Pushpavaneswarar Temple Thirupuvanam

Getting there

• By air

  Madurai International Airport is the nearest airport.

• By train

  Thirupuvanam has its own railway station, connected to Madurai city.

• By road

  The temple is 20 km from Madurai and 29 km from Sivaganga. The town lies on the Madurai-Rameswaram National Highway.

Why devotees come here

Pushpavaneswarar temple stands on the banks of the Vaigai river in Thirupuvanam, Tamil Nadu. Shiva is worshipped here with his consort, and the temple is one of the Paadal Petra Sthalams praised in the Tevaram hymns. Its lingam is believed to be self-manifested.

The Tevaram hymns, written by the Nayanmar saint poets, praise Pushpavaneswarar, and the temple is classified as a Paadal Petra Sthalam. The 7th century poet Tirugnana Sambandar wrote ten verses in its honour. Legend holds that Shiva staged his divine plays, the Thiruvilayadal, at 64 sites, and this temple is one of them.

In one legend, Shiva appeared as a metallurgist named Rasavathi, who turned iron, bronze and aluminium into a golden idol for a devotee. Devotees believe a pinch mark is still seen on the golden statue. The lingam is said to have been worshipped by Surya, Dharmaraja, Nala, Chandra, Thirasanan, Brahma and Vishnu.

The stone structure was built by Chola king Aditya I (870 to 907 CE). The temple has a seven-tiered Rajagopuram gateway tower, and a granite wall encloses all its shrines. Nattukottai Chettiars refurbished the temple in the last century. The earliest inscription dates to about 10 CE, from the time of early Pandya king Sadayan Maran.

Festivals

• May or June, in the Tamil month of VaikasiVaikasi Visagam

  Celebrated at this temple.

Tips for your visit

• Shivaratri, Vinayaga Chaturthi, Vijayadasami and Karthigai Deepam are also celebrated here.
• The sanctum lingam is said to have three faces, one of very few such in India.
• The Vaigai river runs past the temple, and people perform funeral rituals on its banks.

Questions people ask