Veezhinathar Temple, Thiruveezhimizhalai

Veezhinathar Temple is an old Shiva temple at Thiruveezhimizhalai, a village in Kudavasal taluk of Thiruvarur district, counted as the 61st Paadal Petra Sthalam of the Chola country south of the Kaveri. Legend says Parvati, reborn as Katyayani, married Shiva here, and a panel of the divine wedding is set behind the linga. Vishnu is said to have received the Chakrayudha discus from Shiva here after worshipping him with a thousand flowers, and the vimana over the sanctum is believed to have been brought by him.

The village name combines the veezhi plants and vila trees of the old forest with the saint Mizhalai Kurumbar, one of the 63 Nayanmars, who offered vila fruit to Shiva daily. During a drought, it is said, Sambandar and Appar each received a gold coin a day from Shiva here, one at a pedestal in front of the mahamandapa and one in the western prakaram, and used them to feed the needy; the math where they did so is on North Car Street. The temple is about 1 km on foot from Thenkarai, across the Arasalar to the north.