Vedapuriswarar Temple Thiruvedhikudi

Getting there

• By air

  From Thiruvaiyaru town, Tiruchirapalli airport is about 56 km away.

• By train

  From Thiruvaiyaru town, Thanjavur station is 13 km away and Ariyalur station is 30 km away.

• By road

  From Thiruvaiyaru town, direct buses run from Thanjavur, 11 km away.

Why devotees come here

Vedapuriswarar Temple stands in Thiruvedhikudi in Tamil Nadu, a Shiva temple praised in the Tevaram hymns. It is counted as the earliest of all Chola temples and is said to be 2,000 years old.

The Tevaram, a 7th century Tamil Saiva work by the nayanar poet saints, praises the presiding deity here, and the temple is classified as a Paadal Petra Sthalam. Legend says Brahma worshipped Shiva in this place, and that is how it came to be known as Thiruvedhikudi.

The oldest parts of the masonry structure were built in the Chola period, in the 9th century CE. Later expansions, including the tall gopuram gatehouses, were added up to the time of the Thanjavur Nayaks in the 16th century. Four gopurams stand over the gateways. It is one of the largest temple complexes in the state. The lingam sits in a square sanctum.

The temple is said to be 2,000 years old. It comes under the Hindu Religious & Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) department.

Festivals

• February or MarchMaha Shivaratri

  The major festival celebrated in the temple.

• AprilSapthasthanam

  Held at Tiruvaiyaru each April.

Tips for your visit

• Sun's rays fall on the lingam at sunrise on the 13th, 14th and 15th of Panguni every year, so a sunrise visit on those days is the one to plan.
• During Sapthasthanam, the palanquins of the deities are carried through Thiruvedhikudi on their way to Thillaisthanam.

Questions people ask