Vedagiriswarar Temple, Tirukazhukundram

01Hill of the Vedas, hill of the birds

Kazhugu is the kite or vulture, kundram the hill. The temple’s katha says the four Vedas stood here as hills to worship Shiva, and the Lord on the summit is Vedagiriswarar. Two rishis, cursed to be born as birds, are said to come every day to take food from the priest and bathe in the Ganga before flying on. For centuries a pair of white scavenger kites did come to the rock at noon and were fed, and the town was also called Pakshi tirtham, the bird ford; they have not been seen for many years now. Sambandar, Appar and Sundarar all sang this hill, and Manikkavasagar is said to have come here too.

02Cave, tank and the twelve-year conch

About 565 steps lead to the summit shrine. On the way is a rock-cut cave of Pallava times, the Orukal mandapam, with Pallava and later inscriptions. Below, Tripurasundari Amman’s temple has four gopurams. The great tank, Shankha tirtham, is held to bring forth a conch from its waters once in about twelve years, and when Guru enters Kanya rashi the town lights the Lakshadeepam, a lakh of lamps. Pilgrims walk the giri valam path around the hill on full-moon nights.