Veezhinathar Temple

Veezhinathar Temple is a Lord Shiva temple located in Thiruveezhimizhalai. The name of the temple can be broken into parts to understand its derivation. As this place was once dense with many trees like shenbagam, sandal, Jack and Vila. They all were collectively called Veezhi. Mizhalai Kurumbar,a hunter was a devotee of Lord Shiva. He used to offer the Vila fruit for nivedhana to God. Pleased by his devotion, the Lord taught him Ashtamasiddhi, the eight great lessons. Today also the Vizha fruit is found at the feet of the Lord in the temple. Thus, the place got its name as Thiru+Veezhi+Mizhalai, which is amalgamation of the names of the fruit and the devotee hunter. The great hall called the Mahamandapa gives the impression of a marriage hall. A Shiva Linga present near the flag post is called Dwajasthamba. Bat sculptures can be seen on the walls in the hall where many people celebrate their 61st birthday. There was a severe drought all around when Sambandar and Thirunavukarasar visited this place. So they prayed to Lord Shiva. He gave gold coins called Padikasu to both of them. Sambandar got Padikasu at the Pedam at the front of Mahamandapam,while in the Pedam in Merkku (west) prakaram, Navukarasar got the gold coin. Prakaram is the closed precincts of a temple. With the help of these gold coins, they provided food to the people in need. They did anadhanam at the Mutt which is located on Vadaku Therodum Veedhi (North car Street). Mother Parvathi was herself born pleased by the severe penance of Muni Kathyayana and his wife for a child. As she grew to a marriageable age, Muni prayed to Shiva to marry her, thus they got married in the month of Chithirai (April-May) on the Magam Star day. The sage also prayed to the Lord to give darshan to all, in the same wedding form on all days, thus the Lord appears in the sanctum in the same wedding Form. Demon Chalandaran grabbed the disc of Vishnu. So he went to Lord Shiva to acquire it back from him. Lord Shiva informed Lord Vishnu that he was among the Veezhi plants on Earth and to get back the disc he had to worship him there. Following his words, Vishnu reached this place, and worshipped Shiva by making a pond in his namewith this theertham and lotus flowers. Still he was short by one flower which Vishnu completed by taking off his own eye, thus the practice of offering eye symbols engraved in silver, gold or copper started. Pleased by the puja of Vishnu, Lord Shiva gave him back his disc. Today also the eye offered by Vishnu is at the feet of Lord Shiva.