01A handful of sand
The temple’s katha says Shiva once vanished from Kailasa, becoming subtle, sukshma, and Parvati came here, dug the Mangala tirtham and pressed a handful of sand into a linga to worship Him until He returned. Sirupidi, a small handful, became Sirukudi. The linga is very small, kept under a kavacham, and since it is of sand it receives no abhishekam; the bathing is done for Mangala Nayaki. Angaraka, the planet Mars, is said to have worshipped here, so the temple is visited for Mars afflictions. Among the bronzes is a Santhosha Alingana Murti, Shiva with an arm about the Devi’s shoulder. There is no flagstaff. Sambandar’s padigam ends with his own name, Gnanasambandan.
About 3 km west of Tiruppampuram, reached from Kollumangudi on the Mayiladuthurai–Tiruvarur road.
