Abhimukteeswarar Temple, Tirupperuvelur (Manakkal Ayyampet)

01The vel and Mohini

The temple’s katha says Murugan did tapas here, dug a tank in His own name and worshipped until Shiva gave Him the vel, and so the place is Peru-vel-ur. Bhagwan Vishnu, after taking the Mohini form to keep the amrita from the asuras, is said to have worshipped here, and is enshrined as Vaikuntha Narayana Perumal in the outer court. Steps lead up to the maadakoil, where Shiva, Murugan and the Devi stand in that order from left to right, the Somaskanda plan, with a window cut in the wall opposite the sanctum. Among six lingas in the outer court one is Saraswateeswarar, where parents bring children slow to speak. Three Bhairavas share a shrine.