Ona Kantheeswarar Temple,
Panjupettai – Legends
Oneswarar,
Kantheeswarar and Jalanatheeswarar:
As per legend, Onan and Kanthan were demons (Asuras) and
commanders of demon king Vanasura. Both of them were securities at his fort
near a place called Puzhal. Onan found a Swayambhu Linga in this place and
performed severe penance doing abishek with his blood and secured many boons. Kanthan
too found a Linga and was blessed with boons as reward of his impeccable devotion
to Lord Shiva. There was a third asura, Jalandeeswaran, who joined the two, and
became an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva. He was also lucky to find a Linga and
got many boons from the Lord. The three shrines in the
temple, each dedicated to Oneswarar, Kantheeswarar and Jalanatheeswarar
are believed to be the respective shrines built by the demons.
Sundarar
renovated this temple using golden Tamarind:
When Saint
Sundarar visited this
temple, he found the Lingas buried
in an open space. He was all praise of the demons for their devotion to Lord
Shiva. To show the world that even demons were staunch Shiva devotees and to protect
the three Lingas, the saint sang in praise of the Lord seeking funds to build a
temple. Lord delayed his response to have more songs from the saint Sundarar.
He then showed a tamarind tree and disappeared. Sundarar saw the fruits of tree
changing to gold. Sundarar used the gold and built this
temple for the three Swayambhu Shiva Lingas.
Saint
Sundarar got back his eyesight here:
It is believed that Saint Sundarar got back the eyesight
in one of his eyes here which he lost on account of not keeping his word in the
Ekambaranathar
Temple.
