Visited on: 23rd September, 2018.

Location

Keezhvelur is situated at a distance of about 14 kms from Thiruvarur on the Thiruvarur to Nagapatinam route. In fact, it is midway in between Tiruvarur and Nagappattinam.

There is a railway station in Keezhvelur and this temple is about 2 kms away from it. Nearest Airport is located at Trichy.

Other Devara Paadal Petra Shiva Sthalams near this place are –

Thevur, Sikkal, Nagapattinam, Thirumaraikkadu, Agathiyanpalli and Kodiyakkarai.

General Information

Moolavar

Sri Kediliyappar, Sri Atchayalingeswarar

Ambal

Sri Vanamulai Nayagi, Sri Sundara Gujambal

Theertham (Holy water)

Saravana Theertham

Sthala Vriksham (Sacred Tree)

Ilanthai tree (Badari)

Pathigam (Hymn) rendered by

Saint Thirugnanasambanthar-1

Saint Thirunavukarasar (Appar)-1







This is one of the 276 Devara Paadal Petra Shiva Sthalams and 84 th Shiva Sthalam on the Southern bank of the river Cauvery in Chozha Nadu (Thenkarai).

Shiva Sthalam on the Southern bank of the river Cauvery in Chozha Nadu (Thenkarai). Lord Shiva in this temple is a Swayambumurthi (self-manifested).

This temple is counted as one of the Maadak Koils built by King Kochengat Cholan, one of the 63 Nayanmars.

This temple is also known as “Kubera Sthalam”.

This east facing temple has two corridors and its main tower (Rajagopuram) has 7-tiers.

The last consecration ceremony (Maha Kumbabishekam) took place on 01.05.2015 and prior to that on 11.04.1999 and 01.09.1963.

History of the Temple

The legend is that once upon a time, when the Devas and Asuras were churning the “Thiruparkadal” ocean to extract nectar, it is believed that a drop of the nectar fell on the ground at two places – one in north India and the other one at this place. The place where it fell in north India is known as “North Badarikaranyam” (present Badrinath in Uttarakand state) and this place is known as “South Badarikaranyam”. Badri refers to “Elanthai” tree and once this region was a forest densely covered with badri trees. The sthalaviruksham of this temple is also badari tree.

There are three stone inscriptions in this temple - two belong to the Tirubuvana Chakravarthi Raja Raja Cholan and one belongs to Tanjore Maratha king Thulajaji.

As Lord Murugan (“Vel”) worshiped Lord Shiva here, this place gets the name Velur.

The temple is built at an elevation of about 21 feet with 18 steps on the hillock and is known as “Chithira Kooda Parvadam”.

This temple is under the administrative control of the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department of Government of Tamil Nadu (HR&CE).