Pushpavananathar Temple

Getting there

• By air

  Tiruchirapalli is the nearest airport, about 56 km from Tiruvaiyaru.

• By train

  Thanjavur is the nearest railway station, 13 km from Tiruvaiyaru.

• By road

  A direct bus runs from Thanjavur, 11 km from Tiruvaiyaru. National Highway 136 from Thanjavur also connects Tiruvaiyaru to Ariyalur and Perambalur.

Why devotees come here

Pushpavananathar Temple is a Shiva temple in the village of Tiruppoonturutti, 5 km south-west of Tiruvaiyaru in Tamil Nadu. It is one of the Paadal Petra Sthalams, temples whose presiding deity is revered in the 7th-century Tevaram. Its central lingam faces east.

Pushpavananathar Temple is dedicated to Shiva, who is worshipped here as Aiyarappar, with his consort Soundaranayagi. The presiding deity is revered in the Tevaram, a 7th-century Tamil Saiva work by the nayanar poet saints. The temple is classed as a Paadal Petra Sthalam. Legend says Indra worshipped here with flowers, called poo in Tamil, and the deity came to be known as Pushpavananathar. The saint Appar, also called Thirunavukkarasar, is believed to have done extensive weeding work in the temple. Paarivettai is another major festival celebrated in the temple.

The oldest parts of the masonry structure were built in the Chola dynasty, in the 9th century. Later expansions, including the gopuram gatehouses, are attributed to periods up to the Thanjavur Nayaks in the 16th century. The five-tiered rajagopuram marks the entrance. The temple has many halls and three precincts. The most notable is the second precinct, built in the Vijayanagar period, which has many sculptures. Among them are Appar seated, and Durga standing on one leg as atonement for the killing of Mahishasura. The Nandi sits slightly out of axis, unlike most Shiva temples.

Festivals

• April every yearSapthasthanam

  The major festival of the region and the temple. It is conducted at Tiruvaiyaru.

Tips for your visit

• Thiruvalampozhil Shiva Temple, another Paadal Petra Sthalam, is located nearby in the same village.
• During Sapthasthanam, festival palanquins visit Thirupoonthurthi village on their way to Thillaisthanam.

Questions people ask