Piranmalai Kodunkundreeswar Temple

Getting there

• By air

  Madurai International Airport is the nearest airport to Sivaganga district.

• By road

  Buses run from Singampunari, about 7 km away. A bus from Madurai Mattuthavani to Ponnamaravathi goes through the village.

Why devotees come here

Piranmalai Kodunkundreeswar Temple stands on Piranmalai, a fortified hill in Sivagangai district, Tamil Nadu. It is one of the shrines of the 275 Paadal Petra Sthalams. Shiva is worshipped on three tiers of the temple, and the sun falls on the sanctum for about six months of the year.

Piranmalai is one of the shrines of the 275 Paadal Petra Sthalams, and Sambandar composed the Thevara Pathigam here. Legend says Shiva showed Agasthya Muni a vision of his marriage with Parvati on this hill. The hill is shaped like a Sivalingam, so it is also called Prachandragiri and Katoragiri. Bhrama, Saraswati, Subramanya and Nandi are believed to have worshipped Shiva here.

The temple complex covers about 30 acres, with three prakarams, an attractive Rajagopuram and five vimanams. It is built in three tiers, which represent Pathala (the nether world), Bhumi (Earth) and Antariksham (space), with Swargam (heaven). The Marudu brothers of Sivagangai made several contributions to the temple.

The hill is also sacred to Muslims, with a dargah of Waliullah Sheikh Abdullah Shaheb on its peak. A Bhairavar temple and five peedas called the Pandava Therthams are in the rocks of the hill.

Festivals

• Tamil month of ChittiraiBhrammotsavam

  The grand festival of the temple.

• Tamil month of ThaiUgra Bhairavar festival

  A special festival at the Ugra Bhairavar Shrine.

• Not givenKartikai Deepam, Arudra Darisanam, Vinayaka Chaturthi and Navaratri

  Other festivals celebrated at the temple.

Tips for your visit

• The temple is reached by a flight of steps.
• There are no Nandis, flag posts or bali peedams in this temple.

Questions people ask