About Chayavaneashwara Temple Trichy :
Chayavaneashwara Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is situated about a mile away from the point where the River Kaveri meets the sea. The place is known as Chaikadu or Chayavanam. There is much religious reverence attached to the Chayavaneashwara Temple. Before seeking the blessings of Lord Shiva take holy dips at the confluence of the river and the sea as it is considered religiously meritorious.Chayavaneashwara Temple has an age old legend attached to it on the virtue of its connection with the Iyarpagai Nayanar. He was one of the sixty three Saivite saints of the South. According to the legend, Nayanar used to expend his wealth for temples, feeding sadhus and other virtuous entreaties. One day an old man accosted Nayanar with a preposterous request to send his wife to him as a token of gift. Not even a hesitant second had elapsed that Nayanar agreed to the proposal. His reckless decision earned the wrath of his relatives but he remained unwavering in what he thought was right. He insisted his wife to follow the old man without sparing a thought for social degradation. The old man transformed into Lord Shiva and was full of praise for Nayanar's unflinching devotion which he remunerated with liberation. The moral of the legend is that Lord Shiva in various guises tests the profundity of the devotion of his followers and rewards them if they are able to stand the test of faith.