Amritakadeswarar (Kodi Kuzhagar), Kodiakadu, Nagapattinam

Basic information about the temple

Moolavar:	Amritakadeswarar	Ambal / Thayar:	Anjanakshi, Maithadankanni
Deity:	Siva	Historical name:	TirukkoDi
Vriksham:	KurAmaram	Teertham:	Agniteertham (Sea), Temple well
Agamam:		Age (years):
Timing:	9 to 10 & 5 to 6	Parikaram:
Temple group:	Paadal Petra Sthalam (Kaveri Then Karai)	–
Sung by:	Sundarar	Temple set:
Navagraham:		Nakshatram:
City / town:	Kodiakadu	District:	Nagapattinam
Maps from (click):	Current location	Nagapattinam (64.3 km)	Tiruvarur (72 km)
	Kumbakonam (108.9 km)	Mayiladuthurai (113.8 km)

Location

Kodikkarai is located about 9.5 km from Vedaranyam.

Sthala puranam and temple information

During the churning of the ocean, the amritam (nectar) was being carried by Vayu in a pot. At that time, the asuras created a storm, as a result of which, a small quantity of the amritam fell here, and took the form of a Lingam. Therefore, the moolavar here takes the name Amritakadeswarar. Another spill of the amritam was collected by Murugan in a pot. Murugan – as Amrita Subrahmanyar – gets special worship at this temple, where his murti is featured holding a pot.

When Sundarar visited this temple along with his friend, Cheraman Peruman Nayanar, he was anguished by the fact that the temple was in a desolate place in the middle of a forest, and hymned to Siva about His choice of location, when he could have had his choice of places where devotees would visit. Even today, this is a rather remote part of Tamil Nadu, and does not get many visitors.

This temple also has a Ramayanam connection. When Rama wanted to cross the seas to reach Lanka, He is said to have sighted Lanka from here, and Sugreeva suggested that they build a bridge from here, given its proximity to Lanka. However, Rama did not wish to build a bridge from here, as He deemed it would be landing at Lanka from the rear, which He considered inappropriate. And while Rama preferred to construct the bridge from near Rameswaram, he prayed to Lord Siva at this temple. At a place almost half-way between this temple and the Agasthiyan Palli temple, is a shrine where Rama’s footprint is preserved and worshipped.

This Chola temple dates to approximately the 7^th century CE. Sambandar, Sundarar and sage Kuzhagar have worshipped here, and it is after this sage that the Lord here is also called Kodi Kuzhagar (Kodi in Tamil means distant – this place was one of the farthest from the capital, during the Chola times). The temple has inscriptions that refer to Raja Raja Chola I, Rajendra Chola and Kulothunga Chola.

This temple features a unique Navagraham arrangement, where they are all in a single row, facing the same direction, witnessing Siva and Parvati in kalyana kolam.

Arunagirinathar has sung about Murugan in his Tiruppugazh, here.

This temple features as a prominent landmark in Kalki’s Ponniyin Selvan, as the temple near the lighthouse from where trips to Lanka are usually undertaken.

Other information for your visit

Due to its remote location, the temple is open only for one hour each in the morning and evening. So it is best to call the Sivacharyar in advance of your visit. Alternatively, you could time your visit according to the stated temple timings.

Vedaranyam, the nearest town, does not have much by way of accommodation facilities (some limited food outlets are available). Nagapattinam (50km) and Mannargudi (65km) offer some budget accommodation, and some budget and mid-range resorts on the stretch between Nagapatinam and Velankanni.