Tiruvedagam Sri Edaganatheswarar Temple, Madurai

Diety: Edaganatheswarar Amman: Elavar kuzhali
Temple Address: Tiruvedagam Sri Edaganatheswarar Temple, Tiruvedagam Post, Vadipatti Taluk, Madurai District,PIN 625234 PH:0454-3259311
Open between: 06:00 AM to 12:00 PM and 04:00 AM to 08:30 AM

Introduction

Edaganathar Temple is dedicated to the deity Shiva, located in Thiruvedagam, a village in Madurai district in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The temple is located on the banks of Vaigai River. Shiva is worshipped as Edaganathar, and is represented by the lingam. His consort Parvati is depicted as Visalakshi. The presiding deity is revered in the 7th century Tamil Saiva canonical work, the Tevaram, written by Tamil saint poets known as the nayanars and classified as Paadal Petra Sthalam. The temple complex covers five acres and it houses two gateway towers known as gopurams, each facing the Edaganathar and Elavrkuzhali shrine. The temple has a number of shrines, with those of Edaganathar and his consort being the most prominent. Thala Virutcham : Vilwa Theertham : Brahmma Theertha Kulam, Vaigai River

Puranic Significance

Pandya kingdom with its capital at Madurai was under the rule of Koon Pandian (hunchback Pandiyan) then. Those were the days when Jainism was dominant in the kingdom with political support – king’s support. Saivism and Shiva worship were almost routed out. Child Saivite Saint visited the city in such a situation. This created a fear in the minds of the Jain monks. They set fire in the camp of the saint to eliminate him. Knowing their evil design, Ganasambandar sung 10 verses directing the fire on the king who was their support then. The effective verses had their impact on the king affecting him with severe burning small pox boilsin the whole body. The Jain monks did their best with the mantras they knew, but in vain. The king appealed to people to help him in his distress. All merciful Gnanasambandar came to his palace, sung a Pathigam-10 verses- beginning with line “Mandhiram Avathu Neeru” meaning the best Mantra is the sacred ash on the Body of Lord Shiva, brought the ashes from the kitchen of Mother Meenakshi Amman temple and applied it on the body of the king. The small pox disappeared miraculously immediately even with any of symptoms. King began to think of the glory of Saivism. The Jains, shaken by the incident said that it was witchcraft work of the saint and challenged him to a contest and vowed that they would leave Madurai if defeated. The contest was that both will write a verse and place it on the floods of Vaigai River. The victor will be the one whose song leaf swims against the current and reaches the banks. If lost in the current, they will be the loser. Jains wrote the verse beginning with the lines Athi Nathi. Sambandars’ verse began with “Vazhga Andanar, Vanavar Aaninam”. Jains’ leaf was washed away. Sambandar continued his song Vanniyum Mathamum and the verse leaf reached theshores establishing the Might and Glory of Lord Shiva. Yedu in Tamil means the palm leaf used for writing in those days. The place where the Yedu reached the shore came to be known as Thiruvedagam and the Lord Yedaganathar accompanied by Mother Elavrkuzhali.

Beliefs

As people perform remedial prayers and pujas in Tirumananjeri for removal of obstacles in marriage efforts, devotees do it in this temple also. They offer garlands to Mother Elavarkuzhali and take to their homes. They worship the garland and perform pujas for 48 days to realize the wedding wish. After marriage, couple come to the temple and offer prayers to Ambica

Special Features

Lord Yedaganatha Swami is a swayambumurthi in the temple. Though the Shivrathri Puja is dedicated only to Lord Shiva in all temples, the fourth puja of the night is dedicated to Lord Bhairava in this temple, as followed in Kasi-Varanasi. Those lucky to have this Kala Bhairava puja on Shivrathri day derive the benefit of performing Ashwamwta Yaga. There was a holy spring here created by Lord Brahmma. It is presently dry. It is said that those mentally retarded used to have a dip and were cured. It is still hoped that this could be restored to original glory if efforts are taken to desilt the tank and renovate the steps. As there is no water in the tank now, the deity is simply taken in procession within the tank. Vaigai River is the other holy water source. As the Holy Ganga, Vaigai too flows northward from the south. The place is also situated on the northern bank of Vaigai.

Festivals

Chithirai Tamil New Year day falling almost on April 14 or a day before or after occasionally in some year; Vaikasi Visakam in May-June; Lord Nataraja Tirumanjanam on Aani Uthiram in June-July; Special abishek to Ambica (Poopunitha Neerattu) on Aadi Pooram day in July-August; Utsav remembering the event of the palm leaf of Gnanasambandar floating against the current of Vaigai River on Aavani Avittam Star day combined with full moon day; Karthikai Deepam in November-December; Margazhi Arudra darshan in December-January, Masi Float festival in February-March and Panguni Uthiram in March-April are the festivals celebrated in the temple.