हिंदीOn this day
Standing

Palaivananathar 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.

Built: Chola foundation with inscriptions of Kulottunga I and III; present structure largely of the 16th century; brick granary of Raghunatha Nayaka (early 17th century)Where: Tamil Nadu (Papanasam, Thanjavur district)Deity: Bhagwan Shiva as Palaivananathar; Devi as Dhavala Vennagai Ammai (Dhavalambikai)10.91° N, 79.26° E
Photo: Kannanvenkat · CC BY-SA 3.0

01The tiger skin and the granary

The temple holds that the Darukavana leela took place here: the proud sages sent a tiger from their fire against Shiva, and he flayed it and wore its skin about his waist. Rama, Lakshmana and Sita, the sage Gautama and Arjuna are said to have worshipped here. Inside the plain five-tiered gopuram, in the outer court, rises a round brick granary about 36 feet high under a domed roof, built under Raghunatha Nayaka of Thanjavur to hold about 3,000 kalams of paddy; it is protected by the state archaeology department. Inscriptions of Kulottunga I and Kulottunga III name the Lord Tiruppalaithurai Mahadevar. The Devi’s shrine stands to the right of the Lord’s, and many weddings are held here. Appar’s hymn is in the fifth Tirumurai.

Visiting

Beside the Thanjavur–Kumbakonam highway at Papanasam, about 2 km from the town centre, 14 km from Kumbakonam and 28 km from Thanjavur.

Nearby

Gajendra Varadar Temple, Thirukkavithalam (Kapisthalam)Standing
The Age of Great Kingdoms

Gajendra Varadar Temple, Thirukkavithalam (Kapisthalam)

The place of Gajendra Moksha on the Kaveri, where the Lord came for an elephant’s cry of ‘Adimulam’. Hanuman also worshipped here, and so the village is Kapisthalam, the place of the kapi.

Kalyanasundareswarar (Panchavarneswarar) Temple, TirunallurStanding
Cholas and the Southern Seas

Kalyanasundareswarar (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.

Mullaivananathar (Garbharakshambigai) Temple, TirukkarukavurStanding
Cholas and the Southern Seas

Mullaivananathar (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.

Jagatrakshaka Perumal Temple, Thirukkoodalur (Aduthurai)Standing
The Age of Great Kingdoms

Jagatrakshaka Perumal Temple, Thirukkoodalur (Aduthurai)

Vaiyam Katha Perumal, the Lord who saved the world: here, the temple holds, Varaha entered the earth to bring Bhudevi back. The village of Vadakurangaduthurai lies between Kumbakonam and Thiruvaiyaru.