Sun God with His consort Ushadevi graces near the entrance of the temple. While Lord Muruga usually graces from a hill in tradition, it is Lord Shiva gracing from the hill. The spring water is perennial and never dries.
Sri Agastheeswarar Temple, Karungalakudi, Tiruchunai, Madurai district.
The temple is open from 8.30 a.m. to 11.30 a.m. and from 4.30 p.m. to 7.00 p.m.
Sivarathiri,Thiru karthigai.
On the occasion of the wedding of Lord Shiva with Mother Parvathi, as large number of Devas and Maharshis gathered there, due to their collective weight, the north went down and south came upward. To balance the earth level, Lord Shiva asked Muni Agasthya to go to South. The Rishi felt sad that he could not have the luck of witnessing the divine wedding. The Lord assured him that he would grant his darshan at any place he wishes on his way.
On his journey to Pothigai, Agasthya stayed on this hill for a while and wished to see the wedding darshan. He created a spring for his bath. He spilled the water on a rock and worshipped it as Lord Shiva. The Lord appeared on a rock opposite to this with Mother Parvathi. As the Lord granted darshan to Agasthya, He is known as Agastheeswarar.
The Sun God generally appears alone at the entrance of the temple. Rarely He graces with His consorts Pradyusha and Usha in the Navagraha group. In this temple, Sun God graces at the entrance of the temple with His consort Usha. Pradyusha is absent. This is said to be a rare form in a temple. While Lord Agastheeswarar is facing east, Mother Padagavalli faces south.
While traditionally, Lord Muruga graces from the hill, here Lord Shiva is installed in the hill. As Lord Shiva granted His wedding darshan here, people perform family marriages in this temple.The sacred theertham – Sunai theertham – is behind the Shiva shrine. As this spring was worshipped as Lord Shiva Himself, it is named Tiruchunai. Maharshi Agasthya graces from a separate shrine in the temple.