Chennai Navagraha Temples SUN (Suriyan)

NAVAGRAHA TEMPLES IN CHENNAI
Days	Planets	Temple	Address
Sunday	Sun	Agastheeswarar Temple	Kolappakkam Next to Manappakkam
Monday	Moon	Somanatheeswarar Temple	Somamangalam Near Tambaram
Tuesday	Mars	Vaidyanathar temple	Poonamallee before market
Wednesday	Mercury	Soundarewarar temple	Kovur Before Kundrathur from Porur
Thursday	Jupiter	Sri Ramanatheeswarar	Porur road left to Electricity board
Friday	Venus	Sri Velleewarar Siva temple behind Kamatchi temple	Mangadu
Saturday	Saturn	Sri Agastheeswarar Temple	Pozhicallur- Pammal route
Saturday	Raghu	Sri Nageswarar Temple - Kundrathur Sezchillar temple	Kundrathur
Monday	Kethu	Sri Agastheewarar Temple	Gerugambakkam Next to Kundrathur

 
Kolapakkam Aananthavalli sametha Agastheeswarar Temple. Nearly 1300 year old siva temple. This is being considered as the Surya (sun) sthalam for the Navagraha worship. The unique feature is that the three main deities - The Sun God, Bairava Idol and the Shivalingam are to be seen through Salaram (window) all at the same time. The landscape and garden around this temple is maintained excellently. A beautiful water pond is in front of the temple.

According to legend, Sri Surya Bhagavan had worshipped Lord Shiva at this temple. The Planet SUN has a separate shrine inside this temple facing the Lord towards west. This temple is one of the Navagraha temples of Chennai devoted to the planet SUN. The Sun God is given prominence in this temple, where all important deities of the temples are facing Surya shrine.

 The color of Vasthram (clothing) meant for the SUN is Red. The grain dedicated to him is Wheat and the auspicious day to worship is Sunday. Worshiping SUN on Sunday, by offering red cloth, red flowers and wheat gives success to one in all his deeds. Also, it is said that worshipping Sun God makes one gain the Thejas.

It is said that, apart from SUN, Sage Agasthiyar too had worshiped Lord Shiva here and hence the name Sri Agatheeswarar. Another Rishi called Vaakeesa Muni also had worshiped Sri Agatheeswarar here.

Other deities like Sri Ganesha, Sri Dhakshinamurthy, Sri Mahavishnu, Sri Durgai and Sri Sandigeswarar are seen around the sanctum.

There is a separate shrine for Lord Ganesha called Raja Ganapathy here. Also, Sri Kaasi Viswanathar and Sri Visaalakshi have separate shrines facing east at the south west portion of the temple. Lord Subramanyar also has a shrine in the temple in which a Maragatha Mayil (Peacock made of green granite) is found.

Sri Kaala Bhairavar is very popular in this temple and is said to be more powerful. Special Poojas and Abishegams are performed to Sri Kaala Bhairavar every Sunday during Raahu Kaalam (4.30 pm to 6 pm) timings. It is said that people worshipping Sri Bhairavar here for 6 consecutive Sundays, get their wishes fulfilled.

Many kings have patronized this temple during various periods. A king called Aadhithyan is said to have done renovations to the temple during 878 AD.

Also Raja Raja Chozha I, Raja Raja Chozha II (1152 AD), Kulothunga Chozha III (1188 AD), Sundara Pandiyan (1200 AD), Veera Rajendra Chozha, a Telugu Chozha king called Vijayakanda Gopala are said to have contributed much to the temple, according to the inscriptions found in the temple.

According to another inscription, a king by name Sri Vijaya Maharaja of Sumatra Island (Indonesia) is said to have gifted an acre of land to Sri Agatheeswarar at Kolappaakkam, during the 8th year of his reign. Inscriptions reveal that Sri Vijaya Maharaja was contemporary to Raja Raja Chozha and also had very cordial relationship with the then Chozha kingdom. The inscription also gives details about some Buddhist activities nearby this temple and Sri Vijaya Maharaja was a Buddhist.

The Sthala Viruksham for this temple is ‘Arasa Maram’ (Peepul tree) and Theertham is called ‘Amirtha Pushkarani’ (pic above) which is found adjacent to the temple and is less maintained.

Special days like Pradhosham, Sivarathri etc., are celebrated well in this temple. Devotees throng from different parts of the city during such days.