Cheruvanthur Shiva Temple, Thiruvarur

Address

Cheruvanthur Shiva Temple, Chervanthur village, Nannilam Circle, Thiruvarur District – 610107

Diety

Shiva

Introduction

Nannilam – After crossing Thiruvanchiyam on the Nachiyarkoil road, take a bridge over the Kudamuruttiyar river on the left, go 2 km on the Paruthiyur road and join the return road to Cheruvandur before Paruthiyur. Also known as Cheruvathur. The town was called Siruvandur due to beetle worship and is now known as Cheruvandur. Cheruvandur is smallest town has only ten to twenty houses. The Shiva Temple is located on the banks of a large pond in the eastern part of the town. The temple has been neglected for more than thirty years and except for the sanctum sanctorum of Lord Shiva, the faade of the main hall is in ruins. At the top of the plane in the sanctuary of the Lord grow large fine, royal trees. There was a long beautiful hall in front of the shrine of the Lord which is now in ruins. According to the small shops all collapsed to the ground level. It is heartbreaking to see both sanctuaries without God. The idols of Moolavar, Ambika, Ganesha, Thenmugan, Nandi and Bairavar are kept in a separate shed. They have built a small temple for Ganesha nearby. There is a large pool in front. The temple may have been managed with its revenue.

Puranic Significance

In the story told in nearby Andiyur, Kandarvan Chithrasena would have played with the goddess women like Apsaras Menagai. He was cursed for not noticing Agathiyar’s arrival at the time and was cursed in Antioch. It is said that this was the place of worship where the Apsaras who were with him got rid of the curse. The broken idol of Apsara is near the temple sanctum. The Shivalingam is a substance that gives energy. We make regular anointings daily to the One who gives us energy, Recites the appropriate mantras and raise its power level. If we do so, a power level will spread and protect us and our hometown who come to this Lord. Thus the Lord, the temple, the pond and the head should be praised and protected. Unaware of this we ignore the local temples and stand on foot in the paid temples. This is the story of how a person who did not know how to catch a chicken on the roof climbed into the sky and went to Vaikundam. If each of us cherishes and maintains the shrines in his hometown, the Lord will bless him with all the benefits of this world… # “With the kind permission of Sri Kadambur K. Vijayan, these are extracted from his posts”.