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{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=February 2020}}
{{Infobox Hindu temple
| name = Vadukeeswarar Temple
| image = Vadukeeswarar temple, Thirubuvanai (4).jpg
| alt =
| caption =
| map_type = India Tamil Nadu
| map_caption = Location in [[Tamil Nadu]]
| coordinates = {{coord|11|55|8.7|N|79|39|26.3|E|type:landmark_region:IN|display=inline,title}}
| other_names =
| proper_name =
| country = [[India]]
| state = [[Puducherry (union territory)|Puducherry]]
| district =
| locale =
| elevation_m =
| deity = Vadukeeswarar([[Shiva]])
| festivals=
| architecture = [[Dravidian architecture]]
| temple_quantity =
| monument_quantity=
| inscriptions =
| year_completed =
| creator =
| website =
}}

'''Vadukeeswarar Temple''' (also called '''Thiruvandarkoil Temple''', '''Thiruvandarkoil''' and '''Panchanadeeswarar temple''') is a [[Hindu temple]] dedicated to the deity [[Shiva]], located in [[Thiruvandarkoil ]], a village in Pondicherry - Villupuram highway in [[Puducherry (city)|Pondicherry]] in the [[South India]]n 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]]''.

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 Vadukeeswarar and Thiripura Sundari 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. Sivaratri festival during the [[Tamil calendar|Tamil month]] of ''Masi'' (February–March), Vaikasi Visagam during May–June, Skanda sashti during October - November, Thaipoosam during January–February and Navaratri during the month of ''Purattasi'' (September - October) are the most prominent festivals celebrated in the temple.

The original complex is believed to have been built by [[Cholas]], with later additions from different ruling dynasties. In modern times, The temple is maintained and administered by the [[Archaeological Survey of India]] as a protected monument.

==Legend and history==
{{Multiple image|caption_align=center|header_align=center
|align=left
| total_width = 400
| width1 = 1920| height1 = 1730
| width2 = 1986| height2 = 1814
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|image1=Vadukeeswarar temple, Thirubuvanai (13).jpg
|image2=Vadukeeswarar temple, Thirubuvanai (16).jpg
|footer= Sculpted images on the walls
| footer_align = center
}}
As per [[Hindu]] legend, [[Brahma]], one of the three Hindu trios, got proud of his accomplishments and power. Once [[Parvathi]], the wife of the other trio [[Shiva]], got confused with the five heads of Brahma thinking it to be that of Shiva's. Shiva removed one of the five heads of Brahma as a punishment. Brahma realised his mistake and pleaded with Shiva. Shiva came to be known as Vadukeeswarar as he quivered the head of Brahma.<ref name=dinamalar/>

The original structure is believed to be existent from time immemorial, while the later additions are believed to have been built by [[Cholas]], [[Pallavas]], while the present masonry structure was built during the 16th century. There are inscriptions from later [[Chola]] emperors like [[Rajaraja Chola I]] (985–1014), [[Kulothunga Chola I]] (1070–1120),<ref>{{cite book|title=Urban Centres of Pondicherry|publisher=Icon Publications|year=2006|last=S. |first=Chandni Bi|isbn=9788188086252|page=111}}</ref> and [[Rajendra Chola III]] (1246–1279).<ref>{{cite web|title=Thiruvadukur|url=http://www.thevaaram.org/thirumurai_1/koil_view.php?koil_idField=242|publisher=Thevaaram.org|year=2011|accessdate=14 March 2016}}</ref>

==Architecture==
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|align=right
| total_width = 250
| width1 = 2104| height1 = 4422
| width2 = 720| height2 = 1621
|direction=horizontal
|image1=Vadukeeswarar temple, Thirubuvanai (1).jpg
|image2=Vadukeeswarar temple, Thirubuvanai (9).jpg
|footer= Sculpted images of [[Bhikshatana]] and [[Ardhanarisvara]].
| footer_align = center
}}
Vadukeeswarar temple is located in a village called [[Thirubuvanai|Thiruvandarkoil]] located {{convert|21|km|mi|abbr=on}} from [[Puducherry (city)|Pondicherry]] on Viluppuram - Pondicherry highway. The temple has a flat entrance tower facing east, and all the shrines of the temple are enclosed in concentric rectangular granite walls. The shrine of Thripurasundari is housed in a shrine facing north in the second precinct. The central shrine housing Vadukeeswarar is approached through pillared halls. The shrine houses the image of Vadukeeswarar in the form of [[Lingam]] (an iconic form of Shiva). The central shrine is approached through a Mahamandapam and Arthamandapam. As in other Shiva temples in Tamil Nadu, the shrines of [[Vinayaka]], [[Murugan]], [[Navagraha]], Chandekeswara and [[Durga]] are located around the precinct of the main shrine.<ref name=dinamalar/> The stucco images on the four sides of the vimana of the temple were plastered by Archaeological Survey around 1994.<ref>{{cite book|title=Indian Archaeology, a Review|publisher=Archaeological Survey of India|year=1994|page=178}}</ref>

The temple is originally believed to be built by the [[Cholas]] - [[Parantaka I]]. The inscription is dated 1048, the 30th regnal year of Rajaraja.<ref>{{cite book|title=South Indian Shrines: Illustrated|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NLSGFW1uZboC&q=varadaraja+perumal+pondicherry&pg=PA182|page=182|last=Ayyar|first=P. V. Jagadisa|publisher=Asian Educational Services|year=1982|isbn=9788120601512}}</ref> There are inscriptions from later [[Chola]] emperors like [[Rajaraja Chola I]] (985–1014), [[Kulothunga Chola I]] (1070–1120),<ref>{{cite book|title=Encyclopaedia of India: Pondicherry|publisher=Rima Publications|year=1992|last=Chopra |first=Prem Nath|page=46}}</ref> and [[Rajendra Chola III]] (1246–1279). The region along with the temple briefly switched hands to [[Pandya]] empire as indicated by the inscriptions in the temple.<ref>{{cite book|title=The Beautiful India - Pondicherry|page=18|publisher=Reference Press|year=2006|first1=Syed Amanur|last1= Rahman| first2=Balraj |last2=Verma|isbn=9788184050288}}</ref>

The regions changed hands from [[British Raj|British]] to French colonial Empire during the 17th century. Most temples in the place were destroyed during the French invasion, but the temple was spared.<ref>{{cite book|title=Imbibed In Faith|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=284AAwAAQBAJ&q=varadaraja+perumal+pondicherry&pg=PT135|last=Pal|first=Susant |page=284|publisher=Partridge Publishing|year=2014|isbn=9781482812596}}</ref>

==Religious importance and festivals==
[[File:Vadukeeswarar temple, Thirubuvanai (7).jpg|250px|thumb|left|Image of the central shrine]]

It is one of the shrines of the 275 [[Paadal Petra Sthalams]] - [[Shiva Temples of Tamil Nadu#Sthalams|Shiva Sthalams]] glorified in the early medieval ''[[Tevaram]]'' poems by Tamil Saivite [[Nayanars]] [[Thirugnana Sambandar]].<ref>{{cite book|title=Abstract of Statistics|page=viii|publisher=Bureau of Statistics, Government of Pondicherry|year=2003}}</ref>

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 11:00 a.m. and ''Sayarakshai'' at 5:00 p.m. Each ritual comprises four steps: ''[[abhisheka]]'' (sacred bath), ''alangaram'' (decoration), ''[[Naivedhya|naivethanam]]'' (food offering) and ''deepa aradanai'' (waving of lamps) for Vadukeeswarar and Thiripurasundari. 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''. Sivaratri festival during the [[Tamil calendar|Tamil month]] of ''Masi'' (February–March), Vaikasi Visagam during May–June, Skanda sashti during October - November, Thaipoosam during January–February and Navaratri during the month of ''Purattasi'' (September - October) are the most prominent festivals celebrated in the temple.<ref name=dinamalar>{{cite web|title=Sri Vadukeeswarar temple|url=http://temple.dinamalar.com/en/New_en.php?id=139|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141222184204/http://temple.dinamalar.com/en/New_en.php?id=139|url-status=dead|archive-date=22 December 2014|publisher=[[Dinamalar]]|year=2014|accessdate=24 November 2015}}</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=355–6}}</ref>

The temple is maintained and administered by the [[Archaeological Survey of India]] as a protected monument.<ref>{{cite web|title=List of Monuments and Sites:Puducherry Sub-circle|url=http://asichennai.gov.in/puducherry_sub_circle.html|publisher=Archaeological Survey of India|year=2011|accessdate=19 November 2015}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commonscat|Vadukeeswarar temple, Thirubuvanai}}
{{Famous Shiva temples|state=collapsed}}

[[Category:Shiva temples in Puducherry]]
[[Category:Padal Petra Stalam]]

Vadukeeswarar temple - Revision history

Keem Fame rich: location - done