MOGAPPAIR SHIVA TEMPLES

1. PANCHAMUGA SHIVA TEMPLE

Distance: 3kms from Anna Nagar

Shiva: Kameswarar

Amman: Kameswari

The name of this place was called Magappaeru meaning birth to Children. The Shiva is seen with 5 faces namely Eesanam, Thathpurusham, Vaamadhevam, Agoram and Sathyojadham. Water continuously dips from Tara Patram on the Binustham seen on the top of the head seen as Sathyojadham. The main face of Shiva faces west. There is a Mahameru (1ft tall) before the Amman who gives Dharshan in a sitting posture with Angusam and parrot in the right hands and Paasam and Karumbu in the left hands. The Shrine of Lord Shiva has been constructed in such a way that devotees could have the Dharshan of all the 4 faces of Shiva in all the 4 directions and the 5th head on top of the face facing west. There are many other Sannidhis in this well maintained temple. This temple was worshipped by Manmadhan. Therefore Shiva was called there 
Kamaeswarar. The Linga has a rund Aavudaiyar. 

2. MARKANDAESWARAR TEMPLE

Mogappair is located 3kms from Anna Nagar in Chennai. About 750 years ago a king called Mallinaadha Sambhuvarayan ruled Kanchipuram. He did not have a child. He was informed that there is a place called Santhana Thirumangalam on the Southern banks of Paalar. Sage Markandeya stayed here and worshipped the Shiva Sithanandhaeswarar (Sita Nandheeswarar as this Shiva was worshipped by Sita and Nandhi) and Ambaal Santhaanagowri here.  Since since Markandeya worshipped this Shiva he was Markandaeswara. People without children worship here to attain child birth. Hearing about this temple the King came here and found the temple in a dilapidated state. He constructed this temple as a Shiva Vishnu temple. By worshipping this Shiva with his wife, his wife gave birth to a Child. Linga has a round Aavudaiyar. The Linga is big. This temple is one of the temples of the Coovam river.

Later due to the invasions of many emperors the temple was again damaged. When the temple was reconstructed the Perumal was shifted to a place 1 km from the previous place and separately constructed as Santhana Srinivasa Temple. The Shiva temple was constructed in its original place as Maragadhavalli samedha Marakandaeswara temple. Since this place is related to child birth this place was called as Magapaeru meaning Child birth. Later it has been transformed to Mogappair. The rays of the sun fall on the Moolavar Markandaeswara on the second day after Shivarathiri. Women without children worship Ambaal Maragadhavali (Santhanagowri) believing that they can bear a child. The other Sannidhis in this temple are – Vinayak, Dhkashinamurthy, Vishnu, Brahma, Durga and Chandikaeswara in the koshta; the Mahalakshmi is about 5.6 ft tall in the Prahara. When the Perumal statue was taken from here to be place in the separate temple the Mahalakshmi statue was not found. Later when renovations were done this statue was found and since a new Lakshmi was placed in the Perumal temple this Lakshmi has taken her place here. The Lakshmi is in a standing posture. The Hanuman of this temple is found in a different posture (kneeling one leg down) lifting the Sanjeevi Mountain. The other Sannidhis are Sastha Bhairavar and the Navagrahas. People who worship Markandaeswarar are relieved from the fear of death. One of the temples along the banks of river coovam. 

3. KARPAGAESWARAR TEMPLE

The name of Shiva is Karpagaeswarar and Amman Karpagasoundhari. Shiva faces east. The linga is placed on a Square Aavudaiyar. The Linga is big in size. Amman faces south. Amman has a conch in her hands. The Nandhi has a smiling face. The Nandhi seems to look at us when seen from any direction. There is a Santha Kali sannidhi adjecent to this temple. The Kali is now named as Gummanthamman. The Pancha Koshta deities, Vinayaka, Murugar, Bhairavar, Naalvar and Chandikeswarar are found in this temple.