Home

125. Anniyur Agnipureeswarar Temple

Paadal Petra Sthalams

This is the 62nd Shiva temple on the southern bank of Cauvery praised in Thevaram hymns.

Sthalam

Agnipureeswarar , Gowri Parvathi

Anniyur Agnipureeswarar Temple is a Hindu temple located at Vanniyur in Tiruvarur district, Tamil Nadu, India. The presiding deity is Shiva. He is called as Agnipureeswarar. His consort is known as Gowri Parvathi.

It is one of the shrines of the 275 Paadal Petra Sthalams - Shiva Sthalams glorified in the early medieval Tevaram poems by Tamil Saivite Nayanar Tirunavukkarasar.

Vimana of the presiding deity

Tirunavukkarasar describes the feature of the deity as:

காலை போய்ப்பலி தேர்வர்கண் ணார்நெற்றி

மேலை வானவர் வந்து விரும்பிய
சோலை சூழ்புறங் காடரங் காகவே

ஆலின் கீழறத் தாரன்னி யூரரே.

Puranam

Most of the Devas attended the Yagna conducted by Dakshan where Shiva was insulted. After destroying Dakshan, all the participating Devas were given punishment through Badrakali and Veerabhadrar. Agni was one of those punished. The curse on Him was that He could not participate in any Yagna. Without Yagna, the universe suffered in the form of famine and other miseries. Realising the impact, Agni prayed to Shiva in this kshetra. After His intense Tapas, Lord gave Him darshan and removed His handicap. As Agni worshipped here, the Lord came to be called Agnipureeswarar. The theertham dug by Agni is called Agni Theertham.

This temple is having association with Thiruveezhimalai (they are only 4 kms apart). We have seen the story of Sage Katyayanar and how the intense prayers by him and his wife, moved the Lord. As desired by him, Ambal Parvathi came as his daughter. When She came of age, at the request of the Rishi, Shiva agreed to marry Her. While everything upto this stage had happened in this place, the marriage took place in Thiru Veezhi Mizhalai. Hence the Lord decided to give equal importance to this kshetram also and is giving darshan in His wedding form.

The Lord is a Swayambumurthy. He faces the eastern direction. On His right is the shrine of Ambal. The other Murthis are arranged in the prakaram. The Pancha Murthis of this temple are very famous and special mention must be made about the Somaskanda Murthy which is a thing of beauty.

Since this is connected to Agni, those suffering from heat related ailments, especially those of the stomach, offer neyvedhyams made in wheat. This is another Vastu kshetram. Devotees bring seven bricks to the temple and offer prayers to the Lord. Then the construction work commences and gets completed without any hurdle. Those facing problems in getting married, first offer prayers in this temple and then proceed to Thiru Veezhi Mizhalai.