Pudukamoor Sri Puthrakameshtiswarar Temple- Thiruvannamalai

Address

Pudukamoor village, Arani,

Thiruvannamalai district, Tamil Nadu 632301

Phone: +91 94860 46908, 97891 56179, 96294 73883

Moolavar

Sri Puthrakameshtiswarar, Somaskandar

Amman

Perianayaki

Introduction

Puthira Kamateshwarar Temple is dedicated to lord Shiva located in Pudukamoor village, Arani, Thiruvannamalai district, Tamil Nadu. Main Deity is Sri Putharakameshtiswarar in Lingam form under Adisheshan with nine heads, and his consort known as Periya Nayaki Amman seen in separate sanctum with separate Dwajasthambam. Urchavar in this temple is Somaskandar. The Temple is believed to be 1300 years old. This temple is in Arani Town which is about 41 kms from Vellore, 58 kms from Thiruvanna malai, and 71 kms from Kancheepuram.

Thala Virutcham: Pavalamalli

Theertham: Kamandala River

Puranic Significance

Sthala Purana:

King Dasaradha, approached his Guru Vashistar, and requested him to guide him with proper worship to be blessed with child. Vasishta Muni asked King Dasaradha to worship Lord Siva in this Darmaranya Kshteram to be blessed with Child. King Dasaradha installed a Siva Lingam in this place and performed Puthrakameshti yagam under the guidance of Rishyasringa Muni. Hence Lord Siva is known as Puthrakameshti Eswarar. King was blessed with four sons.

Person who has Naga Dosha and Putra Dosha perform Putra kameshti yagam and install Nagar under the Banayan Tree seen outside the temple

There are shrines of 63 Saivite Saints, Lord Swarna Vinayaka, Panchalingam with Ambicas, Ashtothra Linga, Veerabadra with Kali, Lord Shanmugha with Valli and Deivanai, Lord Gopalakrishna with Bama and Rukmini, Kalabhairava, Saneeswara-Saturn, and Sun God in the corridor-prakara.

According to Vedic scholars, any activity should begin with Vinayaka worship and end with Anjaneya worship. Following this principle, Lord Vinayaka facing north and Sri Anjaneya facing south are opposite to each other on the banks of the river. Those beginning an activity follow this system with deep faith. Lord Vishnu’s discus and conch are inscribed in Anjaneya idol. This is a rare system in the temple that Lord Vinayaka and Sri Anjaneya are facing each other.

Beliefs

Those having no child even after long years of marriage pray to Puthrakameshti Easwarar. As the name suggests, Lord Puthrakameshti Easwarar (puthra – son, child) will reward them with a child, they believe. Devotees perform abishek to Lord and Mother and offer vastras.

Special Features

The main Raja Gopuram is of three tiers. Here in front of the temple we see a big banyan tree under which Nagars are installed. There is a small sanctum in which we see King Dasaradha idol facing the main entrance of the temple. The Siva Lingam here was installed and worshiped by King Dasaradha. Here King Dasaradha is seen with Kamandalam and Rudraksha in his hand like a muni as he was seen during the time of yagam. Nandi is seen in a small mandapam in front of the Dwajasthambam. Sthala Vruksham is Pavazha malli and Pushkarani is Kamandala River. Main Deity is Sri Putharakameshtiswarar in Lingam form under Adisheshan with nine heads, and his consort known as Periya Nayaki Amman seen in separate sanctum with separate Dwajasthambam. Urchavar in this temple is Somaskandar. The prakaram we see a separate sanctum for Lord Murugan with his consorts Sri Valli and Devani. Lord Gopala Krishnan is seen in separate sanctum with his consorts Bama and Rukmani. Vinayakar and Dakshina Moorthy is seen here as koshta deivam in Lord Siva sanctum. Other deities seen in the temple are Swarna Vinayakar, Pancha Lingam with consorts, Ashtotra Lingam, Kali and Veerabadharar, 63 Nayanmars, Kala Bairavar, Saneeswarar and Sooryan. Anjaneyar is seen in front of Vinayakar with Sanku and Chakkram in his hand which is something unique.

Festivals

Lighting of one lakh deeps on Swathi Star day in Aadi (JulyAugust), Purattasi Navarathri in September-October and Masi Shivrathri in February March are the festivals celebrated in the temple.