Vadukeeswarar Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to the deity Shiva, located in Thiruvandarkoil, a village in Pondicherry - Villupuram highway in Pondicherry in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Shiva is worshiped as Vadukeeswarar, and is represented by the lingam. His consort Parvati is depicted as Thiripura Sundari. The temple is located on the Chennai - Villupuram highway. The presiding deity is revered in the 7th century Tamil Saiva canonical work, the Tevaram, written by Tamil saint poets known as the nayanmars and classified as Paadal Petra Sthalam.
Vadukeeswarar temple
Image of the central shrine
Image: Vadukeeswarar temple, Thirubuvanai (13)
Image: Vadukeeswarar temple, Thirubuvanai (16)
The Paadal Petra Sthalam, also known as Tevara Sthalam, are 276 temples that are revered in the verses of Shaiva Nayanars in the 6th-9th century CE. The Divya Desams by comparison are the 108 Vishnu temples glorified in the poems of the contemporary Vaishnava Alvars of Tamil Nadu, India.
The three foremost Nayanars with Manikkavacakar - collectively called the Nalvar: (from left) Sambandar, Appar, Sundarar, and Manikkavacakar.
Ekambareswarar Temple, Kanchipuram (Land)
Arunachaleshwarar Temple, Thiruvannamalai(Fire)
Thiruvanaikaval temple, Trichy (Water)
