Vaitheeswaran Koil

Getting there

• By train

  A railway station lies on the Chennai to Mayiladuthurai line.

• By road

  The temple is about 13 km from Mayiladuthurai and about 110 km from Thanjavur. Frequent Tamil Nadu government buses run to the temple.

Why devotees come here

Vaitheeswaran Koil is a Shiva temple in a small town near Mayiladuthurai in Tamil Nadu. Shiva is worshipped here as Vaidyanathar, and the temple is one of the nine Navagraha temples linked with the planet Mars. Its five-tiered gopuram rises over large precincts.

Navagraha means the nine planets, and Vaitheeswaran Koil is one of the nine Navagraha temples. Shiva presides over Angaraka, the planet Mars, here. Legend says Angaraka suffered from leprosy and was cured by the deity, and from then on the temple has been treated as a Navagraha shrine for Mars. The ancient name of the temple is Pul-irukku-velur, and Sambadhi, Jatayu and the Rig Vedas are said to have worshipped here.

Five inscriptions in the temple mainly belong to the period of Kulothunga Chola I, between 1070 and 1120 CE. The temple has a five-tiered gopuram, or temple tower, two inner gopurams and large precincts.

The central shrine is that of Vaitheeswaran, present as a lingam in the innermost sanctum. The presiding deity faces west. Devotees take a holy dip in the temple tank before they worship the deity.

Festivals

• Pankuni and Thai (January to February)Brahmotsavam

  The annual festival of the temple, held in the Tamil months of Pankuni and Thai.

• NovemberKarthigai festival

  Celebrated with pomp and glory.

• Date not given in our sourcesKantha Sashti

  A festival for Subramanya, held at the Muthukumaraswamy shrine in the temple.

Tips for your visit

• Take a holy dip in the temple tank before darshan, as devotees do.
• The lingam of Vaitheeswaran sits in the innermost sanctum, the central shrine of the temple.

Questions people ask