Koorainadu Punugeeswarar Temple, Mayiladuthurai

Address

Koorainadu,

Mayiladuthurai Town,

Mayiladuthurai District – 609001

Moolavar

Punugeeswarar

Amman

Santha Nayagi

Introduction

Punugeeswarar Temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva located in Mayiladuthurai Town in Mayiladuthurai Taluk in Mayiladuthurai District of Tamil Nadu. Presiding deity is called as Punugeeswarar and Mother is called as Santha Nayagi. This temple is situated in Koorainadu in the western part of Mayiladuthurai. This temple is considered as one of the temples participating in Saptha Sthana festival of Mayiladuthurai.

Puranic Significance

Punugeeswarar: As per legend, Indra was cursed to become civet cat (Punugu) for attending Daksha Yaga by Lord Shiva. Indra begged forgiveness to Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva advised him to visit Mayiladuthurai and worship him. Indra in the form of Punugu came here and performed penance on Lord Shiva of this temple. Indra got relief from his curse by worshipping Lord Shiva here and attained his divine status. Hence, Lord Shiva came to be called as Punugeeswarar.

Koorai Nadu: During the marriages, the brides wear a saree called Koorai Pattu. It is said that these types of sarees were woven only in Koorai Nadu in olden days. Hence, this part of Mayiladuthurai came to be called as Koorai Nadu.

Special Features

Temple is over 1500 years old, facing west with a five-tiered Rajagopuram
Entrance arch adorned with stucco images of Shiva Lingam worshipped by Punugu cat, flanked by Murugan and Vinayaga
Pillars of entrance arch feature stucco images of Ardhanareeswarar and Durga
Balipeedam, Dhwaja Sthambam, and Nandi in front Mandapam after Rajagopuram, facing the sanctum
Mother known as Santha Nayagi housed in a separate south-facing shrine, holding Pasa & Ankusa in upper hands and Varada & Abhaya Hastha in lower hands
Chandikeswari Shrine along the circumbulatory path around her shrine
Temple pond inside premises with Nandi in Mandapam at its center
Dhyana Mandapam and Vinayagar Shrine on the pond’s banks
Second-level three-tiered gopuram at entrance of inner prakaram
Sanctum Sanctorum comprises Sanctum, Ardha Mandapam, and Maha Mandapam
Presiding deity Punugeeswarar facing west, housed in Lingam form
Vinayaga, Dakshinamoorthy, Lingodbhava, Brahma, and Durga as koshta idols around sanctum walls
Chandikeswarar Shrine in usual location, Juraheswarar and Vinayagar sculptures on outer walls of sanctum
Shrines of various deities in inner prakaram including Vilenthiya Velavar, Shanmugar, Varada Vinayaga, Ayyapan, Lakshmi, Nataraja, Navagrahas, Suryan, Somaskanda, Hanuman, 63 Nayanmars, Nesa Nayanar, Chandran, and Bhairavar
Sthala Vriksham is Pavazha Malli within the inner prakaram
Shrines for Nardana Vinayaga, Sahasra Lingeswarar, Saneeswarar, and Nesa Nayanar in outer prakaram
Yaga Salai, Nandavanam, and Madapalli also present in outer prakaram

Belief

People pray to Punugeeswarar for nine consecutive pradoshams to get rid of poverty, debts and diseases. People pray to Santha Nayagi to remove marriage obstacles and for child boon.

Festivals

Lord Aiyarappar and Aram Valartha Nayagi of Aiyarappar Temple along with Lord Shiva & Mother of Mayuranathaswami Temple, Moovalur Margasahayesvarar Temple, Sozhampettai Azhagiyanathar Temple, Thula Kattam Kasi Viswanathar Temple, Sitharkadu Brahmapureeswarar Temple and Punugeeswarar Temple goes in procession around Mayiladuthurai on the day of Chitra Pournami and finally gathering at Mayuranathar temple to invoke the blessings of Mayuranathar.

Refer by: https://tamilnadu-favtourism.blogspot.com/2017/01/punukeeswarar-temple-mayiladuthurai.html