Keelathaniyam Uthamadhaneeswarar Temple, Pudukottai

Address

Keelathaniyam Uthamadhaneeswarar Temple, Keelathaniyam, Ponnamaravathi Taluk, Pudukottai district, Tamilnadu- 622408.

Diety

Uthamadhaneeswarar Amman: Parvati

Introduction

Uthamadhaneeswarar Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva, located in Keelathaniyam Village in Ponnamaravathi Taluk in Pudukottai District of Tamil Nadu, India. The temple was built in 9th century CE by Ko Ilango Mutharaiyar, a Mutharaiyar Chieftain and later renovated by Rajaraja Chola I. The Temple is one of the protected monuments in Tamil Nadu declared by Archaeological Survey of India. The Temple is located at about 18 Kms from Ponnamaravathi, 18 Kms from Illupur, 30 Kms from Pudukottai Railway Station, and 54 Kms from Trichy Airport. The Temple is situated on Illupur to Ponnamaravathi route.

Puranic Significance

This Temple is facing towards east and enclosed within a compound wall. Balipeedam and Nandi, housed in a mandapam can be found immediately after the entrance facing towards sanctum. The Temple consists of sanctum, ardha mandapam and maha mandapam. The sanctum enshrines the presiding deity, Uthamadhaneeswarar, in Lingam form. The Vimana over the sanctum is of single tier. Idols of Nandi can be seen on the four corners on the roof surrounding the vimana. Dakshinamoorthy, Vishnu and Durga are the koshta idols located around the sanctum walls. There is a separate south facing shrine for Parvathy in the temple premises. Her shrine is situated to the left side of the sanctum.