Darmeswarar Temple, Achuthamangalam, Thiruvarur

Darmeswarar Temple, Achuthamangalam, Thiruvarur

Darmeswarar Temple is a Hindu Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva located at Achuthamangalam Village in Thiruvarur District of Tamilnadu. Presiding Deity is called as Darmeswarar and Mother is called as Dharmapatni.

Legends

After losing all the royal wealth and life, Pandava Brothers resorted to woods with Panchali. They lost everything material in life but not the faith in the Almighty. They carried with them this faith intensely, visited many holy places, bathed in sacred rivers and worshipped in famous temples. They reached Thiruvannamalai, the holy place that would lift the devotee to higher levels of life. They came to the region made fertile by the perennial flow of the Holy Cauvery. They performed Shiva Pujas.

They came to a place that was very pleasant but without a river or a tank. Panchali was sad. Arjuna took an arrow, prayed to Lord Krishna for a while and aimed it on the ground. Water began to leak out gradually and soon there was a vast and deep tank. All had a pleasant bath, took Vilwa leaves and performed Shiva Puja. They returned to their place, Hasthinapuri, fought for their rights, regained the throne. 

The tank created by Arjuna with his arrow boring the ground still exists in the temple. Knowing the creation of the tank by Arjuna, devotees in the place built a Shiva temple here. Everyone hopes that prayer in the temple would bring them back lost earlier. The place was earlier known as Arjuna Mangalam after the name of the tank and has now changed as Achuthamangalam.  The Lord is named after the name of Dharma the eldest of the Pandava brothers. Mother is praised as Dharmapatni.

The Temple

The west facing Darmeswarar Temple, worshipped by Yudhishthira and other Pandavas is in a pathetic state. Presiding Deity is called as Darmeswarar and Mother is called as Dharmapatni. The Avudayar traditionally on the left of the Shivalinga is on the right side in this temple. The Lord is named after the name of Dharma the eldest of the Pandava brothers. The Ambal shrine has fallen down and the Deity is kept in the Ardhamandapam of Swami sannidhi. The tank created by Arjuna with his arrow boring the ground still exists in the temple. 

Festivals

Maha Shivarathri in February-March and Tirukarthikai in November-December are the festivals celebrated in the temple.

Prayers

Devotees pray here to recover what they had lost. Devotees perform abishek to Lord Darmeswarar and Mother Dharmapatni with Vilwa petals and offer vastras.

Connectivity

Achuthamangalam is located at about 3 Kms from Srivanchiyam, 3 Kms from Nannilam, 19 Kms from Nachiyar Koil, 30 Kms from Kumbakonam, 20 Kms from Thiruvarur and 120 Kms from Trichy. Nearest Railway Station is located at Nannilam and Nearest Airport is located at Trichy.