தேவி கருமாரி அம்மன் திருக்கோயில், திருவேற்காடு We recently featured the Vedapureeswarar Sivan Temple in Thiruverkadu which is lesser known but is the more ancient and historically significant temple in Thiruverkadu. There is another temple in Thiruverkadu, which is now a western suburb of the city of Chennai, which is by far the more well known and popular temple in this town. The area is synonymous with the Sakthi temple of Karumariamman and this temple deserves a dedicated post. People throng to this temple and many have deep faith in the power of the deity here. Although not an ancient temple, it has a lot of legend and aura around it. It started off as a small Amman temple beside an anthill and is associated with the worship of snakes. A giant anthill still exists right beside the temple and is highly venerated. Much of the structures are built in the current era. From its humble beginnings as a village shrine it has grown into a massive temple due to patronage by a large number of devotees. It is currently undergoing extensive renovation. Although the temple might not be attractive to temple lovers with a bent for history and antiquity, it is worth visiting to witness the importance the religion has for a large number of people. It showcases the vibrancy of the living religion. It is currently administered by the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department of the Government of Tamil Nadu. We visited in August 2024. We were based in Chennai. The temple is located about 20 km or an hour west of the centre of Chennai city. Credits: Google Maps

கச்சபேசுவரர் திருக்கோயில், திருக்கச்சூர் The story goes that in the 8th century, the great Saivite poet-saint Sundaramoorthy Nayanar and his entourage once undertook a pilgrimage to the Sivan temples of Thondai Nadu. One day they were on their way to Kanchipuram from the nearby ancient Sivan temple of Thirukalukundram. They decided to break journey and stay for the night at this small village of Thirukachur. There was a Sivan temple here. They were tired after a day of walking. As night fell, they felt hungry. An old man appeared and offered them food. They later found out that the old man dressed as a beggar went to all the houses in the village and begged for food which the village folk gave generously. He fed the Sivanadiyar with the food he gathered. Then they could not find him. They believed that the Lord himself came here as a beggar to feed them and disappeared in to this shrine. Hence the Lord here came to be known as the Iranthitteeswarar (the Lord who was a beggar) and Virunthutteeswarar (the Lord who gave a feast). Sundarar in his gratitude rendered a pathikam here. Thus it became a Paadal Petra Petra Sthalam together with its twin temple of Maruntheeswarar, a smaller temple in the same village. Kachabam means turtle. Legend says that when Lord Vishnu took the form of a turtle in his Koorma avatharam, he came here to obtain Lord Sivan's blessings in his effort to save the earth from destruction. Due to this, the Lord here came to be known as Kachabeswarar. The temple should not be confused with another ancient and beautiful temple by the same name with a similar legend in the heart of the city of Kanchipuram. That one is not a Paadal Petra Sthalam. With two prakarams and granite walls and two acres in area, it is a moderate sized temple with multiple subsidiary shrines and a solid granite sanctum. Lots and lots of inscriptions. The vimanam is of the Gajaprishta or Thoonganai Maadam type similar to many Thondai Mandalam temples of the Chola era. There is no gopuram at the main entranceway. It is flat gopuram or a Mottai gopuram. The Amman here, Anjanakshi Amman, has her own special shrine. The Utsavar is a Somaskander idol and is celebrated as Thiyagarajar and the temple is sometimes referred to as the Thiyagarajar temple. The koshta idol on the western wall on the opposite side of the entrance to the sanctum sanctorum is an idol of Lord Mahavishnu and not a Lingothbavar as in many Chola temples. There is a small mandapam in front of the temple, which is believed to be the spot where Sundarar and his followers rested for the night 12 centuries ago. The sthala virutcham is the Aal or Banyan tree. Hence it is sometimes call the Aalakkoil. The temple was not well maintained when we first visited seven years ago. It looks better but still needs some work. It is heartening to see that the temple pond has been given a solar powered cleaning system under a CSR initiative by a multinational corporation BASF operating in the area. The pond looks nice. It is called the Koorma Theertham and is just outside the temple. With DMK and PMK flags flying at the entrance of the temple, one could feel that there is politics going on which is unfortunate. Sundarar praises the Lord here thus: முதுவாய் ஓரி கதற முதுகாட் டெரிகொண் டாடல் முயல்வானே மதுவார் கொன்றைப் புதுவீ சூடும் மலையான் மகள்தன் மணவாளா கதுவாய்த் தலையிற் பலிநீ கொள்ளக் கண்டால் அடியார் கவலாரே அதுவே ஆமா றிதுவோ கச்சூர் ஆலக் கோயில் அம்மானே. The temple is located in the small village of Thirukachur and hidden away from the bustling highways close by. It is about 55 km or 2 hours southwest of Chennai city. We visited in August 2017 and August 2024. We were based in Chennai. Credits: Google Maps

மருந்தீசுவரர் திருக்கோயில், திருக்கச்சூர் This ancient Sivasthalam is found in the small nondescript village of Thirukachur in Chengalpattu District, not far from Chennai. Although the area around is developing fast, this village is hidden from all the bustle around and appears forgotten by time. It is a Paadal Petra Sthalam and is praised in the Thevaram by Sundaramoorthy Nayanar in the early 8th century, in the same Pathikam as the Kachabeswarar temple in the same village. The Marundeeswarar is the smaller temple compared to the Kachabeswarar and is about ten minutes away by car. We recently looked at the Kachabeswarar in an earlier post. This is a fairly small temple and is about an acre in area. It is on a small hillock and the villagers refer it to as the Malai Koil (Hill Temple). It is surrounded by a granite wall and has various shrines with the primary shrine dedicated to Lord Sivan in the form of a lingam and is known as the Marundeeswarar. There is no superstructure enclosing the temple. The individual shrines are independent structures. The entrance is a small flat gateway tower or a Mottai Gopuram. The temple was in existence in the early 8th century as Sundarar mentions it when he visited here. It was built as a granite structure in the 11th century by Kulothunga Chola I. It has been renovated by the Nayakkar in the 16th century. Today it is administered by the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department of the Government of Tamil Nadu. It is poorly maintained and is in a state of acute disrepair. Marunthu (மருந்து) means medicine in Tamil. The temple has a number of legends linking it to various cures for a variety of diseases. The herbs that grow on this hill are believed to have curative properties. Consuming the plants, the water and even the earth here is considered medicinal. Legends claim that once this area was beset by a plague and the people survived by praying to the Lord here and treating themselves with herbs found here. There is also a belief that a small bit of the Sanjeevi Hill fell here when Hanuman was carrying it from the Himalayas to Lanka. Sundarar sings thus: மேலை விதியே வினையின் பயனே விரவார் புரமூன் றெரிசெய்தாய் காலை யெழுந்து தொழுவார் தங்கள் கவலை களைவாய் கறைக்கண்டா மாலை மதியே மலைமேல் மருந்தே மறவேன் அடியேன் வயல் சூழ்ந்த ஆலைக் கழனிப் பழனக் கச்சூர் ஆலக் கோயில் அம்மானே. The temple is located in the small village of Thirukachur and hidden away from the bustling highways close by. It is about 55 km or 2 hours southwest of Chennai city. We visited in August 2017 and August 2024. We were based in Chennai. Credits: Google Maps

Temples of Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry Thus far, our posts have mostly been about individual temples. These posts have a number attached to their headings. We will continue to post about temples we have visited going forward. We have interspersed these with posts with general topics that we thought would be helpful for folks to gain a better understanding of these wonderful temples. Over the next few weeks, we will post a series on Temple Groups. There is such a bewildering number of temples that most people find them overwhelming and do not have the time to visit them all, let alone learn about them. Grouping temples into special sets makes it easier to understand their relevance and importance. These groups or sets will sometimes focus on their religious or spiritual importance and others will highlight historical, artistic or architectural elements. Other posts will try and group temples in and around a certain city, town or pilgrimage site. There will be a certain degree of overlap as you can imagine. We hope you will enjoy these posts as much as you have enjoyed the ones about individual temples and general topics. Where appropriate we will incorporate these posts into one of the pages so that readers can easily navigate to them when needed. These might come in handy when you plan your own trips. Stay tuned.

பஞ்ச சபை தலங்கள் These five ancient Sivan temples known as the Pancha Sabhai temples celebrate the sites where Lord Siva performed an aspect of the Cosmic Dance. In his manifestation as Lord Nataraja he performed the sacred dance at these holy sites it is believed. Pancha means five and Sabhai means hall. These are large temples and are important pilgrimage sites for Saivite Hindus. They are Paadal Petra Sthalangal and are venerated in the Thevaram Canon and thus have existed at least since the 7th century. Their origins are obscure. The many dynasties that ruled the Tamil lands have made immense contributions to these temples and their present forms are the culmination of centuries of building and rebuilding. The Chidambaram Natarajar Temple is known as the Potsabhai or Kanagasabhai or the Golden Hall. It glorifies the Cosmic Dance of Lord Nataraja as the Ananda Thandavam or the dance of bliss. Historically it has been the most important and holiest shrine for Saivite Tamil Hindus. It is also celebrated as one of the Pancha Bootha Sthalams and venerates the element sky or space. Its origins are buried in the mysteries of time and many dynasties have contributed to its construction and growth. It was a favorite temple of the Imperial Cholas. The Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple in Madurai is known as the Velliambalam or Rajata Sabhai or the Silver hall. Here the Lord danced the Sandhya Thandavam or the Dance of the Evening Interestingly Lord Nataraja has his right leg raised here in contrast to the left as it is customary in the traditional form. Legend says that a Pandiyan king called Rajasekara Pandiyan entreated the Lord to change the leg he was standing on to give the right foot a rest. The Lord obliged him. This temple was originally built by Pandiyan kings in the ancient past and has been added onto in the millenia since by various dynasties. It was desecrated and nearly completely destroyed by Islamic rulers in the 14th century when Madurai was a Sultanate. It has been rebuilt almost completely by the Nayakkar kings in the 16th century. The Vadaranyeswarar Temple at Thiruvalangadu is called the Rathina Sabhai or Ratna Sabhai or the Hall of Jewels. This ancient temple is where the Lord is said to have danced the Kali Thandavam or Urdhva Thandavam. It was was a difficult and fiercely intense performance. Here the Lord has his left foot raised above the shoulder and almost touching the left ear lobe. Legends say that there was once a fierce competition between the Lord and the Goddess to establish who was the better dancer. Caught in the intensity of the performance the Lord lost his left earring. Without a pause he picked the earring with the toes on his left foot and put it back on. The Goddess was awed and accepted defeat. The Nellaiappar Temple in Thirunelvely is described as the Thamira Sabhai or the Copper Hall. It is an ancient Paadal Petra Sthalam in the heart of the town of Thirunelvely. Here the Lord danced his Muni Thandavam. He takes the form of Bhairava depicting one his more destructive aspects. There is a copper roofed structure within the Nellaiappar temple complex in one of its prakarams which houses a Natarajar idol and is traditionally believed to be the Copper Hall. It is a temple built by the Pandian kings and later added on to by Chola and Nayakkan rulers. It is a vast and beautiful structure with some fascinating architectural and sculptural marvels like the musical pillars. There is a small controversy about the exact location of the Thamira Sabhai with some claiming that the ancient Azhagiya Koothar Sivan temple at Chepparai, 12 km to the north of Thirunelvely is the actual Copper Hall. The Kutralanathar temple at Thirukutralam is the Chithira Sabhai or the Hall of Art. It is an ancient Pandiyan temple surrounded by hills and near a waterfall, Nestled between two hills it is uniquely shaped like a conch. Here the Lord performed the Thiripura Thandavam at the culmination of his victory over the evil forces of the Thiripuram. The Chithira Sabhai is not part of the Kurumpaleeswarar temple complex but is situated a little distance away on a hill. It is a temple where all the deities including Lord Nataraja are depicted by murals instead of sculptures. The murals are painted with herbal, natural pigments and have been recently restored using the same pigments as much as possible. It is a stunning exposition that is somewhat hidden and which many people tend to miss. Courtesy Google Maps Access: The Chidambaram Nataraja Temple is best accessed from Pondicherry. Although there are local accommodation choices, Pondicherry offers a wider variety of hotel choices. The drive is about an hour in good traffic. As it is a large temple, temple goers should budget at least an hour or two depending on their interests. As such it is a half day trip. If you leave in the morning you can be back in Pondicherry for lunch, The Madurai Meenakshi Amman Sundareswarar Temple is in the heart of Madurai. There are plenty of good accommodation choices in Madurai. The Vadaranyeswarar Temple in Thiruvalankadu can be accessed from Chennai where there is excellent accommodation It is a 2 hour drive from Chennai and will be a day trip. There are hotel choices like the GRT Regency in nearby Tiruttani and Kanchipuram which is only an hour away. The Nellaiappar temple and the Chepparai temple are in Thirunelvely which has quality accommodation. The Kutralanathar or Kurumbaleeswarar at Thirukutralam is about 1.5 hours from Thirunelvely which has good accommodation.

முக்தீசுவர் திருக்கோயில், தெப்பக்குளம், மதுரை This relatively small but ancient Sivan temple is located in the city of Madurai on the western side of the beautiful Vandiyur Theppakulam. The Theppakulam is an artificial waterbody or tank built by the great king Thirumalai Nayakkar in the 17th century. It is believed that sand was dug out of this site to aid in the reconstruction of the Meenakshiamman temple. The exact age of the temple site is unknown, but the existing structures are from the Nayakkan era. The temple is also known as the Iravadhiswarar (ஐராவதீசுவரர்) temple, named after Indira's elephant Iravadham (ஐராவதம்) who legend says worshipped Lord Siva here and was relieved of a curse. This temple is one of the 5 Panchabootha Sthalams of Madurai and represents Vayu. It is also one the 4 ullaavaranam or inner-garland temples of the Madurai Meenakshi Amman temple. Expansion of the temple was restricted by its location close to the Theppakulam. The temple only has one outer prakaram and lacks a rajagopuram. The vimanam over the mandapam in the middle of the Theppakulam serves as the rajagopuram for this temple and the Mariamman temple nearby. The east-facing temple consists of the sanctum and a relatively large mandapam in front with many columns. The columns have ornate sculptures depicting scenes from the Thiruvilayadal Puranam. The idol of Eka Pada Trimurti depicting Siva, Vishnu and Brahma as a single idol and the Veenadhara Dakshinamurthy are very beautiful and special. The temple is constructed in such a fashion that the rays of the sun fall in the sanctum during the couple of weeks spanning the vernal and autumnal equinoxes in March and September. It is as if the sun is paying homage to the Lord here during those times. The temple lacks the usual Navagraha shrine seen in most temples. Nevertheless it is believed that this temple has a close relationship to the Navagrahas. The construction of the temple as it stands today is credited to Muthu Veerappa Nayakkar, brother of Thirumalai Nayakkar. We visited in June 2025. We were based in Madurai. Photography was difficult as the temple was undergoing renovation and many of the main structures were covered in scaffolding. Source: TN Temples Project Credits: Google Maps

சௌந்தரராஜ பெருமாள் கோயில், தாடிக்கொம்பு, திண்டுக்கல் Renowned for its fine sculptures in granite from the late Vijayanagar and Nayakkan eras, this temple is located just north of Dindigul. Dedicated to Lord Vishnu, it is a beautiful temple and very popular. Although there are some clues in inscriptions that suggest that it might have existed in some form under Pandiyan rule before the 10th century, the structure as it stands today was built during Vijayanagar times and embellished in the Nayakkan era. The village was originally called Thaalapuri due to the abundance of palmyrah trees. It later got the name Thadikombu which means the same in Telugu due to the influx of a large number of Telugu speaking people into the area during the Vijayanagar period. The temple was rebuilt in its current form by the Vijayanagar emperor Achyuta Deva Raya (1529-1542), brother and successor of the great emperor Krishna Deva Raya and his successor and regent Aliya Rama Raya (1484-1565), son-in-law of Krishna Deva Raya. This was in the mid 16th century. Most of the sculptural art is attributed to the reign of the great Nayakkan monarch, Thirumalai Nayakkar of Madurai (1623-1659). The sculptures were commissioned around 1640 in the mid 17th century. This information is from the inscriptions present at the temple. The temple has a 5 level, 90 foot high rajagopuram and is surrounded by granite walls on all four sides. It has two inner prakarams. The prakaram outside the walls is paved to facilitate the movement of the chariot or "ther" during festivals, The Lord is in a standing posture in the sanctum sanctorum. His consort Sundaravalli Thayar is housed in a separate shrine. The main structure is built on a 2 m high plinth and is thus classified as a Madakkoil (மாடக்கோயில்). The temple has a number of mandapams. The Ranga Mandapam contains beautiful sculptures depicting the ten avatharams of Lord Vishnu and are from the Vijayanagar era. The Soundarapandia Mandapam contains 14 life size sculptures in granite that are believed to be some of the best examples of Nayakkan art and craftsmanship. The workmanship is exquisite and reflect a very high level of expertise. There are also seven musical pillars in the Kalyana Mandapam similar to other southern temples of the same era. The temple is located 14 km to the north of Dindigul in Tamil Nadu. It is about a 20 minute drive by car. It is about 80 km north or an easy 90 minute drive along NH 44 from Madurai. We visited in June 2025. We were based in Madurai. Source: Temples of Madras State; P.K Nambiar and K.C Narayana Kurup. Census of India 1961 Govt of India Archives Credits: Google Maps

காளமேகப்பெருமாள் திருக்கோயில், திருமோகூர் As a Divya Desam temple, this is a very important Vishnu temple. It is located close to Madurai. The Divya Desam temples are one of 108 ancient temples dedicated to Lord Vishnu that were celebrated by the Vaishnavite Tamil poet saints, the Azhwar, in the Nalayira Divya Prabantham compiled between the eighth and tenth centuries. As such the temple is more than 1200 years old. Legends tell us that Lord Vishnu appeared here as the divine enchantress Mohini and thus the place came to be known as Thirumohur. There are many legends. One describes Lord Vishnu appearing as Mohini to seduce an Asura who had cast a spell on Lord Siva. In another he appears as Mohini to aid the Devas in a battle with the Asuras. The place finds mention in the ancient Tamil literature of the Sangam era such as the Agananooru and Pathitrupathu. The Tamil epic Silappadikaram also mentions the place. There is an inscription in the temple itself dated to 1259 that identities a man named Kalamegam or Kangeyan who donated a large parcel of land to the temple during the reign of the Later Pandian king Sadaiyavarman Sundarapandian. The temple was later renovated by Nayakkan kings. The temple served as a fortress during the Carnatic Wars. The Marudhu brothers Chinna Marudhu and Periya Marudhu also contributed to this temple and they are commemorated with life-size sculptures in the temple. In modern times the Nattukkottai Chettiar community and the Sourashtra community of Madurai have undertaken renovation work. There is an interesting story about a British army unit that ransacked this temple during the Carnatic Wars and was moving away with the loot when a group of men from the Kallar community waylaid them and retrieved the temple jewels and idols. Due to this the Kallar community is given pride of place during temple festivals. The temple sports a 5 tier rajagopuram. At 2.5 acres, it is a moderate sized temple. The Vimanam here is called a Kethaki Vimanam and is beautiful. It is an east facing temple and the presiding deity is Lord Vishnu in standing posture in panchayudha kolam. There is a separate shrine for Lord Vishnu in a reclining posture and is called the prarthanasayana form and is very special. There is a large Sudharshana Chakra in one corner that has the idol of Chakrathazhwar on one side and Yoga Narasimhar on the other. Chakrathazhwar is depicted with sixteen hands holding a variety of weapons. This is also a rare sculpture found in few other Vishnu temples. Nammazhvar sang thus in his Mangalasasanam on the temple in the 8th century: மற்றிலம் அரண் வான்பெரும் பாழ் தனி முதலா சுற்றும் நீர்படைத் ததன்வழித் தொல்முனி முதலா முற்றும் தேவரோ டுலகுசெய் வாந்திரு மோகூர் சுற்றி நாம்வலஞ் செய்ய நம் துயர்கெடும் கடிதே (By circumambulating (surrendering to) Kalamegha‑Perumal at Thirumogur who is the sole protector (aran) and heaven’s great destroyer of pain and by venerating him along with the celestial beings, all our sufferings will vanish) -From the Nalayira Divya Prabandham The temple is located about 18 km or 30 minutes by car to the northeast of Madurai. We visited in June 2025. We were based in Madurai. Sources: "Enchanting Mokur, The Alvar's Vivigraphy RKK Rajan Indian Place Names Vol 40(89) March 2020 Madurai District Inscriptions Volume1 Page 229 P. Rajendran,V. Vedachalam,C.Santhalingam 2005 (Tamil) Credits: Google Maps

திருமறைநாதர் திருக்கோயில், திருவாதவூர் 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

மாணிக்கவாசகர் பிறப்பிடக்கோயில் திருவாதவூர் About 500 meters from the entrance of the ancient Thirumarainathar temple is this temple that is believed to be built on the land where Manickavasagar's house once stood 1100 yers ago . This is where he is believed to have been born and where he grew up. The small temple for Manickavasagar stands in a corner of an enclosed compound. It is a fairly large compound, about 5 acres in area. It is fenced and walled and as such relatively safe from encroachment. A sizeable modern mandapam or hall is at the other corner of the enclosure. It is called the Manickavasagar Arangam. It has a large bronze idol of Lord Nataraja at the front and room for about five hundred or more people. The walls are tastefully decorated with modern murals depicting scenes from his life and verses from the Thiruvasagam. Nicely done. When we visited, a group of middle-aged men and women were at the front doing a continuous recitation of the Thiruvasagam. It was beautiful. It is a daily ritual here There is a lot of empty space that holds immense potential to develop as a fitting tribute to the great saint. It is a place many people visiting Thiruvathavur might overlook. It is well worth a visit and time should be allocated for it. The small temple is closed most of the time. The priests at the nearby Thirumarainathar temple may be able to guide you to someone who will have to open the temple on special request. Although some dispute the exact period of Manickavasagar and claim that he lived in the 3rd century or the 6th century, the conventional wisdom has been that he lived in the 9th century which makes more sense. He is one of the most important of the Saivite poet-saints who revived Tamil Saivism. After centuries of domination by the Jain and Buddhist faiths, there was a movement to revive Tamil Saivism and Tamil Vaishnavism. It is often referred to as the Bhakti Movement and lasted about 3 centuries beginning in the early 7th century. The 63 Nayanmar were the saints on the Saivite side who worked tirelessly and selflessly to advance the faith. They came from all walks of life and included men and women from various castes and communities from Brahmins to the most oppressed sections. They crisscrossed the Tamil lands, visiting ancient temples, reviving and renovating them. They engaged in philosophical debates with Jain and Buddhists monks. They sang devotional songs. They converted monarchs. The 12 Azhwar did the same on the Vaishnavite side. Manickavasagar is one of the most important personalities in this movement and is included in the quartet known as the Saivite Naalvar (The Four) together with Thirugnanasampanthar, Thirunavukkarasar and Sundaramoorthy Nayanar. However, he is not one the 63 Nayanmar like the other three, perhaps because he belonged to a later time. Manickavasagar was born in this village and his birth name was Vathavoorar. He was born into an erudite Amathya Brahmin family and gained great knowledge at a very young age, By the time he was sixteen he joined the service of the Pandian king at Madurai, Varagunavarman II or Arimarthana Pandian (CE 862-885). He soon became the most trusted advisor to the king and was made his chief minister. He was given the title Thennavan Brahmarayan. One day the king sent the young Vathavooran to the eastern coast with a large sum of money to buy imported Arabian war horses. When he reached the town of Thiruperunthurai he fell under the spell of an old man sitting under a Kurunthai tree who revealed divine knowledge to him. The old man was none other than the Lord himself and on his advice Vathavoorar built a temple at Thiruperunthurai using all the money he brought with him. The temple stands to this day and is known as Auvudayar Koil. Soon the day came when the king sent word to return with the horses. Vathavooarar panicked and ran to his guru under the Kurunthai tree who calmed him down and told hom that he would take care of it and that he should return to Madurai. He promised to bring the horses in a few days. Sure enough the horses arrived on the promsed day only to turn into foxes during the night. The angry king got Vathavoorar arrested and imprisoned, The next day there was a great flood and the Vaigai broke its banks and inundated the city of Madurai. Realising his mistake the king set Manickavasagar free and he returned to Thiruperunthurai to start composing the Thiruvasagam. Over the ensuing years he travelled far and wide visiting many temples and completed the Thiruvasagam and the Thirukovayar in Chidambaram where he attained Mukti. Although many temples are mentioned in his works, his favorite temples were Thiruperunthurai, Chidambaram, Thirukazhukundram, Thiruvannamalai and Thiru Uthirakosamangai. It is located about 34 km or 45 minutes to the east of Madurai. It is close to the Thirumarainathar temple at Thiruvathavur and not far from Thirumohur. We visited in June 2025. We were based in Madurai.. Sources: TN Temples Project Shaivam

திருத்தளிநாதர் திருக்கோயில், திருப்பத்தூர் This place was called Thiruputhur (திருப்புத்தூர்) in older sources and is sometimes thus referred to even now. It is an ancient temple. It is a Paadal Petra Sthalam. It is one of the 14 Paadal Petra Sthalams of the Pandya Nadu and is close to Madurai and Karaikudi. There are other towns and at least one with a famous ancient temple elsewhere with the same or similar name which sometimes leads to confusion. The temple is celebrated in the Thevaram with dedicated songs by Thirugnanasampanthar and Thirunavukkarasar and must have existed in some form in the early 7th century. It has evidence of contributions to its construction by later Pallavas, Chola, Pandya, Vijayanagara, Nayakkan, Sethupathi kings and the Maruthu Pandiyar. This period spans a thousand years. There are 51 sets of inscriptions pertaining to various donations made to this temple. Most are from the later Pandyan period from the 13th and early 14th centuries. There also Vijayanagar era inscriptions from the late 14th century to early 16th centuries. One such inscription celebrates the liberation of the temple from control of the Madurai Sultanate and its subsequent purification and reconsecration. At 15 acres in area, it is a very large temple. It has a 5 tier rajagopuram and 3 prakarams. The sanctum has circular pilasters on the vimanam harking back to the Chola era. This feature is found in a few other Chola era temples. The Lord has an east facing shrine. The shrine for Goddess Sivakami also faces the same direction. It has several sub shrines.The sanctums are on raised pedestals. The kodungai work here is impressive. Kodungai are the stone carvings that adorn the roof and overhangs of mandapams that resemble woodwork and are from the Nayakkan era. They represent great skill and craftsmanship in stoneworking. There are architectural features from many eras blending into the final product here. The Sthala Virutcham is the Sarakondrai tree. In between the shrines for the Lord and the Goddess, there is a sub shrine for Bhairavar that is very special at this temple. Here Bhairavar is in a seated position and in meditation as opposed to his usual standing posture and is known as Yoga Bhairavar. Due to this the temple is sometimes referred to as the Bhairavan or Vairavan temple. The Yoga Narayanan idol and shrine is also special. The Navagraha idols are seated and not standing as usual and this is also unique here. There is a special shrine for Thirunageswarar in the third prakaram. Legends say that Lord Siva danced the Cosmic dance called the Gowri Thandavam here at the request of Goddess Mahalakshmi. Sage Valmiki who composed the Ramayanam is believed to have worshipped the Lord here, It is one of the 14 Paadal Petra Sthalams in the Pandiya country. It is the 6th Paadal Petra Sthalam in Pandiya Nadu and 250th overall. Thirugnanasampanthar and Thirunavukkarasar composed pathikams dedicated to this temple in the early 7th century. Sampanthar sang thus: வெங்கள் விம்மு வெறியார் பொழிற்சோலை திங்க ளோடு திளைக்குந் திருப்புத்தூர்க் கங்கை தங்கு முடியா ரவர்போலும் எங்க ளுச்சி யுறையு மிறையாரே. (In this beautiful verdant grove called Thiruputhur filled with flowers laden with intoxicating nectar, resides our Lord whose crown is adorned with the moon and the Ganga and who also always lives in our minds and thoughts too) The temple is located about 70 km or 1 hour drive northeast of Madurai. It is about 20 km or 30 minutes west of Karaikudi. We visited in June 2025. We were based in Kanadukathan near Karaikudi. Sources: Temple History - Koyilgal Varalaru V.S Gurusamy Desikar Thevaram Govt of India Census Report 1961 Vol 6 Madurai/Ramnad Districts Page 193 Credits: Google Maps

கற்பக விநாயகர் திருக்கோயில், பிள்ளையார்பட்டி One of the oldest temples to Lord Vinayaka or Ganesha in the Tamil country, this temple is very ancient. Lord Ganesha is fondly referred to as Pillayar in Tamil. It is a cave temple. Its origins are shrouded in the mists of time. Although the temple is best known as a Pillayar temple, like most Saivite temples, Lord Siva is also given great prominence. There are two main sanctums at right angles to each other. They are both accorded equal importance, although the Vinayagar cave-shrine is by far the more popular. The layout of the temple is unique in that there is a cave shrine built into the rock face of the hillock behind the temple and is enclosed within the temple. This is the most ancient part of the temple and faces north with an entrance in that direction with a rajagopuram of its own. It houses a rock-cut, large idol of Lord Ganesha facing north. It also houses other sculptures including Lord Sivan in the form of a lingam called the Thiruveesar. At right angles to it is an east facing structural shrine housing Lord Siva as a lingam and is known as the Marudeeswarar. Here the Lord faces east and there is an entrance and a rajagopuram in that direction also. The age of this temple is somewhat difficult to date exactly. The rock cut idol of Pillayar and other idols in the cave shrine appear to be quite ancient. There is an inscription at the bottom of the idol which is a name of a person and widely believed to be that of the sculptor. A signature of sorts. The Tamil script is that which prevailed in the 2nd to 5th centuries. Based on this scholars have dated the cave to the 4th century. There are other clues dating it to the 7th century. It has been extensively renovated many times since then, constituting many phases of rebuilding. There is a 7th century inscription that names the Ganesha idol as Desi Vinayaka. Some have postulated that the Pallava monarch Narasimhavarman I built the cave temple around 650 CE. Others believe that it is more likely that the early Pandian kings were responsible. Although the Pallavas built similar temples in the northeast, it is unlikely that their direct influence extended this far south. There are also more recent inscriptions on the walls from 1091 and 1238 CE suggesting further expansions in those times. Since the 13th century onwards the Nattukottai Chettiar or Nagarathar community has actively patronised this temple and has been responsible for its further development and upkeep. It is celebrated as one of the nine ancestral temples of this merchant community. The Pillayar idol within the cave is a magnificent bas-relief sculpted on the granite cave wall facing north. It is 6 feet tall and has been covered in glittering gold. Uniquely, the Thumbikkai or trunk of the Lord is curved to the right instead of the common left curvature. Thus he is called Valampuri Vinayagar. Moreover he only has two hands as opposed to the customary four. The other sculptures within the cave are also unusual. There is an enigmatic bas-relief of a figure with two attendants that has variously been described as a royal figure or Lord Shiva. If it is that of a royal patron, the headdress and attire do not fit the usual Pandian or Pallava styles. There is another figure which is asymmetric, leading to speculation that it is an early Ardhanareeswarar (half Sivan-half Parvati) or Harihara (half Sivan- half Vishnu), but the sculpture is not typical of either form. The structural Marudeeswarar shrine is built like a traditional sanctum with a vimanam and is a later addition. The sthala virutcham is the Marudam or Arjuna tree. It is one of four temples in South India where the Marutham tree is celebrated. The others are Thirupudaimaruthur, Thiruvidaimaruthur and Srisailam in Andra Pradesh. Apart from its historical significance the temple is an important pilgrimage site and very popular among devotees. It draws large crowds of worshippers throughout the year. Festivals like the Vinayaka Chathurthi which usually falls in late August or early September are celebrated with great flair. The temple is located in the village of Pillayarpatti, near Kundrakudi and Thirupathur. It is 80 km or 1.5 hours northeast of Madurai, 15 km or 30 minutes northwest of Karaikudi or 45 km or 1 hour south of Pudukkottai. We visited in July 2012 and June 2025. We were based in Kanadukathan. Temple layout Lord Ganesha at Pillayarpatti - Courtesy Temples of Madras State Census 1961 Sources: Nagaswamy, R. “Some Contributions of the Pāṇḍya to South Indian Art.” Artibus Asiae, vol. 27, no. 3, 1965, pp. 265–74. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/3249074. Accessed 23 Aug. 2025. P.K. Nambiar and K.C. Narayana Kurup (1961), Temples of Madras State, Census of India Volume IX, Part XI-D (vi), Government of India, pp. 196–198 https://archive.org/details/temples-of-tamilnadu/Book-Temples-of-Tamilnadu-Vol-6-Madurai-Ramnad-Census1961-648pp/page/n343/mode/2up Credits: Google Maps