Marundeeswarar Temple, T. Edaiyar

Marundeeswarar Temple, also called Idayatrunathar Temple, stands in the Viluppuram district village of T. Edaiyar, on the southern bank of the Thenpennai river about 5 km from Thiruvennainallur on the road to Thirukoilur. Shiva is worshipped as a lingam with his consort Gnanambigai, and the temple is mentioned in the Tevaram; the 8th-century poet Sundarar sang of it. Legend says the sage Vyasa lived and worshipped here, and that Agastya installed and worshipped a lingam of his own.

The original temple is believed to be Chola work, while the present masonry dates from the 16th century, and its inscriptions name Chola emperors, Pandya kings and Vijayanagara rulers such as Achyuta Raya. A three-tiered gopuram opens into concentric granite walls, and a shrine of Agastheeswarar stands in the second precinct. An unusual Somaskanda image places the young Vinayaka between Shiva and Parvati instead of Skanda. On two days in April the sun's rays fall straight on the lingam. The temple tree, a maruda, grows in the second precinct.