Nageswarar Temple - Kundrathur

Kundrathur, a tranquil enclave near Chennai city, owes its popularity primarily to the hilltop Murugan temple gracing its landscape. However, the village also boasts an ancient and grand temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, a spiritual gem known as Nageswarar temple. In this article, we embark on a journey to explore the rich tapestry of this sacred site.

Highlights:

• God - Nageswarar 
• Goddess - Kamakshi
• Teerth (Holy Water) - Surya Pushkarani
• It is a Rahu sthalam and one of Navagraha sthalams of Chennai
• It is considered as equivalent to Tirunageswaram
• It is also called as Vada Tirunageswaram

Legend:

In recent years, the original Shiv Linga icon, which had been installed by the esteemed scholar and poet Sekkizar, had suffered damage. In response, the villagers replaced the icon with a new one. However, a divine intervention occurred when Lord Shiva appeared in a devotee's dream, instructing them to reinstate the original icon. Consequently, the sanctum now houses the revered original icon once more.

History:

Kundrathur holds a special place in history as the birthplace of the renowned Tamil scholar and poet Sekkizhar. Flourishing in the 12th century CE during the reign of Kulotunga Chola II, Sekkizhar's magnum opus, "Periya Puranam," intricately narrates the lives and remarkable virtues of the 63 Nayanmars.

Legend has it that Sekkizhar, deeply devoted to Lord Shiva, was so moved by his visit to Tirunageswaram near Kumbakonam that he desired to have the deity's darshan every day. In pursuit of this devotion, he commissioned the construction of a similar temple in his hometown, giving rise to the temple's rich historical legacy.

Temple Layout:

The temple faces east and boasts a magnificent five-tiered Raja gopura as its entrance tower.

Inside the sanctum, which also faces east, you'll encounter a sizable Shiv Linga known as Nageswarar. Sharing the same sanctum, there is also a metal icon of Kamakshi. As you enter, you'll be greeted by imposing Dwarapalas (guardian deities) and a small Ganesha.

Facing the sanctum, you'll find the flagstaff, Nandi mandapa (hall housing the sacred Nandi), and bali peetha (sacrificial platform). Adjacent to the flagstaff, there's a small Ganesha.

In the Ardha mandapa (front hall) of the sanctum, there's a separate south-facing shrine dedicated to Kamakshi.

The temple is enclosed by two prakaras (circumambulatory paths).

Within these prakaras, you'll discover a multitude of sub-shrines, including those for Utsava Sekkizhar, Karpaga Vinayaka, Satya Narayana, Somaskanda, various processional deities, Arunachaleswarar Linga, Vishwanatha Linga, Navagraha (nine planetary deities), Shani (Saturn), Sekkizhar, Vempuli Ponni utsav, and Natraj-Shivakami.

The prakaras also house icons of Ganesha, Surya, Sundarar (a revered Saivite saint), Paravai Nachiar, the Nalvar (the four Tamil Saivite saints), Kalinga Nardana Krishna, Naga Nageswara Linga, Nagendra Linga, Bhairava, Veera Bhagu, Saraswati, and Lakshmi.

Additionally, niche images of Ganesha, Dakshinamurti, Vishnu, Brahma, and Durga can be spotted. Chandikeshwa, occupies his customary location within the temple.

Outside the temple entrance, you'll encounter a substantial tank.

Happy travelling.