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Do you want to experience the air of mysticism and magic? Accomplish the spiritual awakening that will run through your bones by visiting Vaitheeswaran Koil temple. Vaitheeswaran Koil is a Hindu temple located in Tamil Nadu that is entirely devoted to Lord Shiva. Its history could be traced back to several years when Gods used to reside on Earth.
Shiva’s idol is worshipped as an incarnation of Vaidyanathar or Vaitheeswaran, meaning “God of healing.” And worshippers believe that prayers to Vaitheeswaran can cure several diseases, including Mangal and Angaraka (Planet Mars) dosh, because it is one of the Navagraha temples.
This is a must-visit for people who love historical architecture and South Indian culture. Along with that, don’t forget to visit Coimbatore for Adiyogi Shiva Statue and Rameshwaram, one of the 12 Jyotirlingas, if you are a hardcore worshipper of Lord Shiva and have the honor of visiting this holy place.
Vaitheeswaran Koil Temple is visited daily by thousands of devotees for the holy darshan of Lord Shiva. The temple attracts a good number of devotees on Tuesdays and weekends. You can sense powerful bhakti and the essence of God by just entering the Koil temple.
This temple has an intricate and delicate design that is intermingled with historical and modern architecture. A significant feature of the temple erection is that the western tower allows the rays of the Sun to fall on the Shiva Lingam for a few days every year.
It is considered a miracle by worshippers and marks the third opening of Shiva. Inscriptions from the periods of Vikrama Chola (12th century CE), the Nayakas (16th century CE), and the Marathas (18th century) are seen here.
Vaitheeswaran Koil is a large temple that covers a total land area of 10.7 acres. There are several festivals that are celebrated in Vaitheeswaran Temple, which are Brahmotsavam, Karthigai, Vaikasi Mannabishek, and Kantha Sashti. This temple is maintained by Dharmapuram Adheenam.
There are several mythological tales that surround the origin of the Vaitheeswaran temple. But I have shortlisted the two that are most popular and closest to reality. The first tale is where the supreme power of Lord Shiva cures Murugas’s incurable illness. It is said that Shiva transferred his powers to herbal medicine. And in order to pay homage to the Lord, Muruga constructed this temple. This is considered to be the symbol of Shiva’s eternal power.
The other tale states that Lord Rama and Lakshmana did the last rites of Lord Vishnu’s flying vehicle, Jatayu, at this place. Jatayu lived in the woods near Rama’s hermitage in the Dandakaranya Aranya.
When Ravana was taking Sita away to Lanka, Jatayu heard Sita’s cry for help and rushed to rescue her. As Jatayu was very fragile and feeble due to aging, he was brutally injured by Ravana and left to die in the forest. Jatayu’s wings were chopped off during the fight, so he could not convey anything to Lord Rama.
When Jatayu was left to die, Lord Rama and Lakshmana found him in a dire state, but he informed them about the happenings and gave them directions to begin their search for Sita.
Rama fulfilled the last wish of the bird and performed the cremation as he requested. And a pond was created by the name Jatayu Kundam, which is part of the Vaitheeswaran Koil Kumbakonam. This is why worshippers have a firm belief in the supreme powers of this temple and see it as a pilgrimage place.
Vaitheeswaran Temple is located in Kumbakonam, which is also called the Temple Town of South India, because a cluster of temples is located within a few kilometers. It is in the heart of Tamil Nadu and bounded by rivers like Kaveri from the North and the Arasalar River from the South.
Precise Vaitheeswaran Koil address: Sri Vaidyanatha Swami Temple, Vaitheeswaran Koil – 609 117, Nagapattinam District.
If you want to plan ahead for a visit to this temple, make sure you go through this table in order to know Vaitheeswaran Koil timings.
| Days | Part of the Day | Temple Darshan Timings/Schedule |
| Mon to Sun | Temple Opening Time | 06:00 |
| Mon to Sun | Morning Hours | 06:00 to 13:00 |
| Mon to Sun | Evening Hours | 16:00 to 21:00 |
| Mon to Sun | Temple Closing Timings | 21:00 |
Things to Keep in Mind:
Are you aware that Vaitheeswaran temple performs two poojas? One is a simple pooja done every day, and the other is a special pooja known as the Kuja Dosa pooja. The Vaitheeswaran temple timings may vary slightly due to these poojas.
Kuja Pooja is a kind of pooja that is performed if a girl or boy is Manglik. It usually involves the placement of the Planet Mars. This is usually done before marriage to remove all the hindrances that might surround a happy marriage.
Let’s now explore the Vaitheeswaran Koil timings via the table given below:
| Days of Week | Part of the Day | Temple Pooja Timings/Schedule |
| All days | Morning Pooja | 09:00 |
| All days | Afternoon Pooja | 12:00 |
| All days | Evening Pooja | 17:00 |
Things to Keep in Mind:
Then you must be wondering how this pooja is conducted. All that a devotee has to do is visit a Navagraha temple (Vaitheeswaran temple, Kumbakonam). Next, they had to do 108 Gayatri Mantra Japam and put a red cloth on Lord Kuja’s idol and, along with that, lit 7 red colored wicks or diyas. And keep some honey in an earthen pot at their home or workplace.
| Days | Part of Day Rituals are Performed | Temple Kuja Dosha Pooja Schedule | Kuja Dosha Pooja Cost |
| Mon to Sun | Morning Hours | 06:00 to 12:00 | 4500 per person |
| Mon to Sun | Evening Hours | 16:00 to 19:00 | 4500 per person |
Things to Keep in Mind:
Keeping these Vaitheeswaran Koil timings in mind, you can plan your visit accordingly.
Before planning a visit to this pilgrimage place, go through a precise Vaitheeswaran Koil address. Tamil Nadu is situated 2,293.9 km away from Delhi, so it is wise to travel either by train or by flight. To reach them, follow the instructions mentioned below:
The rail system in Tamil Nadu has excellent connectivity to other parts of India. When traveling to India from abroad, you can commute from Delhi and Mumbai to Tamil Nadu via the Tamil Nadu Express and Csmt Chennai Express. However, there are numerous other local and fast trains that travel to Chennai from places like Punjab, Rajasthan, and Andhra Pradesh. Kindly go through the Vaitheeswaran Koil timings before booking a train for this pilgrimage.
The state of Tamil Nadu has an airport in the heart of its capital, Chennai Airport. This is the main railway station in Tamil Nadu for trains departing for the North Region, whereas Chennai Egmore station serves as a hub for trains leaving the South.
There is a regular flight network to Tamil Nadu from various states. This is the fastest and most convenient way to reach this state and enjoy a visit to Vaitheeswaran temple, Kumbakonam. A direct flight from Delhi to Chennai Airport takes around 2 hours and 50 minutes. Don’t forget to go through the Vaitheeswaran temple timings before booking a flight.
I have created a list, which is in the form of a table, that shows the Vaitheeswaran Koil Temple Distance from various cities, Railway Stations, and Airports:
| Airport/Railway Stations/Cities | Distance (In Kms) |
| Distance between Vaitheeswaran Koil Railway Station and Vaitheeswaran Temple | 2 km |
| Distance Between Mayiladuthurai Railway Station and Vaitheeswaran Temple | 18 km |
| Distance between Chennai Airport and Vaitheeswaran Temple | 238 km |
| Distance between Kumbakonam and Vaitheeswaran Temple | 50 km |
So, from the table, you can understand that traveling by train, which arrives at Vaitheeswaran Koil Railway Station, is the nearest to this holy place.
Devotees might be pondering the question of whether they need to pre-book a visit to this temple or not. Then sit back and read carefully through this section. If you only want to visit the temple, then you need not pre-book.
On the other hand, to participate in the Pooja, you need to register 7 days in advance and book a slot. In the case of Kuja Dosha Pooja, tickets have to be purchased from the temple counter. Online Ticket booking is not available for Kuja Dosha pooja. Moreover, you do not require a prior booking for this Dosh Nivaran Pooja. If you still have some questions in mind, you can resolve them by visiting Vaitheeswaran Koil temple’s official website.
There are some facts and historical stories which can blow your mind, listed below:
The bhog distributed to every devotee who enters the shrine is called Thiruchandu Urundal. It is regarded as an elixir that can treat practically any illness. Then, you might be asking what makes the Prasadam and the process of making it so unique. Thus, it is composed of auspicious vibhuti gathered from the sacred fire, neem bark powder, neem leaf essence, and therapeutic clay retrieved from the temple pond.
What comes to mind when you think of Tamil Nadu? Definitely, it’s architecture, culture, and temples. If you have the privilege of visiting any of the famous temples in Tamil Nadu, a few of them include Vaitheeswaran Koil, Meenakshi Amman, Shore, and many others.
With a five-tier Gopura, this temple features some of the most amazing and beautiful architecture. The sun shines directly on the Shiva Lingam for a few days in a row every year, thanks to the alignment of the five towers.
A minor shrine to Dhanvantari and a stone culture shrine to Angaraka are also located within the precinct. The temple tree, known as the neem tree, has healing properties.
These are some historical facts and things that you should keep in mind so that you don’t miss out on anything.
Tamil Nadu is also known as the “land of the temples” because it is home to numerous temples. The majority of the temples feature inscribed carvings of Lord Rama, Lord Shiva, and Dravidian. Its two main tourist attractions are the Konark Sun Temple, Mantralayam Temple and the Vaitheeswaran Temple.
This has historical and cultural significance as one of the leading pilgrimage and tourist destinations. If this post piqued your interest as a traveler, make plans to visit this amazing holy site and experience the Bhakti and devotion firsthand.
Sources:
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