01The bird and the raised shrine
Valiyan is the karikuruvi, the black drongo, and the temple’s katha says such a bird worshipped Shiva here and gave the place its name. The sage Karana Muni is also remembered, with a tank called Karanar Gangai. Like Thandalai and Kaichinam nearby, this is a maadakkoil, the sanctum lifted on a high base so that elephants could not reach it, as the Periya Puranam says of the shrines of Kochengat Chola. The punnai is the sthala tree. Both Sambandar and Appar left padigams here.
Visiting
About 20 km south-east of Tiruvarur, 4 km from Kanrappur and 5 km from Kaichinam.
