Keel Ambur Sri Visalakshi-Kasi Viswanathar Temple, Thirunelveli

Address

Anbu Nagar, Keel Ambur (Snehapuri),

Ambasamudram,

Thirunelveli District, Tamil Nadu – 627418

Phone: +91 9894648170

Moolavar

Kasi Viswanathar

Amman

Sri Visalakshi

Introduction

Kasi Viswanathar Temple is dedicated to God Shiva located in Anbu Nagar in Keel Ambur (Snehapuri) near Ambasamudram in Thirunelveli District of Tamilnadu. Presiding Deity is called as Kasi Viswanathar and Mother is called as Visalakshi. Sthala Vriksham is Vilwa Tree. The temple is situated in Anbu Nagar – Keel Ambur in Ambasamudram, Thirunelveli district. Bus facility is available. Ambasamudram is 37 Kms from Tenkasi.

Puranic Significance

There lived in this place a couple belonging to the Pillai community, Kasi Viswanathan and Visalakshi. They had a son Madanarajan by name. He was married to a woman Subbulakshmi by name. They had 8 sons and two daughters. It was an affluent family. As fate had it, their riches began to shrink. Rajangam and Pandi Thurai, two among the 8 sons began to make a livelihood by selling woods bringing from the forest nearby. They were engaged in the tree felling job one day near the Trishul hill and were relaxing under a banyan tree near Athiyuthu. They were just recalling about the charitable deeds performed by their ancestors in Kasi – now Varanasi – and hoped for a good day to continue the sacred deeds of their ancestors. Suddenly it began to rain heavily with thunders and lightning. The lightning ray fell on the banyan tree. A Shivalinga and Ambica rose from the roots. They granted darshan to the brothers and assured them as rich a life as they had in the past. After the moving the Shivalinga by the side, they found 7 big bowls containing all gold coins. They took the gold container bowls and the Shivalinga by the night to their house. They – Rajangam and Pandi Thurai sent word to other six brothers. They made 9 shares. Eight brothers took one each. With the riches in the 9th bowl, they built a temple and installing Lord Shiva. They named them as Lord Kasi Viswanathar and Mother Visalakshi.

Beliefs

Devotees pray to Lord and Mother with different wishes in their minds. Devotees offer abishekams and vastras to Lord and Mother.

Special Features

Presiding Deity is called as Kasi Viswanathar and Mother is called as Visalakshi. Sthala Vriksham is Vilwa Tree. The sanctum sanctorum of the presiding deity and that of Mother is facing east and south respectively. As in all Shiva temples there is Nandhi before the sanctum and an Abisheka Well in the temple. The Temple is believed to be 1500 years old. The Theerthavari is celebrated on the Thaipoosam day on the banks of Kadana River with Lord and Mother granting darshan to devotees followed by procession. The rays of Sun fall on the presiding deity in the sanctum sanctorum, Lord Ganapathy in the Kanni Moola corner and on Lord Muruga during the Utharayana Punya Kala in the Thai month – January – February between 5.00 a.m. and 6.30 a.m.