Mahalingaswamy Temple, Thiruvidaimarudhur

This is located 9 kms from Kumbakonam. Main deity – Swayambulinga known as Mahalinga Perumal with Perunalamamulai Amman and Moogambigai in different sanctums.

Generally in all Shiva temples, the main deity will have a specific name but here it is called Mahalingam (Big lingam) since legend says that Lord Shiva worshipped himself here in the process of teaching and demonstrating the saivate worship procedures to the seven great sages. The Shivalingam here is a swayambhu facing east and is said to be on par with Varnasi (kasi)

The pooja is first performed to Mahalingaswamy in this temple and then only the Vinayakar. Here Vinayakar himself is worshipping Shiva.

The Ambal shrine is one of the Sakthi Peetams and Chakkara Maha Meru is installed here.

i) Ashwamedha Pradhakshina Praharam – Going around this will give the effect of doing Ashwamedha yaga. ii) Kodumudi Praharam – Going around this will give the effect of going to Kailash. iii) Pranava Praharam – Going around this will give Moksha.

Temples In Aaduthurai

Madhurakalaiamman Temple

This is one of the popular temples of Aaduthurai. There is one such temple in Siruvachoor (Trichy dist) also.

Sri Navaneetha Krishnana Temple

This 300 years old temple is located at the heart of the town. There Lord Krishna is posing in dancing style upholding one leg and having butter in one hand. Two Amman deities are Sri Rukmani and Sri Sathyabama.

Sri Bhavanya Maharishi Temple

This temple built in north Indian style, is situated in the middle of Krishnan Koil Street. Bhavana Maharishi is the successor of Markandeya Maharishi and is the community god of Padmasaliyar community.

Sri Jeyaveera Anjaneya Swamy Temple

Located in the Krishnan Kovil street, this temple is famous in this village and surrounding villages and the temple is accompanied by a big pond.

Shiva Temple, Melmaruthuvakudi

This is located 1 km south of Aaduthurai enroute Thiruneelakkudi. Main deity – Swayambulinga known as Iravadeswarar with Abhirami Ambal.The linga is a swayambu and is said to be formed of a sort of white clay material. So the abishekam is performed only with Kavacham (shield) on linga portion.

Another important deity of this temple is the goddess Abirami Amman who is worshipped in five temples including the famous Thirukkadaiyur. Vinayaka here is known as viruchika Vinayagar in unique form with his trunk resembling Virchika (scorpion) and also numerous scorpion like things engraved on him all over. He is believed to be able to heal poisonous insect bites of those who worship him.

Sri Krishnar worshipped and got Rukmani Devi.Sri Aadhiseshan worshipped here and got the power to hold the earth.It is also the place where Lord Shiva slew an evil demon, Maruthuvasara, from which the name of the village originated from.

Other temples In Maruthuvakkudi

Mummoorthy Vinayagar Temple

This temple is one of the oldest temples in Maruthuvakudi and the main deity Lord Vinayaga is believed to lie in the tomb of a saint. There are three statuses, which is unusual for Ganesh temples. The temple is located on the main road to thirunageswaram; unlike other temples it has no Vimaana or Gopuram.

Neelamegha Perumal Temple

This temple is famous for the Neelameha Perumal statue made of a stone which turns blue when milk is poured on the surface of the statue. (Neelamegam means blue clouds). The statue itself looks partially bluish. Perumal’s consorts are the goddesses Sreedevi and Boomidevi. The temple is located on the main road to Thirunageswaram.

Oppiliappan temple, Divya Desam

This is located 7 kms from Kumbakonam; 500 metres south of Thirunageswaram. Main deity – Oppiliappan with consort Bhuma devi. There is no separate shrine for Boomidevi here and she is sitting with folded hands by the side of the Lord in the main sanctum sanctorum.

The Lord is always with his consort and the utsava deity Oppliappan is never taken out of the temple without the consort, Bhoomidevi, during the festivals. The main deity of this temple is also called an elder brother of Lord Venkateswara of Tirumala Hills.The temple has a holy tank inside the temple premises.

Maha Prathyankara Temple, Ayyavadi

This is located 1 km south of Oppliappan temple. Here the Devi is seated on the chariot with 4 lions, 8 arms with weapons, possessing Lion’s face. Sri Maha Prathyangira’s worship will take away all evil forces and unsolvable problems from one’s life. Darsahan during full Moon day and new Moon Day will give beneficial results.

Vinayagar Temple, Malayappa Nallur

This is located 5 kms from Kumbakonam, on the way to Sivapuram. Vinayagar under a very old banyan tree whose hanging roots have mulitiplied into numerous trees. He was kept there long back and is now present in a nice cave like shrine naturally formed by several of those hanging roots thus protecting him from rain and sun. The main tree is in ruins and is now suppoted by the roots that stand majestically.

Thirunariyur / Nachiar Temple

Shiva Temple, Siddheswaram

This is located 9 kms from Kumbakonam. Main deity – Swayambu lingam Siddhanathar with consort Soundaranayagi. The place is called Siddheeswararm since the Lord here is worshipped by Siddhars like Korakkar.

Sage Medhavi worshipped Lord here, got Lakshmi as his daughter and her marriage to Maha Vishnu took place here. Lord Muruga, Brahma, Vishnu, Markandeyan and Arjunan worshipped Shiva here.

A merchant by name Chithragupthan got his acute disease cured by taking the abhisheka oil. It is believed that doing the abhishekam and drinking the abhisheka oil of this deity cures any type of skin disease.

Ramanatha Swami / mangala Saneeswarar Temple

This temple lies between Thirunariyur Siddeshwaam Shiva temple and the Nachiarkoil Vishnu temple.The presiding deity here is Ramanatha Swamy facing east and the Goddess, as in Rameswaram, is Parvath Vardhini and her shrine faces south. This temple is considered as holy as Rameswaram and many devotees who are unable to visit Rameswaam make their offerings to the Lord here.

Lord Saneeswaan (Saturn), called Mangala Saneeswaran here, is present with his two wives Mandhadevi and Jayeshtadevi (also known as Neeladevi) and two sons, Maandhi and Kuligan. This is the only place where saneeswaran (Saturn) is present with his whole family.

Though a subshrine, Saturn’s abode here has separate Dhwajasthambam, balipeetam and the crow mount in front of it and this temple is more popular as a Saturn temple.Lord Rama, Anjaneya, during their return from Lanka to Ayodhya worshipped Shiva here.

Medha Dakshinamoorthy is one of enchanting beauty. There are shrines for Vinyaka, Subramania with his consorts, Valli and Devasena, gajalakshmi, Hanumantha Lingam, Annamalaiyar, Brahma, Durgadevi and Chandikeswarar.

There is a separate shine for Navagrahas with the Sun at the centre with his two consorts, Ushadevi and Prathyusha devi which is said to be a rarity. The other eight grahas are found around Sun.

Srinivasa Peumal Temple, Nachiarkoil

This is located 10 kms from Kumbakonam. Main deity – Thirunariyur Nambi, Srinivasa Perumal in standing posture with consort. Garuda, the vehicle of the Lord, is of special significance at this temple.

On Thursdays the Lord gives dharsan with the family (seated) on the stone Garuda. Kal Garuda is said to answer the prayers of devotees immediately and remove all doshams (faults). Childless couples, unmarried women, people with Naaga dosham etc. will also be relieved if they pray to the Kal Garuda at Thiru Nariyur temple.

One of the 108 Divya desams this is only Divya desam where Lord is seen with a conch and Chakra in front of his face.This is the only Divya desam where one finds 10 feets Brahma in a standing posture within the sanctum.

Thirucherai

Shiva temple

This is located 5 kms from Nachiarkoil; 15 kms from Kumbakonam. Main deity – Saraparameswarar as Swayambu lingam with consort Gyanavalliammai; Rina Vimochana Lingeswarar in the Praharam is highly popular.One can get rid of their indebtedness by worshipping this Lord. Markandeyar worshipped Shiva here and got his indebtness of his birth cleared and attained Moksha (salvation).

Vishnu temple

Main deity – Saranatha Perumal in standing posture facing east with consort Saranayagi (Sara Naachiyar). Only Divyadesam where Lord Vishnu is seen with five of his consorts – Sridevi, Bhoodevi, Neeladevi, Mahalashmi and Saranayagi. There are shrines for Hanuman, Vinayaka, Rajagopala Swamy with his consorts, Rukmani and Sathyabama. Thiruvenkatamudayan, Rama, Narasimhar and Great saint Manavala. Lord Sri Rama gives us a very special dharshan along with sita and Lakshmana .Santhana Gopalan and Selvar are too found in this sannadhi (sanctum)

Kumbakonam – Thiruneelakkudi (kollumangudi – Peralam – Karaikkal)

Thirunageswaram Rahu Navagraha Temple

6 kms east of Kumbakonam enroute Thiruneelakkudi. Main deity – Lord Shiva in the name Naganathar with consort Girigujamabal.

Sthalavruksham: Shenbagamaam

Theertham: Surya theertham

Navagraha Raahu parihara (Sarpa dosha nivarthi) Sthalam. The chest of the granite vigraha of the deity turns blue during Abisheha with milk. There are two shrines for the Goddess Piraiyanivanudalumai’s shrine is adjacent to Naganathaswamy’s shrine and Girigujambika has a separate temple with Lakshmi and Saraswathy along with her in sila roopam.

Raahu Bhagavan is uniquely seen with human face, unlike in other places where he is seen with a serpent face. Here he is present with his two consorts Nagavalli and Nagakanni. Nandi after worshipping Shiva attained the status as Nandeeswaran here. Vinayakar attained the status of Head of Ganas or Ganapathi. Indira, the King of Devas was relieved of bad smell emanating from his body by worshipping Goddess Girigujambal with Punugu. Astrologers suggest that doing Milk Abisekam (especially on Sundays) here for Rahu during Rahu kalam, will remove all the malefic effects of Rahu.

Thepperumanallur Shiva Temple

8 kms from Kumbakonam; 1.5 kms north of Thirunageswaram. Main Deity – Viswanadhar with Ambal Vedantanayaki. The Shiva here is also called Annadhana shiva and used to feed lakhs of people during each Mahamakam festival in Kumbakonam .It is said that this temple fed about 8000 people daily during its glorious days.

There is a Sivalinga in whose Avudiyar a maragada is fixed inside on which sunlight falls every day. The power of this linga is said to be the combination of all the 12 jothirlingas in India and therefore unique.

The Dakshinamurthy idol is unique and is considered more powerful and boon bestowing than Alangudi or anywhere else. The Ambal is called Vedantanayaki and Swami as Viswanathar. There is a rudraksha kavacha on the sivalinga.