01Kuzhagar by the sea
When the ocean was churned and the pot of amrita came up, the temple’s katha says Vayu carried it towards the devas and a little spilled here, becoming the linga. Sundarar, travelling with his friend the Chera king Cheraman Perumal, found the shrine standing lonely on the shore and sang a padigam of grief and love for Kuzhagar, the young Lord. Arunagirinathar sang the Murugan here in the Tiruppugazh; he holds a pot of amrita in one of his six hands. Inscriptions run from Aditya I through Rajaraja I, Rajendra I and Kulothunga I; one of Parantaka’s time records a merchant’s gift of 90 sheep to keep a lamp burning.
About 9 km south of Vedaranyam; get down at the Kuzhagarkovil bus stop. A sea bath at the solstice days (Dakshinayana and Uttarayana) is held to be meritorious.
