Olagadam Olageshwarar Shiva Temple – Erode 

Address

Olagadam Olageshwarar Shiva Temple – Erode 

Olagadam,

Erode district, Tamil Nadu 638314

Phone: + 9597097614, 9842639376

Moolavar

Sri Olageshwarar

Amman

Sri Ulaga Nayagi

Introduction

The Olagadam Olageshwarar Temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva, is located in Olagadam village in Erode district, Tamil Nadu. The presiding deity is Olageshwarar, while the Goddess is Sri Ulaga Nayagi. This ancient temple, situated about 300 meters from the Olagadam EB office on the Olagadam-Rajakumaranoor Road, is a revered site of worship and cultural heritage.

Puranic Significance

The temple’s historical inscriptions reveal its ancient origins:

• The site was historically referred to as Ulagavidangam, and Lord Shiva was known as Vageeswarar.
• The temple dates back to the 12th century or earlier, with 13th-century inscriptions serving as evidence of its antiquity.

Key inscriptions include:

1. A Kongu Chozha Veerarajendran record found at the Sri Valli Devasena Subramaniyar Sannidhi, detailing the construction of the shrine by a local chieftain, Kallai Vettuvar Karunchokkan Valiya Chokkan.
2. A Kongu Pandyar Sundara Pandyan inscription near the Mahamandapam mentions the gifting of land to the temple and the establishment of boundary stones (Soolakkal).
3. An inscription from the 5th year of Kongu Chozha Kulothungan’s reign records a similar land donation by Sadaya Nammpillai, another prominent donor.

While some inscriptions from rulers like Vikrama Chozha and Thiribhuvanaveerathevar were disrupted during renovations, the temple’s legacy is well-documented.
The temple underwent significant renovations, with Kumbhabhishekam (consecration ceremonies) performed in 1894 and 2003.

Special Features

• Architecture:
  • The temple faces east and features a 3-tier Rajagopuram (entrance tower).
  • After the Rajagopuram, devotees encounter a Balipedam, Dwajasthambam (flagstaff), and Nandi.
  • The Moolavar (main deity) is a swayambu (self-manifested) Lingam.
• Koshta Idols:
  The sanctum sanctorum’s niches house deities like Vinayagar, Dakshinamurthy, Lingothbavar, Brahma, and Durgai.
• Prakaram (Outer Courtyard):
  The outer precinct features shrines for:
  • Vinayagar
  • Sri Valli Devasena Shanmuga Subramaniyar
  • Sandikeswarar
  • Bhairavar
  • Navagrahas
  • Chandran, Suryan, and Shaniswarar
• Ambal Shrine:
  The Goddess Sri Ulaga Nayagi is housed in the Arthamandapam, facing south, and blesses devotees in a serene form.
• Construction Details:
  • The sanctum sanctorum consists of the sanctum, antarala (connecting chamber), and arthamandapam (hall).
  • The base architecture (padabandha adhisthana) is simple, with tripatta kumuda moldings.
  • The Arthamandapam was likely a later addition, and the Rajagopuram is attributed to the Vijayanagara period.

Festivals

The temple celebrates all major Shiva-related festivals with devotion and grandeur.

• Masi Magam is the most prominent festival, observed with great enthusiasm by devotees.

This has been extracted from,

https://tamilnadu-favtourism.blogspot.com

Century/Period

12^th century

Nearest Bus Station

Olagadam

Nearest Railway Station

Erode junction                                                  

Nearest Airport

Coimbatore 

Location on Map

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