The Vedagiriswarar Temple is a

Hindu Hindus (; ; also known as Sanātanīs) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism, also known by its endonym Sanātana Dharma. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pp. 35–37 Historically, the term has also be ...

temple dedicated to the god

Shiva Shiva (; , ), also known as Mahadeva (; , , Help:IPA/Sanskrit, ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐh and Hara, is one of the Hindu deities, principal deities of Hinduism. He is the God in Hinduism, Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions w ...

, located in Tirukalukundram (also known as Thirukazhukundram),

Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is the southernmost States and union territories of India, state of India. The List of states and union territories of India by area, tenth largest Indian state by area and the List of states and union territories of Indi ...

, India.

The Temple

Tirukalukundram is known for the Vedagiriswarar temple complex, popularly known as ''kazhugu koil'' (eagle-temple). The temple consists of two structures, one at the foot-hill and the other on the hill's crest. The large hill-top temple (the main attraction) houses the deity

, also known as ''Vedagiriswarar''. The temple at the foot-hill is dedicated to his consort

Parvati Parvati (, , IPA: /Sanskrit phonology, pɑɾʋət̪iː/), also known as Uma (, , IPA: Sanskrit phonology, /ʊmɑː/) and Gauri (, , IPA: /Sanskrit phonology, gə͡ʊɾiː/), is one of the principal goddesses in Hinduism, revered as the Devi, ...

, known here as ''Thiripurasundari Amman''. The temple at the foot-hills has four towers (

gopuram A ''gopuram'' or ''gopura'' ( Tamil: கோபுரம், Telugu: గోపురం, Kannada Kannada () is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly in the state of Karnataka in southwestern India, and spoken by a minority of th ...

s), which closely resemble the architecture of the Annamalaiyar Temple.

History

The word "Thirukazhukundram" comes from the Tamil words ''thiru'' (respectful), ''kazhugu'' (vulture/eagle), and ''kundram'' (mount). It was known as "Thirukazhugukundram" in ancient times, which later culminated into "Thirukazhukundram". The town is also known as "''Pakshi-theertham''" (''Pakshi''- bird; ''Theertham''- holy lake) because of a pair of birds (most likely Egyptian vultures) that are believed to have visited the site for centuries. These birds are traditionally fed by the temple priests and arrive before noon to feed on offerings made from rice, wheat,

ghee Ghee is a type of clarified butter, originating from South Asia. It is commonly used for cooking, as a Traditional medicine of India, traditional medicine, and for Hinduism, Hindu religious rituals. Description Ghee is typically prepared by ...

and sugar. Although punctual, the failure of the birds to turn up was attributed to the presence of "sinners" among the onlookers. Legend has it the vultures (or "eagles") represent eight sages who were punished by

with two of them leaving in each of a series of epochs. It has also been known as ''Uruthrakodi'', ''Nandipuri'', ''Indrapuri'', ''Narayanapuri'', ''Brahmapuri'', ''Dinakarapuri'', and ''Muniganapuri'' in the past. There are many inscriptions in the temple.

Legend

The sage

Bharadwaja Bharadvaja (, ; also spelled Bharadwaja) was one of the revered Vedic sages ( maharishi) in Ancient India. He was a renowned scholar, economist, grammarian and a physician. He is one of the Saptarshis (seven great sages or Maharṣis). His ...

prayed to the god

for a long life so that he could learn all the Vedas. Shiva appeared before him and granted him his wish to learn the Vedas and created three mountain, each signifying a Veda ( Rig, Yajur and Sama). Shiva then took a handful of mud and said: Shiva also said that in the ''

Kali Yuga ''Kali Yuga'' (Devanagari: कलियुग), in Hinduism, is the fourth, shortest, and worst of the four '' yugas'' (world ages) in a '' Yuga cycle'', preceded by '' Dvapara Yuga'' and followed by the next cycle's '' Krita (Satya) Yuga''. I ...

'', the simplest and the surest way to salvation is

bhakti ''Bhakti'' (; Pali: ''bhatti'') is a term common in Indian religions which means attachment, fondness for, devotion to, trust, homage, worship, piety, faith, or love.See Monier-Williams, ''Sanskrit Dictionary'', 1899. In Indian religions, it ...

, or unfettered devotion, service and love of God and his creations. It is believed that the hill on which the Vedagiriswarar temple is built, consists of the mountains signifying the Vedas created by Shiva himself. The name ''Vedagiriswarar'' means "''the Lord of the Vedic Mountains''" in

Sanskrit Sanskrit (; stem form ; nominal singular , ,) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in northwest South Asia after its predecessor languages had Trans-cultural ...

Poets

It is one of the 275 shrines known as Paadal Petra Sthalams. The four poet-saints (commonly called as Naalvar)

Appar Appar (), also referred to as Tirunavukkaracar () or Navukkarasar, was a seventh-century Tamil Shaiva poet-saint. Born in a peasant Shaiva family, raised as an orphan by his sister, he lived about 80 years and is generally placed sometime betwe ...

Sundarar Sundarar (), also referred to as Chuntarar, Chuntaramurtti, Nampi Aruran or Tampiran Tolan, was an eighth-century poet-saint of Tamil Shaiva Siddhanta tradition of Hinduism. He is among the Tevaram trio, and one of the most prominent Nayanars, ...

, Manickavasagar and Thirugnanasamandhar had visited the temple complex and composed hymns in praise of ''Vedagiriswarar''. A shrine, ''Nalvar Koil'', is dedicated to them.

Arunagirinathar Arunagirinathar (', ) was a Tamil language, Tamil Shaivism, Shaiva saint-poet who lived during the 14th century in Tamil Nadu, India. In his treatise ''A History of Indian Literature'' (1974), Czechs, Czech Indologist Kamil Zvelebil places Aru ...

composed many of his hymns of Thirupugazh in Thirukazhukundram.

Location

Thirukazhukundram is located on State Highway 58, 70 km away from Chennai and 15 km away from the famous tourist town

Mahabalipuram Mamallapuram (also known as Mahabalipuram), is a town in Chengalpattu district in the southeastern Indian States and territories of India, state of Tamil Nadu, best known for the UNESCO World Heritage Site of 7th- and 8th-century Hindu Group of ...

. It is also 15 km away from Chengalpattu. Near road links are, 10 km away from Old Mahabalipuram Road, 10 km away from

East Coast Road East Coast Road (ECR), combination of SH-49, NH-332A, NH-32, officially known as Mutthamizh Arignar Kalaignar Road, is a two-lane highway (now being partially widened to four lanes from Chennai to Mamallapuram) in Tamil Nadu, India, built alo ...

and 15 km away from GST road.

Gallery

Image:Main Gopuram.jpg, Main

Gopuram A ''gopuram'' or ''gopura'' ( Tamil: கோபுரம், Telugu: గోపురం, Kannada Kannada () is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly in the state of Karnataka in southwestern India, and spoken by a minority of th ...

of Hill temple of Thirukazhukundram Image:Sangu Theertham.jpg, Sangu

Theertham Theertham (Theertha or Tirtha) literally refers to water. In Hindu sacred literature, it is referred to as the physical holy water body associated with a temple or deity. As per Hindu religious belief, water is the principal purification mechanis ...

(conch tank) of Thirukazhukundram Orukal Mandapa, Brahma Siva Visnu Cave temple 1, Tirukkalukkundram Tamil Nadhu.jpg, Orukal Mandapa (610-640 CE) is a Pallava-era rock-cut cave temple about 50 steps below Vedagiriswarar temple, east side of the hill. Image:Tirukalukundram2.jpg, Temple view from foothills Image:Tirukalukundram4.jpg, Basement temple view from the hill Image:Tirukalukundram7.jpg, Sangu Theertham (conch tank) view File:Thirukalukundram Sangutheertham and Hill Temple.jpg

References

Hymns of Thirupugazh with their composed locations
*http://www.thirukalukundram.in/ {{HinduMythology Hindu temples in Kanchipuram district Padal Petra Stalam Shiva temples in Kanchipuram district