Nattaadreeswaran Temple / Erode Nattaadreeswarar temple | Famous Lord Shiva Temple In Erode

Nattaadreeswaran temple

Nattaadreeshwaran (நட்டாற்று ஈஸ்வரன்) temple is located in the middle of the river Cauvery, in a place called Kaangeyapuram in Erode district.

Legend and History:

Once the saint Agasthiar made a Shiva Lingam out of sand in an hillock island at the middle of Cauvery river. He started meditating by adorning the Shiva Lingam with his Ruthramaala. He did this because he wanted to relieve himself from the sins and Dhosham. He was intuited that his meditation would be disturbed on the first day of Chithirai – Chithirai Thingal. Likewise, When the Chithirai Thingal arrived, he was disturbed by some sound and he stopped his meditation. When he intended to take his Ruthramaala from the Shiva Lingam, he heard a voice (அசரீரி) saying him not to disturb the Shiva Lingam by removing the RuthraMaala. He was also told that Lord Shiva wishes to reside in that place, by showing his blessings to all his devotees who come there. Then, Lord Shiva resided in that hillock in the form of that Shiva Lingam.

Then Agasthiyar travelled across the entire South India, visiting almost all the temples and leading a divine life. He had an herbal tablet, made out of Siddha practice of medicine. When one consumes that tablet, one can present himself on a place which one wants. By this way, he consumed that tablet and returned back to the hillock after several years. There, he was welcomed by Lord Muruga and got the immense blessings from the Nattadreeshwarar himself. Thus, he got rid of his Dhosham and sins.

Later the Chozha Kings built up a temple and named it as Agatheeswaram (அகத்தீஸ்வரம்), after the Saint Agasthiyar.This is estimated to be around three thousand years ago. The name Nattaadreeswaram was given because the temple is situated in this middle of the river.

Specialities of the temple:

The temple has an Fig (அத்தி) tree as Sthala Virutcham. This tree is belived to be three thousand years old. And the temple is situated exactly in the middle of the river Cauvery, both length-wise (between Kudagu Malai,the starting point of Cauvery and the Bay of Bengal, where the river ends) and breadth-wise( between the two shores of the river).

Festival:

The temple is famous during the CHithirai Thingal, when thousands of devotees assemble at the place to worship Nattaadreeswarar.

How to reach:

One can find a bus to Karur at any bus terminus in TamilNadu. To reach the temple, one should get down at a stop called Kangeyapuram and boats are available to travel across the river.