The ancient Chola temple of Virudhagiriswarar was commissioned by Sembiyan Mahadevi, among the most powerful queens of the Chola empire and an ardent worshipper of Lord Siva.
The temple is surrounded by high walls and five gopurams. The mandapam is carved like a chariot. The chains of the temple car were donated by Charles Hyde, the District Collector of the then South Arcot district in 1813. The place was originally called Thirumudukundram, the place of holy mountain.
Similar architecture of halls (Mandapas) simulating a chariot drawn by elephant or horses is found in Sarangapani temple at Kumbakonam, Mela Kadambur Amirthakadeswarar Temple, Sikharagiriswara Temple, Kudumiyamalai, Nageswaraswamy Temple, Kumbakonam, and Thyagaraja Temple, Tiruvarur.
Pillared hall in the second precinct
Sage Vibasithu paid the labours with Vanni leaves. He had a dip in the Manimuthar river and undertook the renovation of this temple. He gave the workers the leaves of the Vanni tree which later changed into coins to the value due to the workers based on the quantum and quality of his work, is a story believed by generations of devotees. The Vanni tree is 1700-year-old, say researchers.
The construction of the temple, by itself, has an interesting legend. Vibasithu Munivar, it is said, happened to find the earring that belonged to Lord Kubera's daughter. The jewel, dear to her, was dropped on the lap of Vibhasithu, by a bird. Kubera's daughter announced a reward of all her remaining Jewellery in return for her earring. Vibhasithu gave the earring and with the reward he constructed the temple.
It is one of the shrines of the 275 Paadal Petra Sthalams. Saint Sundarar was on a fund-raising mission to feed the devotees on the Panguni Uthiram festival in Tiruvarur.
Sundarar passed through this place without singing the glory of the Lord. He was stopped by the Lord and made him sing. Then, Lord of this temple donated 12,000 gold coins to Sundararar.
Beware of robbers on the way, he placed all the coins in the Manimuthar River and collected it in the tank in Tiruvarur. This is a strange precaution. Money placed in a river cannot be collected from a tank that has no link with each other.
But this miracle happened. Thus, came the proverb, “losing in the river and searching in the tank”. Sundarar wanted to test the touch of the gold he took from the tank in Tiruvarur.
Lord proved the quality of the gold with Lord Vinayaka as a witness who confirmed the touch.
Hence, Vinayaka in the inner prakara of the temple is praised as Mattru-touch, Uraitha-confirmed, Vinayaka- Mattru Uraitha Vinayaka.