Virudhagiriswarar temple/Vriddhachaleshwar TamilNadu

The Virudhagiriswarar Temple is a Hindu temple in the town of Virudhachalam, Cuddalore district of Tamil Nadu, India. The presiding deity Virudhagiriswarar is revered in Tevaram, written by Tamil saint poets known as the nayanmars and classified as Paadal Petra Sthalam. The temple gives its name to the town of Virudhachalam. The temple is famed for the legend of Shiva forming as a mountain heeding to the prayers of Brahma.

Virudhagirswarar temple is a part of the series of temples built by Sembiyan Mahadevi, the Chola queen along the banks of river Kaveri. 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), Masi Magam, 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.

Legend

As per Hindu Mythology, when Brahma thought of creating the earth, he created water. Lord Vishnu happened to cut down the evil Madhukaidavas. The cut pieces of the bodies floated on water created by Lord Brahma. On seeing that Brahma prayed to Lord Shiva to create the earth out of the hardened compound from the water and the flesh of the bodies. Lord Shiva appeared as a mountain. Lord Brahma who did not know this created many different mountains. As they did not have space to exist, he was sorrowful. The Pranava God appeared and conveyed Lord Brahma the truth through gestures. Brahma worshipped Lord Shiva who was the form of mountain. Lord Shiva created the earth combining the flesh and the water compounded in a hardened form. He called it medhini. He gave space for the mountains of Brahma. He told Brahma that he was not different from the mountain. The mountains of Brahma came into being after that mountain. Hence the mountain of Shiva was named Pazha malai (old mountain). According to him, that Pazhamalai would be hard pressed on the earth appearing as Shiva Linga above. Those who worshipped it would get all they wished for. Thus, the oldest of all mountains is invisible, but the top layer of it is said to appear in the river-bed of Cuddalore at Vayalur, about four km north of Virudhachalam.

Etymology

Vriddha means ancient – Achalam means the unshakeable, so the hills around Virudhachalam are the unshakeable hills. Virudhachalam means an ancient hill. In chaste Tamil this is mentioned as Mudhu Kundram in Thevaram hymns. During the days of Saivite Saints Appar, Gnanasambandhar and Sundarar, the place was known as Pazhamalai in Tamil and changed to the Sanskrit version Virudhachalam in the days that followed.

Architecture

The ancient Chola temple of Virudhagiriswarar was commissioned by Sembiyan Mahadevi, among the most powerful queens of the Chola empire and an ardent worshipper of Lord Siva.The temple is surrounded by high walls and five gopurams. The hundred pillared hall is carved like a chariot. There are images of Vinayaga, Rishi Vpiacit and Romas and for the sister of Kubera.The chains of the temple car were donated by Charles Hyde, the District Collector of the then South Arcot district in 1813. The place was originally called Thirumudukundram, the place of holy mountain.Similar architecture of halls (Mandapas) simulating a chariot drawn by elephant or horses is found in Sarangapani temple at Kumbakonam, Mela Kadambur Amirthakadeswarar Temple, Sikharagiriswara Temple, Kudumiyamalai, Nageswaraswamy Temple, Kumbakonam, and Thyagaraja Temple, Tiruvarur.