Sankara Narayanan temple

The Sankara Narayanan Temple is located in Sankarankovil and is dedicated to God Sankara Narayanan. It is very famous for "Adi Thabasu" festival. In older times, the city was called as Sankaranayinar kovil. Even now it is called as Sankaran Kovil. The deities of this temple are Sri Sankareswarar, Sri Gomathi Amman and Sri Sankara Narayanar. Sankarankovil is also said to be home to the deity named Avudai Ambal. Like every other temple, Sankarankovil has its own interesting story. Once the devotees of God Hari (or Vishnu) and God Shiva quarreled with each other to determine whose God was more powerful. Then God Shiva appeared as Sankaranarayanar to make his devotees understand that both Hari and Shiva are one and the same. So it is held sacred by Saivites and those Hindus who believe that Shiva and Vishnu are a single deity one in one and accordingly, desire to worship the two gods into one form. Srivaishnavites of Tamil Nadu who worship God Vishnu only, have not accepted the mingling of Siva and Vishnu thus, and therefore, they reject this deity of this temple which depicts the concept of Hari and Haran being one God. It was built by Ukira Pandiyan AC 900. It houses the deity by the name Sankara Narayanan, which is half - God Shiva and the other half - God Vishnu. God Sri Sankaranarayana is the main deity in the temple. Vinayaka is Anugnai Vinayaka. The temple has a 9 tier Rajagopuram. The ant-hill sand is offered as Prasad which the sick consume along with water for cure. Devotees facing problems due to the presence of poisonous creatures in their houses as lizards, scorpions and snakes offer silver pieces embossed with the images of such creatures for solution. The festival of God Shiva seated on His bull vehicle Nandhi granting Darshan to 63 Nayanmars takes place during Chithirai (April-May) and Margazhi (December-January) months. Adhikara Nandhi is at the entrance with His consort Suyajadevi and the Nandhi before the sanctum is under a Rudraksha Pandal-tent.