Akarasettur Prathapashimmeswarar Shiva Temple, Karaikal

Address

Akarasettur, Tirunallaru taluk,

Karaikal District,

Tamil Nadu 609601

Moolavar

Prathapashimmeswarar

Amman

Sivakamasundari

Introduction

Akarasettur Prathapashimmeswarar Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva, located in the Akarasethur village, Thirunallaru taluk, Karaikal district, Tamil Nadu. Settur is about 6 km west of Tirunallar. There are two major temples in this place which is divided into two parts as Chetur and Agarasettur. This temple is called Ekambareswaram and Pratapashimmeswaram. Here the presiding deity is called as Prathapashimmeswarar and Mother is called as Sivakamasundari.

Puranic Significance

The temple is dilapidated for many years; this temple has been restored by the efforts of the Puducherry government. A Maratha king named Pratapa Simhan(1740 to 1764 AD) ruled Tanjore and may be a temple, built during his time. In the stone sanctum facing east of Lord Prathapashimmeswarar, a large lingam idol is placed in front of the Lord in a beautiful long mandapam with Nandi, an altar and a tall copper flagpole. There are four idols of Balavinayakar at the sanctum sanctorum gate. In Karurai Kottam there are Vinayagar, Tenmukhan, Lingotpavar, Brahman and Durgai. The prakaram has temples of Vinayagar Murugan Kashi Viswanatha Saraswati and Maha Lakshmi. Sandesar is in the usual place, but there are two Sandesars that are miraculously not found elsewhere.

There is a Nadarajaperuman shrine towards the south in the front hall. It is also connected to the Sivakamasundari temple to the south. One can see Sandeswari Sannathi while going around the sanctum sanctorum of the deity. Kalabhairava, Navagrahas, Saturn and Sun are in North East. Before 2018 it was only in its dilapidated entrance. The Moola Lingam Abhikai and other deities in this temple were kept in a shed nearby the temple.