01Indra’s penance and the crab Vinayaka
Keezhai means eastern, to tell this shrine from Mela Tirukkattuppalli far upriver near Thanjavur. Indra slew Vritrasura with the weapon made from Maharshi Dadhichi’s spine and was seized by brahmahatya; Brahma led him here, the temple says, and his tapas before Aranyeswarar set him free. The sanctum faces west, and the Devi’s shrine is placed so both can be seen from one spot. A wall carving shows Maharshi Aranya at worship while a gana blows the conch. The temple’s Nandu Vinayaka has a crab as his mount, for a gandharva cursed to be a crab is said to have worshipped him, and the Dakshinamurti here has six disciples instead of four. Sambandar’s padigam is in the Tevaram.
About 2 km west of Tiruvenkadu on the road to Elayamuthukulapuram; easily joined to a visit to Tiruvenkadu’s Budha shrine.
