Sri Pushparatheswarar Temple, Gnayaru, Sholavaram
Temple Timings : 7.00 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. 4.30 p.m. to 8.30 p.m
Phone : +91 44 2902 1016
Location : 25 kms from Chennai
Nearest town : Ponneri 11 kms
Important days : Sunday
Important for : Surya Parihara sthalam. Relief from family issues, cure from eye diseases
Moolavar is Pushparatheswarar and Ambal is Swarnambika
Lord Surya was separated from his wife Chaya Devi and did penance from the chithirai month on the banks of the lotus pond towards Lord Pushpa Ratheswarar and got united with his wife.
In the Vamana avatharam, when Lord Vishnu sought three feet of land from Maha Bali, Sukracharya, his Guru, to protect Maha Bali, took the form a huge bee and blocked the flow of water form kamandalam and tried to stop the Dhanam.
Sukrar who lost his sight when Vamanar pierced the spout with a dry grass, worshipped Surya here and got back his eye sight. The water in the pond here is sacred and cures skin and eye ailments.
This temple was built by a chola kind who saw this pond with lots of lotuses and had a vision of the Shiva Linga. There are sannidhis for Kamala Vinayakar, MuruganKasi Viswanathar and Sangili Nachiar.
Dhakshinamurthy, Vishnu, Brahma and Durga are on the outside wall of the sanctum sanctorum of the Lord. Rose, a flower, has been assigned the status of a holy tree. In addition, a tree is seen with Thiruvodu as a fruit
Kutram Porutha Nathar, (Thirukarupariyalur) Thalaignayiru, Mayiladuthurai
Temple Timings : 8.00 a.m. to 12.00 noon 5.00 p.m. to 8.00 p.m
Phone : 91- 4364 - 258 833
Location : 15 kms from Myladuthurai 9 kms Vaitheesaran koil
Nearest town : Serkudi 39 kms
Important days : Sunday. Vinayaga Chathurthi, Skanda sashti. Thirukarthigai, Sivarathri, Pradosham and Panguni Uthiram
Important for : Surya Parihara sthalam. Relief from family issues, cure from eye diseases. Child Birth. Education
Moolavar is Sri Kutram Porutha Nathar, Sri Aparadha Kshameswarar, a Swayambumurthy and Ambal is Sri Kolvalai Nayagi, Sri Vichitra Balambikai. Sthala Vriskham is Kokdui Mullai
The place is also known as Mela Kaazhi as it lies on the western direction to Sirkazhi.
The east facing poorly maintained temples has two corridors and a 3 tier rajagopuram.
When Indra went to Kailasam, Lord shiva wanted to test him and appeared as a gana. Not knowing, Indira attacked him and realising later sought pardon. The Lord forgave him for his haste and hence known as Aparadha Kshameshwar or Kutram Porutha Nathar and the place became Karma Nasa Puram
Returning from Lanka, Rama wanted to worship Lord Shiva for relief from the sin of Brahmahathi and Hanuman was sent to get his Shiva idol. After a wait, Sita made a Sand lingam and Rama did his prayers as advised by Agasthiya. Since Hanuman was disappointed, Rama installed the Lingam in another place.
Hanuman eager to take the sand lingam with him, got his tail cut when he tried to uproot with it. Since it was considered a sin, a Shiva Aparadham, He went on pilgrimage to shiva temples for relief and was finally relieved of the sin when he prayed here.
When Indrajit was travelling in the Pushpaka vimanam in the sky, it stopped when flying over this temple. Realising the presence of Lord here, He worshipped the Lord after a dip in the theertham. Overcome by the divinity of the Lingam, he tried to shift it to his abode but dropped unconscious. Ravana realising his folly, prayed to the Lord who forgave him to continue the travel. Hence the Lord is worshipped as Kutram Porutha Nathar.
It is believed that the name Thalai Gnayiru has evolved because this the first where the Sun God wroshipped him. This sthalam also gets the name Adithyapuri.
When King Vichithiraraangan and his wife were blessed with a kid by the grace of the Lord, he built the temple out of devotion and gratitude.
Vasishtar installed a lingam and worshipped here which was also worshipped by other 72 rishis on their way to Mukthi. They gained the highest of wisdom from Lord shiva here.
Siddhi Vinayagar, Murugan with Consorts, Mahalakshmi and other Gods grace the temple. Besides them, around the sanctum we find Dakshinamurthy, Lingothbavar, Brahma and Durgai. Chanidkeswarar is with his consort.
Uniquely there is a malaikoil with two floors inside this temple with Moolavar on ground floor. Umamaheswar on first and Sattainathar on the second floor. We get divine darshan of Garppa Gnaneswar and Garppa gnana Parameswari here.
Offering prayers at this place bless the devotees of salvation and the relief from re-birth and hence it is called Karu pariyalur. The mandapam shaped like the forehead of a bat is unique. It is believed that there are 8 thirthams associated with the temple.
Sukshma Pureeswarar temple, Serukudi Tiruvarur
Temple Timings : 6.00 a.m. to 12.00 noon 4.00 p.m. to 8.00 p.m
Phone : 91- 4364 - 258 833
Location : 19 kms from Myladuthurai 45 kms from Nagappattinam
Nearest town : Thalaignayiru 39 kms
Important days : Parathosham, Sivarathri, Thirukarthigai
Important for : Reunion of Estranged couples. Sevvai Parihara sthalam
The Lord is Sukshma Pureeswarar / Magalanathar and the Mother is Mangalanayaki/Managalambigai. He is here as a Santosha Lingam.
When the Lord and Mother were playing and she was winning, Lord disappeared making her go in search of him and reach this Vilva forest whose serenity and beauty enthralled her. When she prayed making a Lingam out of the river sand (saikata Lingam), Lord Siva appeared and told her that it was his prank as she was winning. Hence it is considered the secret or sukshmam that yielding to wife gives ultimate happiness and hence he is called Sukshmapureeswarar.
Here uniquely Sun and Sani are close to each other.
Pranannatheswarar temple, Thirumangalagudi
Temple Timings : 6.30 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. 4.00 p.m. to 8.00 p.m
Phone : 91- 435 247 0480.
Location : 39 kms from Serkudi
Nearest town : Kumbakonam 17 kms 2kms From Aduthrai
Important days : Panguni uthiram Bhrahmotsavam. Navaratri, Wedding boons, . 11 consecutive sundays worship offering curd rice. Aani Thirumanjanam, Navarathri, Vinayagar chathurthi, Thiruvathirai, Bhairavar pooja
Important for : removing obstacle in Marriage. Longevity of Married life
The Lord is Prananatheswarar / Pranavaratheswarar and the mother is Mangal nayaki. Lord is Swayambumurthi. The Banam of the Lingam is big and taller than the Avudayar.
An east facing temple with 2 corridors and 5 tier main tower.
People Visiting Suryanar koil should visit here first before proceeding there. This place Mangalakudi is popularly known as Panchamangal Kshetram.
When Alaivaanar, a minister of King Kulothunga Chola-I built this temple using the tax revenues without King’s approval, he was asked by the King to be beheaded. While he accepted the punishment with a request to be buried here, His wife prayed to the goddess who gave him life when his body was brought to this place. Since the minister got his life back, the goddess is hailed as “Sri Mangalanayaki” (the one who returned the mangalyam) and the lord is praised as “Sri Praananatheswarar” (“Praanam” means life in Tamil).
Sage Kalva when he came to know that he would soon be affected by leprosy disease, to prevent it, performed rigorous penance and prayed to the Navagrahas. It is believed that the Navagrahas informed Sage Kalava of their inability as it is not in their hands/powers to grant such protection. The angered sage cursed the Navagrahas to be affected by the same disease when the Navagrahas worshipped him for 11 consecutive Sundays and Lord Shiva appeared and relieved them of the curse.
The place of Navagrahas penance is now the Suryanar Koil and it is now custom that the devotees before seeking darshan there, have to do so only after worshipping the lord here.
There is a Maragatha (emerald) Lingam in Lord Natarajar’s shrine. Matha river Cauvery has an idol in this temple.
Suryan and Chandran are in the form of theertham in this temple.
The Mangalya charade tied in the hands of the goddess is offered as prasadam to women.
The unique procession mount (Vahanam) in this temple (a mix of human, animal and bird) is called Purusha Mirugam.
Performing pooja to Agasthiya lingam on new moon day relieves one from the sins and curses of the previous birth.
Bhaskareswarar, Parithiappar Koil, Thanjavur
Temple Timings : 6.30 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. 4.00 p.m. to 8.00 p.m
Phone : 04372 256910
Location : 59 kms from Thirumangalakudi Mannargudi 27 kms
Nearest town : Thanjavur 19 kms
Important days : Akshaya Thrithiyae, Masi Ratha Sapthami
Important for : Pitru Dosha Parihara Sthalam. Longevity. Sashtiapthapoorthi, Bheema ratha shanthi and Sathabishekam are celebrated here
Swami is Bhaskareswarar and the Mother is Mangalambikai.
Suryan, the sun god, when he was cursed by Veerabhadra for attending Daksha Yagam was relieved of the curse at this temple. Since the Sun God worshipped at this temple, in the month of Panguni (March-April), on 3 days, the sunlight directly falls on the Moolavar.
When Sibi Chakravarti renounced royal life and was on a pilgrimage to Siva temples, He arrived here and asked his men to gather grass for the horses. During such a process, they stuck something hard and on further digging, the object was identified as a Suryan Lingam which was installed and a temple built. The scar on the Lingam, indicated hit by the implement.
It is believed that Markandeyar continues to pray here as Aroopa.
Unqiuely eventhough there is a nandi / rishabham near the dwajasthambam, it is Suryan whose idol is in a standing posture, in front of the Lordin the moolasthanam (a place normally reserved for nandi). There are 3 Chandikeswarars instead of one to the north of the garbhagriham. Maha Vishnu and Anjaneyar have separate sub-shrines.
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