Veeramarthandeswarar Ambasamudram

Saivite Temples, Tirunelveli District

God

Veeramarthandeswarar, facing east

Goddess

Nithya Kalyani, facing east

Other Deities

Ashtanga Vinayaka, Juradevar, Dakshinamurthy, Kannivinayakar, Balasubramanian, Chandikeswara, Vishnu Durgai, Saneeswara, Srikrishna, Kalabhairava, Navagraha, Chandran, Suryan

Veeramarthandeswarar Ambasamudram is an east-facing temple with 2 Prakarams. The entrance is from the south as the main east side is all untidy and kept closed to avoid disturbances. There is a Mahamantapam and Ardha Mantapam before the Sanctum Sanctorum. The Maha Mantapa of the main sanctum sanctorum has some beautiful carvings and huge pillars with Yalis. The outer Prakaram is filled with coconut and mango trees giving a beautiful feeling to the experience. Veeramarthandeswarar Ambasamudram is also called Battar Temple. The temple tank behind Veeramarthandeswarar Ambasamudram is common to this and the nearby Krishna Temple. During the annual Float Festival, both the idols are taken around this tank on alternate days.

Holy Water (Theertham) – Harihara Theertham – Temple tank behind

Sacred Tree (Sthala Vriksham) – No information

History

During the reign of the Pandyas the Chera King Boothala Veera Sree Udaya Marthandan waged war in 1517CE and occupied this area including the places where the Thirumoolanadar and Kasipa Nadar temples are present. The area in the east which includes Veeramarthandeswarar Ambasamudram temple was named Udayamarthanda Chaturvedimangalam. He named the Lord of the then existing temple as Veeramarthandeswarar. Veeramarthandeswarar Ambasamudram is more than 800 years old. The inscriptions found here and in the south walls of the Sanctum Sanctorum of Kasipanathar Temple dating back to his time mention land donations to ‘Seithunga Naattu Sankara Narayana Vendhu Mankonda Boothalaveeraramavanman Mulli Naattu Brahmadeyam Rajaraja Chaturvedi Mangalathu Navirkarai Velakurichi Keezhpal Udaya Marthandeeswaramudaya Nayinar Kovilukku’ for the purpose of ‘Thirumalai, Thirupattu, Kangaran, Thiruvilanjinai’.

Legend

The names of the God and Goddess at Veeramarthandeswarar Ambasamudram relate to Brave and Kind respectively.

Directions

Veeramarthandeswarar Ambasamudram is on your right after crossing the Tamiraparani Bridge when you go from Tirunelveli. Veeramarthandeswarar Ambasamudram is just before the Ambasamudram Town Arch and at the fork on the road. Before this is the Navaneeta Krishna Temple on the right and the Temple Tank on the left. Continuing on this road will take you to Koshtiappar temple at Urkad. Ambasamudram is about 40 kilometers west of Tirunelveli.

Stay and Food

There are many restaurants and a few hotels to stay in Ambasamudram. The food at Gowri Shankar is decent and so are the rooms.

Saivite Temples

Veeramarthandeswarar, Ambasamudram