Arudra Darshanam festival which falls on Thiruvathira nakshatra day in Margazhi month is of great importance at the Tiruvarur Thyagaraja temple in Tamil Nadu. It is the only day when the right leg of the main deity of Shiva worshipped in the temple is visible to devotees. Rest of the year the right leg is covered with flowers. In 2025, Arudra Darshanam At Tiruvarur Thyagaraja Temple is on January 13, 2025.
Shiva is worshipped at Tiruvarur Thyagaraja temple in the Somaskanda form. In the Somaskanda form, Shiva has Goddess Parvati seated to his left and Murugan or Skanda seated in between the divine couple.
The murti was installed by Chola King Muchukunda. The murti was originally worshipped by Bhagavan Vishnu. It is believed that Bhagavan Vishnu used to keep the murti close to his heart and it used to go up and down when Bhagavan took a breath. Later, the murti was given to Indra. Chola King Muchukunda, an ardent devotee of Shiva, got the murti from Indra.
A Muchukunda Sahasranama Archanai is offered on the day along with numerous naivedyam offerings. Archanai and food offerings on the day are offered by devotees. Sakkarai pongal, ven pongal, ,thenkuzhal, murukku, curd rice, puliyodharai, payasam and the famous mor kuzhambu sadam are offered on the day.