Kasi Viswanathar Temple, Ooty, Nilgiris
Kasi Viswanathar Temple is a Hindu Temple dedicated to
Lord Shiva located in Ooty Town in Ooty
Taluk of Nilgiris District of Tamilnadu. Presiding Deity is called as
Kasi Viswanathar and Mother is called as Visalakshi. This place is called as Tirukandhal
during ancient times. This is the only Shiva temple in Nilgiris with Lord
Dakshinamurthy.
The Temple
Presiding Deity is called as Kasi Viswanathar. He is
housed in the sanctum in the form of Lingam. The Linga installed is a
Banalinga. Banalinga is one that has a line as if wearing the sacred thread.
One Spadika Linga (made of crystal) is equal to 1000 Lingas made of stone and
one Banalinga is equal to 12 lakh Spadika Linga. This is not designed or made
by anybody. Mother is called as Visalakshi.
This is the only Shiva temple in Nilgiris with Lord
Dakshinamurthy. Dakshinamurthy in the temple is different here with a Chin
Mudra (Keeping the thumb and next pointing finger together while the other
three are left alone. The thumb is Paramatma. The next one is Jeevatma. The
other fingers represent pride, continuation of the fate from earlier births and
the third illusion preventing the Jeevatma towards Paramatma). Those desirous
of wisdom and renunciation should worship this Dakshinamurthy.
The Siddha Mutt was established in the year 1882 by His
Holiness Ekambara Desikar. He embraced the ascetic life suddenly a day. He
wandered in the jungles and hills of Nilgiris doing penance. As he very often
went deep into meditation, his disciples were performing the services. After
his life time, other Siddhas were maintaining and managing the mutt. One Raya
Boyar installed the Banalinga and built the temple. The tombs of all the
Siddhas are in the temple complex.
Temple Opening Time
The temple remains open from 6.00 a.m. to 11.00 a.m. and
5.00 p.m. to 8.00 p.m.
Festivals
3 days Maha Shivrathri is the main festival of the
temple drawing a crowd of over 50,000. The crowd would be more on New Year day,
other Shiva related days and Pradosha days (13th day either from new
moon or full moon days).
Prayers
The worship in the temple brings the devotee benefits as
a happy marriage, child boon and mental peace. People perform abhishekam with
milk, oils, green coconut etc. Some undergo fasting and do charities as such
practices bring them greater benefits. As this is a very famous temple in
Nilgiris, devotees pray here followed by feeding and offer nivedhanas to the
Lord and distribute to other devotees visiting he temple.
Contact
Kasi Viswanathar Temple,
Ooty, Nilgiris District – 643 006
Phone: +91 423 244 6717
Connectivity
The Temple is
located at about 2.5 Kms from Ooty, 3 Kms from Ooty Bus Stand, 3.5 Kms from
Ooty Railway Station, 23 Kms from Coonoor, 33 Kms from Kotagiri, 54 Kms from Mettupalayam
Railway Station, 87 Kms from Coimbatore and 98 Kms from Coimbatore Airport.
Ooty is well connected to Coimbatore, Kerala and Karnataka.
Location
