Sri Sundareswarar Temple / Thirumeniyazhakar Temple / திருமேனி அழகர் கோவில், திருவேட்டக்குடி, Thiruvettakudy / Thiruvettakudi, Karaikal District, Puducherry U T.

This is the 166^th Thevara Paadal Petra Shiva Sthalam and 49^th Sthalam on the south side of river Kaveri in Chozha Nadu. The place maintains the same name Thiruvettakudy in the 6^th to 7^th Century. The place where the temple is located is called “Kovil Medu”.

Road Side arch 

In Periyapuranam, Sekkizhar records that Thirugnanasambandar came to this temple after worshiping Lord Shiva of Thirupariyalur.

அடியவர்கள் களிசிறப்பத் திருவேட்டக் குடிபணிந்து அங்கு அலைவாய்ப் போகிக்

கடிகமழும் மலர்பழனக் கழனிநாட்டு அகன்பதிகள் கலந்து நீங்கிக்

கொடிமதில்சூழ் தருமபுரம் குறுகினார் குண்டர் சாக்கியர்தம் கொள்கை

படிஅறியப் பழுதுஎன்றே மொழிந்து உய்யும் நெறிகாட்டும் பவள வாயர்

Thirugnanasambandar and Vallalar have sung hymns in praise of Lord Shiva of this temple.

வண்டிரைக்கும் மலர்க்கொன்றை விரிசடை மேல் வரியரவம்

கண்டிரைக்கும் பிறைச்சென்னிக் கபாலி கனைகழைகள்

தொண்டிரைத்துத் தொழுதிறைஞ்சத் துளங்குஒளி நீர்ச் சுடர்ப்பவளம்

தெண்டிரைக்கண் கொணர்ந்தெறியும் திருவேட்டக் குடியாரே

....... திருஞானசம்பந்தர்

                                                                            -வற்கடத்தும்

வாட்டக்குடி சற்றும் வாய்ப்பதே யில்லையெனும்

வேட்டக்குடிமேவு மேலவனே

...... திரு அருட்பா

உருமேனி பலவகையென்றுரைத் திடினு மறிவுறலால்

கருமேனி யுடையரென்றுங் கனகம்பால் செம்பவள

தருமேனி யுடையரென்றுஞ் சாற்றருள் கூருருவாந்

திருமேனி யழகர்தாள் சிந்தனைசெய் தேத்துவாம்

........ தலபுராணம்

அம்பாள் துதி

சங்குவளைக் கரத்தாளைச் சராசரமெலாமீன்ற தாயை நீரில்

தங்குவளைச் செவியாளைச் சைவல மாங் சூழலாளைத் தாழ்வில்லாளைப்

பொங்குவளைப் புயத்தாளைப் பொருப்பரையன் அளித்தருளும் புதல்வி தன்னை

அங்குவளை விழியாளை அரனிடத்தில் அமர்வாளை அன்பிற்றாழ்வாம்

........ தலபுராணம்

Moolavar  : Sri Sundareswarar, Sri Thirumeniyazhagar.

Consort    : Sri Soundaranayagi, Sri Shanthanayagi.

Some of the important features of the temple are….

The temple faces east with a 5-tier Rajagopuram. Beautiful stucco images are on the Rajagopuram. An arch is on the Main road at Varichakudi. Balipeedam, Dwajasthambam, and Rishaba are in a mandapam, after the Rajagopuram. Moolavar is a little taller. In koshtam Dakshinamurthy and  Durgai.

In praharam, Vinayagar, Subramaniar, Punnaivananathar, Gajalakshmi, Sastha, Nalvar, Bhairavar, Suriyan and  Chandran. Urchava murtis Lord Shiva and Parvati as Veduvan and Veduva Nayagi. Shiva as Veduvar is holding a bow and arrow, Somaskandar and Pradosha Nayagar.   

ARCHITECTURE

The temple consists of sanctum sanctorum, Antarala, and artha mandapam. The Sanctum Sanctorum is on an upanam and a prati bandha adhistanam. The bhitti starts with vedikai and the pilasters are of Vishnu Kantha pilasters with square base, kalasam, kudam, mandi, palakai, and Poo mottu pothyals. The Prastaram consists of Valapi, kapotam with nasi kudus, and Viyyalavari. starts A 3-tier nagara - Vesara sigaram Vimanam is on the Sanctum Sanctorum. 

HISTORY AND INSCRIPTIONS

Since Thirugnanasamnandar has sung hymns in praise of Lord Shiva of this temple, the original temple might have existed before the 7^th Century. Later the temple was reconstructed as a stone temple by Chozhas and further extended by Vijayanagaras.

Maha Kumbabishekam was conducted on 28^th May 1990 after renovations.

LEGENDS

It is believed that Ma Parvati, Devas, Viswamithra, Arjuna, King Anavaradha Maharaja, and Ayyadigal Kadavarkon worshiped Lord Shiva of this temple.  

As per the legend, Arjuna did penance in a bamboo forest on Lord Shiva to get the Pasupata Astra to win over the Duryodhana in the war. Duryodhana sent Mukasura in the form of a pig to disturb Arjuna’s penance. In the meantime, Lord Shiva and Parvati took the form of Hunter and came to the forest. On seeing the Pig both shoot the pig with an arrow. Both Lord Shiva and Arjuna claimed that their arrow only killed the Pig, and this led to a tussle between them. Arjuna’s bow was broken. Angered Arjuna hit Lord Shiva with his bow. This blow was felt by all, in 4 lokas. Lord Shiva Kicked him with his leg and Arjuna fell down in the theertham of this temple. This made Parvati to get angry at Arjuna. Lord Shiva pacified Parvati and blessed Arjuna with a Pasupata Astra. The hit mark scar can be seen on moolavar.

This place is also known as Ambikapuram since Ma Parvati is believed to have been born into a fisherman’s family of this place. The legend goes like this... When Lord Shiva and Parvati are at Mount Kailash, Ma Parvati tells Lord Shiva cannot protect this world without her contribution. Lord Shiva felt that Ma Parvati was influenced by the undeserved pride and wanted to teach her a lesson. So Lord Shiva Cursed her to be born into a fisherman’s family in this place, Thiruvettakudy. To win back Lord Shiva’s trust Ma Parvati did a penance. Satisfied by her Penance Lord Shiva came to this place and married her. To commemorate this legend, during the Masi month “Kadaladu” festival, Urchavars will be taken in procession to sea, by the the fishermen community.

During Thirugnanasambandar’s visit, he came via sea, to this place. He found all the sands, looked like a Shiva Linga, and was afraid of stepping on the seashore. So, He has sung the hymns, staying from the sea itself.  

POOJAS AND CELEBRATIONS

On Masi Maham brahmotsavam is celebrated for 3 days. Urchavar as Veduvar will be taken to sea for theerthavari called “Kadaladu Thiruvizha”. It is believed that Ambal was born from a fishermen's Community. Hence this this kadaladu thiruvizha was celebrated by the seashore villages, Akkampettai, Mandapththur, and Kalikuppam. It is believed that it will be auspicious to take a bath in the temple theertham on Masi Maham day.

Apart from regular poojas and special poojas are conducted on 3 days, Vinayagar Chathurthi in the month Avani ( Aug – Sept ), Thirukarthigai in the month Karthigai ( Nov – Dec ), Maha Shivaratri in the month Masi ( Feb – March ) and every month pradosham.

TEMPLE TIMINGS

The temple will be kept open between 06.30 hrs to 12.00 hrs and 16.30 hrs to 20.30 hrs

CONTACT DETAILS

The mobile number of Thiru Ramesh Gurukkal +91 9585228088 may be contacted for further details.

HOW TO REACH : 

On the Bus route from Tharangambadi to Nagapattinam, a place called Poovam, after entering Puducherry UT, crossing Poovam get down at Varichakudi, and from there, Thiruvettakudy is 1.6 km on the east side.

The place Vettakudy is 8.9 km from Karaikal, 7.7 km from Tharangambadi, 15.9 km from Thirukadaiyur, 36 km from Mayiladuthurai, 37 km from Vaitheeswaran Koil 37 km from Sirkazhi, 57 km from Kumbakonam and 275 km from Chennai.

The nearest railway station is Karaikal.

LOCATION OF THE TEMPLE: CLICK HERE

--- OM SHIVAYA NAMA ---