Shaiva Siddhanta is a form of Shaivism popular in South India and Sri Lanka which propounds a devotional philosophy with the ultimate goal of experiencing union with Shiva. It draws primarily on the Tamil devotional hymns written by Shaiva saints from the 5th to the 9th century CE, known in their collected form as Tirumurai. Tirumular is considered to be the propounder of the term Siddhanta and its basic tenets. In the 12th century, Aghorasiva, the head of a branch monastery of the Amardaka order in Chidambaram, took up the task of formulating Shaiva Siddhanta. This is an earliest known Aghora Paddhati system of Shaiva Siddhanta of Adi Shaivas mathas in Kongu Nadu which rejects the Meykanda Shastras as a later addition. Meykandar was the first systematic philosopher of the school. The normative rites, cosmology and theology of Shaiva Siddhanta draw upon a combination of Agamas and Vedic scriptures. In the Sri Lankan Sinhalese society, king Rajasinha I of Sitawaka reverted to Saiva Siddhantism and made it the official religion during his reign, after a prolonged domination of Theravada Buddhism following the conversion of king Devanampiya Tissa. This Sinhalese Saiva Siddhanta led to the decline of Buddhism for the next two centuries until being revived by South East Asian orders aided by Europeans, but left vestiges in the Sinhalese society.
Vaitheeswaran Koil is a Hindu temple dedicated to the Shiva, located in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Shiva is worshipped as Vaidyanathar or Vaitheeswaran meaning the "God of healing" and it is believed that prayers to Vaitheeswaran can cure diseases. Vaitheeswaran is a Tamil derivative from vaidya (Doctor) and Ishvara (God/Master). The presiding deity is Sri vaidyanathan, facing towards West whereas East side is the common one. He is the God of Healing. When pronouncing in Tamil, it sounds like "vaideeswaran". It is one of the nine Navagraha temples and is associated with the planet Mars (Angaraka).
Thiruppanandal is a panchayat town in Thanjavur district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.
Suryanar Kovil is a Hindu temple dedicated to the deity Hindu Sun-God, Surya, located in Suryanar Kovil, a village near the South Indian town of Kumbakonam Thanjavur District in Tamil Nadu, India. The presiding deity is Suriyanar, the Sun and his consorts Ushadevi and Pratyusha Devi. The temple also has separate shrines for the other eight planetary deities. The temple is considered one of the nine Navagraha temples in Tamil Nadu. The temple is one of the few historic temples dedicated to Sun god and is also the only temple in Tamil Nadu which has shrines for all the planetary deities.
Dharumapuram Aadheenam is a Saivite monastic institution based in the town of Mayiladuthurai, Tamil Nadu. As of 2019, there were a total of 27 Shiva temples under the control of the adheenam.
Sattainathar temple, Sirkazhi is a Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva located in Sirkali, Tamil Nadu, India. The temple is incarnated by the hymns of Thevaram and is classified as Paadal Petra Sthalam. It is an ancient temple complex with three different Shiva shrines in three stories.
Thiruvavaduthurai Adheenam is a Saivite mutt, based in the town of Thiruvavaduthurai in Kuthalam taluk of Mayiladuthurai District, Tamil Nadu, India. The adheenam maintains the Mayuranathaswami temple at Mayiladuthurai. As of 1987, there were a total of 15 Shiva temples under the control of the adheenam.
The Thiruppanandal block is a revenue block in the Thiruvidaimarudur taluk of the Thanjavur district in Tamil Nadu, India. It has a total of 44 panchayat villages.
Madurai Adheenam is the oldest Saivite adheenam, a form of Hindu monastery, in South India. It was established more than 1,300 years ago, and is said to have been rejuvenated by Thirugnana Sambandar. It is located near the Meenakshi Amman Temple in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, one of the most important Shiva–Shakti shrines. It is an active centre of Saiva Siddhanta philosophy.
Tiruvannamalai Adheenam or Kunnakudi Tiruvannamalai Mutt Adikam is a Saivite monastic institution based in the town of Kunnakudi in South India established during the 16th century. The Mutt is involved in inculcating Saiva Siddhanta philosophy, a branch of the Hindu sect of Saivism. The temple maintains and administers the Shanmughanathar Temple.
Brahmapureeswarar Temple or Thiurkolili is a Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva located in Thirukkuvalai in Nagapattinam district of Tamil Nadu, India. Shiva is worshiped as Brahmapureeswarar, and is represented by the lingam and his consort Parvati is depicted as Vandamar Poonguzhali. The presiding deity is revered in the 7th century Tamil Saiva canonical work, the Tevaram, written by Tamil poet saints known as the nayanars and classified as Paadal Petra Sthalam.
Desikar (தேசிகர்) or Desigar or Pandaram is a Tamil-speaking community from the Indian states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala. They are particularly priests and land owners in the upper caste stream.
Masilamaniswara Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to Hindu god Shiva, located in the village of Thiruvaduthurai, located 22 km from the South Indian town, Kumbakonam and 14 km from Mayiladuthurai, Tamil Nadu. It is one of the shrines of the 275 Paadal Petra Sthalams. The temple is referred to in the verses of Tevaram, the 7th century Tamil Saiva canon by Tirugnana Sambandar, Appar and Sundarar. The temple is associated with the legend of Saivite saint Tirumular.
Palunkanda Nathar Temple is a Hindu temple in the village of Thiruvaipadi near Thiruppanandal in the Thanjavur district of Tamil Nadu, India.
Tirukozhambiam Kokileswarar Temple is a Hindu temple located at Thanjavur district of Tamil Nadu, India. The presiding deity is Shiva. He is called as Kokileswarar. His consort is Soundara Nayaki.
Tiruppanantaal Arunajadewswarar Temple is a Hindu temple located at Tirupanandal in Thanjavur district of Tamil Nadu, India. The historical name of the place is Thadagaieswaram. The presiding deity is Shiva. He is called as Aruna Jadewswarar. His consort is known as Periya Nayaki.
Nine Grahas Temples in Tamil Nadu is a set of nine Hindu temples, each dedicated to one of the nine planetary deities, the Navagraham in various places around the South Indian towns of Kumbakonam and Mayiladuthurai in Tamil Nadu, India. The presiding deity in most of the temples is Shiva, with a shrine dedicated to the planetary deity. Leaving Tirunallar Saniswaran Temple which is located in Karaikkal, all the other temples are located in Tamil Nadu.
Sundaresvarar Temple, Tiruloki, is a Siva temple in Tiruloki, in Thiruvidaimarudur Taluk in Thanjavur District in Tamil Nadu (India). It is at a distance of 5 km from Thiruppanandal. This place was called as Emanallur.
Akshayanathasamy Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to the deity Shiva, located at Tirumanthurai in Thanjavur district, Tamil Nadu, India.
K. M. Venkatramaiah was a Tamil and saivaite scholar.
