page_title: Kameeswarar temple
section_title: Legend and history
hierarchical_section_title: Kameeswarar temple / Legend and history
caption_attribution_description: English: Kameeswarar temple, Villayanur
context_page_description: Kameeswarar Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to the deity Shiva, located in Villianur, a town in the South Indian Union territory of Puducherry. Shiva is worshiped as Kameeswarar, and is represented by the lingam. His consort Parvati is depicted as KokilambaAmman.
  The temple complex covers an area of two acres and all its shrines are enclosed with concentric rectangular walls. The temple has a number of shrines, with those of Kameeswarar, his consort KokilambaAmman and Ranganathar being the most prominent.
  The temple has six daily rituals at various times from 6:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., and many yearly festivals on its calendar. Brahmotsavam, the prime festival during the Tamil month of Aadi is the most prominent festival celebrated in the temple.
  The original complex is believed to have been built by Cholas, with later additions from different ruling dynasties. In modern times, the temple is maintained and administered by the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department of the Government of Puducherry.
context_section_description: As per Hindu legend, while Vishnu and Brahma contested for superiority, Shiva appeared as a flame, and challenged them to find his source. Brahma took the form of a swan, and flew to the sky to see the top of the flame, while Vishnu became the boar Varaha, and sought its base. The scene is called lingothbava, and is represented in the western wall at the sanctum of most Shiva temples. Neither Brahma nor Vishnu could find the source, and while Vishnu conceded his defeat, Brahma lied and said he had found the pinnacle. In punishment, Shiva ordained that Brahma would never have temples on earth in his worship. He also asked Brahma to build a temple on the banks of Mutharu River in Thondaimandalam. Brahma built the temple and got relieved of the curse.
  The original structure is believed to have been constructed during 12th century, while the later additions are believed to have been built by Medieval Cholas and Vijayanagar Empire, while the present masonry structure was built during the 16th century. There are inscriptions from Raja Narayana Sambuvarayar (1339–63), who is believed to have donated around 850 acres (340 ha) to the temple and it was irrigated by Ossudu Lake. As per the census of 1961, the value of jewellery in the temple was valued at ₹40,000.
caption: The main shrines of the temple
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