Thirukkadaiyur 4.17

Thirukkadaiyur is a temple town on the east coast of Tamil Nadu, about 300 km south of Chennai and 15 km north of Karaikal. The famous Amritaghateswarar - Abirami Temple of Tirukkadaiyur is associated with the legends of Markandeya and Abirami Pattar, which is a replica. The original temple, Thirukkadaiyur Mayanam now called Thirumeignanam, built in c. 11th century, was ravaged by sea and is in ruins now. People worship and pray at Thirukkadaiyur temple for long life.LegendMrikanduThis is one of the holy places of Saivism today. Legend has it that Mrikandu, a sage and devotee of Lord Siva, prayed to God to bless him with a son. God appeared and gave him a choice to select the type of child he wanted - An honest responsible and virtuous son who will live only for 16 years or a son who would live for 100 years but whose behavior is bad. Mrikandu chose the former.MarkandeyaThe boy, named Markandeya also grew up to be an ardent devotee of Siva. The destined time came, when Yama (the lord of death) tried to snatch the life of the boy. Markandeya went to the temple and clutched at the Siva Lingam in a bid to escape death. Pleased by the boy's belief, Siva rescued him from death, incarnating him as Kalantaka (the ender of death).Shastiapthapoorthi (60th birthday), Bhimaradha shanthi (70th birthday), 80th birthday (sadabishegam) and other Ayul Shanthi fire worships are very famous here.