Kadaladi Karaikandeswarar Temple, Thiruvannamalai

Address

Kadaladi Karaikandeswarar Temple, Kadaladi, Kalpakkam Cirlce,

Thiruvannamalai- 606601.

Mobile: +91 94446 88734

Diety

Karaikandeswarar Amman: Periyanayagi

Introduction

Karaikandeswarar Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva located at Kanji Village in Kalasapakkam Taluk in Thiruvannamalai District of Tamilnadu. Presiding Deity is called as Karaikandeswarar and Mother is called as Periyanayagi Amman / Brahannayaki. This Temple is considered as one the Saptha Kailaya Sthalams established and worshipped by Lord Muruga on the northern bank of river Cheyyar. Like the other Karaikandeswarar Temple, here also Cheyyar river flows towards North and hence this is considered equivalent to Kasi. The temple is located close to the Cheyyar river and about a km from the main road. There are regular buses from Tiruvannamalai to Parvathamalai via Kadaladi. The Temple is situated at a walkable distance from Kadaladi Bus Stop.

Puranic Significance

Saptha (7) Kailaya Sthalams are the 14 Shiva temples on either side of Cheyyar river where the Shiva lingams were installed and worshipped by Lord Muruga himself to absolve himself of the sins for killing the rishis while creating Cheyyar for his mother Goddess Parvathi. Parvathi Devi was proceeding from Kanchipuram to Thiruvannamalai with the aim of getting into Lord Shiva’s one half (Arthanareeswara). On her way, at Vazhai Pandhal, she made a Shiva lingam out of sand but had no water for Abhishekam. So, she asked her son, Lord Muruga to make arrangement for water. Lord Muruga threw his spear (Vel) towards West to create a pond but water from the hills there flew in red. It was because of the blood oozing out from seven sages – Puthirandan, Puruhudan, Pandurangan, Bodhavan, Bodhan, Koman and Vaman – who were performing penance there. While the sages got relieved of the curses they were undergoing, Lord Muruga was caught with the sin of killing the sages. As directed by Mother Uma, Lord Muruga established seven temples on the northern bank of Cheyyar and seven temples on the southern bank of the river and worshipped Lord Shiva to get relieved of his sin. Most of these temples are located in the Polur – Thiruvannamalai and Polur – Sengam route apart from the 2 Saptha Kailaya temples (Karaipoondi and Mandakolathur) in the Polur – Vandavasi route. While all the Karaikandeswarar temples maintain the deities name as Karaikandeswarar and Ambal Brahan Nayagi / Periya Nayagi, only a few of the Saptha Kailaya temples maintain the name Kailasanathar.

Special Features

This Temple is considered as one the Saptha Kailaya Sthalams established and worshipped by Lord Muruga on the northern bank of river Cheyyar. Like the other Karaikandeswarar Temple, here also Cheyyar river flows towards North and hence this is considered equivalent to Kasi.