Thiruchenkattankudi Vathapi Ganapathy Temple - Thiruvarur

Address

Thiruchenkattankudi Vathapi Ganapathy Temple – Thiruvarur

Thiruchengattangudi, Thiruvarur district,

Tamil Nadu 609704

Moolavar

Vathapi Ganapathi

Introduction

Vathapi Ganapathy Temple is located in Tiruchenkattankudi in Thiruvarur district in the Tamil Nadu state of India. The main Ganesha shrine depicts him with a human head, instead of the elephant head. Vatapi Ganapati, the other Ganesha icon, was installed in a smaller shrine at a later date. The historical name for Thiruchenkattankudi is Ganapatheesaram. Thiruchenkattankudi is a village which is located in Thiruvarur district and is famous all over the world for the 1000-2000 years old Vathapi Ganapathy Temple.

Puranic Significance

The Thiruchenkattankudi Vathapi Ganapathy Temple Thiruvarur is amongst the Padal Petra Shiva Sthalams. It was the Paranjothi the Chola General who saw this Vinayaka. He worshipped this deity, won the war and brought it from Vatapi, the Chalukya capital.

Lord Ganapathi killed Gajamukasuran samharam here. He got bramahathi Dhosham, which is installed here. This is why this place is also referred to as Ganpathiswaram. When a war took place Gajamukasuran a rival, the bloodshed from the body of Gajamukasuran’s because of which this place became red in color. Chen means red, kudi means place and it is for this reason that this place is also known as Thiruchengattankudi. Although the presiding deity here is Shiva, Ganapati receives the first place of honor.

Special Features

This temple also hosts an image of Vatapi Ganapati, an image of Ganapatibrought back from Badami, the Chalukyan capital then known as Vatapi. The famous kriti Vatapi Ganapatim Bhaje by the composer Mutthuswamy Deekshitar, in the Karnatic music idiom salutes this deity.