Orakkattupettai Gunam Thantha Nathar Temple, Kanchipuram

Address

Orakkattupettai Gunam Thantha Nathar Temple, Orakkattupettai, Kanchipuram District- 603106. Phone: +89407 33278; 77080 17278

Deity

Gunam Thantha Nathar Amman: Thiripura Sundari

Introduction

• Location: The Gunam Thantha Nathar Temple is a 600-year-old temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, located in Orakkattupettai, near Chengalpet, in the Kanchipuram District of Tamil Nadu, India.
• Deities: The presiding deity of the temple is Lord Shiva, known as Gunam Thantha Nathar, and the temple’s consort is Goddess Thiripura Sundari. The sacred tree (Sthala Vriksham) of the temple is the Sarakondrai tree, and the sacred water source (Theertham) is called Agni Theertham. The temple is believed to possess special powers for healing various diseases.

Puranic Significance

• Healing Powers: The temple is renowned for its ability to cure ailments. Many devotees believe that performing rituals here helps to heal diseases, both physical and mental.
• Miraculous Legend: A remarkable miracle is associated with this temple. A person who was dumb by birth circumambulated the temple 21 times on every full moon (Pournami) day as a form of penance. After completing this ritual for seven consecutive full moon days, he miraculously regained the ability to speak.
• Spiritual Equivalence: Walking around the temple 21 times on a full moon day is considered equivalent to performing the famous Girivalam (circumambulation) at the sacred hill of Thiruvannamalai, a powerful spiritual act in Tamil Shaivism.

Beliefs

• Purification of the Mind and Soul: It is believed that worshipping at the temple purifies the mind and brings clarity of thought. Devotees also believe that Lord Shiva guides them to make the right choices in life, free from obstacles.
• Addiction Recovery: The temple is especially revered for its ability to help people overcome addictions such as alcohol and smoking. Devotees light a ghee lamp and take an oath of allegiance before Lord Shiva for 11 consecutive days, believing that this practice helps them break free from destructive habits and gain the strength to lead a virtuous life.

Special Features

• Ashta Lingas: The temple’s praharam (outer courtyard) houses eight Shiva Lingams (Ashta Lingas), which represent the eight directions, a feature similar to that of the famous Thiruvannamalai Temple. These Lingams are believed to have been consecrated based on divine instructions received in the form of Asareeri (divine voices from unseen spiritual sources).
• Nava Veerabagu Sannathis: Another unique and rare feature of this temple is the presence of shrines for the Nava Veerabagu (nine divine warriors), which is not commonly found in many Shiva temples.

Festivals

• Skanda Shasti: The temple celebrates the Skanda Shasti festival, dedicated to Lord Murugan (Skanda), in a grand manner. Devotees from various villages gather to participate in this vibrant festival. The highlight of the celebration is the reenactment of Soora Samharam, the defeat of the demon Soorapadman by Lord Murugan.

Century/Period/Age

600 Years old

Managed By

HRCE

Nearest Bus Station

Orakkattupettai

Nearest Railway Station

Chengalpattu

Nearest Airport

Chennai

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