01Receiving the groom
Maharshi Bharadwaja, the temple’s katha says, performed a putrakameshti yajna and Parvati was born as his daughter. When she came of age he prayed that Shiva would accept her, and the Lord came as bridegroom. The sage went out to meet him, and edir kol, to go forward and receive, gives the place its name; Shiva stayed on as Edirkolpadi Udaiyar. Later Airavata, Indra’s elephant, cursed by Durvasa for trampling a garland of Shiva’s prasadam, worshipped here and was released, so the Lord is also Airavateswarar, and the Airavata Theertham is his. The Bharadwaja linga stands in the prakaram. Sundarar’s padigam is in the seventh Tirumurai. Parents seeking grooms for their daughters pray here, and so do those hoping to mend strains with in-laws.
About 5 km from Kuthalam bus stand, a short distance from Tirumananjeri; buses from Mayiladuthurai.
