Temple Legend - This 23'rd Paadal Petra Shivasthalam in Nadu Naadu is noted for its reverence by Sage Agasthya and the presiding deity is known as Agastheeswarar. It is believed that on Mahashivarathri, Nandikeswara offers worship to the female deity Akhilandeswari. According to the Sthala Purana, Sukhabrahma Maharishi worshipped the deity of this temple to seek solace from stomach pain and Adisesha the divine serpent too has worshipped here.
Temple Layout - The temple dating back to 1500 years is said to have been built by the Chola kings. The name of the early chola kings were either prefixed or suffixed with 'Killi' (Nedunkilli, Killivalavan) and it is believed that the name Killiyanur may have originated from this. This temple does not have a Rajagopuram or a dwajasthambam in the outer prakaram. But the two adjacent sannidhis, one for Krodhana Bhairavar and the other for Kaala Bhairavar in the outer prakaram is noteworthy. Maharishi Agasthya is in his own dedicated sannidhi. 'Dwarapalaka's guard the entrance of the sanctum of the presiding deity Agastheeswarar. Dakshinamurthy and Goddess Durga adorn the wall surrounding the sanctum as 'Goshta Murtha's. There are sannidhis for Vinayaka, Gajalakshmi, Muruga with His consorts Valli and Deivanai, Mahavishnu, Brahmma, Navagraha, Surya and Chandra (the planetory gods for sun and moon) positioned along the pathway of the inner prakaram. There is a separate sannidhi for the female deity Akhilandeswari. 'Vanni' is the 'sthala vruksham' of this temple.
The pathikam composed by Thirugnana Sambandar is in the 3-rd thirumurai.
Inside view
Sage Agasthya
Agastheeswarar
krodhana Bhairava, Kala Bhairava
Dakshinamurthy
Bikshandavar
Sthala Vruksham 'Vanni'