Mutharasanallur - Three Temples in a Single Temple

Mutharasanallur, a serene village nestled approximately 14 kilometers away from Trichy city in Tamil Nadu, is blessed with an ancient temple dedicated to Lord Shiva known as Ratnagirishwarar Temple. Let's delve into the intriguing details of this sacred site.

Highlights:

• God - Ratnagirishwarar, Engoinathar, Kadamba Vaneswarar
• Goddess - Arala Kesari, Marakatavalli, Bala Kujalambikai
• Sthala Vruksha (holy tree) - Vanni
• Three pairs of Shiva and Ambika are found in this temple.

Legend:

The village's story intertwines with a devoted chieftain named Mutharasu, who held profound reverence for Lord Shiva. In the vicinity of Mutharasanallur, three significant temples of Shiva were situated: Kadamba Vaneswarar of Kulithalai, Ratnagirishwarar of Ayyarmalai, and Engoinathar of Tiru Engoi Malai. Every day, Mutharasu would embark on a journey to visit all three temples, diligently traveling to Kulithalai in the morning, Ayyarmalai in the noon, and Engoi Malai in the evening. As age caught up with him, he could no longer maintain this daily pilgrimage, which filled him with sadness. He earnestly prayed to Lord Shiva for guidance. In response, Shiva appeared in his dream and instructed him to excavate the icons near the Vanni tree in the village. Following this divine guidance, Mutharasu unearthed three Shiva icons the next morning and constructed a temple by installing them.

Temple Layout:

The east-facing temple lacks a tower at the entrance or a flagstaff inside.

The primary sanctum, facing east, enshrines the revered Shiv Linga named Ratnagirishwarar. In a separate south-facing shrine, the Goddess Arala Kesari resides. Bali peetha and Nandi face the sanctum.

Within the prakara (outer courtyard), two other Shiv Lingas and their consorts can be found. The shrines of Engoinathar and Marakatavalli grace one corner, while the shrines of Kadamba Vaneswarar and Bala Kujalambikai adorn another corner. This completes the presence of three Shiv Lingas and Ambika in the temple.

Additional sub-shrines within the temple premises include those of Ganesha and Subramanya-Valli-Devasena.

Facing towards the sanctum, you will find the icons of Surya, Bhairava, and Shaneeswara, along with the Navagrahas.

Dakshinamurti, Linga, and Durga are among the Koshta deities. While Durga's icon is new, the temple still holds the enchanting ancient image of Chandikeshwara.

The temple's construction suggests it might have been built during the Nayaka or later period, as it does not appear to be extremely ancient.

Near the temple, you can discover a Grama devta temple, housing intriguing icons.

Happy travelling.