Vaidyanathar Temple, Madavar Vilagam

Vaidyanathar Temple stands in Madavar Vilagam, a kilometre south of Srivilliputhur in Virudhunagar district, and is described as the district's largest Shiva temple. Shiva is worshipped as Vaidyanathar, the god of healing, and Parvati as Sivakami. Legend says Shiva appeared to a devotee in the guise of her mother to help her give birth, and split his toenail to create a spring for her to drink from, the Siddhamirtham tank, whose water is believed to cure all disease. Thirumalai Nayak is said to have been cured of stomach pain after staying here 48 days, and in thanks he built a Nataraja hall like the one in Madurai's Meenakshi temple. Pandya inscriptions call the temple Thirukkattralishvaram Udaiyar.

A granite wall encloses two precincts behind a five-tiered gopuram, with separate gates for the Shiva and Sivakami shrines. Around the sanctum are metal Somaskanda images and stone figures of Nataraja, Durga, Dakshinamoorthy and Surya. The Kalyana Mahal in front of Sivakami's shrine holds a sculpture of the Nayak king, and paintings of the Nayak period cover the ceiling of the hall before the sanctum. On the first day of Panguni, sunlight falls on the deity.