Kaya Nirmaleswarar Attur

Kaya Nirmaleswarar, Attur

Saivite Temples - Salem District

God

Kaya Nirmaleswarar, facing east

Goddess

Akilandeswari, facing east

Other Deities

Surya, Naalvar, Vinayaka, Bala Muruga, 63 Nayanmar, Ayyappan, Twin Vinayaka, Kasi Viswanathar, Visalakshi, Kumara Subramanian, Lingam with consort, Naagar, Maha Saraswati, Mahalakshmi, Nagaraja, Muruga with consorts, Anjaneya, Saneeswara, Chatur Bhuja Bhairava, Ashta Bhuja Bhairava, Swarna Akarshana Bhairava, Navagraha. Sanctum Niches – Vinayaka, Dakshinamurthy, Lingotbavar, Brahma, Durga, Chandikeswara

Kaya Nirmaleswarar Attur is a large east-facing temple with a 5 tier Rajagopuram at the entrance in the east. A single spacious Prakaram houses all the shrines and the sanctum sanctorum. The main deity and the goddess are about 5 feet tall. The Lingam here is made of a particular type of stone that reflects the Aaradhana lamp’s light like a mirror. The goddess is in a separate east-facing shrine. Both have separate Maha Mandapams and Ardha Mandapams. The Vasishta River flows south of the temple. Kaya Nirmaleswarar is one of the Pancha (five) Bhootha Lingam temples situated on the banks of the Vasishta River and represents Agni (Fire). The other 4 temples are Vayu (Air – Aragalur), Prithvi (Earth – Belur), Appu (Water – Ethapur), and Akasam (Sky – Uthamacholapuram).

Holy Water (Theertham) – Vasishta River

Sacred Tree (Sthala Vriksham) – No information

History

Kaya Nirmaleswarar Attur is an ancient temple as is evident from the numerous inscriptions found around the base of the Sanctum Sanctorum outer walls. The details of these inscriptions are not available as of now.

Legend

Sage Vasishta was in the area in the ancient days and created the Vasishta River to worship Lord Shiva with water and flowers. While he was walking to discover a spot for performing penance towards Lord Shiva he stumbled on a stone and discovered the Lingam. Angered at himself for stepping on the Lingam he was calmed by a divine voice that told him to perform the pooja and behold a miracle. True to that when he shone the Aaradhana lamp before the Lingam it reflected the same like a mirror. Kaya means body, Nirmal means clarity, thus the name of the Lord came about as the one whose darshan provides clarity.

Directions

Kaya Nirmaleswarar Attur is on the north bank of the Vasishta River in Attur Town. Attur is about 50 kilometers east of Salem on the road towards Kallakurichi.

Stay and Food

Attur has a few restaurants for food. The closest for stay would be Salem.

Saivite Temples

Tamilnadu Temples