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Monday, March 23, 2020

Agastheeswarar Temple, Karuvalarcheri – The Temple

Agastheeswarar Temple, Karuvalarcheri – The Temple
This is a small east facing temple with a three-tiered Rajagopuram. Shrines of Vinayaga and Murugan can be found at the entrance of Rajagopuram. Nandi and Balipeedam can be found facing sanctum immediately after the Rajagopuram. Presiding Deity is called as Agastheeswarar. He is facing east. He is housed in the sanctum in the form of Lingam. Lord is a Swayambhu Moorthy. Brahma, Dakshinamoorthy, Vishnu, Durga and Vinayaga are the Koshta idols located around the sanctum walls.


Mother is called as Karu Valartha Nayagi / Akhilandeshwari. She is housed in an east facing shrine to the right side of the sanctum. Karu Valartha Nayagi is in Putru (ant hill) form and is a Swayambhu Moorthy. Hence no Abhishekam is performed to her and only Thaila Kappu or Oil abhishekam is performed. There is always a screen in front of Ambal to the chest height and so only the upper portion of mother is visible on normal days. The screen is removed only on Shivarathri and all the nine days of Navaratri. All archanas are done only to the Moola Sri Chakra Maha Meru and Sri chakram.


There is a separate shrine housing Sage Agasthya with his consort Lopamudra along with Nagaraja, Nagakanni and Bhairava in the temple prakaram. There are shrines for Pradhana Vinayakar, Lord Murugan with his consorts Valli & Deivanai, Chandikeswarar and Navagrahas in the temple premises. Theertham associated with this Temple is Chandra Theertham. It is situated just outside the Temple. There is a well inside the temple. Lakshmi Narayana Temple is situated adjacent to this temple.