Kasi Viswanathar Temple, Irumbadi, Sholavandan, Madurai
Kasi
Viswanathar Temple is a Hindu Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva located at
Irumbadi Village near Sholavandan Town in Madurai District of Tamilnadu.
Presiding Deity is called as Kasi Viswanathar and Mother is called as Visalakshi.
Legends
Irumbadi:
The
place now called as Irumbadi was a weapon manufacturing centre of the Pandya
kings. They were producing various kinds of weapons to strengthen their army.
It is so happened that those in the production work lost their limbs due to
some processing errors. To avoid such tragedies and ensure their victory in
wars, the king prayed to Lord Shiva, brought a Shivalinga from Kasi and
installed it in this place.
Maratha King Shivaji worshipped Lord Shiva here:
According
to the story, Maratha King Shivaji came to this place to worship Lord Shiva
seeking his blessing to win the war against the Moguls.
The
Temple
Presiding
Deity is called as Kasi Viswanathar. The idol of Lord Viswanatha is not tall.
The Nandi, the bull vehicle of Lord Shiva appears very lively. Mother is called
as Visalakshi. Goddess Mother appears in the temple wearing the Pambadam jewel.
Sthala Vriksham is Vilwa Tree. There is a Well in the Temple that acts as
Theertham of this Temple. The water in the well (even today) is very sweet.
Temple
Opening Time
The
temple remains open from 8.00 a.m. to 9.00 p.m. and 6.00 a.m. to 7.00 p.m.
During festival days the temple is open from early morning.
Festivals
3 Days
Brahmmotsavam in Panguni (March-April), Masi Magam, Shivarathri (February-March),
Karthikai (November-December) are the festivals grandly celebrated in the
temple besides the monthly Pradosha days (13th day from the New Moon or full
moon day), Tiruvadhirai also called Arudra darshan (December-January) and Annabishekam
are the festivals celebrated in this Temple.
Prayers
To
realize their ambitions, devotees bathe (doing abishek) the Lord with milk, tender
coconut, honey, curd, etc. They also pour milk on the Nagas for relief from the
adverse aspects of the snakes. Those who had overcome obstacles in marriages offer
new clothes to the Lord and the Goddess. Devotees offer Sari (Vastra) to the
mother on realizing their prayers.
Connectivity
The
Temple is located at about 2 Kms from Karuppatti Bus Stop, 3 Kms from
Karuppatti Railway Station, 5 Kms from Sholavandan Railway Feeder Road Bus
Stop, 5 Kms from Sholavandan Railway Station, 9 Kms from Thiruvedagam, 9 Kms
from Vadipatti, 30 Kms from Madurai, 29 Kms from Madurai Railway Junction, 29
Kms from Madurai Periyar Bus Stand, 33 Kms from Madurai Mattuthavani Integrated
Bus Terminus and 40 Kms from Madurai Airport. Nellai Express from Chennai stops
at Sholavandan station (4.45 AM Arrival). There are buses frequently available to
Sholavandan from Periyar Bus stand in Madurai.
Location
