Varamoortheeswarar Ariyathurai

Saivite Temples, Thiruvallur District

God

Varamoortheeswarar, facing east

Goddess

Maragathavalli, facing south

Other Deities

To be updated

Varamoortheeswarar Ariyathurai is a large east facing temple with entrance from the south. A Temple pond is seen south of the entrance a little way away. South west flows the Brahmaranya (Aarani) River near the temple. Both the main deities are made of green granite stone. The temple has the specialty of having 32 Goshtams (Niches on the outer prakaram of the sanctum sanctorum) though deities are present only in some of them. This is called Uthama Patcha Prathishtai and only around 15 temples in Tamilnadu are said to be in this manner. The temple has been painted and spruced up in recent times. There is no Navagraha here. Images of snakes, lizards, frogs and fishes have been inscribed in the ceiling top of the sanctum sanctorum. A swayambu (self occuring / excavated) Bhairava made of sand and an idol is seen here at Varamoortheeswarar Ariyathurai.

Varamoortheeswarar Ariyathurai is one of the Panchanatha (Five faces of Lord Shiva) Ksethrams representing the Sathyojaatham face of Lord Shiva. The others are Vaaleeswarar (Isaanam) in Ramagiri, Pallikondeeswarar (Thathpurusham) in Suruttuppalli, Pitchandeeswarar (Vamadeva) in Arani and Chinthaamaneeswarar (Agoram) in Karungaali.

Holy Water (Theertham) – Ganga Theertham from the perennial stream in a nearby pit

Sacred Tree (Sthala Vriksham) – Arasamaram – Peepul Tree (Ficus relegiosa)

History

Varamoortheeswarar Ariyathurai is an ancient temple where King Kunjara Cholan has made additions to the original temple.

Legend

It is believed that the main deity at Varamoortheeswarar Ariyathurai was installed by Sage Romar (or Romasar) and later Sage Mukunda worshipped here for 100 years. The temple is considered to be of Ramayana period, about 6000 years ago, considering the legendary connection to Sages Romar and Mukunthan. At the bank of the river is present a pit from where water, believed to be from River Ganges, is flowing out perennially, though in small quantity. Hence the place is considered more sacred than Kasi. The story of this spring is as follows. Lord Krishna brought a Parijatha tree from the divine world to provide flowers to his consorts Sathyabama and Rukmini. Before bringing the tree he forgot to ask permission from the tree itself and it cursed him to stand as a tree on earth for 1000 years in this place. After the period of the curse the tree became an Ashwatha Vriksham (Peepal Tree). Sages Romasar and Mukunda penanced under the same tree. A holy voice is believed to have announced that Ganga water will flow here itself for Sage Mukunda when he wanted to set out to Kasi. There is no Navagraha (nine planets/heavenly bodies) here  Varamoortheeswarar Ariyathurai since the temple is considered to be about 6000 years old and Navagraha worship was not in practice then.

Directions

Varamoortheeswarar Ariyathurai is situated near Kavarapettai in the Chennai-Kolkatta Highway enroute to Gummidipoondi at exactly 36 kms from the Padi junction. After Thachur cross road (to Ponneri), before the RMK Engineering College, opposite a Petrol Bunk and exactly opposite Durga Devi Polytechnic you have to take a turn to the left (towards west). You go straight for 2.6 Kms and then take a left turn again just after a brick kiln on the right side. Go further for another 500 meters you will reach Varamoortheeswarar Ariyathurai.

Stay and Food

Nothing in the area. Closest is Chennai.

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