Paadal Petra Sthalams: the Tevaram temples
The Paadal Petra Sthalams, ‘places that received a song’, are the Shiva temples praised in the Tevaram, the hymns of the three Nayanar saints Thirugnana Sambandar, Thirunavukkarasar (Appar) and Sundarar, who walked from shrine to shrine in the 7th and 8th centuries singing Mahadev’s glory.
Nambiyandar Nambi gathered their hymns into the first seven books of the Tirumurai under the Chola king Rajaraja I. The count usually given is 274 or 275; the list kept by temple scholars and given here has 276, including Tiruvidaivai, whose hymn was recovered from an inscription in the 20th century. Most are in the Kaveri delta of Chola Nadu; others are in the Tondai, Pandya, Nadu and Kongu countries, two in Sri Lanka, Gokarna on the western coast, and the northern group of Srisailam, Kedarnath, Kailash and two Himalayan shrines whose sites are not certain. Each is named here by its Tevaram name, with today’s place and the name of the Lord in brackets.
Temples in this circuit
StandingThillai Nataraja Temple, Chidambaram
Where Shiva danced the Ananda Tandava in the Thillai forest, and the Akasha (space) sthala of the Pancha Bhuta lingas. The sanctum’s ‘Chidambara Rahasyam’ is an empty space hung with a golden garland.
StandingPasupatheswarar Temple, Tiruvetkalam
The first of the Paadal Petra Sthalams in the traditional order, inside the Annamalai University campus at Chidambaram, where Shiva as a hunter gave Arjuna the Pashupata astra.
StandingUchinathar Temple, Tirunelvayil (Sivapuri)
The Lord of Noon at Sivapuri, five kilometres from Chidambaram, who fed the child-saint Sambandar and his companions at midday. Sambandar sang him in the Tevaram.
RebuiltPalvannanathar Temple, Tirukkazhippalai (Sivapuri)
The milk-white linga sung by Sambandar, Appar and Sundarar. The Kollidam swept away its first temple, and the Lord was brought to Sivapuri, a few steps from Tirunelvayil.
StandingSivalokathyagar Temple, Tirunallur Perumanam (Achalpuram)
Where Sambandar was married and, the same day, entered the light of Shiva with his bride and the whole wedding party. His Namasivaya padigam was sung here.
StandingTirumeni Azhagar Temple, Mahendrapalli
A quiet shrine on the south bank of the Kollidam near its mouth, where Indra worshipped the Lord of the beautiful form. Sambandar sang it.
StandingMullaivananathar Temple, Ten Tirumullaivayil (Tirumullaivasal)
The southern Tirumullaivayil, a seaside shrine near Sirkazhi where a Chola king’s sword found a linga in the jasmine. Sambandar sang it.
StandingSundareswarar Temple, Kalikkamur (Annappanpettai)
A small shrine near Tiruvenkadu where Maharshi Parasara worshipped, and whose Devi came out of the sea in a fisherman’s net. Sambandar sang it.
StandingChayavaneswarar Temple, Tiruchaikkadu (Sayavanam)
One of the six shrines of the Kaveri held equal to Kashi, a raised maadakkoil near Poompuhar sung by Sambandar and Appar, where Iyarpagai Nayanar attained the Lord.
StandingPallavaneswarar Temple, Pallavaneeswaram (Poompuhar)
The Tevaram temple of Kaveripattinam, the old Chola port at the Kaveri’s mouth. Sambandar sang it twice, and it honours Pattinathar, who was born here.
StandingSwetharanyeswarar Temple, Thiruvenkadu (Budha)
The Budha sthala of the Navagraha circuit, a large Shiva temple of the ‘white forest’ near the old port of Poompuhar, with the rare Aghora form of Shiva and three sacred tanks.
StandingAranyeswarar Temple, Keezhai Tirukkattuppalli
The eastern Tirukkattuppalli, a forest shrine two kilometres from Tiruvenkadu where Indra was freed of his sin. Sambandar sang it; its Vinayaka rides a crab.
StandingVelladainathar Temple, Tirukkurukavur
Where Shiva came as a Brahmin to feed the weary Sundarar and his party, and where a well filled with Ganga water is opened once a year. Sambandar and Sundarar sang it.
StandingSirkazhi and the Brahmapureeswarar Temple
The town where the child Sambandar, aged three, was fed by Mata Parvati on the steps of the temple tank and sang his first hymn. Its temple has three levels, with Shiva worshipped in three forms.
StandingSaptapureeswarar (Thalamudaiyar) Temple, Tirukolakka
In Sirkazhi, the child Sambandar was given golden cymbals by Shiva here, and the Devi gave them their sound.
StandingVaidyanatha Temple, Vaitheeswaran Koil
The temple of Shiva the physician, where Devi stands with a vessel of healing oil and where the planet Angaraka (Mars) is worshipped as one of the nine Navagraha sthalas of the Kaveri delta.
StandingKannayiranathar Temple, Kannarkoil (Kurumanakkudi)
The Lord of a thousand eyes near Vaitheeswaran Koil, where Indra was freed of Gautama’s curse and Vamana worshipped. Sambandar sang it.
StandingKadaimudinathar Temple, Tirukkadaimudi (Keezhaiyur)
The Lord who protects at the last moment, in a west-facing shrine by the Kaveri where Brahma worshipped. Sambandar sang it.
StandingMahalakshmeeswarar Temple, Tiruninriyur
Where the torches of a Chola king went out over a hidden linga, and where Parasurama was freed of his sin. All three Tevaram saints sang it.
StandingSivalokanathar Temple, Tiruppunkur
The temple where Nandi moved aside so that Nandanar, who could not enter, might see the Lord from the gate.
StandingArulsomanathar Temple, Tiruneedur (Needur)
A shrine near Mayiladuthurai whose sand linga bears the hole by which a crab entered the Lord. Appar and Sundarar sang it.
StandingApatsahayeswarar Temple, Tiru Anniyur (Ponnur)
The Lord who helps in danger, at Ponnur near Mayiladuthurai, where Surya’s withered hand was healed. Appar and Sambandar sang it.
StandingKalyanasundareswarar Temple, Tiruvelvikudi
Where the velvi, the sacred fire rites before the wedding of Shiva and Parvati, were performed. Sambandar and Sundarar sang it, and Chola queens and kings endowed it.
StandingAiravateswarar Temple, Edirkolpadi (Mela Tirumananjeri)
The place where the divine bridegroom was received, a short way from Tirumananjeri. Sundarar sang it, and families come here to pray for good matches.
StandingUdvaganathar (Kalyanasundareswarar) Temple, Tirumananjeri
Where Shiva married Parvati, by the temple’s katha; the young and unmarried come in thousands to pray for a match. Appar and Sambandar sang it.
StandingVeerateswarar Temple, Tirukkurukkai (Korukkai)
One of the eight Veerattanams, where Shiva burned Kama with the fire of his third eye. Appar sang it.
StandingKutram Poruttha Nathar Temple, Karuppariyalur (Thalaignayiru)
The Lord who forgave the offence, at Thalaignayiru west of Sirkazhi, where Indra and Hanuman were pardoned. Sundarar sang it.
StandingKundalakarneswarar Temple, Kurakkukka
The monkey’s grove, where Hanuman installed a linga and offered his earrings. One of the five shrines whose names end in ka; Appar sang it.
StandingManikkavannar Temple, Tiruvazhkoliputhur (Tiruvalaputhur)
The anthill where the sword was hidden: Vasuki worshipped here and Arjuna lost and found his sword. Sambandar and Sundarar sang it.
StandingNeelakandeswarar Temple, Tirumannippadikkarai (Iluppaipattu)
A shrine on the bank of the Manni where each of the five Pandavas worshipped a linga, and Shiva drank the poison meant for them. Sundarar sang it.
StandingThuyar Theertha Nathar Temple, Omampuliyur
One of the Puliyurs of Maharshi Vyaghrapada, where Shiva as Dakshinamurti taught Parvati the meaning of Om. Sambandar and Appar sang it.
StandingPatanjalinathar Temple, Tirukkanattumullur (Kanattampuliyur)
Where Shiva showed his dance again to Maharshi Patanjali, on the north bank of the Kollidam. Sundarar sang it.
StandingSoundareswarar (Polla Pillaiyar) Temple, Tirunaraiyur
Birthplace of Nambiyandar Nambi, who gathered the Tevaram hymns into the Tirumurai, and home of the unchiselled Vinayaka who guided him. Appar and Sambandar sang it.
StandingAmirthakadeswarar Temple, Tirukkadambur (Melakadambur)
A Chola karakkoil whose sanctum is a stone chariot with wheels and horses, raised where a drop of amrita fell. Sambandar and Appar sang it.
StandingPasupatheeswarar Temple, Pandanallur
Where Parvati, cursed after a game of ball, worshipped as a cow. Appar and Sambandar sang it, and Chola kings from Rajaraja I to Rajaraja III endowed it.
StandingAgneeswarar Temple, Kanjanur (Shukra)
The Shukra sthala of the Navagraha circuit, where Agni worshipped Shiva; uniquely, Shukra here has no separate image and Shiva himself is worshipped as the graha.
StandingKoteeswarar Temple, Tirukkodikka (Tirukodikaval)
A Chola stone temple raised by Sembiyan Mahadevi where the Kaveri flows north, with Bala Shani and Yama facing each other. Appar sang it three times and Sambandar once.
StandingPrananatheswarar Temple, Tirumangalakkudi
The Lord who gave back a life and the Devi who guards the wedding thread, beside the Suryanar Kovil of the Navagrahas. Appar and Sambandar sang it.
StandingArunajateswarar Temple, Tiruppanandal
The palm-grove shrine where the linga bent to take a girl’s garland, and Kungiliya Kalaya Nayanar drew it upright with a rope round his own neck. Sambandar sang it.
StandingPalugandanathar Temple, Tiruvappadi
The Lord who delighted in milk, where the boy Vicharasarma bathed a sand linga in milk and became Chandesa, first of Shiva’s devotees. Appar sang it.
StandingSatyagireeswarar Temple, Tirucheignalur (Senganur)
Birthplace of Chandesa Nayanar, where Sambandar stepped down from his palanquin to walk. A raised maadakkoil; Sambandar sang it.
StandingKarkadeswarar Temple, Tirundudevankudi (Nandankoil)
A small moated shrine among paddy fields near Kumbakonam, where Shiva sheltered a crab inside the linga. Sambandar sang it.
StandingSivayoginathar Temple, Tiruviyalur (Tiruvisanallur)
An early Chola temple near Kumbakonam, sung by Sambandar, with a four-fold Bhairava shrine and the well into which, the village says, the Ganga rose for Sridhara Ayyaval.
StandingKoteeswarar Temple, Kottaiyur
A temple on the Kumbakonam–Swamimalai road where Shiva appeared as a crore of lingas, and the Devi is shown kicking a ball. Appar sang it.
StandingEzhutharinathar (Aksharapureeswarar) Temple, Innambur
The Lord who knows letters: at Innambur, the temple says, Shiva came as a temple accountant to set the books right, and children are brought here before they begin school. Appar and Sambandar sang it.
StandingSakshinathar Temple, Tiruppurambiyam
The Lord who came as a witness, and the battlefield of about 885 CE that opened the way for Chola greatness. Its Vinayaka is bathed in honey once a year.
StandingVijayanatheswarar Temple, Tiruvijayamangai (Govindaputhur)
The shrine of Vijaya, Arjuna: the temple’s katha places here his tapas for the Pashupatastra. Sambandar and Appar sang it.
StandingVilvavaneswarar Temple, Tiruvaikavur
The Shivaratri temple of the Kollidam bank, where a hunter who dropped bilva leaves all night on a tiger was freed. Sambandar sang it.
StandingDayanidheeswarar Temple, Vada Kurangaduthurai (Aduthurai Perumal Koil)
The northern monkey-ford on the Kaveri, where Vali worshipped and where Shiva bent a coconut cluster for a thirsty mother. Sambandar sang it.
StandingApatsahayar Temple, Tiruppazhanam
One of the seven shrines of the Tiruvaiyaru Saptasthanam, sung by Appar and Sambandar. Its Lord is the helper in danger.
StandingThiruvaiyaru
The town of five rivers on the Kaveri where Saint Tyagaraja lived, sang and attained samadhi in January 1847. Every January the great musicians of the south sit at his samadhi and sing his Pancharatna kritis together.
StandingNeyyadiyappar Temple, Tiruneithanam (Tillaisthanam)
The seventh of Tiruvaiyaru’s Saptasthanam shrines, where the linga is bathed in ghee. Its inscriptions run from a Pandya grant of the ninth century through the Cholas; Appar and Sambandar sang it.
StandingVyaghrapureeswarar Temple, Tirupperumpuliyur
One of the five Puliyurs, shrines of Maharshi Vyaghrapada, the sage with tiger’s feet. Sambandar sang it.
StandingVaidyanathar Temple, Tirumazhapadi
The temple of Nandi’s wedding, held every Panguni, and of Sundarar’s hymn Ponnar meniyane. All three Tevaram singers sang it.
StandingAlanthuraiyar (Vadamooleswarar) Temple, Tiruppazhuvur (Keezhapazhuvur)
The banyan-tree shrine of Pazhuvur on the Kollidam, seat of the Pazhuvettaraiyar chiefs who served the Cholas. Parashurama is said to have done penance here. Sambandar sang it.
StandingSemmeninathar (Karumbeswarar) Temple, Tirukkanur
A lonely shrine on the Kollidam bank where Shiva appeared to the Devi as a red flame. Appar and Sambandar sang it.
StandingSathyavageeswarar Temple, Anbil Alanthurai
A temple on the Kollidam near Lalgudi whose Vinayaka leaned his ear to hear Sambandar singing from across the flooded river. The Anbil copper plates of Sundara Chola were found in this village.
StandingAmravaneswarar Temple, Tirumanthurai (Lalgudi)
The mango-grove shrine near Lalgudi, where Shiva and Parvati came as a deer’s parents to feed a hungry fawn. Sambandar sang it.
StandingAdimooleswarar Temple, Tiruppatrurai (Tiruppalathurai)
The milk-ford near Tiruvanaikaval, where a Chola king found a linga in a mound that gushed milk. Sambandar sang it.
StandingJambukeswarar Temple, Thiruvanaikaval
The water sthala of the Pancha Bhuta lingas, on Srirangam island, where a spring rises in the sanctum around the linga. An elephant and a spider worshipped Shiva here.
StandingNeelivaneswarar Temple, Tiruppainjeeli
The plantain-forest shrine north of Tiruchirappalli where Shiva fed a hungry Appar and where Yama was restored to his office. All three Tevaram singers sang it.
StandingMattruraivaradeswarar Temple, Tiruvasi
Tiruppachilasramam of the Tevaram, where Sambandar’s hymn healed a chieftain’s daughter, and Nataraja dances on a serpent. Sambandar and Sundarar sang it.
StandingMaragathachaleswarar Temple, Tiruveengoimalai
The emerald hill on the north bank of the Kaveri, last of the Tevaram temples north of the river, where Agastya worshipped as a fly. Sambandar sang it.
StandingRatnagireeswarar Temple, Vatpokki (Ayyarmalai)
The ruby hill of Ayyarmalai near Kulithalai, where a king raised his sword at the Lord and received a gem. Appar sang it.
StandingKadambavaneswarar Temple, Kadambanthurai (Kulithalai)
The Kadamba-grove temple on the Kaveri at Kulithalai, which faces north like Kashi Vishwanath, with the Sapta Kanyas standing behind the linga. Appar sang it.
StandingDarukavaneswarar (Paraithurainathar) Temple, Tirupparaithurai
The temple of the Darukavana leela on the wide Kaveri west of Tiruchirappalli, where the Aippasi bathing season opens. Appar and Sambandar sang it.
StandingUjjivanathar Temple, Uyyakondan Thirumalai
Tirukkarkudi of the Tevaram, a hillock temple on the western edge of Tiruchirappalli whose Lord is the one who gives life.
StandingPanchavarneswarar Temple, Tirumukkeeswaram (Uraiyur)
The Shiva temple of Uraiyur, the old Chola capital, where the Lord showed five colours to a sage and a cock put an elephant to flight. Sambandar sang it.
StandingRock Fort, Tiruchirappalli
An 83-metre rock over the Kaveri at Tiruchirappalli, with Shri Ganesh on the summit, the Thayumanaswamy temple halfway up, and Pallava cave shrines cut into its flanks. In the 18th century whoever held it held the Kaveri delta.
StandingErumbeeswarar Temple, Tiruverumbur
The ants’ Lord on a sixty-foot rock east of Tiruchirappalli, sung by Appar, where the devas came as ants and the linga tilted to let them climb.
StandingNithyasundareswarar Temple, Tirunedungalam
A temple east of Tiruchirappalli whose sanctum carries two vimanas, for Shiva and Shakti together. Sambandar’s hymn here is sung to clear troubles away.
StandingAgneeswarar (Theeyadiyappar) Temple, Mela Tirukkattuppalli
The western Tirukattupalli, where the Kudamurutti leaves the Kaveri and Agni was freed of his curse. Appar and Sambandar sang it.
StandingAtmanatheswarar Temple, Tiruvalampozhil
A west-facing village temple near Tiruvaiyaru, which Appar called Parambaikudi. Appar sang it.
StandingPushpavananathar Temple, Tiruppoonthuruthi
The sixth of Tiruvaiyaru’s Saptasthanam shrines, where Appar lived in a matha, and where he carried the young Sambandar’s palanquin. Appar sang it in three hymns.
StandingBrahma Sira Kandeeswarar Temple, Tirukkandiyur
The Veerattanam where Shiva, as Bhairava, took off the fifth head of Brahma. Appar and Sambandar sang it, and across the road stands the Divya Desam of Hara Shaapa Vimochana Perumal.
StandingOdhanavaneswarar (Chotruthurainathar) Temple, Tiruchotruthurai
The ford of cooked rice on the Kudamurutti, where Shiva gave a devotee a vessel that never emptied in a famine. Sung by Appar, Sambandar and Sundarar.
StandingVedapureeswarar Temple, Tiruvedikudi
The abode of the Vedas near Tiruvaiyaru, where the four Vedas did tapas and Vinayaka leans in to listen. Appar and Sambandar sang it.
StandingVasishteswarar Temple, Thenkudi Thittai
The raised mound north of Thanjavur that stood above the pralaya waters, where Maharshi Vasishtha worshipped and Guru stands in his own shrine. Sambandar sang it.
StandingBrahmapureeswarar (Alanthurai Nathar) Temple, Pullamangai
A small early Chola temple on the Kudamurutti whose walls are covered with carvings no taller than a hand, among the finest of the tenth century. Sambandar sang it.
StandingChakravakeswarar Temple, Tiruchakrappalli (Chakkarappalli, Ayyampettai)
The first of the Sapta Mangai shrines near Ayyampettai, where Bhagwan Vishnu received the Sudarshana chakra. Sambandar sang it, and an inscription here records the passing of Sundara Chola.
StandingMullaivananathar (Garbharakshambigai) Temple, Tirukkarukavur
The Devi who protects the child in the womb. Women come to Garbharakshambigai from all over the world to pray for children and safe birth. Appar and Sambandar sang the shrine.
StandingPalaivananathar Temple, Tiruppalaithurai (Papanasam)
The Papanasam temple beside the Thanjavur–Kumbakonam highway, with a great round granary of the Nayaka age in its court. Appar sang it.
StandingKalyanasundareswarar (Panchavarneswarar) Temple, Tirunallur
The southern Kailasa on a raised hillock, where Amarneethi Nayanar was weighed against a loincloth and Shiva placed his feet on Appar’s head. Appar and Sambandar sang it.
StandingPasupatheeswarar Temple, Avur Pasupatheeswaram
The cow’s town near Kumbakonam, a raised madakkoil where Kamadhenu was freed of a curse, with two Devis and five Bhairavas. Sambandar sang it.
StandingSivakozhundeeswarar Temple, Shakthimutram
The shrine near Patteeswaram where the Devi embraced the Lord, who stood before her as a pillar of fire, and where Appar asked for the Lord’s feet. Appar sang it.
StandingThenupureeswarar Temple, Patteeswaram
The shrine of Kamadhenu’s calf, where Shiva sent a canopy of pearls for the child Sambandar and the Nandis moved aside. Its Durga is held to have been the guardian of the Chola kings.
StandingSomanathar Temple and Vadathali, Pazhaiyarai
Pazhaiyarai was a Chola royal town, and its old Shiva shrines are sung together in one hymn of Appar. Here Appar sat in fast until a hidden linga was given back to worship.
StandingKapardeeswarar (Swetha Vinayagar) Temple, Tiruvalanjuzhi
The shrine where the Kaveri turned right, near Swamimalai, famous for its white Vinayaka made of the foam of the ocean of milk. Appar and Sambandar sang it.
StandingKumbakonam and the Mahamaham tank
The temple town where the pot of amrita came to rest after the pralaya. Every twelve years, at the Mahamaham, the holy rivers of Bharat are said to bathe in its tank.
StandingNageswarar Temple, Kumbakonam (Kudanthai Keezhkottam)
An early Chola temple of Kumbakonam famous for its life-size sculptures and for the sun’s rays that fall on the linga in Chittirai. Appar sang it.
StandingKasi Viswanathar Temple, Kumbakonam (Kudanthai Karonam)
The temple on the Mahamaham tank where the nine sacred rivers, Ganga first, come to wash away the sins they have taken from bathers. Sambandar sang it.
StandingNaganathaswamy Temple, Thirunageswaram (Rahu)
The Rahu sthala of the Navagraha circuit, where the serpent-kings worshipped Shiva and Rahu is shown in human form with his two consorts.
StandingMahalingeswarar Temple, Thiruvidaimarudur
Madhyarjunam, the middle of the three Arjuna-tree shrines of Shiva, where the Pandya king Varaguna was freed of the sin of killing a brahmin. Its four great streets and corridors make it one of the largest Shiva temples of the Kaveri delta.
StandingApathsahayeswarar Temple, Aduthurai (Then Kurangaduthurai)
The southern monkey-ford, where Sugriva hid from Vali and the Lord came to his rescue. Sambandar and Appar sang it, and Sembiyan Mahadevi rebuilt it in granite.
StandingNeelakandeswarar Temple, Tiruneelakkudi
The Lord who held the halahala in His throat, whose rough linga drinks every drop of the sesame oil poured on it. Appar sang it after being thrown into the sea tied to a stone.
StandingVaikalnathar Temple, Tiruvaikal Madakkoyil
A small maadakoil in a village of three Shiva temples, whose whole shrine stands on a raised platform. Sambandar sang it and named Kochengat Chola as its builder.
StandingUmamaheswarar Temple, Konerirajapuram (Tirunallam)
Tirunallam of the Tevaram, rebuilt in stone by the Chola queen Sembiyan Mahadevi in memory of her husband Gandaraditya, whose image she had carved worshipping the Lord. Its Nataraja bronze is among the largest in the south.
StandingKokileswarar Temple, Tirukkozhambam
Where a cursed vidyadhara worshipped as a cuckoo, and the hoof of Parvati in cow form uncovered the linga. Appar and Sambandar sang it.
StandingMasilamaninathar (Gomukteeswarar) Temple, Tiruvavaduthurai
Where Tirumular, author of the Tirumandiram, sat in tapas, and where Sambandar received a purse of gold for his father’s yajna. All three Tevaram singers sang it, and the great Adheenam has its seat inside.
StandingUkthavedeeswarar Temple, Tiruthuruthi (Kuthalam)
The island shrine of the Kaveri where Shiva wed Parvati exactly as He had promised, and where Sundarar bathed and was made whole. All three Tevaram singers sang it.
StandingVedapureeswarar Temple, Tiruvazhundur (Therazhundur)
The Shiva temple of the village where a chariot sank before Agastya, across the street from the Divya Desam of Amaruviappan. Sambandar sang it.
StandingMayuranathar Temple, Mayiladuthurai
The peacock ford, where Parvati worshipped Shiva as a peahen. Its Tula snanam in the Kaveri through Aippasi is one of the great bathing festivals of the south. Appar and Sambandar sang it.
StandingUchiravaneswarar (Thuraikattum Vallalar) Temple, Tiruvilanagar
The Lord who showed the ford: when the Kaveri was in flood, a hunter led Sambandar across and vanished. Sambandar sang it.
StandingVeerattaneswarar Temple, Tirupariyalur (Parasalur)
The Veerattanam of Daksha’s yajna, where Shiva’s fury, as Veerabhadra, broke the sacrifice to which he was not invited. Appar and Sambandar sang it.
StandingSwarnapureeswarar Temple, Tiruchemponpalli (Sembanarkoil)
The golden-hall shrine where Dakshayani did tapas amid five fires after Daksha’s yagna. Appar sang it twice and Sambandar once.
StandingNatrunaiyappar Temple, Tirunanipalli (Punjai)
The village of Sambandar’s mother, where the child saint sang from his father’s shoulders and the dry land turned green. All three Tevaram singers sang it.
StandingValampurinathar Temple, Tiruvalampuram (Melaperumpallam)
Where the rishi Heranda rose after giving his life to bring the Kaveri back from the underworld. All three Tevaram singers sang it.
StandingSankaranyeswarar Temple, Tiruthalaichangadu
The conch-forest shrine where Bhagwan Vishnu received the Panchajanya, beside the Divya Desam of Nanmathiya Perumal. Sambandar sang it.
StandingThanthondreeswarar Temple, Akkur
The self-born Lord who came as the thousandth guest at a king’s feeding, and the home of Sirappuli Nayanar. Appar and Sambandar sang it.
StandingAmirthaghateswarar–Abhirami Temple, Thirukadaiyur
The place where Shiva burst from the linga to strike down Yama and save the boy Markandeya. Couples come here for their sixtieth and eightieth birthday rites, praying for long life together.
StandingBrahmapureeswarar Temple, Tirukkadavur Mayanam (Tirumayanam)
One of the Mayana shrines, where Shiva turned Brahma to ash at the end of a kalpa and gave him life again. Its well supplies the abhishekam water of Amritaghateswarar at Thirukadaiyur, and all three Tevaram singers sang it.
StandingTirumeni Azhagar (Sundareswarar) Temple, Tiruvettakudi
The seaside shrine of Shiva as the hunter who met Arjuna, whose festival image goes down to the sea on Masi Magam with the fisherfolk. Sambandar sang it.
StandingParvatheeswarar Temple, Tiruthelicheri (Kovilpathu, Karaikal)
A Karaikal shrine of the sun’s tank, where Vinayakar called Sambandar back to sing. Sambandar’s hymn is in the second Tirumurai.
StandingYazhmurinathar Temple, Dharmapuram (Karaikal)
The shrine of the broken yazh, where Sambandar sang music no instrument could hold. Yama worshipped here, and the town is named Dharmapuram for him.
StandingDharbaranyeswarar Temple, Thirunallar (Shani)
The Shani sthala of the Navagraha circuit, the most visited of the nine, where King Nala was freed from Shani’s grip after bathing in the Nala theertham.
StandingAiravateswarar Temple, Tirukkottaram (Tirukottaru)
Where Indra’s white elephant, cursed by Durvasa, worshipped on its long road back; a beehive has lived in the sanctum for as long as anyone remembers. Sambandar sang it twice.
StandingBrahmapureeswarar Temple, Ambar Perunthirukkoyil
The great hill-temple of Ambar, where Brahma, cursed to remain a swan, bathed in the tank and was restored. Sambandar sang it.
StandingMahakalanathar Temple, Ambar Makalam (Tirumakalam)
One of the three Makalams, with Ujjain and Irumbai, where Shiva came in a lowly guise to receive the offering at Somasimara Nayanar’s yagna. Sambandar sang it three times.
StandingMeghanathar (Lalithambigai) Temple, Tirumeeyachur
The temple of Lalithambigai, where by its tradition Hayagriva taught the Lalitha Sahasranama to Agastya. Sambandar sang the Lord here.
StandingMeghanathar (Lalithambigai) Temple, Tirumeeyachur
The temple of Lalithambigai, where by its tradition Hayagriva taught the Lalitha Sahasranama to Agastya. Sambandar sang the Lord here.
StandingMathimukteeswarar Temple, Tilatharpanapuri (Sethalapathi)
Tilatharpanapuri, the town of the sesame offering, where Rama and Lakshmana gave water and sesame for Dasharatha and Jatayu. Pitru rites may be done here on any day, and Sambandar sang it.
StandingSeshapureeswarar (Pampuranathar) Temple, Tiruppampuram
The serpent town, where Adishesha worshipped Shiva and Rahu and Ketu stand in a single body. Those troubled by naga dosha come here to pray.
StandingSukshmapureeswarar (Mangaleswarar) Temple, Sirukudi
A linga no bigger than a handful of sand, shaped by Parvati herself; abhishekam is done to the Devi instead. Sambandar sang it.
StandingVeezhinathar Temple, Tiruveezhimizhalai
Where Bhagwan Vishnu offered his own eye to complete a thousand lotuses and received the Sudarshana chakra, and where Appar and Sambandar were given a gold coin a day through a famine.
StandingAgnipureeswarar Temple, Tiruvanniyur
Where Agni, barred from every yagna after Daksha’s sacrifice, worshipped with vanni leaves and was freed. Appar sang it.
StandingSarguneswarar Temple, Tirukkaruvili Kottittai (Karuveli)
Karuvili, no more womb: the shrine where worship is held to end rebirth. Appar sang it.
StandingSivanandeswarar Temple, Tiruppenuperunthurai (Tiruppanthurai)
Where Murugan, troubled at having imprisoned Brahma over the meaning of Om, found peace; He stands here in silent meditation. Sambandar sang it.
StandingSiddhanatheswarar Temple, Tirunaraiyur (Siddheecharam)
The Shiva temple of Nachiyar Koil, where Lakshmi was born to the sage Medhavi and Shiva and Parvati gave her in marriage to Vishnu. Sambandar sang it three times and Sundarar once.
StandingSwarnapureeswarar (Padikasunathar) Temple, Arisirkaraiputhur (Azhagaputhur)
Where the Lord left a gold coin on the step each day for old Pugazhthunai Nayanar through a famine. All three Tevaram singers sang it.
StandingSivagurunathar Temple, Sivapuram
Ground so holy that Sambandar would not walk on it and rolled round the temple instead; home of the Sivapuram Nataraja, the bronze that was stolen and brought home. Appar and Sambandar sang it.
StandingAmirthakalasanathar Temple, Kalayanallur (Sakkottai)
Where the middle of Brahma’s pot of creation came to rest after the deluge; one of the Kumbakonam Sapta Sthanam and Mahamaham temples. Sundarar sang it.
StandingSargunalingeswarar Temple, Tirukkarukkudi (Marudhanallur)
A sand linga that Shri Rama shaped with His own hands when Hanuman was late with the stone one. Sambandar sang it.
StandingVanchinathar Temple, Srivanchiyam
Where Yama is worshipped in his own shrine as the guardian of the temple, and where those who die are said to be spared his terrors. Held equal to Kashi.
StandingMadhuvaneswarar Temple, Nannilam
The great temple of Nannilam, where the devas hid as honeybees in the sanctum, and bees still live. Sundarar sang it and named Kochengat Chola as its builder.
StandingPasupatheeswarar Temple, Tirukondeeswaram
A moated shrine whose small linga is split by the horn of Parvati in cow form; a three-headed Jvaradeva on a pillar is prayed to for fevers. Appar sang it twice.
StandingSoundareswarar Temple, Tiruppanaiyur
The palmyra village where the boy Karikala Chola hid under Vinayakar’s protection, and where Shiva danced before Sundarar at the boundary. Sambandar and Sundarar sang it.
StandingVeeratteswarar Temple, Tiruvirkudi
One of the eight Veerattanams, where Shiva destroyed the asura Jalandhara with a disc drawn by His toe. Tulasi is the sacred tree, and Sambandar sang it.
StandingAgnipureeswarar Temple, Tiruppugalur
Where Appar, the great Tevaram singer, attained the Lord’s feet in his eighty-first year, and where Muruga Nayanar kept his flower garden. All three Tevaram singers sang it.
StandingVarthamaneeswarar Shrine, Tiruppugalur Varthamaneeswaram
A Tevaram shrine inside the great Tiruppugalur temple, sung only by Sambandar, whose hymn praises Muruga Nayanar’s flowers.
StandingRamanathar Temple, Ramanatheeswaram (Tirukkannapuram)
Where Shri Rama, returning from Lanka, worshipped a swayambhu linga and the Devi drew Nandi aside to let Him in. Sambandar sang it.
StandingTiruppayatrunathar Temple, Tiruppayatrur (Tiruppayathangudi)
Where a devotee’s sacks of pepper became green gram long enough to pass the toll and turned back to pepper. Appar sang it.
StandingUthirapasupatheeswarar (Ganapatheeswarar) Temple, Tiruchengattangudi
The village of Siruthondar, the Pallava general who took Vatapi and became a Nayanar, and of the Vatapi Ganapati of Dikshitar’s song. Here Shiva killed the asura Gajamukha by Ganesh’s hand.
StandingRatnagireeswarar (Manikkavannar) Temple, Tirumarugal
Where Sambandar sang a young merchant back to life from snakebite and married him to the girl who mourned him. Appar sang it once and Sambandar twice.
StandingAyavantheeswarar Temple, Tiruchathamangai (Seeyathamangai)
Ayavanthi, the home of Tiru Neelanakka Nayanar, where the linga is covered in blister-like marks. Sambandar sang it.
StandingNagapattinam
The Chola sea-gate to Southeast Asia, where a king of Srivijaya built a Buddhist vihara and Rajaraja Chola gave a village for its upkeep. The Shaiva saints sang its Kayarohana temple, and the Dutch later made it their headquarters on the coast.
StandingNavaneetheswarar Temple, Sikkal
The butter linga that could not be lifted, and the Murugan who takes his spear from his mother here before slaying Surapadma; at Skanda Shashti his face is said to sweat. Sambandar sang the shrine.
StandingKediliappar (Akshayalingeswarar) Temple, Keezhvelur
The southern Badari forest, where Murugan worshipped to be freed of the sin of war after slaying Surapadman, and Nataraja dances with the right foot raised. Appar and Sambandar sang it.
StandingDevapureeswarar Temple, Tiruthevur (Thevur)
The town of the devas, where Kubera won back his treasures and a banana grows on bare rock beside the sanctum. Sambandar sang it twice.
StandingMukkonanathar (Trinetranathar) Temple, Palliyin Mukkudal
Kuruvi Rameswaram, the bird’s Rameswaram, where Jatayu was given a tank that holds the merit of Kashi and Setu together. Appar sang it.
StandingAchaleswarar Shrine, Arur Araneri (Tiruvarur)
A separate Tevaram shrine in the second court of the Tiruvarur temple, where Naminandi Adigal lit the lamps with water. Appar sang it twice.
StandingThyagaraja Temple, Tiruvarur
One of the greatest Shiva temples of the Kaveri delta, with the vast Kamalalayam tank and the largest temple chariot of Tamil Nadu. The town is the birthplace of all three of the Carnatic Trinity.
StandingThoovainathar Temple, Arur Paravaiyunmandali (Tiruvarur)
The Durvasa temple on Tiruvarur’s East Car Street, where Sundarar bathed and the sight of his second eye came back. Sundarar sang it.
StandingPatanjali Manoharar Temple, Tiruvilamar (Vilamal)
Where Patanjali and Vyaghrapada were shown the dancing feet of Shiva; His feet are worshipped here as the Rudra Pada. Sambandar sang it.
StandingKaraveeranathar Temple, Tirukkaraveeram
The shrine of the karaveeram tree, where Sambandar arrived after dark, slept, and sang at dawn. Gautama’s samadhi tree is prayed at for marriage.
StandingAbhimukteeswarar Temple, Tirupperuvelur (Manakkal Ayyampet)
A raised maadakoil where Murugan worshipped and received the vel, laid out in the Somaskanda order. Appar and Sambandar sang it.
StandingNarthanapureeswarar Temple, Tiruthalaiyalangadu
Where Shiva danced on Muyalakan after humbling the Daruka sages, beside a Sangam battlefield. Appar sang it.
StandingKoneswarar Temple, Tirukkudavayil (Kudavasal)
Kudavayil, the mouth of the pot: where the neck of the vessel of creation fell after the deluge, and where Garuda found the Lord in an anthill. Sambandar sang it twice.
StandingSaraparameswarar (Senneriyappar) Temple, Tirucherai
The Shiva temple of Tirucherai, with the debt-releasing linga of Markandeya and a Bhairava sung by Appar in a hymn of his own. Appar sang it twice and Sambandar once.
StandingGnanaparameswarar Temple, Tirunallur Mayanam (Tirumeignanam)
Nallur Mayanam, one of the Mayana shrines of the Tevaram, worshipped by the four Vedas; a Chola king, likely Aditya I, kneels in stone on the sanctum wall. Sambandar sang it.
StandingSwarnapureeswarar Temple, Kaduvaikaraiputhur (Andankoil)
The temple on the Kaduvai river that a minister built from stones begged of passers-by, and for which he lost his head and was given back his life. Appar sang it.
StandingApatsahayeswarar Temple, Alangudi (Guru)
The Guru sthala of the Navagraha circuit. The village is named for the halahala poison that Shiva drank at the churning of the ocean, and Dakshinamurti here is worshipped as Guru.
StandingPathaleeswarar Temple, Aradaipperumpazhi (Haridwaramangalam)
Where Bhagwan Vishnu as Varaha bored into the earth looking for Shiva’s feet; one of the five Pancha Aranya shrines. Sambandar sang it.
StandingSakshinathar Temple, Avalivanallur
She is not she, she is the one: where Shiva stood witness for a wife her own husband did not know. Sambandar and Sundarar sang it.
StandingParidhiyappar (Bhaskareswarar) Temple, Paridhiniyamam (Paruthiappar Koil)
The shrine where Surya, the sun, worshipped Shiva; paridhi is the sun, and the village is named after the temple. Sambandar sang it.
StandingVenni Karumbeswarar Temple, Tiruvenniyur (Koil Venni)
A linga shaped like a bundle of sugarcane stems, by the field where Karikala Chola won the battle of Venni. Appar and Sambandar sang it.
StandingChathuranga Vallabhanathar (Pushpavananathar) Temple, Tiruppoovanur
The Lord who won the Devi’s hand at chess. Appar and Sambandar sang it.
StandingNaganathar Temple, Tiruppathaleeswaram (Pamani)
Pathaleeswaram, the Lord of the serpent world, near Mannargudi; people come to the Naga tirtham for relief from serpent afflictions. Sambandar sang it.
StandingParijatavaneswarar (Kalarmulainathar) Temple, Tirukkalar
Durvasa’s grove of parijata trees, where Shiva danced for the sage who had missed the dance at Chidambaram. Sambandar sang it.
StandingPonvaithanathar Temple, Tiruchitremam (Sithaimoor)
Ponvaithanathar means the Lord who placed gold. Sambandar sang this small Chola shrine of the delta, the 106th Tevaram temple south of the Kaveri.
StandingMantrapureeswarar Temple, Tiruvusathanam (Kovilur)
Tiruvusathanam, now Kovilur near Muthupettai, is the shrine where Shri Rama and the vanara chiefs are said to have taken counsel before the crossing to Lanka. Sambandar sang it.
StandingSargunanathar Temple, Idumbavanam
Idumbavanam takes its name from Idumban, who worshipped Shiva here and was freed. Devotees come to be rid of the fear of death, for Yama too is said to have prayed here.
StandingKarpaganathar Temple, Kadikkulam (Karpaganatharkulam)
Karpagam is the wish-granting tree, and the Lord of Kadikkulam is named for it. Sambandar sang the shrine; the village is now called after the deity, Karpaganatharkulam.
StandingNeenerinathar Temple, Tiruthandalai Neeneri (Thandalaicheri)
One of the raised maadakkoil shrines that the Periya Puranam credits to Kochengat Chola. Here, says the katha, the stone Nandi ate the king’s garland of grass and his disease left him.
StandingKozhundeeswarar Temple, Kottur
Kottur, on the Mannargudi–Thiruthuraipoondi road, keeps a west-facing linga and a Devi whose name means she of honeyed speech. Sambandar sang it.
StandingVanduranathar Temple, Tiruvandurai (Vendurai)
Vandu is a bee. The sage Bhringi, who would circle only Shiva and not the Devi, took the form of a bee here to keep up his worship. Sambandar sang the shrine.
StandingVilvaranyeswarar Temple, Tirukkollampudur
The bilva-forest shrine, one of the five Pancha Aranya temples of the Kaveri delta. Here Sambandar sang a padigam and the boat carrying him and his devotees crossed the flooded river.
StandingJagadeeswarar Temple, Tiruppereyil (Ogaiperaiyur)
Pereyil, the great fortress, is remembered as an outpost guarding Tiruvarur. Appar sang the Lord of the World here.
StandingAgneeswarar Temple, Tirukkollikkadu
Agni, the fire, worshipped Shiva here, and the place is the forest of the firebrand. Families troubled by Shani come to the separate shrine of Pongu Saneeswarar.
StandingVellimalainathar Temple, Tiruthengur (Thiruthangur)
Vellimalai is the silver mountain, Kailasa. Tiruthengur, the coconut town, keeps the Lord of Kailasa in a small delta shrine sung by Sambandar.
StandingNellivananathar Temple, Tirunellikka
Nelli is the amla, and this was a grove of amla trees. The temple’s katha says Parvati was born here as a Chola princess and married Shiva.
StandingRatnapureeswarar (Manikkavannar) Temple, Tirunattiyathankudi
Birthplace of Kotpuli Nayanar, the Chola general whose two daughters Sundarar took as his own. Sundarar sang this shrine and called himself the father of Singadi.
StandingKannayiranathar Temple, Tirukkarayil (Thirukaravasal)
One of the seven Saptha Vidanga shrines of Thyagaraja, where the processional Lord is Adi Vidangar. Sambandar sang it, and devotees with eye trouble come for the oil of the abhishekam.
StandingNadutariappar Temple, Tirukkanrappur (Kovil Kannapur)
The Lord who came out of a calf’s tethering peg. The axe mark of the katha is still shown on the linga. Appar sang the shrine.
StandingManathunainathar Temple, Tiruvalivalam
Manathunainathar is the Lord who keeps the mind company. Sambandar and Appar sang this raised maadakkoil, named for the valiyan, the black drongo said to have worshipped here.
StandingKaichineswarar Temple, Tirukkaichinam (Kachanam)
Kai is the hand. Indra shaped a linga of sand here, and when he lifted it the print of his hand stayed on it. Sambandar sang the shrine.
StandingBrahmapureeswarar Temple, Tirukkolili (Thirukkuvalai)
All three Tevaram saints sang Tirukkolili. Here Sundarar asked Shiva to carry a hill of paddy to his home in Tiruvarur, and the nine grahas stand in one line facing the Lord.
StandingVaimoornathar Temple, Tiruvaimur
Shiva called Appar in a dream: come, we are at Vaimur. Appar and Sambandar both sang this Vidanga shrine near Tirukkuvalai.
StandingVedaranyam
The coastal temple town where the four Vedas worshipped Shiva, and where C. Rajagopalachari made salt on 30 April 1930 at the end of the southern salt march, the Tamil country’s answer to Dandi.
StandingAgastheeswarar Temple, Agathiyanpalli
Where Agastya, sent south to balance the earth at Shiva’s wedding, was shown the wedding form. Sambandar sang the shrine, 3 km from Vedaranyam.
StandingAmritaghateswarar (Kodi Kuzhagar) Temple, Kodikkarai
At the very tip of the Tamil coast, where a drop of amrita fell from the pot and became a linga. Sundarar came here with Cheraman Perumal and grieved that the Lord stood alone by the sea.
StandingAgastheeswarar Temple, Kiliyanur (Tirukkiliyannavur)
A quiet Agastya shrine on the Tindivanam–Puducherry road, sung by Sambandar in a padigam of the Third Tirumurai.
StandingPunniyakodiyappar Temple, Tiruvidaivai (Tiruvidaivasal)
The Tevaram temple whose hymn was found on its own wall. Sambandar’s padigam on Tiruvidaivai was read from a stone inscription in 1917, and the count of sung shrines grew from 274 to 275.
StandingEkambareswarar Temple, Kanchipuram
The earth (Prithvi) sthala of the Pancha Bhuta lingas, where Mata Parvati shaped a linga of sand under a mango tree. Its 11-tier rajagopuram is one of the tallest in the south.
StandingTirumetraleeswarar Temple, Kachi Metrali, Kanchipuram
One of five Tevaram shrines inside Kanchipuram. A second linga here, Othavurugeesar, is the Lord who melted on hearing a hymn, and the linga bears the form of Vishnu’s feet.
StandingOnakantheeswarar Temple, Onakanthanthali, Kanchipuram
Here Sundarar sang to Shiva for gold, and the tamarinds of the tree are said to have turned to gold. Two asura captains, Onan and Kanthan, gave the shrine its name.
StandingAnekathangavadeswarar Temple, Kachi Anekathangavadam, Kanchipuram
Anekapa is the elephant, the one who drinks with two mouths. Vinayaka himself set up and worshipped this linga, and Sundarar sang it. The name Kachi marks it off from the Anekathangavadam of the Himalaya.
StandingSathyanatheswarar Temple, Kachi Nerikkaraikkadu (Thirukalimedu), Kanchipuram
The forest of karai shrubs in north-east Kanchipuram where Budha, the planet Mercury, did tapas and was made one of the nine grahas. Sambandar sang it.
StandingValeeswarar Temple, Kuranganilmuttam
The village name holds three worshippers: kurangu, the monkey Vali; anil, the squirrel Indra; muttam, the crow Yama. Sambandar sang the shrine.
StandingTirumagaraleeswarar Temple, Tirumagaral
The Lord who appeared to a Chola king as a golden monitor lizard and vanished into an anthill; the linga is said to have the shape of the lizard’s tail. Sambandar sang his Vinai Theerkum padigam here.
StandingVedapureeswarar Temple, Tiruvothur (Cheyyar)
Tiruvothur, the place where Shiva taught the Vedas, on the Cheyyar river. Here Sambandar’s hymn turned barren male palms into fruit-bearing ones.
StandingTalapureeswarar Temple, Tiruppanangadu (Vanparthan Panangattur)
The palm-forest shrine near Kanchipuram with two Lords and two Devis side by side. Sundarar sang it.
StandingVilwanatheswarar Temple, Tiruvallam
A temple on the Ponnai river whose walls hold records from the Pallava age, among them one of the earliest inscriptions to speak of the Tevaram singers. Sambandar sang it.
StandingManikandeswarar Temple, Tirumalperu (Thirumalpur)
Tirumal is Vishnu and peru is what he gained: here, says the temple’s katha, Bhagwan Vishnu worshipped Shiva with a thousand lotuses and offered his own eye, and received the Sudarshana chakra. Appar and Sambandar sang it.
StandingJalanatheeswarar Temple, Takkolam (Tiruvural)
Tiruvural, the shrine of the spring, sung by Sambandar. Near it in 949 CE the Chola crown prince Rajaditya fell on his elephant fighting the Rashtrakuta Krishna III.
StandingDeivanayakeswarar (Chandrasekarar) Temple, Ilambayankottur
Shiva stopped the boy Sambandar on the road here, first as a child, then as an old man, then as a white cow that walked into the temple. Sambandar followed and sang.
StandingTripurantakar Temple, Tiruvirkolam (Kuvam)
Vil is the bow: here Shiva took up Mount Meru as his bow against the three cities. The swayambhu linga is never touched, even by the priests, and is bathed only in water from the Kuvam river.
StandingVadaranyeswarar Temple, Tiruvalangadu (Ratna Sabha)
The Ratna Sabha, hall of gems, among the five sabhas of Nataraja: here Shiva danced against Kali and won with the Urdhva Tandava, and here Karaikkal Ammaiyar sang at his feet to the end of her life.
StandingVaseeswarar Temple, Tiruppasur
Pasu is bamboo, and the linga was found in a bamboo thicket where a cow gave her milk; the cut of the digging tool, the vasi, is still on it. Appar and Sambandar sang the shrine.
RebuiltOondreeswarar Temple, Tiruvenpakkam (Poondi)
Sundarar came here blind and asked for his sight; Shiva gave him a walking staff instead, and the angry saint flung it away and broke the horn of Nandi. The old temple now lies under the Poondi reservoir.
StandingSivanandeswarar Temple, Tirukkallil (Thirukandalam)
A Tondai village shrine where Dakshinamurthy sits with the Devi beside him, a rare form called Sakti Dakshinamurthy. Sambandar sang it.
RebuiltSrikalahasteeswara Temple, Srikalahasti
The air linga among the five element shrines of Shiva, on the Swarnamukhi river, where the hunter Kannappa offered his eyes. Its Vijayanagara gopuram fell in 2010 and has been rebuilt.
StandingAdipureeswarar (Thyagaraja) Temple, Tiruvottiyur
The great Shiva temple of north Chennai by the sea, sung by Appar, Sambandar and Sundarar. Sundarar was married here, Pattinathar attained mukti here, and Vadivudai Amman draws crowds every Friday.
StandingTiruvalleeswarar Temple, Tiruvalithayam (Padi)
A Chola temple in Padi, north-west Chennai, where Maharshi Bharadwaja is said to have worshipped Shiva in the form of a sparrow. Sambandar sang it.
StandingMasilamaneeswarar Temple, Tirumullaivoyal
Vada (northern) Tirumullaivoyal, the jasmine-gate shrine sung by Sundarar. The linga bears the scar of a king’s sword and is kept under sandal paste.
RebuiltVedapureeswarar Temple, Tiruverkadu
The shrine where the four Vedas stood as vel trees to worship Shiva, sung by Sambandar. Behind the linga, Shiva and Parvati are shown in their wedding form, as they appeared to Agastya.
RebuiltKapaleeshwarar Temple, Mylapore
The great Shiva temple of old Madras, where Mata Parvati worshipped Shiva in the form of a peahen and where Tirugnanasambandar called a dead girl back to life. The shrine on the beach was lost in the Portuguese period and the temple was raised again inland.
StandingMarundeeswarar Temple, Tiruvanmiyur
The Lord of medicine on the south Chennai coast, who taught Agastya the virtue of herbs. Appar and Sambandar sang it, and Maharshi Valmiki is said to have worshipped here.
StandingKachabeswarar Temple, Tirukkachur
Where Bhagwan Vishnu as the Kurma (tortoise) worshipped Shiva, and where Shiva begged food in the village to feed a hungry Sundarar.
StandingGnanapureeswarar Temple, Tiruvidaichuram (Tiruvadisoolam)
Idaichuram, the pass between the hills, now Tiruvadisoolam near Chengalpattu. Sambandar sang it; the sage Gautama and Sanatkumara are said to have worshipped here.
StandingVedagiriswarar Temple, Tirukazhukundram
The eagle hill: a temple on a rock said to be the Vedas themselves, where for centuries a pair of kites came at noon to be fed by the priest. All three Tevaram singers sang it.
StandingAtcheeswarar Temple, Achirupakkam (Acharapakkam)
Achu is the axle: here the axle of Shiva’s chariot broke as he rode against the three cities, because Ganesha had not been worshipped first. Sambandar sang the shrine.
StandingChandramouleeswarar Temple, Tiruvakkarai
A Chola temple on the Varaha river with a rare three-faced linga and the fierce Vakrakali, who slew the asura Vakra. Sambandar sang it.
StandingArasaleeswarar Temple, Tiru Arasili (Ozhindiyapattu)
Arasu is the peepal. Shiva appeared to the sage Vamadeva from a peepal tree here, and the small swayambhu linga carries the scar of a king’s arrow. Pradosham worship here is especially honoured.
StandingMahakaleswarar Temple, Irumbai Makalam
One of the Makalam shrines of the Tevaram, near Puducherry, where the top of the swayambhu linga is cracked in three and one piece has fallen away. Sambandar sang it.
RebuiltMeenakshi Sundareswarar Temple, Madurai
The temple of the fish-eyed Devi who ruled Madurai as a Pandya princess and married Shiva. Plundered in 1311, it was raised again by the Nayaks into the city of fourteen gopurams that stands today.
StandingAppudaiyar Temple, Tiruvappanur (Sellur, Madurai)
The Tevaram shrine across the Vaigai from the Meenakshi temple, where the Lord turned river sand into rice. Sambandar sang it.
StandingThiruparankundram
The first of Murugan’s six Padai Veedu, the battle camps, on a granite hill at the edge of Madurai. Here Murugan married Devasena, daughter of Indra, after slaying Surapadman, and the sanctum is cut into the living rock.
StandingEdaganathar Temple, Tiruvedagam
The shrine of the palm leaf: at Madurai, Sambandar’s hymn written on a leaf swam upstream against the Vaigai and came to rest here.
StandingKodunkundreeswarar Temple, Piranmalai
Kodunkundram, the steep hill of the Tevaram, once the Parambu hill of the generous chief Pari. Shiva is worshipped here at three levels of the rock.
StandingTiruppathur (Sivaganga)
The town where the Marudhu brothers, Periya and Chinna Marudhu, were hanged by the Company on 24 October 1801 with their kin and followers. Its old Shiva temple was sung in the Tevaram.
StandingVriddhapureeswarar (Pazhampathinathar) Temple, Tiruppunavayil
A Pandya-country shrine by the sea, sung by Sambandar and Sundarar. Fourteen lingas are worshipped inside, and the Vedas are said to have worshipped here.
StandingRamanathaswamy Temple, Rameswaram
The southern Jyotirlinga, installed by Shri Rama on the island at the head of the setu before the war in Lanka. It is also the southern dham of the Char Dham.
StandingAdi Ratneswarar Temple, Tiruvadanai
The town of the goat-headed elephant, where Varuna’s son regained his form, and where Surya worshipped a linga of blue gem. Sambandar sang it.
StandingKalaiyar Kovil
The Shiva temple and forest stronghold of the Sivaganga rajas, sung by Sundarar in the Tevaram. Here Raja Muthu Vaduganatha Thevar fell to the Company’s army in 1772, and here the Marudhu brothers made their last stand in 1801.
StandingPushpavaneswarar Temple, Tiruppoovanam
The flower-forest shrine on the Vaigai near Madurai, sung by all three Tevaram singers. Its utsava murti is the golden form Shiva made for the devotee Ponnanaiyal, one of his Tiruvilaiyadal leelas.
StandingThirumeninathar Temple, Tiruchuzhi
The whirlpool shrine of the Pandya country, sung by Sundarar. In a house beside it Bhagwan Ramana Maharshi was born in 1879.
StandingKutralanathar Temple and the Chitra Sabha, Courtallam
The Chitra Sabha, hall of pictures, among the five sabhas of Nataraja, stands a short walk from the Kutralanathar temple at the foot of the Courtallam falls; its walls are covered with painted scenes from the Puranas and Itihasa.
StandingNellaiappar–Kanthimathi Temple, Tirunelveli
A twin temple of Shiva and Devi covering about 14 acres in the heart of Tirunelveli, famous for its musical stone pillars and for the Tamra Sabha, the copper hall, one of the five halls where Nataraja dances.
StandingTheerthapureeswarar Temple, Tirunelvayil Arathurai (Tiruvattathurai)
Where Shiva gave the child Sambandar a palanquin, a parasol and trumpets of pearl, so that his small feet need not walk the long roads. All three Tevaram saints sang it.
StandingSudarkozhundeeswarar (Pralayakaleswarar) Temple, Pennagadam (Pennadam)
The Thoongaanai Maadam, the shrine shaped like a sleeping elephant. Here Appar prayed for and received the marks of the trident and the bull on his shoulders. Appar and Sambandar sang it.
StandingNarthana Vallabeswarar Temple, Tirukkoodalaiyatrur
At the meeting of the Manimuktha and the Vellar, Shiva walked ahead of Sundarar as an old brahmin to show him the road, and vanished. Sundarar sang that he had not known the wonder.
StandingNeelakandeswarar (Thirukumaresar) Temple, Erukkathampuliyur (Rajendrapattinam)
Birthplace of Tiruneelakanta Yazhpanar, the musician who played the yazh beside Sambandar as he sang. Sambandar sang this shrine of the white erukku forest.
StandingSivakozhundeeswarar Temple, Tiruthinainagar (Theerthanagiri)
Thinai is millet: Tiruthinainagar, now Theerthanagiri near Cuddalore, was sung by Sundarar. The Devi is Oppila Nayaki, she who has no equal.
StandingMangalapureeswarar Temple, Tiruchopuram (Thyagavalli)
A shrine by the sea south of Cuddalore where, besides the linga, Shiva and the Devi sit with Ganesha and Murugan on their laps. Sambandar sang it.
StandingTiruvadigai Veerattanam
One of the eight Veerattanams where Shiva overcame evil, here as the destroyer of the three cities of the asuras. At this temple Appar, sick and returned from the Jain fold, sang his first hymn and was healed.
StandingBhaktajaneswarar Temple, Tirunavalur
The birthplace of Sundarar, last of the three Tevaram singers, who sang his own village’s Lord.
StandingVriddhagireeswarar (Pazhamalainathar) Temple, Vriddhachalam
Tirumudukundram, the ancient hill: a Chola temple on the Manimuktha river where Sundarar received gold he later took out of the tank at Tiruvarur. All three Tevaram singers sang it.
StandingSwarnakadeswarar Temple, Tirunelvennai (Neivanai)
Swarnaghata is a pot of gold, and the Lord here is remembered as the one who gave a golden pot. Sambandar sang Tirunelvennai.
StandingVeerattaneswarar Temple, Tirukkovilur
One of the eight Veerattanams, the shrines of Shiva’s heroic deeds: here he slew the asura Andhaka. Appar and Sambandar sang it, and the Nayanar king Meiporul ruled from this town.
StandingAtulyanatheswarar (Oppillamaneeswarar) Temple, Arakandanallur (Araiyani Nallur)
The temple on the granite hill above the Pennai, facing Tirukkoyilur. Sambandar sang it, and from here, the temple says, he saw the hill of Arunachala. In 1896 the young Ramana Maharshi sat in this temple on his way to Tiruvannamalai.
StandingMarundeeswarar (Idaiyatrunathar) Temple, Tiruvidaiyaru (T. Edaiyar)
Idaiyaru, between the rivers, on the Thenpennai near Tiruvennainallur. Sundarar sang it; Shuka Brahmarishi is said to have done tapas here.
StandingKripapureeswarar Temple, Tiruvennainallur
Where Shiva stopped Sundarar’s wedding with a bond of slavery and Sundarar sang his first hymn, Pitha pirai soodi. Meykandar, author of the Sivagnana Bodham, lived here.
StandingSishtagurunathar Temple, Tiruthuraiyur
Here Sundarar asked Shiva to grant him the way of tapas, and the Lord became his guru. Sishtagurunathar means the Lord who is teacher to his disciple.
StandingVadukeeswarar (Panchanadeeswarar) Temple, Vadugur (Tiruvandarkoil)
A Chola stone temple on the highway west of Puducherry, now in the care of the Archaeological Survey of India. Sambandar sang Vadugur.
StandingVamanapureeswarar Temple, Tirumanikuzhi
Mani is the young brahmachari, Vamana, and kuzhi the hollow: the temple’s katha ties the place to Vamana and Mahabali. Sambandar sang it, on the Kedilam near Cuddalore.
StandingPataleeswarar Temple, Tiruppathiripuliyur (Cuddalore)
The shrine of the trumpet-flower tree in Cuddalore, where Appar came ashore after being thrown into the sea tied to a stone, singing Namasivaya.
StandingSivalokanathar Temple, Tirumundeeswaram (Gramam)
Appar sang Tirumundeeswaram, and the Cholas made it a stone temple in Parantaka’s reign. Its inscriptions carry the story of the Chola prince Rajaditya, who fell at Takkolam.
StandingPanankatteeswarar (Netroddharaka Swami) Temple, Puravar Panangattur (Panaiyapuram)
The palm-forest shrine beside the Chennai–Villupuram highway, rebuilt in stone by Rajendra Chola I. Sambandar sang it, and the highway was later turned aside to spare it.
StandingAbhirameswarar Temple, Tiruvamathur
The Lord worshipped by the cows, sung by Sambandar and Appar. The Devi has her own temple across the street.
StandingArunachaleswara Temple, Tiruvannamalai
The fire sthala of the Pancha Bhuta lingas, at the foot of Arunachala, the hill that is itself worshipped as Shiva. On Karthigai Deepam a great flame is lit on its summit.
StandingAvinashilingeswarar Temple, Avinashi
Tiruppukkozhiyur, first of the Kongu Tevaram shrines, where Sundarar’s hymn brought a boy back from a crocodile’s mouth.
StandingTirumuruganatheswarar Temple, Tirumuruganpoondi
Where Bhagwan Murugan worshipped Shiva after slaying Surapadma, and where Shiva’s ganas, dressed as hunters, robbed Sundarar of the Chera king’s gifts.
StandingSangameswarar Temple, Bhavani (Tirunana)
Dakshina Triveni: the temple where the Kaveri, the Bhavani and the unseen Amudha meet, sung by Sambandar as Tirunana. Families come to the sangam to offer tarpanam for their ancestors.
StandingArdhanareeswarar Temple, Tiruchengode
On the red hill of Tiruchengode, Shiva is worshipped as Ardhanareeswarar, half Shiva and half Parvati. Here Sambandar sang the Tiruneelakanta padigam to free his companions from fever.
StandingKalyana Vikirthanathar Temple, Venjamakoodal (Venjamangudalur)
One of the seven Kongu Nadu shrines of the Tevaram, on the Kudaganaru near Karur. Shiva came to Sundarar here as an old man and gave him gold.
StandingMagudeswarar Temple, Kodumudi
A Trimurti temple on the Kaveri, where Sundarar sang his Namasivaya padigam. The peak (kodumudi) of Meru is said to have fallen here.
StandingPasupatheeswarar Temple, Karur (Karuvur Anilai)
The shrine where Kamadhenu worshipped Shiva, in the old Chera city of Karur. Sambandar sang it, and the siddha Karuvur Devar has his shrine here.
StandingThiruvanchikulam Mahadeva Temple
The only temple in Kerala sung in the Tevaram. From here, the Periya Puranam says, Sundaramurti Nayanar rose to Kailash on a white elephant, with his friend King Cheraman Perumal riding after him.
RebuiltKoneswaram, Trincomalee
The Shiva temple on Swami Rock at Trincomalee, sung by the Nayanars, razed by the Portuguese in 1622 and rebuilt on the same cliff between 1952 and 1963.
RebuiltThiruketheeswaram, Mannar
One of the five ancient Ishwarams of Shiva in Lanka, by the buried port of Mantai, and one of the 275 Paadal Petra Sthalams sung by the Nayanmars. The Portuguese pulled it down in 1575; it was rebuilt on its old site in 1903.
StandingGokarna Mahabaleshwar
The beach town where Ravana’s Atmalinga stuck fast to the earth. Pilgrims bathe in the Arabian Sea, then touch the linga through a hole in its pitha.
StandingMallikarjuna Jyotirlinga, Srisailam
The second of the twelve Jyotirlingas in the Shiva Purana’s list, on a forested ridge above the Krishna. Shiva and Shakti are worshipped here together, Mallikarjuna and Bhramaramba.
StandingGaurikund (Anekathangavadam of the Tevaram)
The last halt before the walk to Kedarnath, where Mata Parvati did tapas to win Mahadev. Tamil tradition identifies it with Anekathangavadam, one of the Himalayan shrines Sambandar sang.
StandingKedarnath
The Himalayan Jyotirlinga at the head of the Mandakini, first of the Panch Kedar and one of Uttarakhand’s Char Dham. The linga is a rough triangular rock, the hump of Shiva in the form of a bull.
StandingKailash and Mansarovar
The snow peak in western Tibet that Hindus know as the home of Shiva and Parvati, with the lake of Mansarovar at its foot. Jains, Buddhists and Bon followers hold it holy too, and no one has climbed it.
The full list
- Koyil, Chidambaram (Thillai Nataraja)Chola Nadu, north of the Kaveri
- Tiruvetkalam (Pasupatheeswarar)Chola Nadu, north of the Kaveri
- Tirunelvayil, Sivapuri (Uchinathar)Chola Nadu, north of the Kaveri
- Tirukkazhippalai (Palvannanathar)Chola Nadu, north of the Kaveri
- Tirunallur Perumanam, Achalpuram (Sivaloka Thyagar)Chola Nadu, north of the Kaveri
- Mahendrapalli (Tirumeni Azhagar)Chola Nadu, north of the Kaveri
- Ten Tirumullaivayil (Mullaivananathar)Chola Nadu, north of the Kaveri
- Kalikkamur, Annappanpettai (Sundareswarar)Chola Nadu, north of the Kaveri
- Tiruchaikkadu, Sayavanam (Chayavaneswarar)Chola Nadu, north of the Kaveri
- Pallavaneeswaram, Poompuhar (Pallavaneswarar)Chola Nadu, north of the Kaveri
- Tiruvenkadu (Swetharanyeswarar)Chola Nadu, north of the Kaveri
- Keezhai Tirukkattuppalli (Aranyeswarar)Chola Nadu, north of the Kaveri
- Tirukkurukavur (Velladainathar)Chola Nadu, north of the Kaveri
- Sirkazhi (Brahmapureeswarar, Sattainathar)Chola Nadu, north of the Kaveri
- Tirukkolakka (Saptapureeswarar)Chola Nadu, north of the Kaveri
- Pullirukkuvelur, Vaitheeswaran Koil (Vaidyanathar)Chola Nadu, north of the Kaveri
- Kannar Koyil, Kurumanakkudi (Kannayiramudayar)Chola Nadu, north of the Kaveri
- Tirukkadaimudi, Keezhaiyur (Kadaimudinathar)Chola Nadu, north of the Kaveri
- Tiruninriyur (Mahalakshmeeswarar)Chola Nadu, north of the Kaveri
- Tiruppunkur (Sivalokanathar)Chola Nadu, north of the Kaveri
- Tiruneedur (Somanathar)Chola Nadu, north of the Kaveri
- Anniyur (Apathsahayeswarar)Chola Nadu, north of the Kaveri
- Tiruvelvikudi (Kalyanasundareswarar)Chola Nadu, north of the Kaveri
- Edirkolpadi, Mela Tirumananjeri (Airavateswarar)Chola Nadu, north of the Kaveri
- Tirumananjeri (Udvaganathar)Chola Nadu, north of the Kaveri
- Tirukkurukkai, Korukkai (Veerateswarar)Chola Nadu, north of the Kaveri
- Karuppariyalur (Kutram Porutha Nathar)Chola Nadu, north of the Kaveri
- Kurakkukka (Kundala Karuneswarar)Chola Nadu, north of the Kaveri
- Tiruvazhkoliputhur (Manikkavannar)Chola Nadu, north of the Kaveri
- Tirumannippadikkarai, Iluppaipattu (Neelakandeswarar)Chola Nadu, north of the Kaveri
- Omampuliyur (Thuyar Theertha Nathar)Chola Nadu, north of the Kaveri
- Tirukkanattumullur (Patanjalinathar)Chola Nadu, north of the Kaveri
- Tirunarayur (Soundaryeswarar)Chola Nadu, north of the Kaveri
- Mela Kadambur (Amirthakadeswarar)Chola Nadu, north of the Kaveri
- Pandanallur (Pasupatheeswarar)Chola Nadu, north of the Kaveri
- Kanjanur (Agneeswarar)Chola Nadu, north of the Kaveri
- Tirukkodikka (Koteeswarar)Chola Nadu, north of the Kaveri
- Tirumangalakkudi (Prananathar)Chola Nadu, north of the Kaveri
- Tiruppanandal (Arunajateswarar)Chola Nadu, north of the Kaveri
- Tiruvappadi (Palugandanathar)Chola Nadu, north of the Kaveri
- Tirucheignalur, Senganur (Satyagireeswarar)Chola Nadu, north of the Kaveri
- Tirunduthevankudi (Karkadeswarar)Chola Nadu, north of the Kaveri
- Tiruviyalur, Thiruvisanallur (Sivayoginathar)Chola Nadu, north of the Kaveri
- Kottaiyur (Koteeswarar)Chola Nadu, north of the Kaveri
- Innambur (Ezhutharinathar)Chola Nadu, north of the Kaveri
- Tiruppurambiyam (Sakshinatheswarar)Chola Nadu, north of the Kaveri
- Vijayamangai (Vijayanatheswarar)Chola Nadu, north of the Kaveri
- Tiruvaikavur (Vilvavaneswarar)Chola Nadu, north of the Kaveri
- Vada Kurangaduthurai (Dayanidheeswarar)Chola Nadu, north of the Kaveri
- Tiruppazhanam (Apathsahayar)Chola Nadu, north of the Kaveri
- Tiruvaiyaru (Panchanadeeswarar, Aiyarappar)Chola Nadu, north of the Kaveri
- Tiruneithanam, Thillaisthanam (Neyyadiyappar)Chola Nadu, north of the Kaveri
- Tirupperumpuliyur (Vyaghrapureeswarar)Chola Nadu, north of the Kaveri
- Tirumazhapadi (Vaidyanathar)Chola Nadu, north of the Kaveri
- Tiruppazhuvur, Alanthurai (Alanthuraiyar)Chola Nadu, north of the Kaveri
- Tirukkanur (Semmeninathar)Chola Nadu, north of the Kaveri
- Anbil Alanthurai (Satyavageeswarar)Chola Nadu, north of the Kaveri
- Tirumanthurai (Amravaneswarar)Chola Nadu, north of the Kaveri
- Tiruppatrurai (Adimooleswarar)Chola Nadu, north of the Kaveri
- Tiruvanaikka, Thiruvanaikaval (Jambukeswarar)Chola Nadu, north of the Kaveri
- Tiruppainjeeli (Neelivaneswarar)Chola Nadu, north of the Kaveri
- Tiruppachilasramam, Tiruvasi (Mattruraivaradeswarar)Chola Nadu, north of the Kaveri
- Tiruveengoimalai (Maragathachaleswarar)Chola Nadu, north of the Kaveri
- Vatpokki, Ayyarmalai (Ratnagireeswarar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Kadambanthurai, Kulithalai (Kadambavaneswarar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Tirupparaithurai (Darukavaneswarar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Tirukkarkudi, Uyyakondan Malai (Ujjivanathar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Tirumukkeeswaram, Uraiyur (Panchavarneswarar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Tiruchirappalli, Rock Fort (Thayumanavar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Tiruverumbur (Erumbeeswarar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Tirunedunkalam (Nithyasundareswarar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Mela Tirukkattuppalli (Agneeswarar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Tiruvalampozhil (Atmanatheswarar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Tiruppoonthuruthi (Pushpavananathar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Tirukkandiyur (Brahma Sira Kandeeswarar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Tiruchotruthurai (Odhanavaneswarar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Tiruvedikudi (Vedapureeswarar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Then Kudi Thittai (Vasishteswarar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Tiruppullamangai (Brahmapureeswarar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Tiruchakrappalli, Ayyampettai (Chakravakeswarar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Tirukkarukavur (Mullaivananathar, Garbharakshambigai)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Tiruppalaithurai, Papanasam (Palaivananathar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Tirunallur (Kalyanasundareswarar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Avur Pasupatheeswaram (Pasupatheeswarar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Sakthimutram (Sivakozhundeeswarar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Patteeswaram (Thenupureeswarar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Pazhaiyarai Vadathali (Somanathar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Tiruvalanjuzhi (Kapardeeswarar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Kudanthai Kumbesam, Kumbakonam (Adi Kumbeswarar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Kudanthai Keezhkottam, Kumbakonam (Nageswarar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Kudanthai Karonam, Kumbakonam (Kasi Viswanathar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Tirunageswaram (Naganathar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Tiruvidaimarudur (Mahalingeswarar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Then Kurangaduthurai, Aduthurai (Apathsahayeswarar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Tiruneelakkudi (Neelakandeswarar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Tiruvaikal Madakkoyil (Vaikalnathar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Tirunallam, Konerirajapuram (Umamaheswarar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Tirukkozhambam (Kokileswarar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Tiruvavaduthurai (Masilamaneeswarar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Tiruthuruthi, Kuthalam (Ukthavedeeswarar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Tiruvazhundur, Therazhundur (Vedapureeswarar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Mayiladuthurai (Mayuranathar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Tiruvilanagar (Ucchiravaneswarar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Tirupariyalur, Keezhaparasalur (Veerateswarar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Tiruchemponpalli, Sembanarkoil (Swarnapureeswarar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Tirunanipalli, Ponsei (Natrunaiyappar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Tiruvalampuram (Valampurinathar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Tiruthalaichangadu (Sankaranyeswarar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Akkur (Thanthondreeswarar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Tirukkadavur, Thirukkadaiyur (Amritaghateswarar, Abirami)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Tirukkadavur Mayanam (Brahmapureeswarar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Tiruvettakkudi (Sundareswarar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Tiruthelicheri (Parvatheeswarar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Dharmapuram (Yazhmurinathar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Tirunallaru (Dharbaranyeswarar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Tirukkottaru (Airavateswarar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Ambar Perunthirukkoyil (Brahmapureeswarar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Ambar Makalam (Mahakalanathar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Tirumeeyachur (Meghanathar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Tirumeeyachur Ilangoyil (Sakalabhuvaneswarar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Tilatharpanapuri, Sethalapathi (Muktheeswarar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Tiruppampuram (Pampuranathar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Sirukudi (Sukshmapureeswarar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Tiruveezhimizhalai (Veezhinathar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Tiruvanniyur (Agnipureeswarar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Karuvili Kottittai (Sarguneswarar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Penu Perunthurai, Tiruppanthurai (Sivanandeswarar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Tirunaraiyur (Siddhanatheswarar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Arisirkaraiputhur, Azhagaputhur (Padikasunathar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Sivapuram (Sivagurunathar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Kalayanallur, Sakkottai (Amirthakalasanathar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Tirukkarukkudi (Sarguna Lingeswarar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Tiruvanchiyam (Vanchinathar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Nannilam (Madhuvaneswarar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Tirukkondeeswaram (Pasupatheeswarar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Tiruppanaiyur (Soundareswarar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Tiruvirkudi (Veerattaneswarar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Tiruppugalur (Agnipureeswarar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Tiruppugalur Varthamaneeswaram (Varthamaneeswarar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Ramanatheeswaram, Thirukkannapuram (Ramanathar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Tiruppayatrangudi (Payatrunathar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Tiruchengattangudi (Uthirapasupatheeswarar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Tirumarugal (Ratnagireeswarar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Tiruchathamangai, Seeyathamangai (Ayavanthinathar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Nagaikkaronam, Nagapattinam (Kayarohaneswarar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Sikkal (Navaneetheswarar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Keezhvelur (Akshayalingeswarar, Kediliappar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Tiruthevur (Devapureeswarar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Tiruppallimukkudal (Mukkoneswarar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Araneri, Tiruvarur (Achaleswarar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Tiruvarur (Vanmikanathar, Thyagarajar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Arur Paravaiyunmandali (Thoovainathar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Vilamal (Patanjali Manoharar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Karaveeram (Karaveeranathar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Tirupperuvelur (Abhimukteeswarar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Thalaiyalangadu (Nardanapureeswarar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Tirukkudavayil, Kudavasal (Koneswarar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Tirucherai (Saranathar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Tirunalur Mayanam, Thirumeignanam (Gnanaparameswarar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Kaduvaikaraiputhur, Andankoil (Swarnapureeswarar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Tiruvirumpoolai, Alangudi (Apathsahayeswarar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Aradaipperumpazhi, Haridwaramangalam (Pathaleswarar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Avalivanallur (Sakshinathar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Paridhiniyamam (Paridhiyappar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Tiruvenniyur, Koyil Venni (Karumbeswarar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Tiruppoovanur (Chathuranga Vallabhanathar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Padaleeswaram, Pamani (Naganathar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Tirukkalar (Parijatavaneswarar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Tiruchitremam (Ponvaithanathar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Tiruvusathanam (Mantrapureeswarar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Tiruvidumbavanam (Sarguna Nathar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Kadikkulam (Karpaganathar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Tiruthandalai Neeneri (Neenerinathar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Kottur (Kozhundeeswarar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Vanduthurai (Vanduranathar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Tirukkollampudur (Vilvaranyeswarar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Pereyil (Jagadeeswarar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Tirukkollikkadu (Agneeswarar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Then Kur, Thiruthangur (Vellimalainathar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Tirunellikka (Nellivananathar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Tirunattiyathankudi (Ratnapureeswarar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Tirukkarayil (Kannayiranathar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Kanrappur (Nadutariappar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Valivalam (Manathunainathar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Kaichinam (Kaichineswarar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Tirukkolili, Thirukkuvalai (Brahmapureeswarar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Tiruvaimur (Vaimurnathar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Tirumaraikkadu, Vedaranyam (Vedaranyeswarar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Agathiyanpalli (Agastheeswarar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Kodikkarai, Kodiyakkarai (Amritaghateswarar, Kuzhagar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Kiliyanur (Agastheeswarar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Tiruvidaivai, Tiruvidaivasal (Punniyakodiyappar)Chola Nadu, south of the Kaveri
- Kachi Ekambam, Kanchipuram (Ekambareswarar)Tondai Nadu (Kanchipuram–Chennai country)
- Kachi Metrali, Kanchipuram (Tirumetraleeswarar)Tondai Nadu (Kanchipuram–Chennai country)
- Onakanthanthali, Kanchipuram (Onakantheeswarar)Tondai Nadu (Kanchipuram–Chennai country)
- Kachi Anekathangapadam, Kanchipuram (Anekathangapadeswarar)Tondai Nadu (Kanchipuram–Chennai country)
- Kachi Nerikkaraikkadu, Kanchipuram (Satyanatheswarar)Tondai Nadu (Kanchipuram–Chennai country)
- Kuranganilmuttam (Vaaleeswarar)Tondai Nadu (Kanchipuram–Chennai country)
- Tirumagaral (Magaraleeswarar)Tondai Nadu (Kanchipuram–Chennai country)
- Tiruvothur, Cheyyar (Vedapureeswarar)Tondai Nadu (Kanchipuram–Chennai country)
- Panangattur, Tiruppanangadu (Talapureeswarar)Tondai Nadu (Kanchipuram–Chennai country)
- Tiruvallam (Vilvanatheswarar)Tondai Nadu (Kanchipuram–Chennai country)
- Tirumalperu (Manikandeswarar)Tondai Nadu (Kanchipuram–Chennai country)
- Tiruvural, Takkolam (Jalanatheeswarar)Tondai Nadu (Kanchipuram–Chennai country)
- Ilambayankottur (Chandrasekarar)Tondai Nadu (Kanchipuram–Chennai country)
- Tiruvirkolam, Kuvam (Tripurantakar)Tondai Nadu (Kanchipuram–Chennai country)
- Tiruvalangadu (Vataranyeswarar)Tondai Nadu (Kanchipuram–Chennai country)
- Tiruppasur (Vasesswarar)Tondai Nadu (Kanchipuram–Chennai country)
- Tiruvenpakkam (Oondreeswarar)Tondai Nadu (Kanchipuram–Chennai country)
- Tirukkallil (Sivanandeswarar)Tondai Nadu (Kanchipuram–Chennai country)
- Tirukkalathi, Srikalahasti (Kalahasteeswarar)Tondai Nadu (Kanchipuram–Chennai country)
- Tiruvotriyur (Adipureeswarar)Tondai Nadu (Kanchipuram–Chennai country)
- Tiruvalithayam, Padi (Valeeswarar)Tondai Nadu (Kanchipuram–Chennai country)
- Vada Tirumullaivayil (Masilamaneeswarar)Tondai Nadu (Kanchipuram–Chennai country)
- Tiruverkadu (Vedapureeswarar)Tondai Nadu (Kanchipuram–Chennai country)
- Tirumayilai, Mylapore (Kapaleeswarar)Tondai Nadu (Kanchipuram–Chennai country)
- Tiruvanmiyur (Marundeeswarar)Tondai Nadu (Kanchipuram–Chennai country)
- Tirukkachur (Kachapeswarar)Tondai Nadu (Kanchipuram–Chennai country)
- Tiruvidaichuram, Tiruvadisoolam (Gnanapureeswarar)Tondai Nadu (Kanchipuram–Chennai country)
- Tirukkazhukundram (Vedagireeswarar)Tondai Nadu (Kanchipuram–Chennai country)
- Tiruvacharapakkam (Atcheeswarar)Tondai Nadu (Kanchipuram–Chennai country)
- Tiruvakkarai (Chandramouleeswarar)Tondai Nadu (Kanchipuram–Chennai country)
- Arasili (Arasaleeswarar)Tondai Nadu (Kanchipuram–Chennai country)
- Irumbai Makalam (Mahakaleswarar)Tondai Nadu (Kanchipuram–Chennai country)
- Tiru Alavai, Madurai (Chokkanathar, Meenakshi)Pandya Nadu (Madurai country)
- Tiruvappanur, Madurai (Aappudaiyar)Pandya Nadu (Madurai country)
- Tirupparankundram (Parangirinathar)Pandya Nadu (Madurai country)
- Tiruvedagam (Edaganathar)Pandya Nadu (Madurai country)
- Tirukkodunkundram, Piranmalai (Kodunkundreeswarar)Pandya Nadu (Madurai country)
- Tirupputhur (Thirutthalinathar)Pandya Nadu (Madurai country)
- Tiruppunavayil (Vriddhapureeswarar)Pandya Nadu (Madurai country)
- Rameswaram (Ramanathar)Pandya Nadu (Madurai country)
- Tiruvadanai (Adi Ratneswarar)Pandya Nadu (Madurai country)
- Tirukkanapper, Kalaiyar Koyil (Kaleeswarar)Pandya Nadu (Madurai country)
- Tiruppoovanam (Pushpavaneswarar)Pandya Nadu (Madurai country)
- Tiruchuzhiyal (Thirumeninathar)Pandya Nadu (Madurai country)
- Tirukkutralam (Kutralanathar)Pandya Nadu (Madurai country)
- Tirunelveli (Nellaiappar)Pandya Nadu (Madurai country)
- Tirunelvayil Arathurai (Theerthapureeswarar)Nadu Nadu (between the Pennai and the Vellar)
- Pennagadam (Sudarkozhundeeswarar)Nadu Nadu (between the Pennai and the Vellar)
- Koodalaiyatrur (Narthana Vallabheswarar)Nadu Nadu (between the Pennai and the Vellar)
- Erukkathampuliyur (Neelakandeswarar)Nadu Nadu (between the Pennai and the Vellar)
- Tiruthinainagar (Sivakozhundeeswarar)Nadu Nadu (between the Pennai and the Vellar)
- Tiruchopuram (Mangalapureeswarar)Nadu Nadu (between the Pennai and the Vellar)
- Tiruvadigai (Veerattaneswarar)Nadu Nadu (between the Pennai and the Vellar)
- Tirunavalur (Bhaktajaneswarar)Nadu Nadu (between the Pennai and the Vellar)
- Tirumudukundram, Vriddhachalam (Vriddhagireeswarar)Nadu Nadu (between the Pennai and the Vellar)
- Tiruneivanai (Swarnaghateswarar)Nadu Nadu (between the Pennai and the Vellar)
- Tirukkovilur (Veerattaneswarar)Nadu Nadu (between the Pennai and the Vellar)
- Arakandanallur (Oppillamaneeswarar)Nadu Nadu (between the Pennai and the Vellar)
- Tiruvidaiyaru, T. Edaiyar (Marundeeswarar)Nadu Nadu (between the Pennai and the Vellar)
- Tiruvennainallur (Kripapureeswarar)Nadu Nadu (between the Pennai and the Vellar)
- Tiruthuraiyur (Sishtagurunatheswarar)Nadu Nadu (between the Pennai and the Vellar)
- Vadugur (Vadugeeswarar)Nadu Nadu (between the Pennai and the Vellar)
- Tirumanikuzhi (Vamanapureeswarar)Nadu Nadu (between the Pennai and the Vellar)
- Tiruppathiripuliyur, Cuddalore (Pataleeswarar)Nadu Nadu (between the Pennai and the Vellar)
- Tirumundeeswaram, Gramam (Sivalokanathar)Nadu Nadu (between the Pennai and the Vellar)
- Puravar Panangattur (Panankateeswarar)Nadu Nadu (between the Pennai and the Vellar)
- Tiruvamathur (Abhirameswarar)Nadu Nadu (between the Pennai and the Vellar)
- Tiruvannamalai (Annamalaiyar, Arunachaleswarar)Nadu Nadu (between the Pennai and the Vellar)
- Tiruppukkozhiyur, Avinashi (Avinashilingeswarar)Kongu Nadu (western Tamil Nadu)
- Tirumuruganpoondi (Tirumuruganatheswarar)Kongu Nadu (western Tamil Nadu)
- Tirunana, Bhavani (Sangameswarar)Kongu Nadu (western Tamil Nadu)
- Kodimadachengunrur, Tiruchengode (Ardhanareeswarar)Kongu Nadu (western Tamil Nadu)
- Venjamakoodal (Vikirthanathar)Kongu Nadu (western Tamil Nadu)
- Pandikkodumudi, Kodumudi (Magudeswarar)Kongu Nadu (western Tamil Nadu)
- Karuvur Anilai, Karur (Pasupatheeswarar)Kongu Nadu (western Tamil Nadu)
- Tiruvanchaikkalam, Kodungallur (Mahadeva)Malai Nadu (Kerala)
- Tirukkonamalai, Trincomalee (Koneswarar)Eezha Nadu (Sri Lanka)
- Tirukketheeswaram, Mannar (Ketheeswarar)Eezha Nadu (Sri Lanka)
- Gokarnam (Mahabaleswarar)Tulu Nadu (Karnataka coast)
- Sri Parvatam, Srisailam (Mallikarjuna)Vada Nadu (the north)
- Indraneela Parvatam (Himalaya)Vada Nadu (the north)
- Anekathangavadam, near Gaurikund (Himalaya)Vada Nadu (the north)
- Tirukkedaram, Kedarnath (Kedareswarar)Vada Nadu (the north)
- Tirukkayilayam, Mount Kailash (Kailasanathar)Vada Nadu (the north)