Friday, July 7, 2017

Muktheeswarar Temple, Sethalapathy – The Temple

Muktheeswarar Temple, Sethalapathy – The Temple
The temple is small but maintained beautifully. There is no Kodimaram. Raja gopuram was constructed recently with one side normal stucco images and other (inner) side only flat surface with paintings. Presiding Deity is called as Mathi Muktheeswarar / Thilathaimathimukthar / Mutheesar / Mandara Vaneswarar with his consort Goddess Porkodinayaki / Suvarnnavalli / Marakathavalli. Sthala Vriksham is Mandaram.











Theerthams associated with this temple are Brahma Theertham, Arasalaru and Chandra Theertham. In India 7 places are considered as special or important place for performing Last Rites. They are Kasi, Rameswaram, Gaya, Thiriveni Sangamam, Srivanchiyam, Thiruvengadu and Thilatharpanpuri. In the outer praharam (circumambulatory path) you can see the idol of Rama performing the Tharpanam and also the four lingams known as Pitru Lingams. 












The important deity of this temple is “Nara Mukha Ganapathy” in a separate shrine at the entrance of the temple. This Vinayaga has a human face here and nowhere can we see Vinayaga in this form. Normally we know Vinayaga only with Elephant Head, but in this temple, Lord Vinayaga is seen with Human Head and called as "Adhi Vinayagar". Hence the temple is known by Nara Ganapathi rather than by the main deity’s name in recent times.











There are shrines for Ganesha, Nandikeswara, Subramanya with his consorts valli & Daivayannai, Nalvar, Ramalingam, Kasi Viswanathar & Visalakshi, Gajalakshmi, Srinivasa with Sridevi & Bhoodevi Naachiyars, Adi Vinayaka, Chandra, Surya, Rama & Lakshmana, Bhairava, Navagrahas and Goshtamurtham – Ganesha, Dakshinamurthy & Sanakadis, Brahma, Vishnu and Durga.