Karaikandeswarar Kanji

Karaikandeswarar, Kanji

Saivite Temples, Thiruvannamalai District

God

Karaikandeswarar, facing east

Goddess

Periyanayaki Amman, facing east

Other Deities

Ganesha, Pazhani Andavar, Naalvar, Saptha Karaikandeswarar Lingams, Saptha Maadhar, Ayyarappan, Murugan, Vinayaka, Naagar, Lakshmi Narayana perumal, Muruga with consorts, Kasi Viswanatharm Visalakshi, Bhairava, Navagraha. Sanctum Niches of main deity – Ganesha, Dakshinamurthy, Lingotbavar, Brahma, Durga, Chandikeswara. Sanctum Niches of goddess – Parvati, Gauri, Varahi, Brahmi

Karaikandeswarar Kanji is a large east facing temple which is entered through a covered archway and mantapam at the south. There are 4 temple cars kept in this passage. The temple has 2 Prakarams. All the shrines and sanctums are situated in the second Prakaram. There is a Nandavanam at the east. The Cheyyar River flows east of the temple. The village and the surroundings are very peaceful. The priest lives just outside the temple. This is the first of the Saptha Karaikandeswarar Sthalams (7 temples) located on the north banks of the Cheyyar River. The temples in the order of proceeding north from Kanji along Cheyyar River are Kanji, Kadaladi, Mambakkam, Thenmathimangalam, Elathur, Poondi and Kuruvimalai.

Holy Water (Theertham) – Cheyyar River

Sacred Tree (Sthala Vriksham) – No information

History

Karaikandeswarar Kanji is an ancient temple. The exact historical information is not available as of now.

Legend

Lord Muruga is believed to have built the Saptha Karaikandeswarar temples in the northern banks of Cheyyar River to counter the sin of injuring seven Sages (Puthirandan, Puruhudan, Pandurangan, Bodhavan, Bodhan, Koman and Vaman) performing penance in the hills in the region with his spear (Vel). Karaikandeswarar Kanji is said to be the first in this series. This event happened in a quest to create a Theertham for his Mother Parvati to perform ablutions for the Shiva Lingam she created out of earth at Vazhapandal. Another version is that to counter the sin of killing the asura Surapadman, Lord Muruga was advised by his mother to throw his spear and install and worship a shiva lingam where it lands. According to the same legend Muruga is also believed to have created seven temples in the southern banks of the river Cheyyar which are called Saptha Kailasha Sthalams and worshiped Lord Shiva there. The River Cheyyar is believed to be the theertham created by him – Sei (child) representing the young Muruga and Aar meaning river in Tamil.

Directions

Karaikandeswarar Kanji is about 24 kilometers north west of Thiruvannamalai.

Stay and Food

None locally. Closest for food would be Thiruvannamalai.

Saivite Temples

Tamilnadu Temples