Koorainadu Punukeeswarar Temple

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Koorainadu Punukeeswarar Temple
கூறைநாடு புனுகீஸ்வரர் கோயில்
Punukeeswarar temple1.jpg
Gopuram of the Punukeeswarar Temple
Religion
Affiliation Hinduism
District Mayiladuthurai
Deity Punukeeswarar (Siva)
Location
Location Koranad, Mayiladuthurai
State Tamil Nadu
CountryIndia
India Tamil Nadu location map.svg
Om symbol.svg
Shown within Tamil Nadu
Coordinates 11°05′43″N79°38′37″E / 11.09528°N 79.64361°E / 11.09528; 79.64361
Architecture
Architect Dravidian

Koorainadu Punukeeswarar Temple, or simply Punukeeswarar Temple, is a Hindu temple located in Koorainadu (also known as Koranad) in the town of Mayiladuthurai, Tamil Nadu, India. The temple is dedicated to Lord Punukeeswarar, a form of Shiva.

Contents

Location

The temple is located in Koranad, a residential neighbourhood in Mayiladuthurai on the Mayiladuthurai to Kumbakonam state highway, about a couple of kilometers south of the Cauvery River. It is about 256 km (159 mi) southeast of Chennai, the state capital. The nearest railway station is Mayiladuthurai railway junction 2 km (1.2 mi) from the temple, and neareast bus terminal is Mayiladuthurai 1.5 km (0.93 mi) from the temple.

Etymology

According to the historical legend, a civet (punugu pūnai or civet cat) in the forest area of Koranad was searching for a goddess to worship and receive divine blessings. The civet looked for a Shiva Lingam in the surrounding area and found one in a paddy field. It applied punugu (civetone), an ancient fragrance, to the sacred Lingam and offered vilva (Aegle marmelos) leaves to Lord Shiva in worship. After many days of prayer, Lord Shiva is believed to have appeared before the civet, granted it divine status, and offered it a place in Mount Kailash. [1] [2]

Architecture

Punukeeswarar temple4.jpg

Beyond the rajagopuram (main tower), the entrance leads into the front hall (mukha mandapa), where the temple flagstaff (kodimaram) is located. Following the flagstaff are the bali peetha (altar) and Nandi statue. On the right side of the temple premises is the shrine of the Goddess Amman. [3]

Circumambulating the sanctum (garbhagriha), one can see the shrine of Chandikeswari. In front of the Amman shrine, there are also the bali peetha and Nandi. Near the Amman shrine are the decorative hall and resting chamber. [3]

Along the corridor around the sanctum, there are shrines dedicated to Varadha Vinayakar, Anjaneyar, Somaskanda, Ayyappan, Nesanayanar (one of the 63 Nayanmars), and Subramaniyar. In the outer circumambulatory path, there are shrines for Surya, Bhairavar, and Keelakkumaran Subramaniyar. Nearby is the Navagraha (nine planets) shrine, followed by the 63 Nayanmars. [3]

On the koshta (outer wall of the sanctum), images of Brahma, Adimudi Kaana Annal (Lord Shiva as the Infinite), Dakshinamurthy, and Vinayaka are seen. The shrine of Chandikeswarar is situated nearby. In the outer prakaram, there are sculptures of Shaniswaran, Lingathirumeni (Shiva Lingam with altar and Nandi in front), and Vinayakar. [3]

As of June 2016, renovation works (thiruppani) were being carried out in the temple. [4] [5]

Deity

The presiding deity of the temple is Punukeeswarar, and the goddess is Santhanayaki. [6]

Mayiladuthurai Saptha stana temples

This temple is one of the seven Shiva temples that take part in the Sapthasthanam festival, which is celebrated at the Ayyarappar Temple under the administration of the Thiruvaduthurai Adheenam located in Mayiladuthurai district. [6]

Other Temples
  1. Mayuranathaswami temple – Mayiladuthurai. [7]
  2. Margasahayeswarar temple (Vazhikaatum Vallalar) – Moovalur. [8]
  3. Aiyaarappar temple - Koranad, Mayiladuthurai. [9]
  4. Kasi Vishwanathar temple - Lagadam, Mayiladuthurai. [10]
  5. Brahmapureeswarar temple - Sitharkadu, Mayiladuthurai. [11]
  6. Azhagiyanathar temple - Sholampettai, Mayiladuthurai.

The presiding deities of these seven temples come together at the Mayuranathar Temple during the Sapthasthanam festival, which is held annually in Mayiladuthurai.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Significance of Koranad Punukeeswarar Temple at Mayiladuthurai – Where Punugu Poonai Worshiped". News18 Tamil. News18. Retrieved 2025-11-09.
  2. ↑ Thirumoolar, Saravanan (2021-08-29). "புனுகீஸ்வரர்". சரவணன் அன்பே சிவம். Retrieved 2025-11-09.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Tamil, Hindu (10 Jul 2025). "Short history of Koranad Punukeeswarar Temple (in Tamil)". Hindu Tamil Thisai. Retrieved 10 Jul 2025.
  4. ↑ எஸ்.கதிரேசன் (2017-07-15). "கூறைநாடு புனுகீஸ்வரர் கோயில் கும்பாபிஷேகம்: வெகுவிமர்சையாக நாளை தொடங்குகிறது!" (in Tamil). Retrieved 2017-07-15.
  5. ↑ விஜயன், கடம்பூர் (2017-09-09). "பாவச் சுமைகளை நீக்கும் மயிலாடுதுறை திருக்கோயில்கள் (பகுதி 1)". Dinamani (in Tamil). Retrieved 2025-11-09.
  6. 1 2 விஜயன், கடம்பூர் (2017-09-09). "பாவச் சுமைகளை நீக்கும் மயிலாடுதுறை திருக்கோயில்கள் (பகுதி 1)". Dinamani (in Tamil). Retrieved 2025-11-09.
  7. ↑ Ayyar, P. V. Jagadisa (1982). South Indian Shrines: Illustrated. Asian Educational Services. ISBN   978-81-206-0151-2.
  8. ↑ "மூவலூர் மார்க்கசகாயேஸ்வரர் கோயில்", தமிழ் விக்கிப்பீடியா (in Tamil), 2021-08-12, retrieved 2025-11-09
  9. ↑ "மயிலாடுதுறை ஐயாறப்பர் கோயில்", தமிழ் விக்கிப்பீடியா (in Tamil), 2020-04-06, retrieved 2025-11-09
  10. ↑ "துலாக்கட்டம் காசிவிசுவநாதர் கோயில்", தமிழ் விக்கிப்பீடியா (in Tamil), 2023-06-07, retrieved 2025-11-09
  11. ↑ "சித்தர்காடு பிரம்மபுரீஸ்வரர் கோயில்", தமிழ் விக்கிப்பீடியா (in Tamil), 2020-04-06, retrieved 2025-11-09
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