Vedapuriswarar Temple, Thiruvedhikudi
About Vedapuriswarar Temple, Thiruvedhikudi
Located on the banks of the Kudamurutti river near Tiruvaiyaru in Thanjavur district, this sacred temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva in the form of Vedapuriswarar, also known as Vazhaimadunathar, a name derived from the deity's emergence from a banana grove. The temple holds canonical significance as a Paadal Petra Sthalam, having been venerated by seventh-century saint-poets Appar and Campantar whose hymns appear in the Tevaram. The presiding lingam is believed to be self-manifested, and the temple features a three-tiered rajagopuram with multiple shrines housing 108 Shivalingas and representations of various deities including Dakshinamurthy, Nataraja, and Arthanareeswara. A remarkable astronomical phenomenon occurs during the 13th, 14th, and 15th days of the Tamil month Panguni (March–April), when the sun's rays directly illuminate the deity, commemorating the Sun God's worship at this sacred site. The temple is counted among the Saptha Sthanam temples that participate in an annual convergence festival at Tiruvaiyaru, and is recognized as one of the earliest surviving Chola temples.
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