Swetharanyeswarar Temple

Swetharanyeswarar is a Hindu temple in the Nagapattinam district of Tamil Nadu, featuring three sacred groves and an equal number of ritual basins. The towers display elaborate stone carving in the Dravidian style, and several shrines spread across the grounds.

Tamil saints such as Sambandar, Appar and Sundarar mentioned the temple in their hymns during the 7th and 8th centuries. These mentions helped establish the site within the canon of sacred places celebrated in Tamil literature.

Devotees use three sacred water basins named Surya, Chandra and Agni for ritual bathing, with particularly heavy attendance on certain weekdays. Wednesdays draw crowds who come to honor the planet Mercury, making the site a key destination for those who revere planetary influences.

The temple opens in the morning from 6 AM to 12:30 PM and in the afternoon from 4 PM to 8:30 PM. Wednesdays see special ceremonies that draw larger crowds and may involve longer waiting times.

The goddess Brahmavidyambikai received her name after she is said to have transmitted sacred knowledge to the god Brahma at this spot. This legend explains why her shrine plays a special role in the temple complex and attracts focused devotion from worshippers.