Sapta Vitanka Shrines

Seven temples in the vicinity of Tiruvarur have grand shrines dedicated to Tyagaraja (Somaskanda) and are referred to as the Sapta Vitanka shrines.

The foremost of them is Tiruvarur with its grand shrine to Tyagaraja - or Veedhi Vitankar. Tyagaraja at Tiruvarur is associated with the Ajapaa Natanam (dance). The Ajapaa Natanam is of great mystical significance and it denotes the movement of the image of Somaskanda that adorned the chest of Vishnu in synch with his breath.

All of these seven shrines are said to have been established by the valorous king Muchukunda Chakravarti, where he enshrined the 7 images of Somaskanda presented to him by Indra the King of the Gods.

Each of these shrines (shown in the table below) is associated with a certain form of dance. Each of these shrines has been glorified by the Tevaram verses of the Tamil Saivite Saints of the 1st millennium CE.

Temple	Tyagaraja (Vitankar)	Associated Dance
Tiruvarur	Veedi Vitankar	Ajapaa Natanam
Tirunallaar	Naha Vitankar	Unmatta Natanam
Nagappattinam	Sundara Vitankar	Paraavaara Taranga Natanam
Tirukkaaravaayil	Aadi Vitankar	Kukkuta Natanam
Tirukkuvalai	Avani Vitankar	Bhringa Natanam
Tiruvaaimur	Neelavitankar	Kamala Natanam
Tirumaraikkaadu	Bhuvani Vitankar	Hamsapaada Natanam

 

Also see:

Tyagaraja
Tiruvarur
The Somaskanda Legend
Somaskanda Iconography
Muchukunda Chola legend