Thirukumaresar Temple

Getting there

• By air

  The nearest international airport is Chennai, about 200 km from Cuddalore district.

• By train

  Virudhachalam junction links the Chennai to Madurai line with Salem, Cuddalore and Puducherry. The Chennai to Villupuram to Trichy route also passes Virudhachalam, which the district government page says is 50 km from Cuddalore town.

• By road

  The temple is on the Virudhachalam to Jayankondam highway, 13 km from Virudhachalam town. The distance by road is 8.1 miles.

Why devotees come here

Thirukumaresar temple stands in Rajendirapattinam, a village in Cuddalore district, Tamil Nadu. It is one of the Nava Puliyur temples, and the Tevaram, the 7th century Tamil Saiva canon, names its deity.

Thirukumaresar temple is a Shiva temple in Rajendirapattinam, a village also called Erukathampuliyur. The deity is named in the Tevaram, the 7th century Tamil Saiva canonical work. It is one of the Nava Puliyur temples, which are mentioned by Patanjali and Vyaghrapada. The temple is also the birthplace of the Saiva saint Tirunilakanta Yazhpana Nayanar.

Local legend says the village was once a grove where hunters were turned into erukam trees, whose wood is of no use. That is how the place came to be called Erukathampuliyur. Another legend says the Chola king Rajaraja I worshipped Shiva at this site. After a son, Rajendra I, was born to him, the place was named Rajendirapattinam after that event.

The original complex is believed to have been built by the Cholas. The present masonry structure dates from the Nayak period, in the 16th century. A three-tiered gateway tower leads in, and the shrines sit inside concentric rectangular granite walls. The central shrine holds a lingam of Shiva as Thirukumaresar, and the temple is also known by the name Thiruneelakandeswarar.

Tips for your visit

• The village is also called Erukathampuliyur, so search for that name too when you look up directions.
• The temple tank, called Nilorpala Theertham, lies opposite the temple, so look for it when you arrive.

Questions people ask