Agneeshwarar Kanjanur

Agneeshwarar, Kanjanur

Saivite Temples, Thanjavur District

God

Agneeswarar, facing east

Goddess

Karpagambal, facing south

Other Deities

Maanakkanjaarar, Nayanmaar and Kalikkaamar, Nataraja, lingams installed by many people including Kamsa

Agneeshwarar Kanjanur is one of the nine Navagraha Temples located in the Cauvery Delta region and is dedicated to planet Venus (Sukra). Unlike other Navagraha temples, the main deity, Agneeshwarar in the form of Lingam depicts Lord Sukra. The Oil Abishekam performed to the main deity is fully absorbed by the idol. Another important feature of the Agneeshwarar Kanjanur temple is that the Vilva leaf seen here is 5 in the stalk, which is rare. This shrine is also referred to as Palaasavanam, Bhrammapuri, Agnistalam, and Neelakudi. Agneeshwarar Kanjanur temple has a 5-tier Rajagopuram and two Prakarams.

Holy water (Theertham) – Agni Theertham, Parasara Theertham

Sacred Tree (Sthala Vriksham) – Palaasam or Purasu (Butea monosperma)

History

Agneeshwarar Kanjanur was built by the Medieval Cholas and renovated by the kings of the Vijayanagar Empire. The Agneeshwarar Kanjanur temple has stone inscriptions dating back to their times.

Legend

Lord Shiva blessed Paraasara muni (Parasara Muni is the father of Vyasadeva and the author of Vishnu Puranam) with a vision of the cosmic dance here at Agneeshwarar Kanjanur. Lord Vishnu to rid himself of a curse for blinding Sukracharya in one eye was relieved of his curse by taking up severe penance here at Agneeshwarar Kanjanur. Sukracharya to get back his eyesight is said to have visited many Shiva Temple and at last, he got his vision back in Valeeswarar Temple in Mylapore, Chennai. Lord Shiva is believed to have imparted the secret mantra to bring back the dead to Sukracharya. He, in turn, used it to bring back the dead Asuras in a war with the Devas. Shiva in a fit of rage swallowed Sukracharya and later he was brought out with the intervention of Goddess Parvati. Sukracharya was then accorded the celestial planet (Venus) status here by Lord Shiva. This is also the reason why Sukran does not have a separate Shrine here as he is inside the stomach of Lord Shiva. It is said that Lord Brahma was blessed with a vision of Shiva’s marriage with Parvathi here. The Brahma Linga enshrined in Agneeshwarar Kanjanur Temple is said to have been worshiped by Lord Brahma.

Directions

Agneeshwarar Kanjanur is about 16.5 kilometers in the Kumbakonam to Mayiladuthurai Road.

Stay and Food

Only tea and snack shops locally. Kumbakonam and Mayiladuthurai are ideal places to stay.

Saivite Temples

Tamilnadu Temples