Aangarai Sri Marudandhanadheswarar Temple, Trichy

Address

Lalgudi-Aangarai, Trichy district,

Tamil Nadu 621703

Moolavar

Sri Marudandhanadheswarar

Amman

Sundara Kanchani

Introduction

Introduction
The Aangarai Sri Marudandhanadheswarar Temple is a sacred Lord Shiva temple located in Aangarai village, Trichy District, Tamil Nadu. The presiding deity is Sri Marudandhanadheswarar, and the goddess is Sundara Kanchani. This temple holds significant religious and spiritual importance, with a deep connection to ancient legends.

Puranic Significance

The temple is associated with a poignant legend involving Marudandhan, the son of Sage Suholar. Marudandhan’s mother, of questionable character, was divorced by the sage. As a result, she led a life of sin, which deeply impacted her son.
When Marudandhan grew up, he befriended a prince known for his sinful ways, and they both indulged in such behavior. One day, they visited a woman who was older than them. Despite some suspicions, the woman welcomed them. However, she later realized the truth about Marudandhan and his actions. Marudandhan, stricken with guilt and remorse for committing a great sin, cried out and swore not to eat until he had darshan (vision) of the Lord.
His prayer was answered when Lord Shiva appeared before him. Lord Shiva explained that every youth should consider women as their mothers and that this incident was staged to teach a lesson to the world. He acknowledged that such sins could become more prevalent in Kaliyuga and urged the boy to repent.
Marudandhan asked the Lord for a way to atone for his sin. Lord Shiva instructed him to build a temple, which would wash away his sins. Marudandhan followed Shiva’s instructions, built the temple, and was forgiven. The goddess Sundara Kanchani comforted Marudandhan and played an important role in his redemption.

Beliefs

Devotees visit the temple seeking the removal of obstacles in marriage alliances, the boon of children, and for excellence in education. It is believed that prayers here are answered and that the temple offers spiritual solace.

Special Features

A unique feature of the temple is the construction of the shrines of both the Lord and the Mother side by side. This allows devotees to circumambulate both shrines simultaneously, which is a rare design found in temples.
The temple is relatively simple in structure with a single Prakara (corridor) housing the shrines of Dakshinamurthy, Vinayaka, Gajalakshmi, Durga, Chandikeswara, and the Navagrahas (the nine planets).
The temple is believed to be 1000 years old, with its last consecration performed in 1968.
Though the temple faces east, the entrance to the temple faces south, which is unusual. The shrine of the Lord faces east, while the Mother’s shrine faces south, both being in a single hall or mandap. This allows the devotees to go around both shrines simultaneously, which is a rare architectural model.