Shiva (Vriddhagiriswarar / Pazhamalainathar) temple · Virudhachalam, Cuddalore, Tamil Nadu, India
Vriddhagiriswarar Temple, also called Pazhamalainathar Temple, is an ancient Chola temple to Shiva in Virudhachalam, Cuddalore district, Tamil Nadu. The Hindu reports that it was commissioned by Sembiyan Mahadevi, one of the most powerful queens of the Chola empire. Its name — 'old hill' (Pazhamalai, Mudhukundram) — comes from the legend that Shiva appeared here as a hill to bless Brahma at the beginning of creation, Vikatan notes.
Faith & Tradition
Vikatan describes the temple as held in greater esteem than Kasi and as a place of liberation; Brahma and the sage Agastya are said to have worshipped here. The Azhathu Vinayakar shrine to the left of the rajagopuram, reached by descending 18 steps, is counted as the second of Vinayaka's six abodes, according to Dinamalar.
Heritage
Six stone idols were stolen from the temple in 2002, a theft that went unreported until police investigating another case uncovered it; the thieves had left a replica that devotees unknowingly worshipped, The Hindu reported.
A Chola-era stone Ardhanarishvara, traced by The Hindu to the Art Gallery of New South Wales in Sydney, was confirmed by Tamil Nadu police as stolen from the temple and handed back by Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott in September 2014 (The Hindu; Times of India). In 2017 a stone Narasimmee idol from the temple, held by the National Gallery of Australia, also returned to Tamil Nadu (The Hindu).
Plan Your Visit
Confirm darshan timings with the HR&CE temple administration before visiting.
Timings and arrangements change with seasons and festivals. Confirm current details with Tamil Nadu HR&CE Department before travelling. Last reviewed 5 October 2026.
Location
The temple is in Virudhachalam town, Cuddalore district, Tamil Nadu.
Location: Virudhachalam, Cuddalore, Tamil Nadu, India
More in Hindu temples in Tamil Nadu · Shiva (Vriddhagiriswarar / Pazhamalainathar) temples
Questions
In Virudhachalam, Cuddalore district, Tamil Nadu.
The Hindu attributes it to the Chola queen Sembiyan Mahadevi.
'Old hill', from the legend that Shiva appeared here as a hill to bless Brahma.
A sunken Vinayaka shrine reached by 18 steps, counted as Vinayaka's second abode.
Yes; an Ardhanarishvara came back from Australia in 2014 and a Narasimmee in 2017.
Further reading: Vriddhagiriswarar (Pazhamalainathar) Temple, Virudhachalam on Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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