Pasupateeswarar Temple, Karur
Legend
Legend says that Kamadhenu, the mythological cow, meditated upon Siva to receive his blessings and the name Aanilai. Brahma is said to have worshipped the presiding deity here. Thus the Sthala Theertham is called the Brahma Theertham. Since Kamadhenu, the cow (locally call Pasu) worshipped the presiding deity, Shiva came to be known as Pasupatheeswarar.
Architecture
This Shivasthalam is situated 79 miles (127 km) by road from Coimbatore. There is also a railway station at Karur on the Erode–Tiruchy section of the Southern Railway, and it is about 70 km from Erode and 75 km from Tiruchy. The temple at Karuvoor is built on a 2.65 acres (10,700 m) site. The front Gopuram is 120 feet (37 m) in height. The presiding deity in the main shrine (Moolvar) is a swayambu lingam. He is called Pasupateeswarar or Aanilaiappar. There are two images of Ambal here, Sundaravalli and Alankaravalli. The shrine of female deity Sundaravalli is facing south. Images of mythological characters are found on the tower. There are 2 corridors inside the temple. The 100 pillar mandapam is a prominent portion of the temple.
Religious importance
It is one of the shrines of the 275 Paadal Petra Sthalams. Sundarar and Sambandar composed Thevaram Pathigam in this temple. The temple is counted as one of the temples located in the southern bank of river Amaravati, a tributary of Cauvery.
Festivals
The sun's rays falls on the lingam 3 days in a year during the Tamil month of Panguni (mid March to mid April). The annual Brahmotsavam is celebrated in the same month. Other festivals include the Eripaththa Nayanar utsavam, Navaratri in September, and Arudra Darisanam in January 22-01-2021 To 24-01-2021 3 days.
References
- ^ Ka. Vi., Kannan (2019). River cauvery the most battl(r)ed. Notion Press. p. 28. ISBN 9781684666041.