Thirukadaiyur is a temple in Tamil Nadu, India. It is the place where Lord Shiva protected Markandeya from Yama (Lord of Death) when he was about to take the boy to hell. Hence, this temple is supposed to give long life to couples beyond 60 or 80. A brahmin function called Sashtiaptha poorthi is celebrated when the husband reaches 60 and Sadhabishegam when he reaches 80.
We wanted to take our parents to Thirukadaiyur. When I tried searching the Net for the route and time that it takes to reach Thirukadaiyur and about the the place to stay etc., I could not find any proper site with all required information. Thought it would be useful if I write a blog for other netizens who might want to visit this temple in TamilNadu.
How to get there
We (my parents, myself, my brother and sister) started off in our Tata Indigo on Sunday at around 12 PM. The route basically was this from Besant Nagar in Chennai…
Besant Nagar, Chennai -> Pondicherry = 150 KMS
Pondicherry -> Cuddalore = 20 KMS
Cuddalore -> Chidambaram = 50 KMS
Chidambaram -> Sirkazhi = 23 KMS
Sirkazhi -> Mayiladuthurai = 16 KMS
Mayiladuthurai -> Thirukadaiyur = 18 KMS
Start off from Chennai, take the East Coast Road (ECR) and travel towards Pondicherry. From there on, you’ll find boards till you reach Thirukadaiyur. Pretty easy I should say as this was the first time I drove beyond Pondicherry.
Total Time Taken: 6-1/2 hours, including around 45 minutes break – on the way near Chidambaram, it started raining heavily and we had to go at around 30 KMPH speed as visibility was near zero. (average was around 100 KMPH speed)
Till we reached Pondicherry the drive was pleasant with good roads. After we crossed Cuddalore, roads were little narrow and the last stretch from Mayiladuthurai (old name: Mayavaram) to Thirukadaiyur was a little crowded. We passed Vaitheeshwaran temple in Mayiladuthurai on the way – Lord Rama and Lakshmana were supposed to have worshipped Lord Shiva here. The Lord here is supposed to cure many diseases.
Finally, we reached Thirukadaiyur.
Where to stay:
We had not booked any hotels when we started – Of course, you can always try and get a booking at Hotel Sadhabishegam (http://www.sadhabishegam.net) – there are two hotels, one at Mayiladuthurai which has got a beautiful garden and the other at Thirukadaiyur just five buildings next to the temple. We stayed at the one near the temple. The photo is given below. The rooms were pretty good (we stayed in the family rooms) and cheap too. The restaurant though was a different story – if you expected good mouth-watering food then you’re in for dissapointment as the food was average.
If you need to arrange sashtiaptapoorthi for your parents, you would have to book in advance and they’ll do the necessary arrangements (including video arrangements). We had already done the sashtiaptapoorthi for our parents and we just wanted to go to the temple for a darshan.
Of course, apart from the temple trip, it was sort of a two-day vacation for us (that’s my brother 🙂 )
May 18, 2009 at 7:08 am
Need bus service from chennai to thirukadaiyur
July 31, 2009 at 4:35 pm
The post would have got more beauty if you have added one photo of your parents Sadhabishegam also at the bottom …. 🙂
July 31, 2009 at 4:36 pm
I was reallu wondering how come a post wtih future date …. he he…. it is only 11.30 am here…
September 24, 2009 at 10:19 am
Sadabishegam/Shashtyabthapoorthy for Vaishnavites as well as Smarthas is performed at Tiruvallur 45 kms away from Chennai.Lord Vaidya Veera Raghava famous for curing illness and providing long life is the main deity at Tiruvallur along with Thirtheswaran whose curse got removed (kapalam)by Lord Vishnu here.
100 seater hall,3 rooms,35 seater dining hall is provided at nominal cost.
PRR MINI HALL also undertakes two day function on total responsibility basis at nominal cost.
December 12, 2009 at 9:54 am
Hi Pathangi
Thanks -that’s a new piece of info for me…will try to visit there sometime with mom & dad when free..
Thanks once again, one more place added to my places of interest 🙂
Vijay
gvijaykrishnan@gmail.com
October 1, 2009 at 10:02 am
This blog was helpful to us for our parents’ function at Thirukkadaiyur too…. Thank you…
October 10, 2009 at 2:45 pm
Thanks for the comments Aparna
gvijaykrishnan@gmail.com
https://gvijaykrishnan.wordpress.com/
October 7, 2009 at 11:44 am
Hi ,
Thank you , your info is in detail . We are planning to travel this weekend for arranging for my father in laws 60th Bday . have been there once to that temple before but this is the first time my husband is planning to drive down.
Thanks a ton.
Thats a nice pic by your bro , you should have shared your family foto on this auspicious occassion.
regards
lavanya rathish
October 10, 2009 at 2:44 pm
Thanks for the comments on the blog Lavanya – sure, good suggestion, will include a family snap as well
gvijaykrishnan@gmail.com
https://gvijaykrishnan.wordpress.com/
December 12, 2009 at 9:55 am
Thanks for the comment Lavanya – hope you had a great time celebrating your father-in-law’s 60th b’day..
Regards
gvijaykrishnan@gmail.com
December 9, 2009 at 2:33 pm
tku i was looking for the distance from mayavaram to tirukadiyur and i got it thru ur blog tku once again.
December 12, 2009 at 9:55 am
Thanks Padmanabhan – glad to have been of help 🙂
Vijay
gvijaykrishnan@gmail.com
May 28, 2010 at 12:38 pm
Hey.. nice article. Its very helpful as i am planning to visit the temple by car for a venduthal. The distance split up is very useful for self drivers like me! thanks a lot! 🙂
August 7, 2010 at 8:40 am
Hey
Thanks for the comments 🙂
Do send me your experience of driving to the place…my id is gvijaykrishnan@gmail.com
VJ
August 7, 2010 at 9:01 am
Respected Sir
We are about 30 persons wants to travel from chennai to thirukadiyur and back by bus and I need total amount and driver bata and we are leaving on 10th Nov. 2010 and I hope that the matter will considered and I am expecting an early reply.
Thanking you
yours faithfully
Ranganatha kg
dated 07.08.2010
Bangalore
September 3, 2010 at 6:40 am
we are about 10 persons wants to travel from covai to thirukadaiyur andback by bus i need totalamount and driver bata and we leaving on sep 30 th 2010 and i hope that the matter will considered and ia am expecting an eearly reply.
December 26, 2010 at 3:44 am
Thanks, Vijay. Really helpful as I had no idea of the route to the temple and I had to drive over the weekend. Shall post my experience during the trip soon.
Best regards
Ram
December 26, 2010 at 7:37 am
Thanks Ram
September 11, 2011 at 4:46 pm
i need know what are the temples located near thirukadaiyur from chennai
November 17, 2011 at 1:31 pm
Good posting…keep updating such useful blogs!!!
January 23, 2012 at 1:18 pm
נופש בצפון…
[…]Car Travel – Chennai to Thirukadaiyur – Aug 2008 « VJ's Weblog[…]…
June 4, 2012 at 6:36 am
I am planning to do shastipoorthi(60 yrs) for my parents in thirukadaiyur temple in september,so any one can give me contact no of gurukal to perform the wedding ….thanks in advance.
June 30, 2012 at 1:48 pm
Nice info. Though I visited many temples near Myladuthurai, due to poor info with me, I could not visit this Temple. May be I will do it some time. Also thanks to Pathangi for the place near Chennai, which is also interesting and
I am noting these details in my travel book.
Kurup MKR from Bangalore
November 5, 2012 at 1:07 am
Descriptive details. Of course, GST via Tambaram, Tindivanam will be more pleasant travel (4 lane divided median) and safer than ECR (especially in late hours). This will be faster and smoother.
Also, one can try any one of the two routes from Tindivanam. One is via Pondicherry, which will be same as ECR route after that. And the other one is through Vikravandi, Sethiyathoppu. This diversion from GST is just before
Villupuram. Most of the bus routes go through this.
Buses are plenty to reach Thirukadaiyur but takes seven plus hours. It is economical but may be suggested for the aged. They are not air conditioned buses. Trains are there from Egmore but limited to four per day (t(really only two per day and only takes upto Mayiladuthurai from where one need to travel by road for about 20 kms. in crazy road conditions.
Of course, now there are four good places to stay right at Thirukadaiyur.
There is online booking facility for peforming the 60/70/80 year celebrations. FFairly good arrangement done but expensive.
P. Sundaramurthy, Egmore
June 5, 2013 at 8:07 pm
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July 29, 2013 at 8:22 am
Thanks Vijay and Sundaramoorthy for the details. It is useful.
October 10, 2013 at 12:58 pm
Thanks Vijay
September 21, 2014 at 1:20 pm
Actually when someone doesn’t understand then its up to other users that they will assist, so here it takes place.
November 24, 2014 at 3:45 am
This thread is extremely useful. Thanks to gvijaykrishanan who started this back in 2008! Smart thinking. Since there are new and better roads now, could someone pls update how to go from Chennai now. Also I want to arrange a good local photographer…any suggestions are welcome.
January 19, 2017 at 4:23 am
Thanks for the details it really helps. But just wanted to make a note that 60th age marriage is not a Brahman function but a Hindu religious ceremony
October 8, 2018 at 4:55 am
Dear sir,
Nice information and good article, we are proud to stay in Thirukadaiyur.
We are contacting all events like pooja and shastipoorthi, sadhabishegam and all type of poojas.
If any information need please check the web
http://thirukkadaiyurpooja.com/index.html
Thanks
Regards
September 18, 2021 at 10:40 am
thirukadaiyur temple best place for every hindu’s 60th marriage.