Tirtha Atlas

The sacred geography of the Indic world — every site mapped, dated, storied, and cited.

1126 sites15 countries4 traditions30 centuries
High medieval · Hindu · India

Vasishteswarar Temple

தென்குடித்திட்டை

Thittai (Thenkudithittai), Tamil Nadu · 10.8369°, 79.1722°

Shiva (Vasishteswarar / Swayambootheswarar)CholaPaadal Petra Sthalam
Sacred since
1100 CE
first attestation / structure
Standing structure
12th c. (Chola)
Chola

History & significance

A Chola-built Paadal Petra Sthalam at Thenkudithittai near Thanjavur, hymned by Sambandar and Appar; a Chandrakanta stone in the vimana drips water on the lingam every 24 minutes, and the temple is a noted shrine of Guru (Brihaspati), who stands in a separate sanctum.

Sthala katha — the legend

After the great deluge only this mound stayed above water, where Brahma and Vishnu found a lingam and worshipped it until Shiva appeared and restored their offices.

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Related sites

Brihadisvara Temple
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1003–1010 CE
Brihadisvara Temple, Gangaikonda Cholapuram
Gangaikonda Cholapuram · India
c. 1035 CE
Airavatesvara Temple
Darasuram, Kumbakonam · India
mid-12th c. CE
Meenakshi Amman Temple
Madurai · India
current structure largely 16th–17th c.
Ranganathaswamy Temple
Srirangam, Tiruchirappalli · India
built up 10th–17th c.; Rajagopuram 1987
Nataraja Temple, Chidambaram
Chidambaram · India
core 10th c.; expanded to 13th c.

Sources

coordinates: wikipedia-2026-08-27 · sources retrieved 2026-08-26 · dynasty page: Chola