Viswanathar Ottapidaram

Viswanathar, Ottapidaram

Saivite Temples - Thoothukudi

God

Viswanathar, facing east

Goddess

Akhilandeswari, facing south

Other Deities

Vinayaka, Murugan, Surya, 63 Nayanmar, Kannimoola Ganapati, Subramanya with consorts, Mahalakshmi, Saraswati, Navagraha, Bhairava. Sanctum niches – Dakshinamurthy, Durga, Chandikeswara

Viswanathar Ottapidaram is a small east-facing temple with an entrance mandapam in the east. A single prakaram houses all the shrines and the sanctum sanctorum. An old Nandi was discovered and is kept separately. Veerapandiya Kattabomman and Kappalottiya Tamizhan (VO Chidambaram) have visited the Viswanathar Ottapidaram temple to worship the Lord. This is also the village where VO Chidambaram was born and lived. His home has been converted into a library now. Panchalankurichi, from where Veerapandiya Kattabomman ruled is about 3 kilometers away.

Holy Water (Theertham) – No information

Sacred Tree (Sthala Vriksham) – Vilwam (Aegle marmelos)

History

Viswanathar Ottapidaram is an ancient temple as if evident from the inscriptions, though undecipherable, found here. The details of the inscriptions are not available as of now. From the fact that Veerapandya Kattabomman (1760 – 1799 CE) has visited this temple, it is clear that it was in existence earlier than that. The then British Collector Austin is said to have renovated the temple.

Legend

No information

Directions

Viswanathar Ottapidaram is 30 kilometers northwest of Thoothukudi and can be reached by taking a left at Kurukuchalai. Going straight at Kurukuchalai will take you to Eral and right to Vaippar and Sayalkudi. From Tirunelveli Viswanathar Ottapidaram is about 40 kilometers via Seevalaperi and Maniyachi. Viswanathar Ottapidaram is 35 kilometers southeast of Kovilpatti.

Stay and Food

None locally. The closest are Thoothukudi and Tirunelveli.

Saivite Temples

Tamilnadu Temples