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Thiruvedaga Peruman
Thiruvedagam,
is a small town which is located between Madurai and Chozhavandhan. This
Sthala which was occupied by the Samanars, changed the course of history
. The Pandya King Arikesari Nedumaran who belonged to the Saivaite
faith, due to the clever tactics of the Samanar community, underwent a
conversion. He deviated from the path of virtue and his subjects also
followed their ruler. The Saivaite queen sent an emissary to Gnana
Sambandhar and requested him to save the king and the subjects from the
Samanar's grip.
Acceding to her
request, Sambandhar with the blessings of Appar, paid a visit to Madurai.
Stirred and worried by his visit , the Samanars burnt the monastery of
Sambandhar and this reflected on the King , who was afflicted with
leprosy. Both the Samanars and Sambandhar treated the disease. The
Samanars efforts proved futile while the sacred ash given by Sambandhar
to the King cured him.
Angered by this, the
Samanars challenged Sambandhar to 'anall vaadham' (hot dispute) and 'punall
vaadham' (cold dispute). Defeated by Sambandhar in the anall vaadham, they
got down to punall vaadham. The Samanars wrote ' Athi Naathi' on a palmyra
leaf and floated it down the river Vaigai, while Sambandhar wrote:
 'Vazhga andhanar
vanavar aaninam Veezhga thanpunal vendhanum oonguga Aazhga theeyadhellam
aran namame Soozhga vaiyagamum thuyar theergave' and floated it down the
Vaigai. The palmyra leaf that Sambandhar floated reached the bank on the
other side.
Sambandhar feeling happy called the place as 'Edu Senranai
Tharum Edagam' which came to be known as Thiruvedagam. The palmyra leaf
which the Samanars left was swept away by the river and reached 'Thirupasethi'(
thiru + pa + serthal).
Structure of the
temple
There are two separate
temples for Lord Shiva and Amman within the temple compound. There are
separate rajagopurams and in the rajagopuram of the Shiva Temple which
consists of five tiers, one can see the statues of the 'sick King',
Samanars and Sambandhar treating the king, and the defeated Samanars
hanging on the 'Kazhu Maram' ( impaling stake). Inside the sanctum
sanctorum, the Lord Bhadrika Parameshwaran who is called as 'Edaga
Nadhar' appears in the form of a Lingam.
In the praharam around
the sanctum sanctorum, one can see the 63 Nayanmars in a line and on to
their right are the idols of Bala Ganapathy, Dhakshina Murthy, Aarumugan,
seven 'Kannimar Naga Deivam' ,Durga, and Sandikeshwarar.
The idols of Natarajar,
Navagrahas, Vallaba Ganapathy, Pooranambal, Aiyanar, Pushpakalambal,
Aanai Chandran and Karthigai can also be worshipped here.
On the left side of the
Edaganadhar's sanctum sanctorum lies the sanctum sanctorum of 'Elavar
Kuzhali Amman' who is also known as 'Koondhalambal'.
Stone inscriptions
On the walls of the
temple, the stone inscriptions from the times of Pandya, then
Vijayanagara, Nayakka, and Chetti Nadu are found.
God : Edaga
Nadhar Goddess : Elavar Kuzhali Thala maram : Vilvam Theertham :
Bhrammatheertha Kulam, Vaigai.
Pooja and Festivals
The temple is open for
worship from 6.30 am till noon, and then from 5 pm to 8 pm. The Tamil
New year, Vaikasi Visagam, Aadi Pooram, Aavani Chathurthi, full moon
day, Navarathiri, Kandhar Sashti, Karthigai Soma Vaaram, Dheepam,
Thiruvadhirai, Thaipoosam, Panguni uthiram etc., are celebrated here.
Thirupasura Edu
Edhireriya Thiruvizha
This is the main and
the most important festival celebrated in this temple. The day when the
palmyra leaf floated by Sambandhar in the River Vaigai reached
Thruvedagam is celebrated with pomp, and it should be mentioned that no
other temple in Tamil Nadu celebrates such a function.
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