01The game of chaturanga
The temple’s katha says a childless king named Vasusenan, praying to Shiva, found a girl child on a lotus in the temple tank; she was the Devi, and Chamundi came as her nurse. She grew up as Rajarajeswari and mastered chaturanga, and the king declared that whoever beat her at it would marry her. An old man came and won, and stood revealed as Shiva. So the Lord is Chathuranga Vallabhanathar, master of the chessboard. Shiva and the Devi each have two shrines here. Chamundeswari, facing west, has a special place in the worship, and the old name Poovanur, the flower town, gives the Lord His other name, Pushpavananathar.
Visiting
About 4.5 km south of Needamangalam on the Mannargudi road.
