Vadukeeswarar Temple, Thiruvandarkoil

Getting there

• By air

  Pondicherry Airport is a domestic airport in Puducherry, about 40 km from Viluppuram. Chennai airport is about 135 km from Puducherry, a journey of about 2½ hours.

• By train

  Villupuram is the nearest railway junction and is fairly well connected to Chennai, Madurai and Trichy. Puducherry railway station is the terminus of the Villupuram to Puducherry branch line.

• By road

  Frequent buses run almost every 15 minutes during the day from Chennai to Puducherry, a journey of about 3½ hours.

Why devotees come here

Vadukeeswarar temple stands in Thiruvandarkoil village near Puducherry, and it is one of the 275 Paadal Petra Sthalams. Shiva is worshipped here as a lingam, with Parvati as Thiripura Sundari.

The Tevaram, a 7th century Tamil Saiva work, reveres the presiding deity, and the poems of the Tamil Saivite saint Thirugnana Sambandar praise the shrine. Legend says Shiva came to be known as Vadukeeswarar after he quivered the head of Brahma. In that story, Parvati mistook one of Brahma's heads for Shiva's, and Brahma was made to lose it.

The original structure is believed to be very old, from time immemorial. The Cholas are believed to have built the temple, and an inscription here is dated 1048, in the 30th regnal year of Rajaraja, the ruler the inscription names. The present masonry was built in the 16th century. Most temples in the place were destroyed during the French invasion, but this temple was spared.

A flat entrance tower faces east. All the shrines are enclosed in concentric rectangular granite walls, and the central shrine housing Vadukeeswarar is approached through pillared halls.

Festivals

• Masi month, February to MarchSivaratri

  One of the most prominent festivals celebrated in the temple.

Tips for your visit

• The flat entrance tower faces east, and the central shrine is approached through pillared halls.
• Thaipoosam falls in January to February, Vaikasi Visagam in May to June, Skanda sashti in October to November and Navaratri in September to October.

Questions people ask