Sri Agatheeshwarar Temple Kolapakkam Chennai
Sri Agatheeshwarar or Sri Vaageshwarar Temple is the temple for Surya. This is one of the Navagraha temples around Chennai.
Kolapakkam located at 18 kms from Chennai. How to reach Sri Agatheeshwarar temple Kolapakkam, Chennai
To reach Kolapakkam one can take either the road opposite to MIOT Hospitals or from Porur via Gerugambakkam, Chennai. Kolapakkam Sri Agatheeswarar temple or Sri Vaakeesa Mahadhevar temple is a beautiful Shiva temple. The Goddess of Kolapakkam Sri agatheeshwarar temple Chennai, is Sri Ananthavalli.
Kolapakkam Sri Agatheeshwarar temple is 1300 years old and Lord Agatheeswarar is worshipped by Surya Bhagvan. There is a separate temple for Surya Baghwan inside the Kolapakkam sri agatheeshwarar temple. This the first of the 9 temples of Navagraha temples around Chennai. Sun God is given prominence in Kolapakkam Sri Agatheeshwarar temple temple and all the deities face the shrine of Surya Baghwan.
Sage Agasthya also have worshipped in Kolapakkam Sri Agatheeshwarar temple and so the lord have got the name Agatheeswarar. Vaakeesa Muni have also worshipped Agatheeswarar. Kolapakkam Sri Agatheeshwaras temple faces south and Lord Agatheeswarar faces east. Goddess Anandhavalli faces south and is to be seen in a standing posture. Nandhi faces the lord. Shrines of Sri Ganesha, Sri Dhakshinamoorthy, Sri Mahavishnu, Sri Durga and Sri Sandigeshwarar are seen around the sanctum sanctorum.
There are separate shrines for Lord Ganesha and in this shrine in Kolapakkam Sri Agatheeshwarar temple, he is named as Raja Ganapathy. Kasi Vishwanathar and Visalakshi have separate shrines in this temple facing east. Lord Subramanyar's abode peacock is made of green granite.
Special poojas are done for Sri Kaala Bhairavar in this temple. Kaala Bhairavar is said to be very powerful in Kolapakkam Sri Agatheeshwarar temple and special Poojas and Abishegams are performed to Sri Kaala Bhairavar every sunday's Raaghu Kaalam. (It is said that the wishes of people who worship Kaala Bhairavar for 6 consecutive Sundays gets fulfilled). kolapakkam Sri Agatheeshwarar temple Chennai History
Kolapakkam Sri Agatheeshwarar temple though in the Thondai Mandalam of yester years, is fully of the Chola style. Raja Raja Chola I and II, Kulothunga Chola III, Veera Rajendra Chola are some of the Chola kings who have contributed so much to this temple. This temple was renovated in 878 A. D by a king named Aadithyan.
Though Vijaya Maharaja have gifted lands to Sri Agatheeshwarar temple in Kolapakkam he is a Buddist. The recent explorations near the Kolapakkam Sri Agatheeshwarar temple have found Buddha statues and pillars close to the temple which makes it beleive that Vijaya Maharaja could have visited the Buddist shrine and also visited Agatheeswarar temple. Peepul tree is the Shthala Vriksham of this temple and the temple theertham is named as Amirtha Pushkarani which is close to the Kolapakkam Sri Agatheeshwarar temple Chennai.
Devotees throng Kolapakkam Sri Agatheeshwarar temple Chennai on special days like Pradhosham, Sivarathri etc.
