Vanmeega-nadhar at Thiru-otriyur

  The temple features:

This temple is located in Thiru-otriyur in Chennai.
The carpet area of the temple is 2,32,800 sqft and is built facing east. It has a 5 stage tower and two corridors.(Pragarams)
The deity is called Van-meega-nadhar and it is said that it is self incarnated in a anthill in the east facing pose. The lord's consort Devi Vadivudai Nayaki has separate sanctum in the south facing pose. The temple tree is Mahilam and Atthi and the 'theertham' is called Brahma-theertham. The inner tower is called Gajaprushta-Vimanam. There are many stone inscriptions here giving details of the kshetram

The saints who sang hymns on the Lord:
Appar, Thirugnana-Sambanthar, and Sundarar.

Legend:
Once there was a deluge in the world and it was sinking. No one could save it. Brahma was confused. At that time there was an aerial voice which asked brahma to do penance. He was searching for a place to do panance flying around sitting on his mount hamsa (Swan). At last he found the place. The lord came down here and sat under a Mahila tree and did penance to Lord Siva for many years. The Lord Aadhi-puratheeswarer appeared before Brahma.

Brahma told the Lord about the deluge. The Lord Siva brought the flood under control and granted the boon to the creater to continue his work of creation.
From that time this place is called Otriyur (means: controlled)

Another legend says that Kaliya-nayanar owned many oil mills. He was a devotee of Lord Siva. Every day he used to light all the "deepams" to the Lord with oil. the Lord wanted to test his devotion. So he ordained that Kaliya-nayanar should lose heavily in his oil business. The Nayanar could not continue to light the deepams. But he did not lose courage. But lit the lamps in his imagination with great devotion. This process also was intererrupted. Hence he wanted to sell his wife as a slave and get some money. But no one wanted to accept his wife as a slave. At last he was vexed and wanted to cut his head with his scimitar. But he could not t because every time he tried to cut his head the scimitar changed into a garland and fell on his neck. Suprised he raised his head and saw the Lord Siva before him and held his hand. The Nayanar prostrated many times before the Lord and sang a hymn on the Lord. Happily the Lord granted a place in the heaven in that very place to the couple.

                                        Home