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{{Short description|Hindu temple of Shiva in Chidambaram, India}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=August 2020}}
{{Infobox Hindu temple
| name = Paasupatheeswar Temple
| image = Thiruvetkalam (3).jpg
| alt =
| caption =
| map_type = India Tamil Nadu
| map_caption = Location in [[Tamil Nadu]]
| coordinates = {{coord|11|23|29|N|79|43|10.7|E|type:landmark_region:IN|display=inline,title}}
| country = [[India]]
| state = [[Tamil Nadu]]
| district =
| location = [[Chidambaram]]
| elevation_m =
| deity = Pasupatheeswarar ([[Shiva]]) and Satgunambal ([[Parvati]])
| festivals=
| architecture = [[Dravidian Architecture|South Indian Architecture]]
| temple_quantity =
| monument_quantity=
| inscriptions =
| year_completed =
| creator =
| website =
}}
'''Tiruvetkalam Pasupatheswarar Temple''' is a [[Hindu temple]] of the god [[Shiva]] located at [[Chidambaram]] in [[Cuddalore district]] of [[Tamil Nadu]], [[India]]. Shiva is worshipped as Pasupatheswarar, along with His consort known as Satgunambal and Nalla Nayaki. The temple is located inside the [[Annamalai University]] complex.

The temple complex covers an area of two acres and all its shrines are enclosed with concentric rectangular walls. The temple has a number of shrines, with those of Paasupatheeswarar being the most prominent.

The temple has three daily rituals at various times from 6:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., and many yearly festivals on its calendar. Tamil New year during the [[Tamil calendar|Tamil month]] of ''Chittirai'' (April) is the most prominent festivals celebrated in the temple.

The original complex is believed to have been built by [[Cholas]]. In 1914, this was renovated with stone by A. Pethaperumal [[Chettiar]] from [[Kanadukathan]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Tiruvetkalam Pasupatheswarar Temple - Hindu temple in Chidambaram, India |url=https://aroundus.com/p/10500088-tiruvetkalam-pasupatheswarar-temple |access-date=2026-01-27 |website=aroundus.com |language=en}}</ref>

==Legend==
[[File:Thiruvetkalam (7).jpg|250x250px|thumb|Shrine inside the temple|left]]
As per Hindu legend, [[Arjuna]], the [[Pandava]] prince from the [[Hindu epic]] ''[[Mahabharata]],'' performed severe [[Tapas (Indian religions)|penance]] at this place to please the god [[Shiva]]. One day, Arjuna spotted a wild boar speeding to attack him. While he shot the boar with an arrow, another hunter also claimed that he was the first to shoot the beast. A fight of superiority started between the two. Arjuna attacked the hunter with an arrow, the impact of which was felt by all beings in the world. The hunter then tossed Arjuna with his toe, who fell in Krupa Samudram. It took Arjuna time to realise that it was Shiva in the form of the hunter who attacked him. [[Parvati]], the consort of Shiva was angry at Arjuna for hitting her husband, but Shiva pacified her. They both granted boons to Arjuna, a weapon named [[Pashupatastra|Pasupatham]]. Since Shiva granted Pasupatham at this place, he came to be known as Pasupatheeswarar.<ref name=R/> ''[[Periyapuranam]]'', the 11th century compilation of the [[Nayanmar]]s has details about [[Sambandar]] visiting the place after coming via [[Thillai Nataraja Temple]].<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BsDtDwAAQBAJ&dq=thiruvetkalam&pg=PT152|page=152|title=Sekkizhar's Periya Puranam|last=S.|first=Ponnuswamy|year=2015|isbn=9788179506851|publisher=Giri Trading Agency Private Limited}}</ref>

==Architecture==
Paasupatheeswarar temple is located in Annamalai Nagar, a place {{convert|2|km|mi|abbr=on}} from [[Chidambaram]] and inside the premises of [[Annamalai University]]. The temple has a three tiered ''raja[[gopuram]]'' on the eastern side with concentric rectangular walls surrounding the temple. The sanctum is approached through a pillared hall called ''mukha mandapa'' and an artha mandapa. The shrine of the goddess is located in the mukhamandapa facing south. The presiding deity in the form of [[lingam]] (an iconic form of Shiva) is located in the sanctum. There is a circumabulatory passage around the shrines. The pillars in the hall leading to the sanctum has sculpted images depicting various Hindu legends. The pillared halls in the hall has legends of Arjuna doing penance.<ref name=R/> The image of Parvati with her hair unlocked is a notable feature.<ref name=dinamalar/> The metal image of Arjuna getting Pasupathasra from Shiva is housed in the temple.<ref name=Ayyar>{{cite book|title=South Indian Shrines: Illustrated|page=244|last=Ayyar|first=P. V. Jagadisa|publisher=Asian Educational Service|year=1993|isbn=81-206-0151-3|edition=2nd|location=New Delhi}}</ref>

==Religious importance and festivals==
[[File:Thiruvetkalam (4).jpg|250x250px|thumb|Shrine inside the temple]]
[[Sambandar]], an 8th-century Tamil ''[[Shaivism|Shaiva]]'' saint poet, venerated Uchinathar in ten verses in ''[[Tevaram]]'', compiled as the ''[[Tirumurai|First Tirumurai]]''.<ref>Tirugnanasambandar Tevaram, I: 39: 3</ref> As the temple is revered in ''Tevaram'', it is classified as ''[[Paadal Petra Sthalam]]'', one of the 276 temples that find mention in the Shaiva canon. The temple is counted as the fourth in the series of the temples on the northern bank of river [[Kaveri]].<ref name=R/> The temple is also called Bhairava temple. It is believed to the place where sages [[Agastya]] and [[Valmiki]] are believed to have obtained grace. The image of goddess Sivakami Amman is sported with her friends Vijaya and Saraswati.<ref name=dinamalar/>

The temple priests perform the ''[[Puja (Hinduism)|puja]]'' (rituals) during festivals and on a daily basis. The temple rituals are performed three times a day; ''Kalasanthi'' at 8:00 a.m., ''Uchikalam'' at 12:00 a.m. and ''Sayarakshai'' at 6:00 p.m. Each ritual comprises four steps: ''[[abhisheka]]'' (sacred bath), ''alangaram'' (decoration), ''[[Naivedhya|naivethanam]]'' (food offering) and ''deepa aradanai'' (waving of lamps) for Uchinathar and Uchinayagi.<ref name=R/> There are weekly rituals like ''{{lang|te-Latn|somavaram}}'' (Monday) and ''{{lang|te-Latn|sukravaram}}'' (Friday), fortnightly rituals like ''[[pradosha]]m'', and monthly festivals like ''[[amavasya|amavasai]]'' (new moon day), ''kiruthigai'', ''[[pournami (festival)|pournami]]'' (full moon day) and ''sathurthi''. Tamil New year during the [[Tamil calendar|Tamil month]] of ''Chittirai'' (April) is the most important festival. Vaikasi Visagam during May–June, Aani Thirumanjanam during June - July, Navratri during Purattasi, Annabishekam during ''Aipasi'', Thiruvadirai during ''Margazhi'' and Karthikai {{lang|te-Latn|somavaram}} are other festivals celebrated in the temple.<ref name=dinamalar>{{cite web|title=Sri Pasupatheeswarar temple|url=https://temple.dinamalar.com/en/new_en.php?id=855|publisher=[[Dinamalar]]|year=2014|access-date=14 May 2017}}</ref><ref name=R>{{cite book|title=An introduction to religion and Philosophy - Tévarám and Tivviyappirapantam|url=https://archive.org/details/dli.jZY9lup2kZl6TuXGlZQdjZY2lZpy.TVA_BOK_0006115|last=R.|first=Dr. Vijayalakshmy|
publisher=International Institute of Tamil Studies| location=Chennai|year=2001|edition=1st|pages=372–3}}</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{commonscat|Thiruvetkalam}}
* {{cite web|title= Sri Pasupatheswarar temple
|url= https://temple.dinamalar.com/en/new_en.php?id=855|publisher =[[Dinamalar]]}}
* {{cite web|title= Pasupatheswarar Temple, Tiruvetkalam
|url= http://www.shivatemples.com/nofc/nc02.php |publisher=Shiva Temples of Tamilnadu, Paadal Petra Sivasthalangal}}

[[Category:Shiva temples in Cuddalore district]]
[[Category:Padal Petra Stalam]]

Tiruvetkalam Pasupatheswarar Temple - Revision history

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