275 Thevara Shivasthalam!! Achiruppakkam/Achu Irubagam – Sri Atcheeshwarar Temple !! Kanchi


Jai Sriman Narayana !!

Jai Shiv Shankar !!



This is one of 275 Thevara Shivasthalam of Lord Shiva located 96 kms away from Chennai situated in Kanchipuram on Chennai-Trichy NH and just 3kms away from Melmaruvathur.



In this temple Lord Atcheeshawarar worshipped in the form of a self manifested Linga.  This temple also enshrines Lord Umaiatcheeshwarar - Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati in their bridal attire, shrine of Lord Srinivas with his consort Alarmel Mangai, Lord Anjaneya and Goddess Ilamkili Ammai.  Sage Agasthiya prayed to Lord Shiva and envishioned him in his bridal attire with Goddess Parvati.



Preisidng deity – Lord Atcheeshwarar/Pakkapureeshwarar and Lord Umai Atcheeshwarar with his consort Goddess Sri Umayambikai/ Sundara Nayaki/Balasukhambal



Sthalavrukasham – Sara Kondrai



Theertham – Deva Theertham, Brahma Theertham, Vishnu Theertham/Shangu Theertham



Mangalasasanam – Thiru Gnana Sambandhar



Prathyaksham to – In this temple Lord Shiva was worshipped by Sage Kanva and Sage Gouthama in Threthayuga.  Lord Brahma and Lord Vishnu were worshipped in Dwapara Yuga and Sage Agasthiya worshipped in Kaliyuga.  Sage Trinetradhari worhsipped Lord and attained Samadhi here.



Sannidhis – Lord Ganesha, Lord Vishnu, Lord Brahma, Lord Srinivasa with Goddess Alarmel Mangai Thayar, Lord Nandikeshwara, Goddess Saraswathy, Goddess Lakshmi, 63 Nayanmars (Ustavamurthis) and  stone idols, Lord Somaskandhar, Image of Kannappa Nayanar worshipping Lord Shiva, Lord Ganesha with his consorts Siddhi and Buddhi, Sundaramurthy Nayanar with his consorts Paravai Nachiyar and Sangili Nachiyar, Shekkizhar, Lord Natarajar with Goddess Sivakama Sundari, Saint Manikka Vasagar, Karaikkal Ammayar, Lord Kala Bhairava, a separate shrine for Goddess Ilamkili Amman and Umayambikai, Lord Gana Sastha, Sage Trinetradhari in a shrine Sarakondrai Eshwarar,



Festivals – Chithirai Festival and Pournami



This temple mythology is closely associated with the Tripurasura Samharam of Lord Shiva.  The three demons Dharaka, Vidyunmali and Kamalaksha underwent severe penance and attained several boons from Lord Brahma.  Immediately after obtaining extra ordinary boons they started to harass the deities.  All the deities approached Lord Shiva to protect them from the atrocities of the demons.  The most compassionate Lord brought together the Earth, Heaven and deities as a Chariot and led to battlefield.  Instantaneously, the axis of the wheel got broken; it resulted in bringing sudden halt to their journey.  Lord realized the mistake that the initial worship of Lord Ganesha was not performed.  All the deities gathered   worshipped Lord Ganesha and carried out their journey to battlefield.



Another legend has that Pandya King was on his spiritual journey while crossing this sacred land his chariot wheel got broken.  He had to halt his journey, while his men were at work of repairing the wheel, King found a chameleon whizzed on his way.  He followed the chameleon and found it slither under a Sara kondrai tree.  His men were made all efforts to locate the chameleon under the tree; but blood gushed out of the tree and did not find any trace of the chameleon.  On that night Lord appeared in his dream and instructed him to build a temple on its place, where he appeared as a self-manifested Linga.



Pandya King preceeded his spiritual tour entrusting the task of building a temple to Sage Trinetradhari on the place where the self-manifested Linga was found.  When the King came back from his journey, he found there are two shrines one is dedicated to Lord Atcheeshwarar and another one is Lord Umayal Atcheeshwarar positioned here.  King enquired the reason for it; Sage explained that Lord graced him too in the form of a chameleon, King and Sage Trinetradhari mutually agreed to the above arrangements.  



This temple remains open from 6.00AM to 11.00 PM in the morning and 4.00PM to 8.30PM in the evenings.

Jai Shiv Shankar !!

Jai Sriman Narayana !!






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