பஞ்சநாதீசுவரர் அல்லது வடுகூர்நாதர் திருக்கோயில், திருவாண்டார்கோயில்
This ancient Sivan temple is in the village of Thiruvandarkoil in rural Pondicherry. The site itself is very ancient and at least 1500 years or older. It is a Paadal Petra Sthalam praised in the Thevaram by Thirugnanasampanthar in the early 600s CE. The current structure was built by Paranthaka Cholan I, great grandfather of Raja Rajan I, in the early 10th century. It was added onto by other Chola kings including Raja Rajan, Rajendran and Kulothungan. But it was surprisingly relatively untouched by Vijayanagar and Nayakkan expansions. So it lacks a rajagopuram and kodimaram or dwajasthambam. As such this is a truly Chola temple. It is today under the control of the ASI and considered a monument of national importance. It is not a fully active temple. It is partially active. It is believed that this was one of the prototypes for the later and much larger great temple at Thanjavur.
It is located about 20 km or 40 minutes west of Pondicherry. We visited in may 2023. We were based in Pondicherry.
Credits: Google Maps
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