the Madurai – cholavandan bus route and the nearest railway station is cholavandan. The present structure with spacious corridors and imposing gopurams occupies an area of about . Images related to Sambandars episode are seen carved on the stone steps leading to the Vaikai river. The presiding deity lord shiva is called as Edakanatheswarar and the Ambal his consort mother Parvathy is called as Elavaarkuzhali, Sugandha Kundalambika. The sthala vriksham is Vilvam(Aegle marmelos) and the Theertham is called Bhrama Theertham. Inscriptions from the period of Jatavarman Kulasekhara Pandyan (12th century AD), and Krishna Deva Raya are seen in this temple, speaking of their endowments to this shrine. As per tradition, a Pandyan queen wanted Sambandar to reconvert the king Arikesari Nedumaran to Saivism from his Jain beliefs. Sambandar accepted the plea of the queen and influenced the king to convert to Saivism. It is also believed that the king slayed around 8,000 Jains in his kingdom. The stone carvings in the temple narrate the tradition. Worship, religious practises and literary mention The temple priests perform the puja (rituals) during festivals and on a daily basis. The temple rituals are performed six times a day; Kalasanthi at 6:00 a.m., Irandam Kalm at 9:00 a.m., Uchikalam at 12:00 a.m., Sayarakshai at 6:00 p.m, Irandam Kalm at 7:30 p.m., and Arthajamam at 9:00 p.m.. Each ritual comprises four steps: abhisheka (sacred bath), alangaram (decoration), naivethanam (food offering) and deepa aradanai (waving of lamps) for Edaganathar and Elavrkuzhali. There are weekly rituals like (Monday) and (Friday), fortnightly rituals like pradosham, and monthly festivals like amavasai (new moon day), kiruthigai, pournami (full moon day) and sathurthi. Sambandar's miracle is celebrated every year as Edu Ethireriya Utsavam during the Tamil month of Vaikasi. Other festivals include Vinayaka Chaturthi, Aadi Pooram, Navaratri, Aippasi Pournami, Skanda Sashti, Kartikai Deepam, Arudra Darisanam, Tai Poosam, Maasi Magam, Panguni Uththiram and Vaikasi Visakam. During the Edu Ethireriya Utsavam, the act of Sambandar is reenacted in the temple. Sankabisheka, performed during Karthikai (November – December) is considered very sacred in the region. It is one of the shrines of the 275 Paadal Petra Sthalams – Shiva Sthalams glorified in the early medieval Tevaram poems by Tamil Saivite Nayanar Sambandar. Thirupugazh, the work of Arunagirinathar, a 13th-century saint glorifies the temple. References External links https://web.archive.org/web/20090423062653/http://www.shivatemples.com/pnaadu/pn04.html http://www.templenet.com/Tamilnadu/s049.html Hindu temples in Madurai Tourist attractions in Madurai Padal Petra Stalam