Vaitheeswaran Koil, near Mayiladuthurai in Tamil Nadu, is a famous temple where Lord Shiva is worshipped as Vaidyanathar, the divine healer, and it is the Navagraha temple for Mars, the planet Angaraka or Sevvai.
Your darshan is free. You come both to pray for good health and to ease the effect of Mars in your chart. The temple sits on the nine planet circuit near Kumbakonam, and it is also famous for the Naadi astrology readers of the town.
The healer and Mars
Two things bring pilgrims here. First, Lord Vaidyanathar is the divine healer, so you pray for cure from illness, and take the sacred ash and the holy water believed to carry healing. Second, this is the temple of Mars, Angaraka, so if you have a difficult Mars or a Mangal dosha in your chart you come for its parihara. You can arrange an abhishekam or an archana to Mars at the temple counter, in the red that Mars takes. Agree any priest's fee first, because that is a personal service, not the free darshan.
Free darshan and timings
- Your darshan is free and open to all.
- The temple opens in a morning window and again in the late afternoon and evening, with a midday break, so plan around the closed hours.
- Tuesdays are the special day for Mars, so they can be busier, and festival days draw crowds.
[Confirm the exact timings and any special pooja on the HR&CE listing and locally. Last checked 14 September 2026.]
The sacred tank
The temple tank, the Siddhamirtham, is believed to carry healing power, and pilgrims take a dip or sprinkle its water as part of their prayer for health. You can also make a small offering of jaggery and other items in the tank, following the local custom. Give yourself time for the tank, the long corridors and the shrines, not only the main darshan.
How to reach
Vaitheeswaran Koil is near Mayiladuthurai and Sirkazhi in the Nagapattinam region of Tamil Nadu, on the Navagraha circuit near Kumbakonam. The nearest airport is Tiruchirappalli, and Mayiladuthurai and Sirkazhi have railway stations, with a small station at the temple town itself. Reach it by road from Kumbakonam or Mayiladuthurai. Pair it with the other eight planet temples on a one or two day circuit.
What to carry
Carry a photo identity and modest dress for the shrine. Carry small cash for a pooja, lamps and the red cloth and offerings that Mars takes, even where counters accept digital payment. If you come for health prayers, carry a small vessel for the holy water if you wish to take some home, following the temple's custom. Carry water and a hat for a day of temple visits.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Your biggest mistake would be paying a private site for a "Mars pooja booking," when the darshan is free and you arrange poojas at the temple counter. Next, do not miss the sacred tank, which is central to the health prayer here. Do not ignore the midday closing. Do not be pulled into a costly Naadi reading in the town without care, because that is a separate private service, not the temple.
Questions people ask
Is Vaitheeswaran Koil darshan free?
Yes, your darshan is free. You pay only for a pooja or lamps at the temple.
Why is it famous?
Lord Shiva is worshipped here as the divine healer, Vaidyanathar, and it is the Navagraha temple for Mars, Angaraka.
Who comes here?
You do, whether to pray for health or to ease a difficult Mars or Mangal dosha in your chart.
What is the sacred tank?
The Siddhamirtham, believed to carry healing power, where pilgrims take a dip or its water.
Is there an official booking site?
No. It is a Tamil Nadu government HR&CE temple with free darshan, so arrange any pooja at the counter.