Atcharapaakam Aatcheeswarar Temple

Lord Atchipureeswarar is also praised as Acheswarar andAchu Kondu Arulia Thevar. Lord Vinayaka is known as Achu Muri Vinayaka. The Rajagopuram is of five tier structure. Lord Srinivasa with Mother Alamelumanga Thayar graces in a shrine in Prakara.

Maharshis Kanva and Gauthama worshipped Lord in this temple.

While a Pandya King was on a pilgrimage to Lord Shiva shrines, the axis of his car was broken. While his men were repairing the wheel, the king noticed a golden chameleon (pachondhi ? a lizard – like creature often found climbing trees and changing is colours) and followed it. The creature hid itself in a Sarakondrai tree. When his men axed the tree, it began to bleed but the chameleon could not be traced despite all efforts. Lord appeared in the dream of the king and told him that He appeared here in the guise of the creature to inform that He was there as a swayambu.

The king, taking the command of the Lord decided to build the temple. He came across a Shiva devotee Trinetradhari and sought his help in the undertaking. Leaving the job to the devotee, king proceeded on his pilgrimage. When he came to meet the devotee, he saw the temple with two presiding deities in two sanctum sanctorum. One was in the middle of the temple with a flag post (kodi maram) and Nandhi for Atchipureeswarar and the second behind this opposite to the Rajagopuram for Umai Atchipureeswarar. In this sanctum, Lord graces in the Shiva-Parvathi wedding form behind the Shivalinga.

When the king asked the devotee for this form, the devotee said, “Lord who graced you, graced me too in the form of chameleon. I built one sanctum for the Lord who graced you as Umai Atcheeswarar (the word Umai means You the king) and one for Emai Atcheeswarar (Emai meaning Me the devotee) which is the main sanctum?. The King agreed to the formula. Emai Atcheeswarar the Swayambulinga is considered prominent. The flag post and Nandhi are slightly away from the Rajagopuram.

The devotee, Trinetradhari graces in the shrine of Sarakondrai Easwarar under the tree in a worshipping form. Flowers blossom in the tree only during the Chithirai festival days.

Lord Achumuri Vinayaka (Vinayaka who broke the axis of the car of Lord Shiva ? this story forms part of the history of the temple) graces outside the temple facing west. This event is mentioned in the first Tirupugazh of saint Arunagirinathar as Achiru Vinayaka. It is believed that prayer to Achiru Vinayaka would help the devotee to defeat the obstacles coming in the way of his/her endeavours.

Three cruel demons Tharaka, Kamalaksha and Vidyunmali, proud of the boons and the resultant powers they gained from Lord Brahamma through their intense penance, began to harass the Devas violently. Unable to face their onslaught, Devas appealed to Lord Shiva for protection and freedom. Lord Shiva combined both earth and heaven and marched against the demons. According to rules, every work should start with Vinayaka worship. Lord Shiva is no exception. In his hurry to wage the war against the demons to save Devas, He forgot this protocol. Devas too, having Lord Himself with them ignored Vinayaka. Angry Vinayaka stopped Lord Shiva?s march by breaking the axis of His car. Axis in Tamil means Achu. Realizing the mistake, Lord asked Vinayaka to help in His mission. Son immediately obeyed. This event took place here. Hence, the place came to be known as Achu Iru Bagam (where axis broke) and later Achirupakkam came to stay.

Kapaleeswarar Temple

According to the Puranas, Parvati worshipped her husband Shiva in the form of a peahen (mayil in Tamil), giving the vernacular name Mylai (Mayilāi) to the area that developed around the temple.Shiva is worshiped as Kapaleeshwarar, and is represented by the lingam. Parvati is worshipped as Karpagambal (goddess of the wish-yielding tree).

The temple’s name is derived from the words kapala (head) and Ishvara, an epithet of Shiva. According to the Puranas, during the meeting of the deities Brahma and Shiva at top of Mount Kailash, Brahma failed to show the due respect to Shiva.

Due to this, Shiva plucked off one of the five heads (kapala) of Brahma. In an act of penance, Brahma came down to the site of Mylapore and installed a lingam to please Shiva.This place is known as Sukra Puri, Veda Puri, among many other names including “Kailaye Mayilai” and “Mayilaye Kayilai” (lit. ’Mylapore is Kailash’). According to regional legend, Shiva’s consort Parvati (Karpagambal), due to a curse became a pea-hen and did penance here to get back her original form. Her son Murugan received the spear (vel) for the destruction of a demon from Parvati here. Brahma had worshipped here to get rid of his ego and get back his power to create. The four Vedas have worshipped here. Shukra worshipped Shiva here and got back his lost eye. The daughter of Sivanesa Chettiar Angam Poompavai, who died due to snake bite, was resurrected here by the powers of the Nayanar saint Sambandar. Vayilar, another Nayanar saint, attained salvation here.

The stone where she was executed was later worshipped with ground red chillies as an offering. Its deity was originally called either “Masani” (meaning “mango” in old Tamil)[citation needed] or “Smashani” (Sanskrit for “graveyard”, about the woman’s untimely end),  depending on the version of the legend. Later, the deity came to be known as Masani Amman. Masani Amman was later syncretised with the goddess Adi Parashakti. She was later associated with the goddesses Mariamman, Angala Devi, Isakki and Karumari.

Marudheeswarar Thiruvaanmiyur

Marundeeswarar is known so because he imparted sage Agastya on curative properties of various herbs and plants. Since then the Marundeeswarar temple has been a place of worship for people with diseases and various problems with their health. It is said that sage Valmiki, who wrote Ramayana, worshiped Shiva in the temple. Since Valmiki was blessed here, the place was to be known as Thiruvalmikiyur, which is pronounced as ‘Thiruvanmikiyur’ in Tamil, the name gradually changed to Thiruvanmiyur. There is a place present in Thiruvanmiyur called Valmiki Nagar in his honour. There is also a shrine for the sage on the Western side of the temple on what is presently called the East Coast Road (ECR).The lingam for which Hanuman performed pooja, the lingam (Meenakshi Sundareswarar) that cured the curse of Indra, the Lingam for which Saint Bharadwaja performed pooja are present here. Markandeyar performed a penance and prayed to Shiva here, Brahma conducted a festival here for Shiva. The presiding deity is also called Palvannanathar as Kamadhenu, the sacred cow, is said to have performed oblation on the Sivalingam with her milk. As per another legend, Sun and Moon perform their worship practices daily during sunset on account of which the main shrine is believed to be facing west.

Thygarajeshwarar Thiruvarur

According to legend, a Chola king named Muchukunda obtained a boon from Indra and wished to receive a lingam icon of Shiva, depicting the latter dancing on the chest of Vishnu. Indra tried to misguide the king and had six other images made, but the king chose the right image and consecrated it in Tiruvarur. The Muchukunda Sahasranamam specifically refers to the deity as Anapaayamahipaala, and as Rajaveshadari (one who played the role of a king).

The temple is believed to have been initiated with a large complex by the Pallavas during the 7th century. Contemporary history of the temple dates back to the time of the Medieval Cholas.

An inscription dated in the 20th regnal year of Rajendra I (1012–1044) beginning with the introduction “Tirumanni valara” is found on the north and west walls of the Thyagaraja shrine. It gives a list of gifts including a number of jewels and lamps to the deity. It records that the temple was built in stone in the regnal years of the king by Anukkiyar Paravai Nangaiyar. Besides the same lady liberally endowed gold for plating and gilding parts of the vimana, the entrance, and the four sides of the shrine. Copper was also donated for plating the doors, and corbels of the pillars of the mandapa in front of the shrine. This inscription meticulously records the weight of the endowed gold and copper, besides listing the various ornaments gifted to the temple with a description each of them.

Tiruvalithayam Tiruvallesvarar Temple, Padi

As per Hindu legend, the sage Bharadwaja worshipped the presiding deity in the form of a sparrow named Valiyan. The place was hence called Valithayam, meaning the one worshipped by a sparrow. Padi historically is referred to the place used to store armory. The God here is worshipped by Rama, Bharadwaja, Hanuman, Surya, Chandra, Indra, and Valiyan. During the medieval times, the place was the site for multiple wars, which raged the structure of the temple. As per Tamil mention, the resting place near a war field is called Padi, which lead to the modern name of the place. As per another legend, Planet Jupiter who was cursed by Menaka. On the advice of Markendeya, he reached this place, got a dip and worshipped the presiding deity and got relief from the curse. Devotees pray to the Jupiter to get remedy for their relief from sins. The historic name of the place is Thiruvalidayil, which went on to become Thiruvalithayam.

Brihadisvara Temple, Thanjavur

Brihadishvara Temple, called Rajarajesvaram (lit. ’Lord of Rajaraja’) by its builder, and known locally as Thanjai Periya Kovil (lit. ’Thanjavur Big Temple’) and Peruvudaiyar Kovil, is a Shaivite Hindu temple built in a Chola architectural style located on the south bank of the Cauvery river in Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, India. It is one of the largest Hindu temples and an exemplar of Tamil architecture. It is also called Dakshina Meru (Meru of the South). Built by Chola emperor Rajaraja I between 1003 and 1010 CE, the temple is a part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site known as the “Great Living Chola Temples”, along with the Chola-era Gangaikonda Cholapuram temple and Airavatesvara temple, which are about 70 kilometres (43 mi) and 40 kilometres (25 mi) to its northeast respectively.

The original monuments of this 11th-century temple were built around a moat. It included gopura, the main temple, its massive tower, inscriptions, frescoes, and sculptures predominantly related to Shaivism, but also of Vaishnavism and Shaktism. The temple was damaged in its history and some artwork is now missing. Additional mandapam and monuments were added in the centuries that followed. The temple now stands amidst fortified walls that were added after the 16th century.

Brahmapureeswarar Temple, Thirupattur

The god Brahma’s overwhelming pride as the Creator of the Universe. Brahma felt that he was more prevailing than Shiva – since he had the supremacy of creation.

This sense of pride provoked Shiva, who destroyed Brahma’s Fifth Head, and also cursed him that he would lose his power of creation.

To relieve himself of this curse, Brahma started out on a pilgrimage of Shiva Temples.

During the course of his pilgrimage, Brahma also visited this temple and installed 12 Shiva Lingams around Brahmapureeswarar and worshipped Shiva here for a considerable time.

Being moved by Brahma’s prayers, Shiva, on Devi Parvathi’s appeal, gave him Darshan under the Magizha tree and liberated him from his curse. Shiva also restored the power and responsibility of creation to Brahma.

Shiva also blessed Brahma that he would have a separate shrine at this temple. He also advised Brahma that since Brahma himself had his destiny rewritten here; he should rewrite the destiny of his devotees visiting this temple.

Since the fate of Brahma, the Creator, himself was changed by Shiva at Tirupattur, one can expect a turning point in life by praying at this temple.

The temple is under the administration of The Hindu Religious And Charitable Endowments Department, Government of Tamil Nadu.

Sri Pranava Viyakrapureeswarar, Omampuliyur

According to legend, once Goddess Parvathy requested Lord Shiva to explain to her the meaning of “Pranava Mantra – OM”. When Lord Shiva was explaining it to her, she lost interest in it. Lord Shiva was angered by this and he punished her to be born on earth as a human. Goddess Parvathy stayed in this place “Omam puliur” and performed penance here under this temple’s Sthala Viruksham, “Ilanthai tree”. It is believed that Lord Shiva as Dakshinamurthy (Guru) blessed her with his darshan and completed the teaching of Pranava Mantra. Hence the lord here is praised as “Sri Pranavapureeswarar”. It is believed that Lord Murugan, in the form of a beetle (“vandu”), overheard the teachings without his parents knowing about it. Lord Murugan is believed to have recited this “Mantra” to his father in Swamimalai at a later date.

It is believed that Lord Guru is a Swayambu Moorthy in this temple. The sanctum of Guru Dakshinamurthy is placed in in the main hall (Maha Mandapam) in between the sanctums of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvathy. This place is considered to be one of the Guru Sthalams. Abhishekam is performed here first to Dakshinamoorthy and then to Lord Shiva.

Interestingly, the places of Lord Dakshinamurthy and Natarajar are interchanged in this temple. As in other Shiva temples, here also there is a shrine for Dakshinamurthy in the khostam. Hence, there are two Dakshinamurthy in this temple which is considered to be very auspicious.

As per Sthala Puranam, Sage Vyakyapathar (Pulikkal Munivar – tiger legged rishi) worshipped Lord Shiva in five places – Perumpatra Puliyur, Omampuliyur, Perum Puliyur, Erukkatham Puliyur and Thiruppathiri Puliyur. It is believed that he worshiped Lord Shiva here to seek the dance darshan of Thillai Natarajar as seen in Chidambaram. Hence, the lord here is praised as “Sri Vyagyapureeswarar” and this place gets the name “Puliyur”.

As Lord Dakshinamoorthy explained the meaning of Pranavam “Om” to Goddess Uma Devi (Parvathy), this place gets the name “Om amam Puliyur”. Later this name was changed to Omampuliyur.

Another reason for the name Omampuliyur is that in ancient times, a lot of yagnas (“Homam”) were conducted in this place and the smoke from these yagnas would engulf this village. In his hymn, Saint Thirunavukkarasar also mentions about the large number of yagnas performed and the smoke in this place.

Once, a king called Sadanandan, a staunch devotee of Lord Shiva, visited this place, took a dip in the temple’s tank and worshiped the lord. It is believed that he was then cured of his leprosy.

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