Erumbeeswarar Temple, Thiruverumbur (#129)
எறும்பீசுவரர் திருக்கோயில், திருவெறும்பூர்
Thiruverumbur Thiruverumbur Thiruverumbur Thiruverumbur Thiruverumbur Thiruverumbur Thiruverumbur Thiruverumbur Thiruverumbur Thiruverumbur Thiruverumbur Thiruverumbur Thiruverumbur Thiruverumbur Thiruverumbur Thiruverumbur Thiruverumbur Thiruverumbur Thiruverumbur
The temple at Thiruverumbur is an ancient Sivan temple referred to as Malaikovil (hill-temple) by the locals. It is a Paadal Petra Sthalam on the eastern outskirts of Thiruchirapalli. It is an ASI-protected monument of national importance, but is still an active temple. The architecture is unique. It is a beautiful temple on a rocky hillock, reached by a series of about 115 steps hewn into the rock.
Legends say that the Devas once were threatened by an Asuran (அசுரன் – demon) and took refuge here in the form of ants. The ants were trying to worship the Lord by climbing up the self-manifested suyambulingam here. They kept slipping and falling and the Lord tilted himself to help them climb. The Sivalingam is in the form of an ant-hill made of mud and remains tilted. Erumbu (எறும்பு) means ant in Tamil. Thus the Lord here came to be known as Erumbeeswarar and the village Thiruverumbur. In ancient times it was referred to as Thiruverumbiyur.
In the early 10th century, the Chola king Adityan I (871-907 CE) built or rebuilt a series of temples along the Kaveri to commemorate the great victory at the epochal battle of Thirupurambiyam as recorded in the Anbil and Thiruvalangadu royal copper-plate charters. It is believed that he built 108 temples and about 30-40 have survived in various degrees of preservation. This is one of the better preserved temples of that era in almost pristine condition. As a Paadal Petra Sthalam, the site predates Adityan I by several centuries at least. It must have been there in some form in the early 7th century. There are 49 ancient Chola inscriptions here from the 10th century onwards. It seems relatively untouched by transformation in subsequent eras. During the second Carnatic War (1749-1754), the temple played a key role in that Anglo-French conflict. The temple was desecrated by European colonial forces during the critical Siege of Trichinopoly, when the French used it as an infantry outpost.
The temple is built on a natural rocky hillock and blends seamlessly into the rock formation. There is a beautiful and serene water body which is the main theertham. It is entered through a ground level mandapam containing two shrines for Lord Ganesha. Then there are a set of steep steps to climb. You enter through a two-tier rajagopuram at the top. The temple has three prakarams. The outer prakaram is open and gives spectacular views of the surrounding countryside including the distant gopurams of Srirangam on a clear day. The sanctum faces east. The Sivalingam is covered by a metal casing at most times but is composed of earth and direct abishekam on the surface is avoided. It is a self-manifested suyambulingam. In the 1950s thieves broke into the sanctum and split the Sivalingam in two in search of hidden treasure. It has been put together and held by a copper wire since then. Some claim that the split was always there and represents the unity of Sivan and Sakthy. In 1964 thieves again broke into the complex in the dead of night and spirited away precious and ancient Utsavamoothys. The temple is an example of the transformation of early brick and mortar temples to granite in the late 9th and early 10th centuries. They are called Katrali (கற்றளி) or stone-temples. This temple is classified as an early Chola temple. The temples built around that time are relatively small and compact compared to the grand temples that were to follow later during the Chola era. The shrine for the Goddess here, Narunguzhal Nayaki (the Lady with Fragrant Hair), is a south-facing one located in the outer prakaram. There are numerous unique and rare architectural and philosophical elements in the temple. The main koshta idol in the west-facing rear-niche of the sanctum is Sankaranarayana or Hariharan, as opposed to the usual Lingodhbavar or Mahavishnu. The Hariharan idol is part Sivan and part Vishnu and symbolizes the unity of Saivism and Vaishnavism.
The thalaviruthcham is the Vilvam. The main theertham is the Brahmatheertham. The main festival, the Brahmotsavam, is celebrated in the Tamil month of Vaikasi in May/June. Many other festivals are celebrated throughout the year. On the Pournami or full-moon day of every month, thousands of devotees undertake the circumambulation of the hill called the Girivalam. If you want to experience the temple in peace and quiet you may want to avoid those days. On the other hand, if you like to experience the devotion and fervour of large crowds you may in fact choose those days. The temple is open from 6.00 a.m. to 12.00 p.m. and then from 4.00 p.m. to 8.00 p.m. It is a small temple at just under an acre in area. The temple is administered by the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department of the Government of Tamil Nadu and is a protected monument under the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).
This is the 124th Paadal Petra Sthalam and the 7th south of the Kaveri in Chola Nadu. Thirunavukkararasar or Appar rendered the pathikams here. He dedicated two pathikams to this temple. He sings thus in the Thiruthaandakam with great humility:
பன்னியசெந் தமிழறியேன் கவியேன் மாட்டேன்
எண்ணோடு பண்ணிறைந்த கலைக ளாய
தன்னையுந்தன் திறத்தறியாப் பொறியி லேனைத்
தன்திறமும் அறிவித்து நெறியுங் காட்டி
அன்னையையும் அத்தனையும் போல அன்பாய்
அடைந்தேனைத் தொடர்ந்தென்னை யாளாக் கொண்ட
தென்எறும்பி யூர்மலைமேல் மாணிக் கத்தைச்
செழுஞ்சுடரைச் சென்றடையப் பெற்றேன் நானே.
Thevaram 6.91
(To me, who never knew beautiful chaste Tamil, nor poetry, nor arithmetic, nor melodious music, nor the other arts, nor my true abilities; ignorant as I was, he taught me his abilities and guided me, and showed the love of a mother and a father and when I reached him, he pursued me and embraced me; the Lord who resides here on the hill of Erumbiyur, like a ruby or a bright flame. I received his blessing.)
The temple is located on the outskirts of Thiruchirapalli about 20 minutes or 12 km east of the centre of town. It is about 6 hours or 330 km southwest of Chennai. We visited in August 2026. We were based in Thiruchirapalli.
Sources:
P.K. Nambiyar and K.C. Narayana Kurup, Census of India 1961. Volume IX. Part XI-D. Temples of Madras State. Thiruchirapalli and South Arcot, p. 201.
S. R. Balasubrahmanyam, Early Chola Art, Part I (1966), pp. 114–123, Pl. 66.
Dinamalar. “Sri Erumbeeswarar Temple, Tiruverumbur.” Dinamalar Temple. Accessed October 4, 2026.
Courtesy Google Maps
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