Aazhiyur Kangalanathar Temple- Nagapattinam

Address

Aazhiyur Kangalanathar Temple- Aazhiyur, Kilvelur Taluk Nagapattinam District – 611 104 Phone: +91 97104 95026

Diety

Kangalanathar Amman: Karpagavalli.

Introduction

Kangalanathar Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva located at Aazhiyur Village near Kilvelur Town in Kilvelur Taluk in Nagapattinam District of Tamil Nadu. Presiding Deity is called as Kangalanathar and Mother is called as Karpagavalli. This Shiva temple is 1000 years old temple. The Temple is considered as Thevara Vaippu Sthalam as Devaram hymns had a mention about this Temple. The Temple is also called as Aazhi Kadambanur and is considered as one of the Pancha Kadamba Sthalams.

Puranic Significance

Lord Muruga annihilated Sura Padman, his brothers and his army to safeguard Devas. Due to the killings, he acquired Veerahathi Dosha. Due to the Dosha, Lord Muruga prayed to Lord Shiva for relief. Lord Shiva advised Lord Murugan to worship him at Kilvelur, While worshipping Lord Shiva at Kilvelur, Lord Murugan installed five Shiva Lingas around Kilvelur and worshipped Lord Shiva to get rid of the sin of killing the demons during Sura Samhara. Hence these temples are collectively called as Pancha Kadamba Sthalams. Pidari Amman helped Lord Murugan to do his worship without any disturbances. It is also believed that Goddess Pidari worshipped Lord Shiva here. The Temple is facing towards east with an unfinished Rajagopuram. It has single prakaram enclosed within compound walls. There is a Vinayagar shrine immediately after the entrance. Balipeedam and Nandhi Mandapam can be found facing the sanctum. The Sanctum Sanctorum consists of Maha Mandapam, Artha Mandapam and Sanctum. Presiding Deity is called as Kangalanathar and is facing east. He is housed in the sanctum in the form of Lingam. Mother is called as Karpagavalli. She is housed in a separate south facing shrine in the Maha Mandapam. There are shrines for Pralayam Katha Vinayagar, Lord Murugan with his consorts Valli & Deivanai, Gaja Lakshmi, Bhairava and Surya can be found in the prakaram.There is a shrine for Pidari Amman called as Netri Kan Amman in the Temple premises. She is facing towards west.