The Thiruvathigai Veerattaneswarar Temple, also known as Veerattanam Temple, is a Hindu shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva. It is located in the village of Thiruvathigai, approximately 2 kilometers to the east of the town of Panruti in Tamil Nadu, India. In this sacred temple, Lord Shiva is revered as Veerattaneswarar, and his divine consort Parvati is depicted as Tripurasundari.
Thiruvathigai Temple Story
According to legend, this temple marks the site where Lord
Shiva defeated three powerful demons and the three cities they had created.
Saranarayana Perumal, another name for Lord Vishnu, provided Shiva with the
arrow needed to vanquish these demons, and a temple dedicated to Saranarayana
Perumal can also be found in the same town, slightly to the east.
The Shiva Purana narrates the epic tale of the destruction
of the demon Tripuran, who ruled over the city of Tripura. The event is
described as a cosmic occurrence, often associated with the destruction of
celestial bodies such as stars, meteors, and other unexplained celestial
objects. Tripuran had waged war against the celestial deities, who sought the
aid of Lord Shiva for their protection. After a fierce battle, Shiva
annihilated Tripuran and acquired the name Tripurantaka. As the city of Tripura
turned to ashes, Shiva marked his victory by applying three lines of ash on his
forehead, a symbol worn by all Shaivites.
In an alternative version of the legend, the three sons of Taraka received blessings from Lord Brahma and constructed an impenetrable fortress on Earth. Due to their malevolent actions, Mother Earth implored Lord Shiva for salvation. Shiva razed the fortress to the ground and was about to confront the three sons, but they pleaded for mercy. He transformed two of them into his guardians, known as Dwarapala, and the third into his damaru (a musical instrument), which he holds in his right hand. This entire episode is believed to have unfolded in Thiruvathigai, near the banks of the river Kedilam. The original name of the place was Tripura Dahanam, which eventually evolved into Thiruvathigai.
During the pivotal battle against Tripuran, when Shiva faced challenges, he realized that he had forgotten to invoke the blessings of Lord Ganesha before embarking on the conflict. He returned to worship Lord Ganesha and subsequently emerged victorious in the battle against the demon.