kāma (desire), and mokṣa (liberation). Their residence in Hanuman’s tail signifies that true dharma is found in surrendered service to the divine.
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Earrings and Self-offering: The kundalams represent individual identity; offering them symbolizes total self-surrender, the essence of Bhakti.
Legacy and Worship
To this day, Tirukurakkā remains a hidden jewel of Śaiva-Bhakti. Pilgrims circumambulate the tail-shaped lingam, invoking both Hanuman’s boundless energy and the pacifying grace of the Navagrahas. Devotees chant:
“Anjaneyastu Navagraha-sthāyīdakṣaḥ
Bālātmā Namastubhyam Navagraha-pradāt |”
(“Salutations to you, O Anjaneya, bearer of the nine planets and bestower of their blessings.”)
Through this legend we learn that atonement is not only about ritual purity, but also surrender, sacrifice and the realization that the individual self (ātman) is ultimately one with the cosmic order (Brahman). Hanuman’s tail—once a simple instrument of mischief—becomes a universal conduit for celestial harmony, reminding us that in selfless devotion, even the heavens find their dwelling.