Narthana Vallabeswarar Temple

Getting there

• By air

  Pondicherry airport is about 66 km north of Chidambaram, and it has charter flights about 25 km from Cuddalore town. These distances are from the towns, not from the temple.

• By train

  Chidambaram station is on the Mayiladuthurai to Villupuram line, with daily express trains to Chennai, Rameswaram, Tirupathi, Cuddalore and Manamadurai. Virudhachalam is a junction on the Chennai to Madurai line, linking to Salem, Cuddalore and Puducherry.

• By road

  National highways NH45 and NH45A run through Cuddalore district. State highways 32 and 36 also run through the district.

Why devotees come here

Narthana Vallabeswarar temple stands in Thirukoodalaiyathoor village, Cuddalore district, Tamil Nadu. Shiva is worshipped here as the lingam, and legend says the name comes from a dance before Brahma. It is one of the 275 Paadal Petra Sthalams praised in the Tevaram hymns.

This temple is one of the 275 Paadal Petra Sthalams, Shiva temples praised in the Tevaram poems of Sundarar, a Tamil Saivite Nayanar. Here Shiva is worshipped as Narthana Vallabeswarar, and the lingam represents him. Legend says the name comes from a dance Shiva performed in front of Brahma at Brahma's request. Shiva is also known as Koodalaiyitroorar, a name linked to the belief that he rules this confluence place.

The original complex is believed to have been built by the Cholas, while the present masonry structure was built during the Nayak period in the 16th century. The temple has a three-tiered gateway tower, and all its shrines are enclosed in concentric rectangular granite walls. Unlike other temples, it has no separate shrine for Navagraha, the nine planetary deities.

Festivals

• Tamil month of MasiBrahmotsavam

  A thirteen-day festival and the most important of the temple.

Tips for your visit

• Look for the three-tiered gateway tower, with all the shrines enclosed in concentric rectangular granite walls.
• The Chennai to Trichy rail route runs through Cuddalore Town, the district headquarters, so it is one option for the rail journey.

Questions people ask