Thirumazhapadi Vaidyanathaswami Temple

Thirumazhapadi Vaidyanathaswami Temple^[1] is a Hindu temple located at Thirumazhapadi in Ariyalur district, Tamil Nadu, India. The temple is dedicated to Shiva, as the moolavar presiding deity, in his manifestation as Vaidyanathaswami.^[2] His consort, Parvati, is known as Sundarambikai. The historical name of the place is Mazhuvadi.^[1][3]

Thirumazhapadi Vaidyanathaswami Temple
Religion
Affiliation	Hinduism
District	Ariyalur
Deity	Vaidyanathaswami (Shiva)
Location
State	Tamil Nadu
Country	India
Location in Tamil Nadu
Geographic coordinates	10°53′58″N 79°03′30″E
Architecture
Type	Dravidian architecture

Significance

It is one of the shrines of the 275 Paadal Petra Sthalams - Shiva Sthalams glorified in the early medieval Tevaram poems by Tamil Saivite Nayanars Tirugnanasambandar, Tirunavukkarasar and Sundarar.^[3]

It is one of the tourist places in Ariyalur. This temple is famous for its "Nandikesvarar thirukalyanam" (March/April) which is conducted yearly. The people of thirumalapadi celebrate the festival grandly. It also has a statue of Thiruvalluvar, which was made with 750 kg of Bronze. It is the biggest metallic statue of Thiruvalluvar in Tamil Nadu.^[4] The temple is counted as one of the temples built on the northern banks of River Kaveri.^[5]

Nandi Kalyanam

Image of Palanquin

Nandi kalyanam, the celestial wedding of the Nandi (bull), is celebrated in a grand manner in this temple during the Tamil month of Panguni (mid-March to mid-April). At that time Lord Nandeeswara, the bridegroom of Aiyarappar temple marries Goddess Swayambikai of Thirumazhapadi and is brought in a palanquin. He is accorded a reception by the presiding deity of the temple Vaidyanathasami.^[6]