Vedaranyeswarar Temple – Nagapattinam
Located in the town of Vedaranyam in Nagapattinam district is the Vedaranyeswarar Temple. The temple is an ancient one dedicated to Lord Shiva.
Vedaranyeswarar Temple is one of the temples built by Aditya Chola along the banks of river Kaveri. The temple is administered and maintained by Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department.
Vedaranyeswarar Temple – Legend
According to the legend associated with the temple, the Vedas worshipped Lord Shiva in this place and so the name Vedaranyam was given to it.
Another legend states that Lord Rama (the seventh avatar of Lord Vishnu) is believed to have visited Vedaranyam to absolve himself from his sins.
History of Vedaranyeswarar Temple
The inscriptions found in the Vedaranteswarar Temple furnishes with a glimpse into the history of the temple and the city of Vedaranyam. The inscriptions date from the reign of Chola kings at different periods of time indicating various grants to the temple.
Reference to Literature
Vedaranyeswarar Temple is classified as Paadal Petra Sthalam and has reference in the 7th century canonical work, the Tevaram written by the Nayanars.
Architecture of Vedaranyeswarar Temple
Vedaranyam Temple has a five-tiered Rajagopuram (temple tower) and three Prakarams (precincts/outer part of the sanctorum). The chief deity of the temple is Vedaranyeswarar in the form of Lingam made of granite. The hall leading to the sanctum houses the granite images of Lord Ganesha, Lord Murugan, Nandi and Navagraha. The first precincts or walls around the sanctum have the shrines of Dakshinamurthy, Goddess Durga and Saint Chandikeswarar.
Vedaranyeswarar Temple is one of the temples that depict the dance styles regarded as Saptha Vidangam or seven dance moves. The temple falls under the category of Bhuvanivividangar Temple, known for Hamsapthanathaanam dance pose (meaning dancing with the gait of a swan).
Temple Timings in Vedaranyeswarar Temple
The temple remains open from 6:00 AM to 11:00 PM and from 5:00 PM to 8:30 PM.
Pooja Timings of Vedaranyeswarar Temple
| Pooja | Timings |
|---|---|
| Usha kalam | 5:30 AM |
| Kalasanthi | 8:00 AM |
| Uchikalam | 10:00 AM |
| Sayaratchai | 5:00 PM |
| Irandan Kalam | 7:00 PM |
| Arthajamam | 8:00 PM |
Temple Festivals
- Rituals undertaken on a daily basis on a weekly basis are Somavaram (Monday rituals) and Sukravaram (Friday rituals).
- Fortnightly rituals observed include Pradosham.
- Monthly festivals observed are Amavasai (new moon day), Kiruthigai (third of the 27 nakshatrams as per Hindu astrology), Pournami (full moon day) and Sathurthi (fourth day of a lunar month).
- Festivals celebrated during the full moon days of Tamil months Aadi (July-August) and Thai (January-February) attracts a large number of devotees.
How to reach Vedaranyeswarar Temple
Vedaranyam is located at a distance of 68 kilometres from Nagapattinam, 80 kilometres from Thanjavur and around 317 kilometres from Chennai. Frequent buses connect Vedaranyam to Thanjavur and Nagapattinam. Employing a four wheeler is an ideal way to reach Vedaranyam. The place is connected by rail from Thanjavur, Nagapattinam and Velankanni.
Trichy is the nearest airport (around 135 kilometres away).
Epilogue
Vedaranyeswarar Temple is a spiritual and divine place one cannot miss to visit in Vedaranyam. The temple’s amazing history and architecture draws numerous pilgrims throughout the year.