Temples of Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry #89: Thirumarainathar Temple, Thiruvathavur

திருமறைநாதர் திருக்கோயில், திருவாதவூர்

Thiruvathavur

Thiruvathavur

Thiruvathavur

Thiruvathavur

Thiruvathavur

Thiruvathavur

Thiruvathavur

Thiruvathavur

Thiruvathavur

Thiruvathavur

Thiruvathavur

Thiruvathavur

This ancient Sivan temple is not far from Thirumohur and is in the same area east of Madurai near Melur. More than a thousand years old, it is situated in the town where the great Tamil Saivite poet saint Manickavasagar was born. His birth name was Vathavooran. He was the author of the Thiruvasagam and Thirukovaivayar which constitute the 8th Thirumurai.

There is a beautiful 5 tier rajagopuram at the southern entrance. There are two prakarams. The Lord in the form of a Sivalingam is a suyambu lingam (self manifested and not sculpted by humans) and faces east. The intricately designed vimanam looks beautiful. There is an idol of a mythical beast called the Purusha Mirugam at the temple tank that is found only in few other temples. At times of drought, worshipping this idol is believed to restore rainfall. The temple is also visited by devotees who believe that several rheumatological and neurological diseases get cured here. Legend says Lord Saneeswaran was cured of leprosy here by worshipping Lord Sivan.

The importance of the temple today is largely due to the fact that Manickavasagar was born in this town in the 9th century. It is said that he contributed to the construction of the temple here. It is considered a Thevara Vaippu Sthalam. Thevara Vaipusthalams are those that find mention in the Thevaram Canon but do not have a pathigam dedicated to them. If that is accurate, then it must have existed in the seventh century. The claim that it is a Vaipusthalam is due to its reference as such in later compilations. Athangudi mentioned in Sambanthar's 2nd Thirumurai, 39th Pathigam, the Kshethra Kovai, is believed by some to be the ancient name for Vathavur. Nevertheless it is an ancient temple and initial construction was likely Pandian. Much of the existing temple structures bear the unmistakable style of the Vijayanagar and Nayakkan eras. There are some unreadable inscriptions from those times at this temple. The temple was extensively renovated in 1999 and 2014 and some inscriptions might have been lost.

The temple is located 26 km or 45 minutes east of Madurai. It is close to the small town of Melur. We visited in June 2025. We were based in Madurai.

Sources: Project Madurai: Sampanthar Thevaram 2nd Thirumurai Part 1 (Tamil)

Veludharan Temple Visits

Credits: Google Maps