In mythology, a drop of nectar is supposed to have fallen on the earth here and in north India, when the Devas and Asuras were stirring the “Thiruparkadal” ocean in order to gather nectar. It fell in what is known in north India as “South Badarikaranyam,” or “North Badarikaranyam,” which is now Badrinath in the state of Uttarakhand. A thick forest of badri trees, also referred to as “Elanthai” trees, once covered this region. Its sthalaviruksham, the badari tree, is used in this temple.
Three stone inscriptions can be found in this temple: two are credited to Tirubuvana Chakravarthi Raja Raja Cholan, and the third is to the Tanjore Maratha king Thulajaji. Because Lord Murugan, also known as “Vel,” worshipped Lord Shiva here, this place was given the name Velur. The temple, known as “Chithira Kooda Parvadam,” has eighteen steps that descend from its perch at a height of about twenty-one feet. The administrative management of this temple is under the purview of the Tamil Nadu government’s Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department (HR&CE).
Legend
The Thalapuranam states that Lord Murugan begged Lord Shiva’s forgiveness to cleanse himself of the sin known as “Veerahathi dosham,” which he had accrued from his vanquishing of the demon Surapadman. Lord Shiva told him to come here and perform penance. Upon arriving, Lord Murugan started worshiping the powdered turmeric (called manjal in Tamil) by preparing a Vinayakar. The region near Velur is now called Manjadi. He also created a pond with Vel, his spear. With the help of Indra and the celestial sculptor Maya, he built a magnificent temple honoring Lord Shiva.
He was doing his penance in the form of “mayas” when Veerahathi began to interfere with his worship. When he approached Lord Shiva for help, Lord Shiva requested that Goddess Parvathi safeguard Lord Murugan’s penance. The goddess Parvathi took the form of “Badrakaali” there, enveloping the sky and all four directions to keep him safe. In this instance, she is commended as “Anju Vattathu Amman,” where “vattam” denotes a circle and “anju” means five in Tamil. She addressed all five directions. She goes by Kaali here as well.
It is said that Sage Agasthiyar performed penance here. Lord Shiva granted him permission to witness both his cosmic dance and his wedding darshan after hearing his prayers. This was the only leg-swapping dance that Lord Shiva ever did; his left leg remained on the ground while his right leg was raised. As he danced, Brahma is said to have played the thalam, Saraswathi the veena, Indra the flute, and Mahavishnu the “Mathalam.” Vinayakar and Murugan are also said to have performed songs. It is said that the Sages Agasthiyar, Pathanjali, and Viyakrapathar observed and relished the beautiful dance. The procession idols that symbolize this dance performance are located in the main hall.
This is the place where Kuberan is supposed to have worshipped the lord on “Atchaya Tirithia.” Lord Shiva bestowed upon him nine pots filled with wealth, including the “Sanga Nidhi” and “Paduma Nidhi.”
The duke is believed to have been worshipped here by Mahavishnu, Brahma, Krishna, Murugan, Indra, Kuberan, Agni, Vayu, Yama, Chandran, Navagrahams, Saints Thirugnanasambanthar and Appar, Sage Agasthiyar, Sage Vashistar, Sage Markandeya, Adhiseshan, and Adhiseshan.
Timings
Temple opens between 06:30 AM to 12:00 PM and 04:00 PM to 09:00 PM
Location
The distance between Thiruvarur and Keezhvelur on the Thiruvarur to Nagapatinam route is about 14 km. In actuality, it is midway between Tiruvarur and Nagappattinam. This temple is about two kilometers away from the railway station in Keezhvelur. Trichy has the closest airport. Visit the official website of Liturgical Temples to learn more about historical locations and temples. This website presents well-researched information gathered from reliable sources.