Sarndhaarai Kaatha Easwaran Temple, Thillaiyadi,
Nagapattinam
Sarndhaarai
Kaatha Easwaran Temple is dedicated to Hindu God Shiva located at Thillaiyadi
Village near Thirukkadaiyur in Nagapattinam District of Tamilnadu. Presiding
Deity is called as Sarndhaarai Kaatha Easwaran or Saranagatha Ratchagar and
Mother is called as Brahanayaki. Sarndhaarai Kaatha Easwaran is believed to
have cured Sage Agasthiar of a disease and an idol showing Sri Agasthiar
seeking his blessings can be seen at this temple.
This
temple was built by a minister of a king without the permission of the King. At
the same time the King also constructed a temple. When the kumbhabhishekam date
of both temples coincides Lord Shiva in Kings Dream told that he will be
attending to the minister’s temple. Based on this the king visited the temple
and asked the ministers to give the Palan of constructing this temple. When the
minister refused, the King tried to kill him with his word. Lord Shiva appeared
and the sword hit the legs of Shiva (crack is visible in the Aalinganamurthy)
in Koshtam.
The
temple has been a treasure trove of inscriptions dating back to the periods of
the Chola, Nayak and Pandya rulers. The inscriptions give details about the Poojai
and other rituals performed at the temple. One of the inscriptions pertains to
a grant sanctioned by a ruler for performing ‘Rudhra Japam’.
There
are a large number of inscriptions on the northern and southern end of the
‘prakaram’ of Sri Sarndhaarai Kaatha Easwaran, ‘mahamandapam’ and the Vavval
netri mandapam besides the entrance at the shrine dedicated to Sri Brahanayaki.
The temple was last renovated and ‘mahakumbahbishekam’ performed on September
14, 1997. Devas worshiped Lord Shiva of this temple. Brahma worshiped in the
form of Yazhi. This Shiva Temple is in Thillaiyadi on the way to
Thiruvidaikazhi from Thirukkadaiyur.
