Shri Gautameshwarar (Upavedanadeshwarar) temple

This is 5th of the 12 Shiva temples connected with Mahamagam festival. This temple is on the southern bank of Mahamagam tank. This is believed to be the place where string (sacred thread) around the kalash fell and a Shiva linga was formed. This is very small temple and much details are not available.

Moolavar: Shri Gautameshwarar, Shri Upavedanadeshwarar

Devi (Consort): Shri Saundaryanayaki

Sacred teertha: Mahamagam tank

The temple is more than 1800 years old.

Idols and shrines in the temple:

We come across the idols of Shri Nardhana Ganapati, Shri Maha Ganapati, Shri Dakshinamoorthy, Sage Gautama, Shri Muruga with his consorts Shri Valli and Shri Deivanai, Shri Gajalaxmi, Shri Lingodbhavar, Shri Bramha, Shri Chandikeshwar and Shri Anjaneya. These include the koshta moorthies also. There is a separate shrine for Navagraha. There are separate idols of Shri Surya and Shri Shanishwarar. Idols of Shri Gajalaxmi and Shri Saraswati are near Shri Bhairava. 

Kshetra purana:

The temple is associated with grand pralay which led to the formation of Mahamagam tank. This is the place where the string (sacred thread) fell during the pralay.

Sage Gautama was doing annadana at this place. In order to defame him, his enemies sent a magical cow into his ashram. While Sage Gautama was fondling the cow, the cow disappeared. Sage Gautama felt he was responsible for the disappearance of the cow and hence he worshiped Shri Upavedanathar. Shri Shiva blessed him and gave him a papavimochan i.e. freed him from a sin of killing a cow. As Shri Shiva removed the sin of Sage Gautama, he is known as Shri Gautameshwarar. 

Prayers: 

Sin of killing the cow is removed by worshipping Shri Gautameshwar after taking a bath in Mahamagam teertha. People perform pooja on Ashtami for Shri Bhairava for removal of fear. Worshiping in this temple is beneficial for persons born in the zodiac sign of Scorpio. 

Festival:

Thai (Jan-Feb) - Makar Sankranti 

Masi (Feb-Mar) - Shivaratri, 10 days of Mahamagam festival

Chitrai (April-May) - Brahmotsav

Avani (August-Sept) - Ganesh chaturthi, 

Purattasi (Sept-Oct) - Navaratri 

Aippasi (Oct-Nov) - Annabhishek and Skanda shashthi festival 

Karthigai (Nov-Dec) - Festival of light known as Karthikeya Deepam

In addition daily rituals are held in this temple.

Temple timings: 6 am to noon; 4.30 pm to 8pm

Courtesy: Following sites 

https://tamilnadu-favtourism.blogspot.com/ and

https://temple.dinamalar.com/en/