Kalyana Sundareswarar, Velvikudi, Nagapattinam

Basic information about the temple

Moolavar:	Kalyana Sundareswarar	Ambal / Thayar:	Parimala Suanda Nayaki, Narumsaandha Nayaki
Deity:	Siva	Historical name:	Tiruvelvikudi
Vriksham:	Vilvam	Teertham:	Kothkaapandhana teertham
Agamam:		Age (years):
Timing:	7 to 12 & 4 to 8	Parikaram:
Temple group:	Paadal Petra Sthalam (Kaveri Vada Karai)	–
Sung by:	Sambandar, Sundarar	Temple set:
Navagraham:		Nakshatram:
City / town:	Velvikudi	District:	Nagapattinam
Maps from (click):	Current location	Mayiladuthurai (8 km)	Kumbakonam (31 km)
	Thiruvarur (44 km)	Nagapattinam (59 km)

Location

Velvikudi is located about 12 km from Mayiladuthurai and 27 km from Kumbakonam.

Sthala puranam and temple information

This is one of the temples connected with Lord Siva’s marriage to Parvati (see here for the full story and all temples associated with that celestial event).

Velvi refers to sacrificial yagams. Velvikudi is considered the location where the pre-nuptial yagams were conducted, prior to the marriage itself, which is said to have taken place at Tirumanancheri. In connection with the wedding, Siva performed the gangadharanam (tying of the sacred thread around the wrist) to Parvati. Brahma was the chief priest at the yagams, and Vinayakar performed self-sankalpam (and is therefore known as Sankalpa Vinayakar here). Another locally stated legend is that Velvikudi is, in fact, the location of the wedding, and not Tirumananjeri.

Sundarar (the Nayanar) was afflicted with a disease. He worshipped Lord Siva here, after taking a bath in the temple pond, and was cured. Agastyar is also said to have worshipped at this temple.

There is a story of an unnamed prince and princess, whose wedding had to be cancelled as the princess suddenly died before the date fixed for the wedding. The prince prayed at this temple, upon which Lord Siva instructed his ganas to revive the princess and get her ready for the wedding. Worshipping at this temple is believed to help single people get married.

Some of the murtis in this temple are extraordinary and unusual. One is a mural depicting the wedding procession of Siva and Parvati. Another is the fact that the Ardhanareeswarar murti here shows Parvati to Siva’s right (normally the left is where the bride is positioned). It is regarded that this is the place where Siva granted half his body to Parvati, and therefore the place of origin of the concept of Ardhanareeswarar.

As this is related to the celestial wedding, it is considered a mangala sthalam, offering no place for the Navagrahas (another version is that the Navagrahas went to Tirumananjeri for the wedding). Instead, Lord Siva Himself is in the isana moolai (northeast corner) of the temple, as He is the adipathi for all the Navagrahams in any case.

This temple is one of the pancha krosha sthalams connected to Kuttalam, indicating not only the connection between these temples and the celestial wedding, but also that these are very ancient temples in their own right. The superstructure of the temple itself is early Chola, estimated to have been built in the 7^th century CE.