Maragadachaleswarar Temple, Thiruengoimalai – The
Temple
This temple is housed atop of small hillock and one has
to climb about 500 steps to reach the temple. The steps are not uniform and
many places they were deformed. The temple is facing East. The hillock is
otherwise called Maragathamalai / Thenkailayam / Sivasakthimalai / Malaikovil /
Erattimalai. The river Cauvery passes nearby the hillock. The river
'Surpanathi' passes adjoining the hillock. The river is otherwise called
Kondayurumarai or Kondamarai.
Presiding Deity is called as Maragathachalar /
Maragadachaleswarar / Trinajyotheeswarar / Eengoinathar / Malaikozhnthar /
Achutheeswarar / Brahmeswarar / Indreekarar / Threethar. The special feature of
this Shivasthalam is that the sun's rays falls for three days on the
Shivalingam (Maragathalingam) on the Sivarathiri day in the Tamil month of Masi
every year. The Linga changes colour during this time.
The lingam of the temple
is said to be transparent and also to throw a green shadow when camphor is
burned. It is therefore called the 'emerald' (Maragatha) lingam. The god is
connected with the deities of kadambarkovil and Ratnagiri. At all three temples
special poojas are performed in Karthigai and the Thaipoosam day. Mother is
called as Maragathavalli / Maragadambikai. Sthala Vriksham is Tamarind tree.
Different postures of Lord Dhakshinamoorthy can be found
on the moolavar Vimanam. This is the 52nd Sakthi Peedam of 64 Sakthi Peedams. There
is statue for Agasthiyar Muni in this Temple. 63 Nayanmar Idols cannot be seen
in this Temple. Valli Deivanai samedha Arumuga Peruman was gifted by
Thiyagarajabagavathar kept at the base temple for safety reasons. The
regular Pooja is performed in the evening.
There is Bogar Siddhar Temple at the base of this Shiva
Temple. Also, Chayapeedam of Shri Lalithambika (One of the 51 Shakthi peedams)
is located very nearby in the foothills of Thiruengoimalai is the. The whole
temple is being maintained by Yogini ladies (Brahmacharinis). This place is
well described in text of Meru Thanthiram. It is said to be Sati Devi’s face
shadow falls here and named as “Sayapuram”.
