Sri Agastheeswarar Temple, Orikkai, Kanchipuram District, Tamil Nadu.

The list of Shiva temples in and around Kanchipuram with links to Google Photos, Location links on Google Maps, and Location QR Codes are posted already in this blog.  

Maha Shivaratri 2020 – Kanchipuram  Shiva Temples  Visit- 4

21st February 2020.

The visit to this Sri Agastheeswarar Temple, at Orikkai was a part of the 2020 Maha Shivaratri Temples Visit, on 21st February 2020. This Village Orikkai is on the Kanchipuram to Uthiramerur main Road, on the northern banks of River Palar. It is believed that this place was named after the Vishnu Temple and Vishnu is called “Or Iravu Tangi Irunda Perumal - ஓர் இரவு தங்கி இருந்த பெருமாள்” ( Perumal who stayed here for one night ), which has got corrupted to Orikkai. The transformation might have taken like this ஓர் இரவு இருக்கை – ஓரிருக்கை – ஒரிக்கை – Or iravu Irukkai – Orirukkai – Orikkai. This is one of the Villages, where Maha Periyava used to visit, especially during Chaturmasya vrata, first worship Sri Agastheeswarar and will go to camp.

The 18^th Century Sri Sivagnana Swamigal had written the sthala purana of various temples which includes Agathiyecharam, in Kanchi Puranam under Panathesara padalam. Don’t know, whether this is the one or not. Sage Agathiyar is commonly added to this temple also. The same is reproduced as given below.....

அகத்தியேச்சர வரலாறு

பண்ணிசைந்த வரிச்சுரும்பர் பாடல் பயிலும் மலரிலைஞ்சித்

தண்ணிசைந்த சிவகங்கைத் தழங்குந் திரைநீர் குடைந்தாடிப்

பெண்ணிசைந்த பெருவனப்பின் பிராட்டி யாங்குப்                                                         பிறங்கொளியால்

கண்ணிசைந்த களிசிறப்ப வகத்தி யேசங் கண்டணைந்தாள்

2230 அயன் அகத்தியருக்கு உரைத்தல்

அவ்வயி னகில நாத ரடியிைண தொழுது போற்றித்

தெவ்வலி யடுபோ ராண்மைத் தேவர்தங் குழாத்தி னோடும்

எவ்வமில் கேள்வி சான்ற குறுமுனி யிருக்கை நண்ணிப்

பெளளவநீர் பருகி னானைக் கண்டிது பகர லுற்றான்

2241 அகத்தியர் விந்தமைலைய அடக்குதல்

கச்சிமா நகரங் காணும் ஆதரங் கைமிக் கீர்ப்ப

நச்சணி மிடற்றார் பாத நைகமலர் மனத்துட் கொண்டு

பொச்சமில் மணையா ளோடும் வானெறிப் போது கின்ற

விச்சைதேர் முனிவன் றன்னைக் கண்டது விந்த நாகம் 

2248 அகத்தியர் காஞ்சியை யடைதல்

குன்றிறை முட்டி மறுகுங் குரீயின் தடையுண் டழுங்கி

நின்ற வருக்கன் முதேலார் நெறிகொளச் செல்ல விடுத்துத்

தந்துணைப் பாவையி னோடுஞ் சார்தரு தாபத வேவந்து

மன்றலம் பூம்பொழிற் காஞ்சி வளநகர் தன்னைமுன் கண்டான்  

Moolavar: Sri Agatheeswarar

Some of the salient features of this temple are...

The is a very small temple with a flat arch entrance from the south side. Balipeedam and Nandhi are in the Mukha Mandapam. Vinayagar is in the artha mandapam. The stucco image of Shiva and Parvati is on the top of the Mukha mandapam. At the entrance of Artha Mandapam on the left a Padam ( May be Maha Periyava ? ) and on the right Agastya Muni. In Koshtam Vinayagar, Dakshinamurthy, Maha Vishnu, Brahma and Durgai. The sanctum sanctorum consists of a Sanctum and an artha mandapam. A Vesara Vimana is above the sanctum. Chandikeswarar and a Donor sculpture (maybe Nayakas period) are in the Praharam.

In Prakaram there is an Amman temple. The Goddess may be Kali with Jwala Makudam. Amman is in a sitting posture. A saptakanni’s panel is at the base of Amman’s pedestal. At the entrance of the sanctum, on both sides are two female dwarfs Dwarapalakis. Simham and balipeedam are in the mandapam.       

HISTORY.

It is believed that the original temple with Shiva Linga belongs to 7^th to 8^th Century Pallava Period. Might have been reconstructed during the Vijayanagara Nayaks period and the details are not known. During Maha Periyava’s visit, the temple was in bad shape, and asked the locals to reconstruct the same.

With Sri Sankarenthira Saraswati Swamikal’s blessings, the temple was reconstructed and Kumbhabhishekam was conducted on 07th July 2014. The reconstruction was done under the Leadership of one Mr Subramaniyan, who left his bank job exclusively for this purpose. The required fund for the reconstruction was raised through Public and locals.

LEGEND:

It is believed that the Shiva Linga was installed and worshiped by the Sage Agathiyar, on his way to the South to balance the earth.

TEMPLE TIMINGS:

Since Oru kala pooja is conducted the opening and closing times are unpredictable.

CONTACT DETAILS:

Mr.Appasamy- +91 90429 04733 and Lavanya- +91 96771 18324 may be contacted for further details.

HOW TO REACH:

This temple is 500 meters off from Kanchipuram to Uthiramerur main Road.   

The temple is about 5.00 Km from Kanchipuram Bus Stand, 7.00 Km from Kanchipuram Railway station, 42.5 KM from Arakkonam, and 73 KM from Chennai.

Nearest Railway Station is Kanchipuram and Railway Junction is Arakkonam.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE

---OM SHIVAYA NAMA---