Viruthajaleswarar Venganur

Saivite Temples, Perambalur District

God

Viruthajaleswarar (also Viruthagireeswarar), facing east

Goddess

Niruthambigai, facing south

Other Deities

Nadana Ganapathi, Dakshinamurthy, 63 Nayanmar, Kasiviswanathar, Visalakshi, Muruga with consorts, Lingotbavar, Balambigai, Brahma, Chandikeswara, Durga, Gajalakshmi, Navagraha, Nataraja with Sivakami, Chandran, Surya, Saneeswara, Vakra Saneeswara, Vinayaka

Viruthajaleswarar Venganur is an ancient temple with unbelievable architectural and sculptural wealth. The finishing of the sanctum sanctorum with highly polished stone with intricate and minutely carved images all around is fascinating. Apart from the niche gods there a niches depicting the talent of the sculptors in terms of animals and birds. The small gaps and holes that have been meticulously carved can be pointed out by the priest and it is truly amazing. The huge pillars all around are imposing individually. There are two Saneeswaras here. One usual and the other one is Vakra Saneeswara (considered the opposite of Saneeswara, including representation). Vakra represents twisted or crooked intentions and it can also mean indirect, evasive and ambiguous. You are not supposed to see Vakra Saneeswara directly, but only at an angle and as either a coincidence or planned placement the idol is behind a pillar. The Mantapam outside is another marvel with pillars of intricate details and amazing facts on carving techniques. Paintings are seen on the ceiling which are more than a hundred years old. A Pathala Vinayaka is also in the outer courtyard reachable through 14 steps (representing the 14 worlds).

Holy Water (Theertham) – No information

Sacred Tree (Sthala Vriksham) – Vanni (Proboscis cineraria)

History

There is a carving of one Linga Reddy at Viruthajaleswarar Venganur who we were told constructed this temple, but one look at the architecture denotes that it is beyond common men and certainly has a history of royal patronage. Siva Prakasar, who lived between the 17th and 18th century CE has mentioned this temple in his literary works including Thiruvengai Kalambagam, Thiruvengai Kovai, Thriuvengai Ula and Thiruvengai Alangaram

Legend

No information

Directions

Viruthajaleswarar Venganur is 20 kilometers north east of Perambalur on the road to Attur.

Stay and Food

None locally. Closest is Perambalur or Attur.

Saivite Temples

Tamilnadu Temples