01Murugan’s penance
Kedu ili, without decay, is the Tamil of Akshaya. After Murugan destroyed Surapadman at Tiruchendur, the temple’s katha says, Shiva sent Him to this forest of ilanthai, jujube, the Dakshina Badarikaranya, to worship and be cleansed; He pierced the earth with His vel and made the Saravana tirtham opposite the gate. Anju Vattathu Amman, who guarded Him during His penance, has her own shrine facing His. Nataraja here dances with the right foot raised, as He showed Himself to Agastya. Murugan stands as Balasubramanya, said to be by the same sculptor as the Tiruchendur image. Sambandar called the temple Perunthirukkoyil. Kubera has a shrine of his own.
On NH 67, about 14 km from Nagapattinam towards Tiruvarur, past Sikkal. Murugan here is sung in the Tiruppugazh.
