Thiruvirkudi Veeratteshwarar temple

This is the fifth Shiva temple of the Ashavirattam Sthala. This temple is situated in Thiruvirkudi in Thiruvarur district of Tamilnadu.

This is the place where Jalandhar samhar took place. This is one of the 276 Paadal Pethra Sthalams on the southern bank of river Kaveri.

Mulavar: Veeratteshwarar

Devi: Parimal Nayaki, Ezhawarkuzhali

Utsavar: Jalandharsamhar murti

Kshetra Vruksha : Tulasi Plant

Sacred Teertha: Chakra Teertha, Shankha Teertha

Puranik Name and Present name: Thiruvirkudi

District: Thiruvarur, Tamilnadu

The temple is about 1500 years old. 

The temple has a five tier rajagopuram with 2 prakarams. Chakra teertha which is in front of rajagopuram is very large. There is a Vinayaka temple near the tank. The shiva linga is a swayambhu on a square pedestal. This is a west facing temple and the Devi is facing north in her shrine. 

Other shrines and idols:

On entering the temple there is a Nagalinga. In the shiva temple there is an idol of Lord Vishnu in outer parikrama. The place where Lord Shiva restored Vrinda (Jalandhar asura’s wife) to life as Tulasi is nearby. Shrines of Ganesha, Mahalakshmi, Lord Muruga with Valli and Deivanai, Lord Bhairav, Nalvar, Somaskanadar and Navagrahas are in the outer prakara. There is a well in the temple known as Dnyana Teertha. We have Lord Brahma, Lord Dakshinamurthy, Lord Vishnu, Nardana Ganapati, Goddess Durga, as koshta murtis.

Special features:

This place is considered as vastu dosha nivrutti sthala. People believe that taking a small stone for the construction of the house removes the vastu dosha. This is a parihar sthala for pitru dosha. This place is famous for Maruti worship. 

Kshetra purana:

Once Lord Indra came to Kailash, with the ego to have darshan of Lord Shiva. When Shiva came to know about it, he stood at the entrance as a servant (guard). He obstructed Lord Indra from entering kailash. Indra got angry and struck the guard with his vajrayudha. Lord opened his third eye by his anger and Indra came to know that guard is none other than Lord Shiva. And asked for forgiveness. 

Lord Shiva who was in penance, shed a drop of his sweat in the ocean of milk. This drop manifested into a male child. The child tried to snatch the beard of Lord Brahma. A drop of tear from the eyes of Lord Brahma fell on the child. The child was named Jalandhar, as he was born in the ocean of milk from a drop of Lord Shiva and Lord Brahma. On growing up Jalandhar wanted a boon from Lord Brahma so that he can rule all the three worlds without fear of death. Finally he got a boon so that as long as his wife Vrinda maintains her chastity in her mind he will not die. After this he started tormenting and torturing and finally he tried to destroy Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva appeared as a brahmin in front of Jalandhar. And with his right leg he drew a circle (chakra) on the ground. He told Jalandhar that he will die when he (shiva) places the chakra on his head. Jalandhar challenged that it will not happen due to the chastity of his wife Vrinda. Vrinda was a great devotee of Lord Vishnu. Lord Shiva sent Lord Vishnu personified as Jalandhar to Vrinda. On seeing him and feeling him to be her husband Vrinda took him inside. At that instant she lost her chastity as she thought another person to be her husband. At that very instant Jalandhar placed chakra on his head and he was destroyed. When Vrinda came to know about this fact, she cursed Lord Vishnu to suffer in the same way by losing his wife. She jumped into the funeral fire and destroyed herself. Lord Vishnu lost his mental peace because of his action. Lord Shiva drop a seed in the ashes of Vrinda and the plant that came out is known as Tulasi. When a garland made of Tulasi leaves was put in the neck of Lord Vishnu he regained his mental peace and normalcy. Lord Vishnu wanted the chakra from Lord Shiva. He worshiped Lord Shiva with 100 lotus flowers and obtained the chakra. This virata of Lord Shiva is known as Jalandhar samhar.

Appar is said to have spent his last years at this place for upkeep of the temple. 

Festivals:

Saint Appar festival 

Avani (August-Sept) - Ganesh chaturthi 

Purattasi (Sept-oct) - Navaratri 

Aippasi (Oct-Nov) - Annabhishek and Skanda shashthi festival 

Kathigai (Nov-Dec) - Festival of light known as Karthikeya Deepam 

Thai (Jan-Feb) - Makar Sankranti 

Masi (Feb-Mar) - Shivaratri. 

Besides this the daily rituals, weekly pujas and fortnightly pradosha pujas are conducted. Arudra darshan is also celebrated.

Courtesy: https://temple.dinamalar.com/