Visited on: 12th August, 2017.
Location
Auduthurai is located at a distance of about 3 kms from Thiruvidaimarudhur and 13 kms from Kumbakonam on the Kumbakonam to Mayiladuthurai route. From Mayiladuthurai it is about 20 kms. Auduthurai has a railway station and the temple is one kilometre away from it.
Other Paadal Petra Shiva Sthalams near this place are – Thiruneelakkudi, Thiruvavaduthurai, Thirukkozhambam, Therizhanthur, Kuthalam, Thirumanancheri, Velvikkudi, Ethirkolpadi, Thiruvidaimaruthur and Mayiladuthurai.
General information
- Moolavar
- Sri Aabathsakayeswarar
- Ambal
- Sri Pavalakkodi Ammai, Sri Vandar Karumenkuzhal Mangai
- Theertham (Holy water)
- Sakaya Theertham, Surya Theertham
- Sthala Vriksham (Sacred Tree)
- Pavazha Malli tree
- Pathigam (Hymn) rendered by
- Saint Thirugnanasambanthar and Saint Thirunavukarasar (Appar)
- This is one of the 276 Devara Paadal Petra Shiva Sthalams and 31 Shiva Sthalam on the Southern bank of the river Cauveri in Chozha Nadu (Thenkarai).
- Lord Shiva in this temple is a Swayambumurthi (self-manifested).
- This east facing temple has a 3-tiered main tower (Rajagopuram) and it has two corridors.
- The last consecration ceremony (Kumbabishekam) took place on 21.04.2000 and prior to that on 28.04.1955.
History of the temple
This ancient temple is located on the southern banks of the river Cauveri.
There are 15 stone inscriptions available in this temple out of which 13 are related to the period of Chola dynasty and 2 are from the period of Pandya dynasty.
This temple was renovated and built using granite by queen Chembian Maadevi, the wife of Chola king Kantarathithyan.
The historical names of this place are Thiraimur Nadu, Boobalakulavalli and Thirukkurangaduthurai.
Legend
It is believed that Lord Ram, while searching for Sita, came here with Hanuman and Sugreev and worshiped the lord here.
There are two places by the name of “Kurangaduthurai”. At these two places, Lord Shiva is believed to have been worshiped by two monkeys (“kurangu” in Tamil) from Ramayana – Sugreev and Vaali.
This place is called “Then Kurangaduthurai” since it is located on the southern side of the river Cauvery. It is believed that Sugreevan worshiped the Lord Shiva here. The other Kurangaduthurai is called as “Vada Kurangaduthurai” as it is located on the northern side of the river Cauvery and Vaali is believed to have worshiped Lord Shiva there.
It is believed that at this place Lord Shiva rescued Sugreev from a fight with his brother Vaali. Unable to defeat Vaali, Sugreev prayed to Lord Shiva for help and the lord changed him to the form of an “Annaparavai” (a mythological bird) and he changed Sukreev’s wife to a “Parijada” tree (a variety of jasmine). The lord further hid Sukreev by camouflaging him with the Parijada tree such that Vaali could not find him. Since Lord Shiva helped Sugreev here, he is praised as “Sri Aabathsakayeswarar” (meaning one who helped a person in danger).
Another legend associated with this temple is that of a pregnant lady who was saved by the lord. The lady who was from the nearby village of Thirumangalakkudi was a staunch Shiva devotee and would regularly visit this temple. One day after she completed her worship, she could not return to her village as there was heavy rain and the river was flooded. In the meantime, she also developed pain and prayed to the lord for help. The lord took the form of a lady physician and performed the delivery in time.
Another legend is that of Saint Harathathar who was born in a Vaishnav family in Kanchanur, a nearby village, but later became an ardent Lord Shiva devotee. He used to visit 7 Shiva temples (Kanchanur, Thirukkodikka, Thiruvalankadu, Thiruvavaduthuri, Aduthurai, Thirumangalakkudi and Thirumanthurai) every day before taking his dinner. One day when he left this temple, there was heavy rain and in the darkness, he was unable to find the way back to his village. It is believed that Lord Shiva came in the guise of a brahmin and took him home.
It is believed that on the request of Sage Agasthiar and other rishis, Lord Shiva granted his cosmic dance performance to them here. Hence this place is also known as Natarajapuram. Sage Agasthiar also installed and worshiped lord “Sorna Bairavar” here.
It is also believed that Hanuman worshiped the lord here and got relieved from a curse by Sage Narada. Hanuman is believed to have regained his art of singing.
Deities in the temple
Other than the shrines of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvathy, shrines and idols of lords Muththa Vinayakar, Murugan with his consorts, Natarajar with Sivakami, Somaskandar, Nalvar, Vayumurthy, Mahaganapathy and Kasi Vinayakar;
Sugreev, Abathsakayeswarar and Pavalakkodiyammai;
Vanalingam, Kasi Viswanathar with Visalakshi;
Narthana Ganapathy, Agasthiyar, Dakshinamurthy, Lingothbavar, Brahma, Vishnu, Durgai, Gajalakshmi, Indralingam, Kuberalingam, Chandikeswarar, Chandikeswari, Suryan, Chandran and Navagraham can be seen in the corridors.
In the hall next to Natarajar’s shrine, there are separate shrines for Saneeswarar, Bhanalingam, Saint Harathathar and Sorna Akarshana Bairavar.
There are also some reliefs that depict Karaikkal Ammaiyar worshiping lord Aabathsakayeswarar and Queen Chembian Maadevi worshiping lord Aabathsakayeswarar.
In the Navagraham, all the other idols are facing Suryan.
Salient features
A beautiful sculpture depicting the sthala purana of Sukreev worshiping the lord, Lord Shiva changing Sukreev’s form to an “Annaparavai” and Sukreev’s wife to a “Parijada” tree can be seen here.
The sanctum sanctorum is in the form of semi-circular tank (akazhi in Tamil).
All the stone sculptures in this temple are exquisitely carved. The idols of Sri Natarajar, Gangadharar, Vishnu Durgai, Pitchadanar, Bairavar are especially beautiful.
It is believed that Lord Suryan (Sun) worships Lord Shiva of this temple by directing his rays on the lingam for three days in the Tamil month of Chithirai 5 to 7 (April).
There is a hall named “Appar Arangam” in which the temple festivals are performed.
Saint Arunagirinadhar has sang songs in praise of Lord Murugan of this temple in his revered Thirupugazh.
Greatness of this temple
It is believed that offering sandalwood oil to Saint Agasthiar’s idol on full moon day would fulfil one’s wishes.
It is also believed by devotees that by worshiping Lord Suryan and Saneeswaran here, the strained relationship between father and son would get better.
Devotees also worship Lord Shiva of this temple for prosperity and wisdom.
Important festivals
Some of the important festivals celebrated in this temple are –
Vinayakar Chaturthi in the Tamil month of Aavani (Aug-Sept);
Annabishekam in the Tamil month of Aippasi (Oct – Nov);
Thiruvadhirai in the Tamil month of Markazhi (Dec-Jan); and
Maha Shivrathri in the Tamil month of Masi (Feb-Mar).
Pradosham is also observed regularly.
Temple timings
From 07.00 AM to 12.00 Noon and 04.30 PM to 08.30 PM.
Temple address
Sri Aabathsakayeswarar Temple,
Aduthurai Post,
Thiruvidaimaruthur Taluk,
Tanjure District,
Tamil Nadu – 612101.
Tel: +94434 63119, 94424 25809.
1
2
3
4
5