ara ▁Temple ▁is ▁a ▁temple ▁to ▁Sh iva ▁in ▁the ▁Th ir u var ur ▁district ▁of ▁T amil ▁N adu . ▁The ▁temple ▁was ▁built ▁in ▁the ▁early ▁ 9 th ▁century ▁in ▁the ▁village ▁of ▁K od and aram ap ur am , ▁which ▁later ▁became ▁part ▁of ▁A van am ▁Par uth iy ur , ▁situated ▁on ▁the ▁banks ▁of ▁the ▁K ud am ur ut ti ▁River , ▁a ▁trib ut ary ▁of ▁the ▁K aver i . ▁ ▁The ▁pres iding ▁de ity ▁of ▁this ▁temple ▁is ▁a ▁form ▁of ▁Sh iva ▁called ▁V ish ah ares war ar , ▁and ▁his ▁cons ort ▁Pr as anna ▁Par v ath y ▁De vi . ▁The ▁temple ▁today ▁is ▁an ▁ancient ▁her itage ▁symbol ▁of ▁the ▁village . ▁The ▁temple ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 0 8 ▁Sh iva ▁tem ples ▁built ▁by ▁Ch olan ▁Ad ity a ▁Var man ▁ 1 , ▁on ▁the ▁banks ▁of ▁the ▁K aver i . ▁ ▁M yth ology ▁Once ▁Rah u ▁approached ▁with ▁his ▁mouth ▁ag ape ▁to ▁eclipse ▁the ▁Sun , ▁he ▁became ▁very ▁angry ▁when ▁he ▁saw ▁the ▁burning ▁ray s ▁of ▁the ▁Sun . ▁He ▁began ▁to ▁emit ▁poison ous ▁breath ▁in ▁his ▁ser pent ▁form , ▁black ening ▁the ▁face ▁of ▁the ▁Sun . ▁ ▁Having ▁lost ▁his ▁gl orious ▁face ▁by ▁Rah u ' s ▁poison ous ▁breath , ▁the ▁Sun ▁sought ▁the ▁favor ▁of ▁Lord ▁Sh iva ▁and ▁worship ed ▁him ▁on ▁the ▁northern