Rajendra Chozhishwarar Temple

Overview : Rajendra Chozhishwarar Temple is a Lord Shiva temple located in Theni district.This huge temple is on the banks of River Varaha which is considered as sacred as the holy Ganga.Two Marudha trees are present on the river banks. One of them is considered as male and the other, female.Brahmma theertha is the other name given to this divine place. Lord Shiva, Lord Muruga and Mother Ambica bless the followers from this temple.Lord Muruga blesses the devotees with his six kindhearted faces along with his partners Deivanai and Valli. Lord Rajendra Chozheeswarar besides Mother Aram Valartha Nayaki have separate shrines with separate flag post (Kodimaram) each, from where they grace their devotees. Some other deities have discrete shrines in the prakara. A few of them are Lord Jambukeswara, Nataraja, Bhairava Dakshinamurthi, Dakshinamurthi and Dakshinamurthi. Juradeva in addition to Vishnu also have got an abode. Sun and Moon along with their groups, planets Rahu and Ketu Saptha Kannikas bless the devotees. The signs of the 27 stars in addition to 12 zodiac signs are displayed on the rooftop of the Peacock Mandap opposite Lord Muruga temple.Another monument in the temple belongs to Lord Mrutyunjaya. Thus celebration of 60th and 80th birthdays is done here by many people. The figures of Rudra Thandavamurthi, Manmatha, Agora Veerabadra and Mother Durga are present on the pillars. It represents the Chola temple architecture.It is popularly called Big Temple as it was constructed by Rajendra Chozha.During his rule, when he went for hunting he saw a swine feeding its cubs. He shot an arrow on the Mother and left the cubs in misery. Lord Muruga came to the cubs, provided them milk and fulfilled their hunger. In order to apologize the king built this temple for the sin committed by leaving the cubs in hunger and to let the mercy of Lord Muruga known to all.