Kailasanathar, Kaduvangudi, Tiruvarur

Basic information about the temple

Moolavar:	Kailasanathar	Ambal / Thayar:	Kalyanasundari
Deity:	Siva	Historical name:
Vriksham:		Teertham:
Agamam:		Age (years):
Timing:	7 to 12 & 4 to 8	Parikaram:
Temple group:		–
Sung by:		Temple set:
Navagraham:		Nakshatram:
City / town:	Kaduvangudi	District:	Tiruvarur
Maps from (click):	Current location	Mayiladuthurai (17 km)	Tiruvarur (29 km)
	Kumbakonam (37 km)	Nagapattinam (39 km)

Location

Sthala puranam and temple information

We request you to please read this short background about village temples, before you proceed.

Kaduvangudi is located near Peralam, very close to the Kollumangudi-Sirupuliyur junction, in Tiruvarur district. The name Kaduvangudi is also sometimes regarded as a corruption of Kollumangudi. The temple is located a little south of the Nattaru river, and near the Ekambareswarar temple in the same village.

As with many village temples, there is no evidence of a sthala puranam in the temple, nor was there anyone to talk about it. Also, given the presence of a separate shrine for sage Kashyapa here, it is possible that the sthala puranam here connects the sage’s worship of Siva, with this temple.

There is no raja gopuram here, and instead there is an arch like a mottai gopuram, with stucco images of Siva and Parvati, Vinayakar and Murugan.

However, going by the architecture here, as well as the design of the temple’s vimanam, this seems to be a Chola temple from the 9^th or 10^th century. The architecture and detailing on the murtis here is quite intricate, and very clearly Chola.

Siva as Kailasanathar faces east, and Kalyana Sundari Amman resides in a south-facing shrine. There is no dhwajasthambam here, only a bali peetham, followed by a Nandi mandapa. The maha mandapam leads us to both the moolavar and Amman shrines. Two dwarapalakas grace the entrance to the garbhagriham, above which is a bas relief of a line of Siva-ganas dancing, with Nandi bookending them on both sides. There is also a beautiful Vinayakar murti to the left.

In the prakaram are separate shrines for Vinayakar, Murugan with Valli and Deivanai, Gajalakshmi, sage Kashyapa, and a Navagraham shrine. There are also the usual koshta shrines for Vinayakar, Dakshinamurti, Lingodhbhavar, Brahma and Durga, and also for Ardhanareeswarar.

Other Information for your visit

The temple gates are almost always locked, but one of the residents of the street on which the temple is located, has the keys, and can let in visitors.