This place is One of 275 Devara Sthalam. The place Velangkudi is on the way between Kariakkal and Mailaduthurai. Thiru Kottaram is about a kilometer from Velangkudi.
The Raja Gopuram is of three tiers.
Main Deity is small Swayambu Lingam known as Iravadeeswarar and his consort known as Vandavar Kuzali Amman. She is seen in standing posture.
Sthala Vruksham is Parijatham and Teertham is Vanjiaru and Soorya Teertham. Previously the River was known as Kottaru and now it is known as Vanjiaru.
As we enter we find Dwajasthambam and Dwara Ganapathy. In front of this we see a mandapam, with sculpture of Lord Siva as Kailasanadhar To left we see Bala Ganapthy.
In this mandapam, we see pillars and the roof is in arch shape. Nandi is seen here facing the main sanctum of Iravadeeswarar.
Here in this mandapam to the right, we see Artha mandapam and Ambal sannidhi. From here we enter into Maha mandapam, were we see Natarajar and Sivakami Ammai, Lord Murugan, and Somaskandar. Next we enter into Artha Mandapam were, we see Boga Sakthy as Urchava Idoi to North West corner. Ganapathy and Nagarajar sculptures, is seen to either side of the entrance, which leads to main sanctum of Iravadeeswarar.
As we go around the temple we see other Deities like Ganapathy, Thirumaal, Kailasa nadhar, Nalwar, Paravai Nachiar, Subaka Maharishi, Nagarajar Subramanyar, Gaja Lakshmi, and Chandikeeswarar.
Due to the curse of Durvasa Muni, Iravadham lost its control and hit the clouds with its tusk. Rain started pouring down and water started flowing like a River. Iravadham worshiped Lord Siva with this water. Hence Lord Siva is known as Iravadeeswarar and the place as Kottaru which changed as Kottaram over a Period.
Purana says Agasthya Muni and Subhaka Maharishi worshiped Lord Iravadeswarar here. One day Subha Rishi was late in visiting the temple, by the time the door was closed. He took the form of Honey Bee and worshiped Lord Iravadeeswarar. Honeycomb is seen in front of the sanctum. In this temple once in a year, honey is collected from the homeycomb seen in the temple, which is used for the Abishekam of Siva Lingam.
There is a separate sanctum for Kumara Bhuneswarar and Siva lingam which was installed and worshiped by Agasthya Maharishi and Subhaka Muni.
Sambandhar sang Hymns on Iravadeeswarar.
The temple was built by Kulothunga Cholan in the year 1253AD. Stone inscriptions in the temple refer to the King as Maduranthagan Kulothunga Cholan.
