Karaikandeswarar Thenmathimangalam

Saivite Temples, Thiruvannamalai District

God

Karaikandeswarar, facing east

Goddess

Periyanayaki Amman, facing east

Other Deities

Ganesha, Saneeswaran, Muruga, three Lingams (Karaiakandeswarar), Navagraha, Kala Bhairava, Surya, Naagar, Ardhanareeswarar, Kasi Viswanathar, Visalakshi, Nandanar, Saptha Maadhar. Sanctum Niches – Ganesha, Dakshinamurthy, Mahavishnu, Brahma, Durga, Chandikeswara.

Karaikandeswarar Thenmathimangalam is a beautiful large east facing temple where the Lord can be seen by the Nandi through a grilled window (Saalaram). A single large and spacious Prakaram houses all the shrines and the sanctum sanctorum which is reached after crossing the Mahamantapam and Mukha Mantapam. Outside the gate is another large Mantapam with a beautiful Nandi in front and a temple car. There is a temple tank in front of the temple at the east. The Parvathamalai hill is in the background. This is the fourth 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. This is the middle one in the series of the 7 temples and 3 Lingams representing the rest of Karikandeswarars are installed here.

Holy Water (Theertham) – Cheyyar River

Sacred Tree (Sthala Vriksham) – No information

History

Karaikandeswarar Thenmathimangalam is an ancient temple going back to the era of the Cholas. But 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 killing seven Sages (Puthirandan, Puruhudan, Pandurangan, Bodhavan, Bodhan, Koman and Vaman) performing penance in the hills in the region with his spear (Vel). Karaikandeswarar Thenmathimangalam is said to be the fourth 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 Thenmathimangalam is 6 kilometers from Kadaladi on the road to Polur. You have to take a right from the main road to reach the temple. Adjacent to this temple is a beautiful little Perumal Temple too.

Stay and Food

None locally. Closest for food would be Thiruvannamalai and Polur.

Saivite Temples

Karaikandeswarar, Thenmathimangalam