Sri Veeratteswarar Koil, Thirukkoilur

Utshavar : Anthakashuvath Moorthy

Ambal : Periya Nayagi, Shivanathavalli

Holy Tree : Sarakkontrai

Holy Water : Thenpennai

Historical Name : Anthakapuram, Thirukkaivelur

Town : Thirukkoilur

District : Kallakurichi

This Temple is one of the eight Veeratta temples (Ashta Veeratta Sthalas). This is the 11th Shiva temple in the Nadunadu region praised in Thevaram hymns. Saints Sambandar, Appar and sundarar had sung the praise of the Lord of the temple in their Thevaram hymns. Addressing the ignorant struggling for enlightment, Saint Gnanasambandar advises them saying, “If you wish to know what is eternal and avoid letting your legs into mud and struggle to pick it up, think of the one with Ganga on His turf gracing at Veerattanam.

Temple History:

It so happened that the world became dark when Mother Parvathi covered the eyes of Lord Shiva which are but Sun and Moon in a play. The darkness took the form of a demon. Andhaka means darkness and also ignorance. Life becomes dark due to ignorance. Lord Shiva struck the Andhaka-darkness giant on his head with a club in His Hand. The head of the demon began to bleed. Every drop of blood that fell on earth grew into a demon and war continued. Mother Parvathi prevented the blood from falling down by collecting it in a bowl. The blood that fell down became 8 vertical and 8 horizontal lines crosswise and thus made 64 squares. With His power, Lord Shiva created 64 Bhairavas for each square and prevented further production of demons and blessed the Devas in the celestial world. This later came to known as Vasthu Shanti Puja for Bhairavas. This also personifies the destruction of ignorance leading to enlightenment.