Arulmigu Anandavalli Sametha AGATHEESWARAR TEMPLE Panjeshty, Tamilnadu

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Arulmigu Anandavalli Sametha Agatheeswarar Temple is situated at Panjetty (Panjeshty), 30 km away from Chennai in the state of Tamilnadu, INDIA on the GNT road connecting Chennai and Calcutta.

Legend has it that sage Agasthya visited the Anandavalli temple to offer prayers to Lord Shiva situated at Panjeshty. The history of the temple dates back to Agasthya's time. The sage is said to have spat out an ocean, which he swallowed, on the request of Lord Kubera and Varuna. This was done to grant salvation to Sugethu and his heirs. Since the tank was formed from an ocean, it is called "SAMUDRAKUNDAM". This Episode took place on a Vaikasi (May - June) full moon day. A dip on that day is believed to relieve mankind of sins and rebirths.

The place, Panjeshty gets its name from a legend about sages Vasishta, Gouthama and Kanva who prayed to Lord Brahma to guide them to a place for doing thapas. Lord Brahma made a Nemi (wheel of grass) and rolled it from Naimicharanya.The nemi, it is believed, stopped at Panjeshty. Sage Agasthya performed five yagnas and gave salvation to Yaksha Sugethu and his heirs after they came out of the ocean spat out by sage Agasthya. The pancha-five, ishti-yagna gave the place name Panjeshty.

Reference to the kshetra is found in the Koorma purana. King Mithradwajan ruled this area with Kanchipuram as the capital. He aimed at removing hunger from the lives of his subjects. One day when the king was on his way to offer prayers to Lord Shiva on pradosham day (13th day from new moon and full moon), he saw a tiger attacking a brahmin. The king intervened and offered himself to the tiger in place of the Brahmin provided he was allowed to offer prayers to Lord Shiva during pradosha kaalam (4.30 P.M to 6.00 P.M). After pradosha kaalam the king offered himself but behold! Lord Shiva appeared in place of the tiger and blessed the king. Panjeshty is thus considered as Annadana kshetra.

The deity of the tempe Anandavalli Amman is called Mukkan Nayagi because she has three eyes. The third one is in the middle of the forehead. The Amman is also known as "SHATRU SAMHARI" (destroyer of enemies). Anandavalli amman is found in a moving posture with her left foot forward coming to the rescue of devotees in distress. The temple has a Rajagopuram with the sculptures depicting the SHANMATHA STHAPANAM (six modes of Hindu worship conceived by Adi Sankara), penance of the godess and Brahma in the midst of fire (Agnithavam) and navagrahas in a straight line.

The temple finds a name in the palm leaf scripts of "NADI JOTHIDAM" in Vaitheeswaran koil and Kanchipuram. The temple is a "PARIHARA KSHETRA" where remedies for "DOSHAMS" are available. The TTDC has included this temple in its thrice a week tour along with Mangadu and Thiruverkadu. One Mr. Appavu Mudaliar donated an entire village to take care of the midday pooja of the temple. The revenue and expense was estimated at Rs 10/- a month. The donation was made on 11-11-1911 to celebrate the coronation of Emperor George V in Delhi, in 1911. The temple was in neglect from the early fifties for reasons unknown.

In 1995 a group of people joined together and formed a devotees association due to efforts of Sri Mohana Sampath of Thiruverkadu, named ARULMIGU ANANDAVALLI SAMEDHA AGATHEESWARAR BAKTHA JANA SABHA. The association was registered in 1998. The association is engaged in the regular conduct of pradosha kaala pujas, and other pujas on important festival days like, Sivarthiri and Vishakam. A silver kavacha was made to Adorn the goddess as a cost of Rs 50,000/-

The baktha jana sabha (devotees association) is at present engaged in the installation of "DWAJASTHAMBAM" at a cost of Rs 4 lakhs. This holy task is progressing well. The installation of Dwajasthambam is a forerunner to the "MAHAKUMBHABHISHEKAM", THE CONSECRATON CEREMONY PLANNED FOR 2004. VIEWERS are requested to donate liberally. The donations may be sent to

"ARULMIGU ANANDA VALLI SAMEDHA AGATHEESWARAR BAKTHA JANA SABHA"
1/134, GNT ROAD,
CHOLAVARAM,
CHENNAI-600 067,
TAMIL NADU,
INDIA.

The donations can be sent by cash, crossed CHEQUES/DDs/PAYORDERS.