Kanagasabapathi Karisuzhnthamangalam

Kanagasabapathi, Karisuzhnthamangalam

Saivite Temples - Tirunelveli District

God

Sundareswarar, facing east

Goddess

Sundarambikai, facing east

Other Deities

Vinayaka, Juradevar, Subramanya with consorts, Saneeswarar, Navagraha, Bhairava, Kanni Vinayaka, Naagar. Sanctum Niches – Dakshinamurthy, Chandikeswara

Kanagasabapathi Karisuzhnthamangalam is an east-facing temple with 2 prakarams. The inner prakaram houses all the shrines and the Sanctum Sanctorum. The sanctum of the lord is a large one and is beautiful. There is a large Nandi in the Mantapam and a smaller one in the Ardha Mantapam. Around the Amman shrine are Kanni Vinayaka and Naagar. A large and beautiful temple tank surrounded by banana trees is outside the entrance on the other side of the road. The temple’s name is from the Nataraja idol here (Kanagasabapathi). The same sculptor made five such beautiful Idols and the others are found in Chidambaram, Chepparai, Katterimangalam, and Karuvelankulam.

Holy Water (Theertham) – Durvasa Theertham

Sacred Tree (Sthala Vriksham) – Vilwam (Aegle marmelos)

History

Kanagasabapathi Karisuzhnthamangalam temple’s actual history confuses with the legend. It is mentioned in the inscriptions found here that the temple was built by Maravarman Sundarapandyan (1216-1238 CE). According to inscriptions this place used to be called ‘Mullinattin Kalijayamamgalam’.

Legend

In the ancient days, a King called Singavarman gave up his royal life and became a saint. In a forest of Thillai Trees (present-day Chidambaram area) he saw Sages Vyagrapadar and Pathanjali in penance and decided to be there. He shared the divine vision of Lord Shiva dancing for the 2 sages. Upon their advice he created the dance posture as 2 metal idols, one in copper and one in gold. It is believed that the lord not wanting to be in gold changed the metal to copper. Of these two the first one was taken to a place called Chepparai near Tirunelveli and the other was kept in Chidambaram. The sculptor was one Namachivaya Muthu. Further to this the ruler of a place called Katterimangalam, Veerapandyan who ruled under another King Ramapandya requested him to employ the same sculptor to create two more. One each for Katterimangalam and another for the Nellaiappar temple in Tirunelveli. This was done and upon seeing the beauty of the pieces Veerapandyan chopped off the hands of the sculptor to prevent him from creating more. One was carried to Katterimangalam and one was taken towards Tirunelveli. The second group of carriers were prevented to proceed by the Tamiraparani in spate. They left the idol on the banks which was washed away and discovered by villagers later. The idol washed away and found later could not be moved and the Lord appeared in King Ramapandya’s dream asking him to build the temple there itself. This became Karisuzhnthamangalam. Later the sculptor provided with wooden appendages made one more such idol which was kept in Karuvelankulam near Kalakkad.

Directions

Kanagasabapathi Karisuzhnthamangalam is about 24 kilometers west of Tirunelveli and reached through Pattamadai. The temple is about 2 kilometers north of Pattamadai Viswanathar Temple towards the banks of the Tamiraparani River.

Stay and Food

None locally. The closest for food and stay is Tirunelveli.

Saivite Temples

Tamilnadu Temples