Amirthagateswarar temple, Tiru-Kadavur
Location: Tiru-Kadavur
Deity known as: Amirthagateswarar
Female Deity: Abirami
Pathikam: Tirunavukarasar - 3, Sambandar - 1, Sundarar - 1
Gallery - Amirthagateswarar Temple
How to Reach
This Shiva temple is situated on the Mayiladuthurai–Tarangambadi route. Tirukkadavur Mayanam, is located about 2 km from here. Tirukkadavur is easily accessible from Sirkazhi as well as Mayiladuthurai.
Temple Address
Tirukkadavur
Mayiladuthurai District
Tamil Nadu
Temple Hours
Morning: 6:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Evening: 4:00 PM - 8:30 PM
Nearby Temples
| 1 | Mayiladuthurai - 20 kms | |
| 2 | Sembanar koil - 11 kms | |
| 3 | TiruThalaichangadu - 7.3 kms | |
| 4 | TiruAakkur - 5 kms | |
| 5 | Tiru-Kadavur Mayanam - 2 kms | |
| 6 | Tiru-Vetta-Kudi - 16 kms |
Temple Legends
Brahma and the Bilva Seed
Brahma, the Creator, yearned to receive divine knowledge and engaged in intense, single-minded worship, meditating upon God Shiva. Pleased with his devotion, Shiva bestowed upon him a bilva seed and instructed Brahma that he should worship Him at the place where the seed would sprout within a muhurtha (48 minutes) of being sown, in order to receive divine knowledge (jnana upadesham). The seed sprouted within the auspicious moment at Thirukadavur, and hence this sacred place came to be known as Vilva Vanam.
The Pot of Nectar
Not wishing to share the nectar (Amrita) obtained from the churning of the Ocean of Milk, the Devas carried it with them in a pot (kadam) and set out on their journey. En route, they halted at this place to bathe and temporarily placed the pot here. When they returned and attempted to lift it, they discovered that the pot could not be moved. The spot where the pot took root in the earth came to be known as Thirukadavur. As the pot assumed the form of a Shiva Linga and remained firmly established here, the presiding deity is worshipped as Amritaghateswarar.
Ashta Veeratta Temple
Tirukkadavur is one of the 'Ashta Veerattana' temples. Shiva vanquished Yama, the God of Death, here to save the life of Markandeya.
The Legend of Markandeya
Sage Mrikandu and his wife fervently prayed to God Shiva for a child. Shiva appeared before them and offered a choice: they could be blessed with a foolish son who would live a long life, or an intelligent son whose life would be short. The sage and his wife chose the latter. In due course, they were blessed with a brilliant child, who came to be known as Markandeya.
As Markandeya approached his sixteenth year, he learned that his life was destined to end. Undaunted, he left his home and took refuge in a Shiva temple, immersing himself in intense devotion. At the appointed hour, Yama, the god of death, arrived to claim the boy's soul and cast his noose around him. Markandeya instantly embraced the Shiva Lingam, and the noose fell upon the Lingam itself.
Enraged by this act, God Shiva emerged from the Linga and struck Yama down, killing him and thereby halting death itself. Markandeya was thus saved. However, with Yama's death, no living being on earth could die, and Bhumi Devi, the Earth Goddess, found herself unable to bear the ever-increasing burden of life.
Moved by the prayers of the gods and the suffering of the earth, Shiva restored Yama to life (at Tirupaingneeli) and granted Markandeya eternal youth, blessing him to remain forever sixteen.
Divine Significance
Thirukkadaiyur is where this legend is believed to have unfolded. The presiding deity here is Amritaghateswarar—the deity associated with the pot of nectar (Amrita), who bestows immortality. This divine episode is vividly portrayed in the form of a bronze idol of Kaala Samhara Moorthy.
Temple Structure
Rajagopuram
Although the temple has Rajagopurams on both the eastern and western sides, the seven-tiered Rajagopuram on the western side serves as the main entrance. The presiding deity, Amritaghateswarar, enshrined in the sanctum, is a Swayambhu Lingam facing west.
Subsidiary Deities
The circumambulatory corridor around the sanctum houses sannidhis for Muruga, Lakshmi, Somaskanda, Nataraja, Vilvaneswarar, Bhairava, the Pancha Bhoota Lingas, Surya, Agastya, the Sapta Kannikas, and the 63 Nayanmars. Notably, there is no Sannidhi for the nine planetary deities (Navagraha) in this temple.
Kaala Samhara Moorthy
In the mandapam situated in front of the main sanctum, devotees can behold the bronze idol of Kaala Samhara Moorthy. Yama is depicted fallen upside down beneath the Deity's feet. Kaala Samhara Moorthy is seen firmly placing His right foot on the ground while raising His left foot to strike Yama. Markandeya stands nearby with folded hands in reverence.
Yama has a small sannidhi here, where he is depicted standing with folded hands, accompanied by his buffalo mount. Due to Yama's noose touching the Lingam, a crack at the top and marks on the body of the Lingam are believed to be visible even today.
Goddess Abirami – Abirami Anthathi
Goddess Abirami
The sannidhi of Goddess Abirami is located in the outer prakaram of this temple, facing east. It is this very Goddess Abirami who bestowed her grace upon Goddess Saraswati and upon Abirami Bhattar.
Legend of Abirami Bhattar
A Bhattar who lived in this town was an ardent devotee of Goddess Abirami. His intense devotion often placed him in a trance-like state. On one such occasion, when King Saraboji II of Thanjavur visited this place, he asked the Bhattar what the lunar day (tithi) was. Immersed in thoughts of the Goddess, the Bhattar mistakenly declared the new moon day (Amavasya) as the full moon day (Pournami).
The temple priests had earlier conveyed unfavorable opinions about the Bhattar to the king. Enraged by this response, the king proclaimed that the Bhattar would be punished if the full moon did not appear that night.
Abirami Anthathi
In deep surrender to Goddess Abirami, the Bhattar composed the Abirami Anthathi, a garland of 100 devotional verses. Miraculously, on the night of Amavasya, a full moon appeared. When the 79th verse was sung, Goddess Abirami removed one of her earrings and cast it into the sky, where it manifested as the radiant full moon. Those who worship Goddess Abirami, who thus blessed her devotee, are believed to attain all forms of well-being.
Special Features of the Temple
Karthigai Month Somavara Abhishekam
On the Mondays (Somavaram) of the Tamil month of Karthigai, abhishekam is performed to the presiding deity using 1,008 conch shells, including sacred right-spiralled (Valampuri) conches, arranged in the Shankha Mandapam situated opposite the sanctum. Only during this ritual can devotees behold the deity without any adornment or clothing. At this time, the marks left by Yama's noose and the crack at the top of the Lingam—formed when Shiva burst forth to destroy Yama—are clearly visible.
Abhishekam for Kaala Samhara Moorthy
The bronze idol of Kaala Samhara Moorthy in the front mandapam is exquisitely crafted, depicting Shiva emerging from a Shiva Lingam split into two, holding a trident in His hand. Abhishekam for this form of Kaala Samhara Moorthy is performed only eleven times a year. On these rare occasions, devotees are blessed to behold the exceptional beauty of the deity's divine form.
Shanti Rituals
It is believed that at this sacred temple, all the Navagrahas and even Yama owe their allegiance to Shiva. Hence, devotees hold that prayers offered to Shiva here can resolve all afflictions, especially those related to longevity and the fear of death.
At all times, the temple is thronged with devotees who come to perform special pujas and homams on their birthdays, particularly on the milestone occasions of the 60th and 80th birthdays. Homams are conducted throughout the day, both around the prakaram and within the sanctum, and despite this continuous activity, there are often long waiting lists. This makes the temple one of the most popular and revered shrines in the region.
Significance
Though not everyone can escape death like Markandeya and remain eternally sixteen, devotees believe that worshipping the deity Amrithagateswarar ensures that the inevitable passage of death is free from suffering and fear, and that one is blessed with peace and well-being.
Ashta Veeratta Sthalam
The temples where Shiva is believed to have performed his dance of valor are collectively known as the Ashta (Eight) Veeratta Temples. All eight of these temples are located in Tamil Nadu.
Significant temples around Tirukadavur
Ananthamangalam
Located about 3 km from Thirukadaiyur is the Ananthamangalam Rajagopala Perumal Temple. The Trinethra Panchamukha Anjaneya enshrined in this temple is very famous.
Thillaiyadi
Thillaiyadi is situated about 4 km from Thirukadaiyur on the road leading east towards Thiruvidaikazhi. The Shiva temple here has a spacious prakaram and a tall gopuram. The presiding deity is a Swayambhu Linga.
Thiruvidaikazhi
Located about 3 km west of Thillaiyadi, in Thiruvidaikazhi, is a Murugan temple praised in the Thiruvisaippa. The moolavar of the temple is Thirukameswarar; however, the principal deity revered here is Subramanya, who was glorified in the Tiruppugazh hymns sung by Arunagirinathar.
Devanur
Near Thillaiyadi lies Devanur, where the temple of Viswanatha Swamy with Goddess Visalakshi is a must-visit. The sannidhi of Gyana Guru Bhagavan within this temple is of special significance and is believed to have been worshipped by Indra.
Tharangambadi
Located about 8 km southeast of Thirukadaiyur, present-day Tharangambadi is the Thevara Vaippu Sthalam known as “Alappur.” The Shiva temple here, whose presiding deity is Masilanathar, has been severely damaged due to constant erosion by sea waves. Tharangambadi is also the site where Muruga from Thiruvidaikazhi performs the Soorasamharam on the day of Kanda Sashti.
Gallery - Amirthagateswarar Temple
