There are two temples named TiruKattuPalli. The one near Tiruvenkadu is listed as being north of the River Cauvery and is known as Keezhai TiruKattuPalli. The other temple, known as Melai TiruKattuPalli, is listed under the South of the River Cauvery. This is where the Kudamurutti branch of the river Cauvery begins.
The Shiva temple located at Melai-TirukattuPalli captivates our attention with its intricately designed five-tiered Gopuram, which encompasses three concentric corridors. The sanctum of the main deity resides at a subterranean level, and since the deity was revered by 'Agni', the site came to be known as Agneeswaram. The water source created by Agni for his worship now exists as a well. The main deity, Agneeswarar, is a Swayambhu Linga, modest in size, topped with a five-headed serpent. Due to the narrowness of the sanctum and its placement, one cannot go too close and can see the deity only from afar. As we stroll around the sanctum, we can spot Yoga Dakshinamurthy on the southern side of the wall encircling the sanctum. Additionally, there is a shrine for Vinayaka. Beside Vinayaka, we also find Lingothbhava. On the western side of the wall surrounding the sanctum, the space designated for Lingothbhava is instead occupied by Artha Nareeshwara. Furthermore, we can see the shrine of Arumukha along with his consorts Valli and Deivanai, as well as Kasi Viswanathar, Visalakshi, Gajalakshmi, and Goddess Durga.
Goddess Soundaranayaki is enshrined in a separate sanctum. To the left of the main sanctum, there is a dedicated sannidhi for Brahma. According to legend, this is the very place where Brahma’s curse was lifted. In deep devotion, Brahma worshipped Shiva here and pleaded to be recognized as one among the divine Trinity. There is a distinct sannidhi for Srinivasa Perumal within the temple complex. A unique feature of this temple is the presence of two Dakshinamurthy idols in the second prakaram (circumambulatory path). A mysterious and spiritually significant detail is that another Dakshinamurthy can be seen through a small opening below the primary Guru Dakshinamurthy idol. In the Navagraha sannidhi, all the planetary deities are positioned facing the Sun, emphasizing the Sun's central role and divine supremacy in Vedic astrology and temple architecture.
The Yoga Dakshinamurthy enshrined in the Thiyadiyappar Temple holds a distinct and revered place among devotees. He is depicted in a rare form as a Yoga Murthy, seated gracefully in Kurangasana (a yogic posture resembling a crouched or deer-like stance), radiating peace and wisdom. He is adorned with 'Makarakandi' Rudraksha mala around his neck. He also wears the Sun and Moon symbols on his sacred attire, representing cosmic balance and enlightenment. According to temple tradition and belief, those who worship this Yoga Dakshinamurthy with five ghee lamps (deepam) and Mullai (a specific flower) with pure devotion are blessed with marriage, education, and wealth. This form of Dakshinamurthy is considered exceptionally powerful, especially for those seeking guidance in life’s key milestones and spiritual wisdom.
According to the Puranas, the celestial gods along with their leader Indra once came to Thirukattupalli to worship the residing deity Shiva. During this divine congregation, Agni Deva, the god of fire, approached Shiva with a heartfelt plea. He lamented that everything he touched was being burned and destroyed, and he sought a way to rid himself of the curse causing such destruction. Moved by Agni’s devotion and distress, Shiva appeared before him, created a water body 'Agni Theertham' within the temple premises for Agni's worship. It is firmly believed that those who bathe in Agni Theertham and worship the deity during auspicious occasions such as Sundays in the tamil month Karthigai, Masimagam, Panguni Uthiram, and Vaikasi Visakam will be blessed with immense spiritual and worldly benefits.
The sacredness of this temple is further magnified in the hymns of Thirunavukkarasar (Appar), whose Pathikam (hymn) dedicated to this temple is included in the 5th Thirumurai. In several verses, he emphasizes the spiritual merit of visiting this site. He declares that: "Before the soul departs the body, one must at least once come to Thirukattupalli and worship the deity here."
5 Tiered Gopuram
altar, Dwajasthambam
Nandi
Agneeswarar Sannidhi Entrance
Dakshinamurthy
Sthala Vruksham