Dharmasamvardhani Samedha Muktheeswarar (அறம் வளர்த்த நாயகி உடனுறை முக்தீஸ்வரர்) Temple

 Dharmasamvardhani Samedha Muktheeswarar Temple

Athur, Chengalpattu-Kanchipuram Road, Chengalpattu District

Blessings of 9th October 2020 include the opportunity to pray at this temple said to be between 300 and 400 years in the present form.

அறம்  வளர்த்த நாயகி உடனுறை முக்தீஸ்வரர்  is the Tamil name for the temple, which is located on the State Highway connecting Chengalpattu with Kanchipuram. Closer to Chengalpattu, the village of Athur is a fertile place, in view of its location on the banks of Ksheera Nadhi, which was the original name of Paalaru (பாலாறு) , with Agriculture being the core activity.

A temple dedicated to Lord Shiva and Jaganmatha Parvathi, this temple originally housed eight Shivalingams for eight directions, of which only three are to be found (some of them found buried and others to emerge soon, as and when God wills). 

The temple seems to have been developed during the Chola rule in this part, even if the temple existed earlier.  Many of the walls of the temple are dominated with mid-ancient Tamil scripts, talking about the temple's contribution to the construction of one of the Towers of Chidambaram, as well as some donations by devotees.

A fairly large compound with well maintained garden and infrastructure. The temple management has done well to fence the property to make sure Shiva's properties are not swallowed by goons as "Prasadam", as is happening in many other places. 

Hundi Collection at the temple at this temple seems meagre and that is enough to keep the Government Department for Hindu Religious Endowments away. Blessing !

Barring Pradosham and festive occasions, devotees could be in small numbers and that is all the more reason for people to visit this temple during these days when "Social Distancing" is the norm.

A good article on the temple could be found at : http://www.dharsanam.com/2008/05/aathur-sri-muktheeswarar.html

Google Map Coordinates:  https://goo.gl/maps/RhPddNLQKUEebpRz7

If you thought there is nothing to this village than this temple, you are absolutely wrong. There are two other temples in the same village

Kalyana Varadharaja Perumal Temple: https://goo.gl/maps/UQvzukPor1bGZeni6  

and

Adhilingeswara Temple: https://goo.gl/maps/JsEbRDpQp5FQAEd37

When you walk or drive through the village you get to see scores of houses of various vintage, some of which are atleast 300  years old, implying that the village at some point of time was a popular town with a big population, culture and activities. 

A well meaning Individual (Kudos to him ! ) has set up a Veda Patashala not far from this temple, accommodating 140 students for a Gurukula style Vedic Learning experience but with all modern comforts.From a distance this can easily be mistaken for an office complex in view of a four storied structure in the middle of nowhere. A Goshala with Healthy and Smiling Cows is also part of the set up. I can't resist carrying the picture of a three day old calf; afterall he/she is the son/daughter of the soil of Muktheeswara. 

Sri Chaturveda Vidhya Ganapati Vedashram   : https://goo.gl/maps/TrU5TDBZuVxHqWjZ7

Om Namah Shivaya !  Om Namo Naaryanaya !