1800 year old Shivan temple | Iravadeshwarar temple in Athimugam Hosur

In this temple is 1800 year oldest temple in Athimugam.Hosur (tk) Krishnagiri (dt) #hosur #oldestshivantemple #1800yearoldtemple

Google map Location link: Sri Iravadeswarar Temple, Athimugam,

Athimugam, Tamil Nadu 635105
https://maps.app.goo.gl/pnCHvx451ZYLf...

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Temple full history detials: Athimugam Iravatheswarar temple:    This place is around 22 Kms from Hosur. One has to travel for 7 kms in the Hosur-Krishnagiri Road and then take a left turn and travel for another 15 kms to reach this village.  The temple is around 1 Km from the Agasthya River.  This temple is around 1800 years old. The temple is seven feet below the village level and the Swayambu Lingam is three feet below the level of the temple.  Excepting the Pradosha and Mondays, the crowd is less in this temple and hence the income is also low.  The Poojas are therefore conducted only twice a day- morning and evening. Since the condition of this temple is bad, renovation work is going on.


I have chosen this temple for a very unique reason- this is one of the few temples with two main shrines( Rettai Sannadhi temple )- Shri Iravatheswarar and Shri Alageswarar.  As per legend, Indira and his elephant Iravatham ( the white elephant ) were afflicted with Brahmahathi Dhosham when they killed Vrudhasura.  When they were praying to Shiva to grant them relief, there was a celestial announcement ( Akashavani in Sanskrit and Asariri in Tamil ) that they should go to the banks of the river Agasthya and locate the Swayambulingam and worship for 48 days. 


They located the Lingam and prayed as per advice and got relief.   As Iravatham had prayed here, its face is getting reflected in the Lingam.  As it is the elephant face that is seen, the place came to be called Hasthi ( elephant ) Mukham ( face ) which over a period of time, became Athimugam.  In the main shrine, Kamakshi Ambal is in the standing form behind the Lingam in the same Garba Gruha.  He has been praised in Thevaram by Appar and Sambandar.  The other main shrine is that of Shri Alageswara and his consort is Shri Akhilandavalli.    This shrine and the gopuram adorning are believed to have been built later by the Hoysala Kings.  As the Iravatheswarar Lingam is below the ground level, this latter shrine was built at a slightly elevated level and its gopuram is above the village level, to comply with Agama Shastra.


This is the place where Sun worshipped Iravatheswarar.  This belief is strengthened by the fact that the Nandi is not facing the Lord and He is slightly on one side.  This facilitates the Sun rays to fall on the Lord.  This could be seen in the third week of Jan ( first week of Tamil month Thai ).  Apart from the two Moolavars, there are Panchalingams in separate shrines in front of which a Nandi is installed.  Since Sun, the Principal Navagraham offers prayers here, the other Navagrahams also show calm disposition in sitting posture.