Ootiyani Airavatesvara Temple, Thiruvarur

Address

Ootiyani Airavatesvara Temple, Thiruvarur

Ootiyani village, Koothanallur circle,

Thiruvarur District,

Tamil Nadu 610206

Moolavar

Airavatesvara

Amman

Akilandeswari

Introduction

Ootiyani Airavatesvara Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva, Located in the Ootiyani village, Koothanallur circle, Thiruvarur district, Tamil Nadu. The name of this area is Ootiyani because it is the place where Lord Shiva first grew paddy for souls and sent it to the world. Ootu + Anai mean Ootyani. Utu means to feed, Anai means Airavatham, the name is because Airavatesvara is worshipped.

Puranic Significance

Some devotees of Shiva stayed in this temple after having darshan of Shiva. But there was no agriculture in this area and the people were in famine and when Shiva realized it, he did not listen. Lord Shiva knows that the devotees of Shiva are hungry. Lord Shiva asked them to satisfy their hunger, and with the grains of rice he got, Lord Shiva not only satisfied the hunger but also the hunger of the people by growing paddy. He is also called Bishandar because he asked for Shiva’s alms. It is the place where Lord Shiva first raised paddy for the souls and sent it to the world. On the 21st, 22nd and 23rd of Panguni month from 6 am to 6.15 pm, the sun shines on Lord Shiva.

This temple is 1300 years old. This is a small east facing Shiva temple. Here the Presiding deity is called as Lord- Airavatesvara and Mother is called as Akilandeswari. Other deities are Dakshinamurthy, Kalabhairava, Sandikeswarar, Vinayagar and Balamurugan. There is a small Lingamurti in the sanctum and Vinayagar Murugan at its gate. In front of it there is a small Nandi altar and a Sandesari shrine. This is the temple that was built ten years ago after the old temple fell into disrepair. This is one of the temples built by the Cholas.