Sri UCCHISHTA GANAPATHI Temple, Manimoortheeswaram, Tirunelveli

Sri UCCHISHTA GANAPATHI, MANIMOORTHEESWARAM, TIRUNELVELI

This temple is on the banks of the river Tamirabarani and at a distance of 3 kms from Tirunelveli Railway Station and the place is called Manimoortheeswaram. This is one of the few temples for Vinayagar exclusively, like Ganapathy Agraharam, Pillayar Patti, Kanipakkam etc.

Here the moolavar being Sri Uchchista Ganapathy is the 8th form of the 32 forms in which Lord Vinayagar is worshipped. He has Neela Saraswathi in his lap. The legend of this temple is Vinayagar came from the Agnikunda of the yaga on an Ashtami to kill Asura Vidyakaran. As asked by Brahma, Pathanga muni too conducted a Yagna and from that as Brahama's daughter Neela Saraswathi appeared The marriage of Vinayaagar to Neela Saraswathi was conducted on Navami. Then Indra to ask Vidhyakaran to come for a fight. Vidhyakaran arrived for a war and he had to face Ganapathy with Neela Saraswathi on his left lap, with his trunk on her naval and on the hands with bow and arrow with Prakasha of a crore of Suryas. Vidhyakaran could not face the shining coming out of the Ganapathy and bit his tongue and with pain and loss of blood he died. Hence in front of the Devas and with Sakthi in his lap and without any weapons, Vinayagar killed Vidhyakaran. Rishis wanted Vinayagar to bless his devotees on the banks of the river Tamirabarani along with Neela Saraswathi in this sthalam. Special feature is Sun rays fall on Vinayagar on first of every tamil month Chithirai .

In this temple a unique feature, we can see 16 shodasa ganapthis, each with respective slogam around Inner Praharam.

There are sannidhis for Lord Shiva, Kanthimathi amman, Kannimoolai Kanapathi, Valli Devanai sametha Subramanyar and Swarna Akarshana Bhairavar, Pathanjali Munivar and Vyagrabathar are installed in linga roopam.

The Temple has a five tier main tower-Rajagopuram. There is a long open space after the tower to enter the Temple.This Temple has a huge compound wall built around it.

The sthala vrukshas are: Vannai and Palmyra (பனை). Theerthams: Rishi Theertham and Rurthrapatha theertham.