Shri Agneeswarar Temple Thirukattupalli,Thanjavur,Tamilnadu
Shri Agneeswarar Temple is a Hindu Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva located at Thirukattupalli on the southern banks of river Kudamurutti in Thanjavur District of Tamil Nadu, India. The temple is located about 8 Kms from Budalur, 15 Kms from Kallanai (Grand Anicut), 19 Kms from Thiruvaiyaru and 26 Kms from Thanjavur.
This temple is perhaps the only Shiva temple located below the ground level called Pathala Moolasthanam. Another interesting feature is Lord Dakshinamurthy can be seen in this temple in Monkey-pose. The oldest and first shrine of Lord Brahma is located in this temple.
The Presiding Deity of the temple is called Shri Agneeswarar or Theeyaadiyappar (in Tamil) and Devi Parvati is known as Soundara Nayaki or Vaarkonda Mulai Amman (in Tamil)
The temple has two Sthala Vriksham (holy tree of the temple) namely Vanni (Shami tree) and Vilvam (Bael tree). Apart from the Kudamurutti river, the Surya Theertham and the Agni Theertham (in the form of a well) also serve as Temple Theerthams.
The fire God Agni is believed to have worshiped the Lord to cleanse the sins. Hence the Lord came to be known as Agneeswarar and the place Agneeswaram. In Tamil the Lord is called Thee Adi Appar – Thee being equivalent to the term Agni.
The place was once covered by dense forest and from it derived the name Thiru Kaattu Palli. Interestingly the word Palli in the name indicates Jain connection.
History of the temple
The temple is a very ancient one as indicated by two facts (1) worship of the Lord by Indra cand other Devas, Agni being one of them (2) the installation of the first ever shrine for Lord Brahma. However, the exact age of the temple is not known.
Records indicate that the credit of erecting the present structure goes to Aditya Chozhan (871-907 CE) and several additions were made by his great grandson Uttama Chozhan (970-985 CE). Later, contributions were made by Raja Raja Chozhan, Sindara Pandiyan and Vijayanagara rulers.
This temple was part of an old fort captured by the British in 1771; it was recaptured by Hyder Ali in 1781.
Legends of the Temple
Once all the Devas with their chief Indra assembled here and prayed to the Lord. Agni Deva had a special request since he burns all the evils of the devotees who perform homams, he had to carry their sins. He prayed to the Lord to cleanse him of his sins.
Lord Shiva gave Agni Deva s boon that henceforth he (the Lord) would absorb all the sins and Agni Deva would always remain pure. Hence the Lord came to known as Agneeswarar.
Lord Brahma, who had told a lie once, was removed from the group of Trinity. He prayed to Lord Shiva at this temple to pardon him. The Lord absolved him of his sin, readmitted Brahma to the Trinity fold and also instructed that a shrine for Brahma be built within the complex. That’s how the first ever shrine of Lord Brahma came into existence.
