Baskararajapuram Sri Bhaskareswarar Shiva Temple, Thanjavur

Address

Baskararajapuram Sri Bhaskareswarar Shiva Temple, Thanjavur

Baskararajapuram, Thiruvidaimarudur Circle,

Thanjavur District,

Tamil Nadu 609802

Moolavar

Sri Bhaskaraswarar

Amman

Anandavalli

Introduction

Baskararajapuram Sri Bhaskareswarar Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva, Located in the Baskarajapuram, Thiruvidaimarudur circle, Thanjavur district, Tamil Nadu. This is a town called Bhaskarayapuram on the Kumbakonam- Mayiladuthurai road. The Presiding deity is called as Sri Bhaskaraswarara and Mother is called as Anandavalli.

Puranic Significance

In Maharashtra, Baskararayar was trained to perform Upanayanam in Kashi. In many places in Gujarat he held debates with those who had mastered the Madhva rites and upheld the glory of Parashakti. The then king of Thanjavur, Saraboji heard about the glory of Maharaja Bhaskararaya and gave him a village in Kavirikkarai and made him live there which is today’s Bhaskararajapuram. A lingam was erected there and worshiped.

After Bhaskararayar’s death, Bhaskararayar’s wife, Anandi, built and worshiped Sri Baskareshwarar Temple in the same town, keeping the Shivalinga he worshipped. So people are worshiping Ambikai here as Anandavalli. The west facing temple does not have a Rajagopuram in front; Vishnu has also been consecrated and worshiped in this temple. The mother is given the divine name of Sri lakshminarayani. Also in this temple there are deities like Omkareshwara, Dakshinamurthy, Vinayaka, Muruga etc. This temple, which is about 1000 years old, is currently waiting for Kumbabhishekam. The outer walls of the temple and the temple planes are in ruins.

“With the kind permission of Sri Kadambur K. Vijayan, these are extracted from his posts”.