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.
