Gangavaraga Nadheeswarar Temple, Thirukanji, Villianur – The Temple

Gangavaraga Nadheeswarar Temple, Thirukanji, Villianur – The Temple

The current structure is a new form of temple. The Temple is having five tiered Rajagopuram. Presiding Deity is called as Gangavaraga Nadheeswarar / Agastheeswarar. The Lord faces the West, instead of East as is commonly seen in all temples. He is housed in the sanctum in the form of Lingam. Lingam is Shodasa Lingam (16 faceted).

The Lingam was believed to be sculpted by Sage Agasthiyar. Similar to Visalakshi and Annapoorani in Kasi, here Meenakshi and Kamakshi Amman are the two forms of Uma worshipped here. Mother Kamakshi shrine is situated to the right side of the sanctum and she is facing south. Mother Meenakshi is housed in a separate shrine facing east.

There are shrines of Vinayaga, Lord Murugan with his consorts Valli and Deivanai, Vishnu, Durga, Dhakshinamoorthy, Bhairavar, Lakshmi Varaha Perumal, Agasthya and Navagrahas in the temple premises. There are Jeeva Samadhis of Nine Siddhars (Kubera Varman, Kesava Varman, Nagendhiran, Kamalan, Vyuga Muni, Mangalan etc.) in the banks of Varaha Nadhi.

Jeeva Samadhi of Sri Gangadhara Swamigal is situated to the north-eastern direction of this temple. There were 3 inscriptions in this temple of which two belonged to Kulothunga Chola and other one belonged to Pandya Kings. There is another temple on the Northern Bank of the river by name as Kasi Vishwanathar. Masi Magam is celebrated here in grand manner.