Vedaranyeswarar Temple

Vedaranyeswarar Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to the god Shiva, located in the town of Vedaranyam in Tamil Nadu, India. Vedaranyeswarar is revered in the 7th century Tamil Shaiva canonical work, the Tevaram, written by Tamil saint poets known as the Nayanars and classified as Paadal Petra Sthalam. It is the only temple to have found mention in all the seven Thirumurais. The temple is famed for the legend between the saints Appar and Sambandar when the former sang to open the door while the latter sang to close the door.

Vedaranyeswarar temple is a part of the series of temples built by Aditya Chola (871-907 CE) along the banks of river Kaveri to commemorate his victory in the Tirupurambiyam battle. (But this statement cannot be true as Appar and Thirugnaana Sambandar had visited the temple during the reign of Mahendra Pallavan in the early 7 th century itself. At that time, they made the doors of the temple open and close with their Thevaram poems. The temple must, therefore, have been built long before the era of Mahendra Pallavan himself). It has several inscriptions dating back to the Chola period. The temple has six daily rituals at various times from 5:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., and three yearly festivals on its calendar. The annual Brahmotsavam (prime festival) is attended by thousands of devotees from far and near. The temple is maintained and administered by the Hindu Religious and Endowment Board of the Government of Tamil Nadu.

History

The recorded history of Vedaranyam is found from the inscriptions in Vedaranyeswarar Temple. The inscriptions are recorded by the Madras Epigraphical department during 1904. There are a total of 88 recorded inscriptions named from 415 of 1904 to 503 of 1904.The inscriptions date from the reign of Aditya Chola (871–907 CE), Rajaraja Chola I (985–1014 CE), Rajendra Chola I (1012–1044 CE) and Kulothunga Chola I (1070–1120 CE) indicating various grants to the temple. Paranjothi Munivar, a 13th-century saint, who wrote the book Thiruvilaiyadal Puranam, was born at Vedaranyam. An inscription dating back to Parantaka Chola mentions the gift of 90 sheep by a merchant to the temple for the maintenance of a perpetual lamp.

Vedaranyam continued to be a part of the Chola Empire and the Chola region emerged as a centre of Saivism during the reign of Kulothunga Chola I (1070–1120 CE). After the fall of Cholas during the reign of Rajendra Chola II in the 13th century CE, the erstwhile Chola region was caught under a power struggle between Pandyas and Hoysalas.The royal patronage continued to the temple during the rule of the Nayaks.The Negapatam region (modern day Nagapattinam district) was briefly captured by French troops led by Lally (1702–66 CE) in 1759 CE. The Tanjore district was annexed by British after the French failed to subdue the king of Tanjore. In modern times, the temple is maintained and administered by the Hindu Religious and Endowment Board of the Government of Tamil Nadu.