 Vedaranyam is named after Vedaranyeswarar , the presiding deity of the Vedaranyeswarar Temple , a Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva . The place was earlier known as " <unk> " , meaning the place where Vedas , oldest scriptures of Hinduism , originated . The 7th century Saiva canonical work Tevaram by Appar and Tirugnanasambandar mentions the place as " <unk> " . As per Hindu legend , the Vedas worshipped Shiva in this place , giving the name " Vedaranyam " to the place . According to another Hindu legend , Rama , the seventh avatar of god Vishnu , is believed to have visited Vedaranyam to absolve himself from sins committed in the war against the demon king Ravana . The footprints of Rama is preserved in a place called <unk> Padam near Vedaranyam . According to a Tamil legend , the Vedas locked the gates of the temple after worshipping Shiva . The Nayanmars ( Saiva saints ) Appar and Tirugnanasambandar could not enter the locked temple . At this , on Tirugnanasambandar 's request , Appar sang devotional hymns praising Shiva , after which the gates opened . Tirugnanasambandar 's devotional hymns locked the gates again . 
