Thirukadaiyur Amrithakatishwarar Abirami temple-Padal petra sthalam-Veerattanam

This temple is an ancient padal petra sthalam and also a part of the ashta veerattanam where Shiva killed Yama. It is a very famous temple where people celebrate their 60 ^th birthdays and the child’s first birthday
How to Reach:
The temple is on the east coast road Close to mayavaram. It is also between Sirkali and Tranquebar. it is about 30 kms from Tirunallar shani temple

Legends of the temple:
This  was the place where the pot of amrita was placed by Ganesha after it was obtained from the ocean. He made a Linga and anointed it with the Amrith thus the lord is amruthakatesshwara.Thats why the Ganesa here is called Kalla Vinayagar who took away the pot
Markandeya the boy sage was saved from Yama by Shiva consequent to his bhakhi and is blessed by Shiva to be 16 years always infact Shiva kicks  Yama with his foot hence pray here to escape Yama and live longer  Thus it is a veerattanam temple where Shiva kills Yama ( he later brings him back to life at Thirupaingili near Trichy Click here to see my blog on that temple)
Subramanian a poor saint was living here and was a great devotee of the mother. Once when he was immersed in meditation he wrongly answered the king that it was full moon day while it was actually an amavasya day The king was annoyed and said if he does not see the moon he will behead Subramanian. Fervent prayers to Abirami by Subramanian later known as Abirama bhattar the famous Abirami andadi was composed here and the goddess lit up the night sky by tossing up her ear stud which shone brightly as the moon thus saving the poet.
The temple has two sannidhis with east facing Shivan sannidhi, the ambal sannidhi is seen on the right in the pic below
The Shivan Praharam has two praharams with the garbagruha having a shivalingam the amruthakateeshwarar
and on the left a seperate sannidhi for the Kalasamhara murthy who crushed Yama It is here that the significance of 'kicking with the left leg' is spoken about.Had he desired to quell Yama forever, He would have held him under his right leg - as in the case of Muyalaka . The very fact that he used his left leg points to the fact that he intended it as a punishment for an act of rashness and not otherwise.Images in the temple depict the Lord with a raised forefinger, warning Yama. The mark of the kala paasa is visible on the Lingam.
(Image from Dinamalar.com)
There is a Mruthyunjaya Yanthra behind the statue
The Kosta vigrahas are Brahma, Ganesha, Vishnu, durga and Chandikeshwara. There are shrines for murugan, bhairava .As the Lord faces west the vigrahas are reversed in their  position from right to left of the sanctum
The ambal sannidhi is on he left and facing east and  the lord .There is a seperate dwajasthambam and faces a Garden being maintained by the Indian Medical association .
There is an abirama bhattar idol in the amman sannidhi.
Outside the temple a short distance away in less than a KM there  is the Markandeyar temple.There is also a more important temple behind the main temple and he Ganga theertham called the Thirukadiayur Mayaanam temple which the priest said we should definitely visit.