The Shiva temple at Kanjanur presents a magnificent sight, with its impressive five-tiered rajagopuram towering above and beckoning devotees to enter. Upon passing through the ornate gateway, visitors embark on the traditional circumambulation of the outer prakaram, a pathway encircling the temple complex. Completing the circuit, devotees then proceed through another entrance leading to an inner enclosure. Flanking this threshold are the sannidhis dedicated to Vinayaka and Viswanathar. Adjacent to these sanctums lies the sannidhi of the female consort deity. As one makes their way towards the central sanctum from the entrance, they encounter yet another captivating enclosure known as the 'Vavval Nethi Mandap'. This unique structure, resembling the forehead of a bat, houses additional sannidhis for Vinayaka, Mayura Subramanya, and Mahalakshmi. Beneath the canopy of the sacred tree within the complex, one finds the Linga of Agneeswarar, a manifestation of Lord Shiva. Nearby stand the idols of Mana-kancharar and Kali-Kaamar, two significant figures in the temple's rich history. Completing this ensemble are the idols of Suraikkai Bhakthar and his devoted spouse (story given below).
The Kanjanur Agneeswarar Temple, houses an array of sannidhis within its 'Maha Mandap', each dedicated to various divine entities; Bhairavar, Surya, Sani, Chandra, Navagraha, along with the primary four nayanmaras. Of particular significance is the Natarja Sabha, situated within the mandap, where the divine cosmic dancer Nataraja is depicted in the rare 'Mukthi Thandava' form, accompanied by his consort Shivakami, as revealed to the venerable Sage Parashara. This unique portrayal of the dancing Shiva in his liberating stance lends the 'Maha Mandap' its alternate appellation, the 'Mukthi Mandap'. The presiding deity, Agneeswarar, resides in an east-facing sanctum, manifesting as a self-emanated 'swayambhu linga' with a distinctively tall and elongated 'bana' or shaft. The Kanjanur Agneeswarar Temple is celebrated for its three-fold glories - the divine Murthy or deity, the sacred Sthalam or place, and the holy theertham or water body. The temple's sanctity is further amplified by the fact that Agneeswarar was worshipped by the deities Mahavishnu and Brahma, as well as Chandra and the legendary devotee Kamsa Pandiyan. A unique belief associated with this temple is that the Goddess resides in the right half of the deity, a divine manifestation that occurred when the divine couple appeared before Brahma showing the vision of their celestial wedding, a form known as 'Tirumana Kolam'.
The Sthala Puranam, a sacred text associated with the Kanjanur temple, narrates a compelling tale from the Vamana avataram, one of the incarnations of Lord Vishnu. Vishnu manifested as a diminutive boy named Vamana and approached the mighty king Bali with a humble request for three steps of land. However, Sukracharya, the wise guru of the asuras, harbored suspicions about the true identity and intentions of this unassuming child. Adamant in his conviction, Sukracharya cautioned MahaBali against granting the boy's wish, but the noble king, bound by his principles of generosity, disregarded his advisor's counsel. Determined to prevent the donation, Sukracharya assumed the form of a minuscule bee and cleverly concealed himself within the spout of Bali's kamandalu, a sacred water pot from which the king would pour water to seal the gift. Consequently, when Bali attempted to release the water, the hidden presence of Sukracharya obstructed its flow. Undeterred, Vamana, who was none other than Lord Vishnu himself, deftly employed a blade of 'darbha' grass to pierce the disguised Sukracharya, inflicting a grievous wound that cost the guru one of his eyes and forced him to emerge from his hiding place. With the obstruction removed, Bali proceeded to grant Vamana his three steps of land, unwittingly setting the stage for a profound cosmic event. In a breathtaking display of his true form, Vamana transformed into a colossal figure, striding across the earth and the heavens, claiming his promised territory. As a gesture of his third step, Vamana gently placed his foot upon King Bali, bestowing a powerful blessing upon the humbled ruler. However, Sukracharya, enraged by Vishnu's actions, invoked a potent curse against the deity. Seeking solace and redemption, Vishnu journeyed to the sacred site of Kanjanur, where he earnestly prayed to Lord Shiva for deliverance from the curse's consequences. Moved by Vishnu's devotion, Shiva not only granted him absolution but also made a solemn vow to forever reside at Kanjanur, extending his divine grace to all who came seeking Shukran's favor.
Story of a 'Suraikkai' Devotee - According legend, there was once a humble and pious devotee who made his living by cultivating and selling ash gourds. One day, after a particularly busy market session, the devotee returned home having sold all of his gourds except for one. His intention was to save the seeds from this final gourd so that he could plant them and grow a new crop to sustain his livelihood. However, on that day, the god Shiva arrived at the devotee's door disguised as a weary traveler seeking food and shelter. The devotee, always faithful to the sacred duty of serving guests, was suddenly faced with a perplexing dilemma. Religious customs held that it was improper to serve a guest any dish made from ash gourd. Yet this single remaining gourd, and more importantly its precious seeds, were all the devotee had left to offer. At this critical moment, it is said that an asareeri, or divine disembodied voice, spoke to the conflicted devotee, instructing him to cut the gourd in two - using half to serve the guest, and saving the other half to extract the seeds.
Story of Hara-Dhutta - Sudharshanan, a boy born into a Vaishnava family in the town of Kanchanur, was a devotee of god Shiva despite his family's religious affiliation. His father, Vasudeva, raised him in the Vaishnava tradition, but Sudharshanan's devotion to Shiva was unwavering. Each day, he would embark on a pilgrimage to several nearby temples dedicated to Shiva, including Tirumanthurai, Tirumangalakudi, Tirukurangaduthurai, Tiruvavaduthurai, Tiruvalangadu, and Tirukodikka. Remarkably, Sudharshanan would always manage to return to Kanchanur in time for the Artha Jama puja. However, the people of Kanchanur were displeased with a member of a Vaishnava family showing such devotion to Shiva. As a test of his faith, they demanded that Sudharshanan sit on a scorching hot chair. To their astonishment, he remained unharmed, calmly reciting the panchakshara mantra, a sacred chant in Shaivism. Dakshinamurthy, a form of Shiva as guru, bestowed upon him the name Hara-dhutta, meaning "one who is held by Shiva." The temple in Kanchanur where this event took place depicts Dakshinamurthy along with Hara-dhutta, immortalizing the moment when the divine guru imparted the profound meaning of the panchakshara mantra to his devoted disciple. This unique portrayal of Dakshinamurthy and Hara-dhutta can also be found in the Mahavishnu temple in Kanchanur. Within the Mahavishnu temple complex, there are also shrines dedicated to Agneeswarar and Karpagambal.
The legend of Hara-Dhutta and his devotion to Lord Shiva provides a compelling example of the power of sincere faith. According to the tale, a wealthy man would make daily offerings, known as Neivethyam, to the deity Agneeswarar. Each night, Agneeswarar would appear in the man's dreams, consuming the food that had been reverently presented. However, one evening, the customary dream failed to manifest, prompting the wealthy devotee to seek an explanation for this anomaly. Upon investigation, he discovered that Shiva, in the guise of an impoverished man, had visited the abode of Hara-Dhutta, where he partook of a meal, sating his hunger and rendering the wealthy man's offerings unnecessary. This incident served as a profound revelation to the affluent individual, illuminating the true greatness and spiritual purity of Hara-Dhutta, whose humble offerings, born of genuine devotion, had proven more meaningful than the opulent gifts of the rich man. The temple housing this legend features an evocative idol depicting Hara-Dhutta alongside Shiva in his impoverished human form. Furthermore, at the entrance to Kanjanur, beneath the sprawling canopy of a majestic banyan tree, stands another temple dedicated to Hara-Dhutta, capturing the essence of his devotion as he engages in the sacred act of performing a Shiva puja.
The pathikam composed by Tiru-Naavukkarasar is in 6'th Tirumurai.
5 Tiered Gopuram
'Suraikkai' Devotee
Saneeshwara, Bhairava, Surya, Chandra
Nataraja, Shivakami
Shukran Sannidhi
Agneeshwarar Sannidhi