Varichiyur Udayagriswarar Temple, Madurai

Address

Varichiyur Udayagriswarar Temple, Varichiyur, Gunnathur, Madurai District – 625020

Diety

Udayagriswarar

Introduction

Udayagriswarar Shiva Temple was built by one of the Pandyan kings on a hill near Varicchiyur on the Madurai – Sivagangai road. It is 444 km from Chennai and 12 km from Madurai The temple has a cave carved into the eastern slope of the hill. The temple is a simple structure with only a small sanctum sanctorum. It bears witness to the early Pandyan period cave. This rock-cut temple is situated on the eastern side of the hill namely, the direction of the sunrise very near to the Jain cave. Hence, the presiding deity of this temple is called Udayagirisvara. The Siva linga in this temple is not a separate piece but had been scooped out of the same rock of this structure. This temple has a small mukhamandapa and two Dwara palaka sculptures and they belong to the 8th century AD.