120. KARANDHAI

VASISHTAESWARAR TEMPLE

Distance: 2kms from Thanjavur

Shiva: Vasishtaeswarar, Karunaswamy

Amman: Periyanayaki, Thiripurasundhari

Sthala Viruksham: Vanni tree

Theertham: Vasishta Theertham

Speciality:

There is a big water tank to the east of the temple. The water to this tank flows from Vadavaru. The passage of the flow of the water can be seen distinctly.

This is a stone temple.

This temple is said to have constructed before the Chola Period.

The main Shrine and the Vimana must have been constructed by the Mutharaiyars.

The figures in the niches are Sammandar, Bhiksadanar, Rishipathinis, Nataraja, Gangalamurthy, Dhakshnamurthy, Lingothbava with Brahma and Vishnu, Arthanareeswarar, Brahma, Durga, Ganesha, Kalyana Sundharar, Venadhara Dhakshinamurthy, Kalasamhara Murthy, Agasthyar, Appar.

During the days of Parantaka Chola I the original 5 Koshta deities were only found. The other deities which have been referred here have been inserted and the niches improved made by the cuttings into the old outer inscribed walls of the Garpagriha and the Arthamandapam. This should have been taken place during the Uthama Chola Period when these additional sculptures of are Sembiyan Madhevi style.

There are also Sannidhis for Veerabhadrar, Vasishtar and Arundhadhi,

The other Sannidhis such as Vinayaka, Murugan, Gajalakshmi are also found here.

In the outer Prahara there are Elai Pillayar sannidhis in the 4 corners.

There is a Dhandapani Sannidhi opposite to the west entrance.

This is a Devara Vaipusthalam referred by Thirugnanasammandhar in his poems.

This place was known as Karunthittai Kudi (Karu Vasishta Kudi) as this temple was worshipped by Vasishtar. 

Inscriptions mark this temple as early to the 7th Century.

There are 3 inscriptions assigned to Uthama Chola. One of them is the gift of Lamps made by Madhurantakan Kadarathithan, his son, who was a officer engaged in the temple affairs. He managed the temple even in the early reign of Rajaraja Chola I. Another inscription is about the installation of Dwarapalas on the eastern wall near the entrance to the Arthamandapam of the Central Shrine by Vellati Arunili Malay Piratti of Palampattinam in Pattinadu. 

In the inscriptions the name of Shiva has been mentioned as Karuvitta Kudi Mahadevar.

Garpagraha is in a square shape. There is a central Koshta on each of the 3 sides of the wall of the Grapagriha with projecting Panjara. 

The Sigaram is circular.

Some of the sculpture in the niches are later insertions.

King Karikal Chola was affected by Leprosy. He went to many temples and finally he was suggested to come to Karandhai. He bathed in the Vasishta Theertham which is opposite to the temple. He worshipped the Lord. He repeated this process for many days. One day Lord appeared in his dream and blessed him. The next morning the disease from his body. Since he was cured by the grace of the Lord he called the Lord as Karunaiswamy which is now called karunasamy. He built a stone temple for the deity and the inscriptions are present near the main shrine.